Well-timed week off for Falcons

Apparently injuries can be contagious — at least on the Mountain Valley girls’ soccer team.

A week off couldn’t have come at a better time for the Falcons.  The team doesn’t play again until a game at Jay on Friday night. After a 2-1 loss to St. Dom’s last Saturday morning, it is a much-needed break for a banged up squad.

Mountain Valley already had two regulars out of action in the game against the Saints. Then, as many as four other players were hurt in the loss to the Saints, including two starting midfielders.  At times Mountain Valley coach Kris Tyler had four freshmen playing in that contest.

“The fortunate thing is that this is a bye-week,” said Tyler. “We don’t play until Friday. I think we’re going to be in good shape come Friday because we’re going to be able to rest some girls.”

The Falcons are currently 3-3 and ranked eighth in Western B. All three losses have been by one goal. Mountain Valley hopes that it can get healthy and build some momentum toward a playoff push. After winning five games and reaching the Western B quarterfinals last season, the Falcons have much of that team back with hopes of another tourney berth.

“If we can get into good health again, I think we’re going to have a good chance,” said Tyler, whose team plays Jay, Dirigo, St. Dom’s, Hall-Dale and Mt. Abram down the stretch. “We’ve lost by only one goal and been in every game we’ve played.”

Big D

The Lewiston boys’ soccer team boasts a pretty potent offense, but its defense has been putting up some impressive numbers as well.

The Blue Devils are currently 4-2 and have scored 14 goals. Lewiston’s defense has allowed just four and just two in the last five games. The Blue Devils have posted two consecutive shutouts, against EL and Mt. Ararat, and have three in their last five games.

With talent and speed up front and in the midfield, Lewiston has been able to fend off teams and quickly transition the ball the other way.

“We’ve been able to cause teams to make hurried passes,” said Lewiston coach Mike McGraw, whose team has jumped to third in Eastern A. “If they’re in a hurry and we read it, we can get another possession. That’s the key, getting those possessions.”

Learning fast

The Edward Little girls are making strides with three consecutive wins. The Red Eddies are currently 4-2 and hold the seventh spot in the Eastern A standings. EL began the season with a new coach and just four seniors.

“We’ve got a lot of speed up front,” said EL coach Craig Latuscha. “The defense is really strong and my keeper is making some big saves. The past week has been a crucial week for our program. They’ve really stepped up.”

After a hard-fought, 2-1 win over Erskine, EL beat Lewiston 5-1 and followed that up with a 3-0 blanking of Cony.  After back-to-back 2-o losses to Morse and Mt. Ararat, the Eddies are gaining some momentum.

“Everybody’s gelling together,” said Latuscha, who still had 12 players returning from last year. “We’re having some team dinners. We’re bonding all the time. They’re having a good time and having fun.”

EL has challenges coming up with rematches against Morse and Mt. Ararat and a game with top-ranked and unbeaten Brunswick.

De-cleated

A play in Saturday’s St. Dom’s-Mountain Valley girls’ game last Saturday had officials and trainers ready to leap into action.

A player from each team collided in the midfield and both fell to the ground. The athletic trainer on the sidelines feared that maybe the girls were hurt when neither of them were able to get up right away. Both officials saw the same situation and were concerned that tempers might be flaring.

Instead it was a scenario few onlookers had ever seen before.

All fears were calmed when all realized that the players were talking to each other and laughing. Neither of them could get up because their cleats were stuck together. It wasn’t until another player stepped in to help that the two girls were separated.

kmills@sunjournal.com

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