By Kevin Mills,Staff Writer

WALES – Time was running out for the Maranacook boys’ soccer team.

After spending much of Monday’s game knocking on the door in a 0-0 tie, there wasn’t much overtime remaining for the Black Bears to break the stalemate.

Maranacook’s persistence ultimately paid off with 3:14 left in the second overtime.

Cameron Madore sent a ball from the midfield up to the right wing where Billy Ervin had some space. When Oak Hill goaltender Mike Eaton made his move, Ervin chipped the ball to the left side and the ball landed just inside the left post, giving the Bears a 1-0 victory.

“He gave me a good pass through, and I looked and spotted up,” said Ervin. “The keeper was charging out, and I tried to give it a little chip over. It ended up going inside.”

Maranacook (2-1-1) outshot the Raiders (2-2) 22-4, but Oak Hill’s defense bottled up the Black Bears enough in the middle. What breaks Maranacook managed in the box, often went wide.

“We’ve been having trouble finishing this season for various reasons,” said Ervin. “We started to get a little frustrated, but then we brought ourselves together and tried to keep on fighting as hard as we can.”

Maranacook graduated 10 seniors and are trying to fill various holes. Being without Ryan Martin, a sophomore striker out with a back injury, doesn’t help.

“We’re young,” said Black Bear coach Don Beckwith. “I really thought we’d do better by this time, and that we’d score a few more goals, but it will come. I only start a couple of seniors and have four or five sophomores.”

The narrow loss was another hard-fought setback for the Raiders. Oak Hill had lost to Winslow, 2-1, despite a fine effort.

“Our battle cry is to get into the playoffs and find a way to win,” said Oak Hill coach Joe Fletcher. “Who knows what will happen. We’re improving and hopefully, we can get the Heal Points to get into the playoffs.”

The Raiders played the Black Bears tough but couldn’t come up with the offensive thrust to counter.

“They had us on our heels,” said Fletcher. “We’ve got to execute when we have opportunities. Late in the game, we had a few chances to score, and we didn’t capitalize.”

In the first half, Mike Poulin, Jimmy Palmer, Ervin and Madore all had quality chances. Oak Hill’s first shot of the game came on a direct kick with 16 minutes left. Raider defender Chris Ellis helped prevent a goal, kicking away a threat coming off a throw late in the half.

In the second half, the Black Bears kept the pressure on. Palmer shot wide, and Poulin had a number of chances. Oak Hill had a crack at it late when Ethen Guerette’s corner was bobbled by keeper Will Bardaglio, but he kept it away from Justin Plourde nearby.

The Raiders had Plourde and Davy Hanlon chasing down a loose ball in the first overtime, but they couldn’t get off a shot. Guerette had a high shot in the overtime that Bardaglio saved.

“I think this will really help us,” said Ervin. “We know when we do fight through, we will be able to get something.”