Cody Tribbet added an insurance goal with 5:19 left in regulation.

Peter Gardner’s Bobcats limited the freshman-laden Patriots to very few quality scoring chances by pressuring the ball with numbers all over the field.

“I felt they had way more people than they should have had out there. But they didn’t. They just kept going and going and going,” said Bangor Christian freshman phenom Tyler Welch, who drew a crowd of Bobcats wherever he went.

“(Welch) was definitely the best striker we’ve played against. He has a lot of skill,” Blake said. “But we play well in layers and we know how to double down and take care of people we need to take care of.”

“We knew he was their main guy in the middle so we put constant pressure on him,” Richmond senior midfielder Cameron Emmons said.

“The kids worked hard and played good solid defense. They created layers (of defense),” Richmond coach Peter Gardner said.

Richmond, which lost to Bangor Christian 2-1 in last year’s final, capped a 17-0 season. It was the Bobcats’ first state title since 2007. Bangor Christian, which had a string of 12 straight shutouts snapped, finished up at 16-2.

Blake wasted little time giving his team a lead it would never relinquish as he scored his 17th goal of the season just 2:57 into the game.

Curtis Anderson’s shot from the top of the penalty area was blocked but the ball squirted through to Blake.

“I poked the ball through one of their defenders’ legs and used my body to get around him,” said Blake, who went in alone on onrushing BC goalkeeper Dennis Farnham. “I saw the left corner and put it right on the ground into the net.”

“I tried to sacrifice my body by laying out to see if I could cut off (the angle). But it went in,” Farnham said.

Blake expanded the lead with 19:10 left in the half with a high, wind-aided 35-yard shot that looped over Farnham and dropped just under the crossbar.

“The defender gave me a lot of space and the goalkeeper was off his line,” explained Blake.

“I thought I was back far enough. I thought I could jump higher but it swooped right down,” Farnham said.

The Patriots’ best scoring chance came with 13 minutes remaining in regulation.

Trailing 2-0, Welch took a 26-yard free kick that deflected across the goalmouth to an unmarked Seth Pearson who was six yards out.

But Pearson’s shot went into the midsection of goalie Zach Small and the freshman held on to it.

“I just dove over there and I was able to block it,” Small said.

“Unfortunately, I didn’t put it in. I was pretty upset with myself,” Pearson said.

Gardner said the save was a “big deal.

“The momentum would have swung the other way and they would have come at us with everyone,” Gardnersaid.

Richmond sewed up the win when Matt Rines slid a diagonal ball to Tribbet, who ran on to the ball in stride, took a touch and fired a 16-yard shot that slipped through the hands of Farnham.

Junior sweeper Tyler Soucy turned in an exceptional performance for the Bobcats and Bailey Johansen and Nathan Kendrick complemented him in the back with thorough performances as did stopper/defensive midfielder Logan Anair.

Small finished with four saves on 12 shots.

Johnathan Cormier was a standout in the back for Bangor Christian and midfielder Luke Chandler also turned in a strong game as did Welch.

Farnham finished with four saves on 15 shots.

“They possessed the ball real well, they worked really hard and they tried to get all the 50-50 balls. They were a good team,” BC’s Pearson said.

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