By Kalle Oakes,Staff Writer

LISBON FALLS – Funny how winning a few games steepens the curve by which every accomplishment is graded.

In just about every preceding boys’ soccer season, Lisbon beating Mountain Valley, 3-1, as the Greyhounds did Tuesday afternoon, would have been hailed as the highlight of a season and a building block for a program.

Yesterday’s cause for celebration is today’s teachable moment. Far from loopy with delight, Lisbon (5-3-1) lamented the things it could have done better.

Not letting the Falcons (2-6-1) head into halftime with a one-goal lead, for example.

“I gave them a piece of my mind,” Lisbon coach Scott Barden said. “We’ve been playing really well lately. That effort wasn’t up to par, and I let them know it.”

There was Lisbon’s unorthodox penalty kick technique, too.

Collisions in front of the goal gave the Greyhounds two freebies in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Nate Osmond snuck his shot past diving goalkeeper Bryan Canwell for the equalizer, and Payton Austin launched his bid over Canwell’s leap for the eventual game-winner.

“We got lucky,” Barden said. “The first one we put under (Canwell), and the second one we put over him. But our guys know they’re supposed to shoot for one of the corners.”

The devil is in the details when you’ve already multiplied last season’s win total by five.

That one 2004 victory came with only two seniors and two juniors on a combined varsity and junior varsity roster of 23. Six seniors play a vital role on this year’s faster, battle-toughened team.

Osmond, one of those upperclassmen, cashed in his first multi-goal game as a varsity player and added a stellar defensive effort in the midfield.

“We didn’t come out and play as hard as we should have,” Osmond said. “The difference this season is when we play defense. Most of our goals are set up by our defense.”

Mountain Valley struggled to create any offense after Curtis Bolduc redirected a bid by Chad Moen in front of an open Lisbon cage in the 12th minute of the game for the 1-0 lead.

Lisbon pressured Canwell (19 saves) throughout while forcing the Falcons to fire most of their second-half shots from 20 yards and beyond.

“That’s been the story of our season,” said Mountain Valley coach Wade McLaughlin. “Most of our games have been 1-0 or 2-1. Goals have been at a premium.”

McLaughlin and the Falcons were frustrated by the calls that led to the fateful penalty kicks.

The coach also protested a non-call that set up Osmond’s second goal, claiming that obstruction aided his unassisted run between several Mountain Valley defenders in front of the Falcons’ bench. He was issued a yellow card.

“I think the first (penalty kick) was legit. The second one, they probably had a point,” Barden said. “But I’ve been on that side before.”

Now, the Greyhounds are on an unfamiliar side of the equation, fighting for a home playoff game in Western Class B. And they’re still young, as evidenced by Tuesday’s early growing pains.

“We’ve gotten back some kids who weren’t able to play last year,” Barden said, “and at one point, I had three freshmen out there today.”

Senior Mike Wilkins backed up the stingy Lisbon defense with 13 saves.