Windham Under-14 boys’ soccer beats Cape Elizabeth for regional title

Windham Youth Soccer's Zac Noonan stops a 
Cape Elizabeth player with Ben Shaw backing 
Noonan up. The WYSA Under-14 boys had an 
undefeated season (9-0) after beating Falmouth
and Cumberland in the playoffs. They had a 5-2
win over Cape Elizabeth during the regional 
championship game on Nov. 1 at Fitzpatrick Stadium
in Portland. PHOTO BY KIM SHAW

By Patrick Noonan

Special to The Windham Eagle

The Windham Youth Soccer Association’s Under-14 boys’ travel team had an exciting finish to the final round of the 2020 Soccer Maine Fall Classic. They were ranked first overall going into the tournament.

On Saturday, Oct. 31, Windham beat Cumberland, breaking a 1-1 tie, to get a 3-1 win. In the Nov. 1 regional championship, played at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, Windham battled aggressive Cape Elizabeth and came from behind with a 2-1 halftime deficit to secure the championship and a 5-2 win over Cape Elizabeth.

In the final week of the regular season, the team ended with a record of 6-0. In the preliminary playoff round, Windham beat Falmouth 4-1 at home. Two second half goals helped Windham beat Cumberland after a 1-1 tie on Saturday, Oct. 31 at Gambo Field in Windham to achieve a 3-1 win. Windham players Oliver Weatherby, Luke Cunniffe and Sam Rogers each scored.

In the first half of the regional championship, played Nov. 1 at Fitzpatrick Field in Portland, Windham’s Rogers scored a goal. The second half was a back and forth game with the Windham defenders playing strong. Windham came together with sharp offensive passing and strong possession-based play in the middle.

The momentum changed midway through the second half of play, when Windham scored the tying goal after a laser shot by Cunniffe just inside the 18-yard line. Five minutes later Rogers added the go-ahead goal with a feed from Cunniffe. With less than four minutes to play, Creighty Dickson had a left side break-away with a low hard shot that ricocheted off the Cape goalie to the 18 yard line and was finished by Carter Engelman.

Rogers completed the hat trick with a third and final goal with time waning. Windham’s defense held strong and did not allow any additional goals which was led by Windham goalie Luke Hammond, the three defensive backs, Zac Noonan, Connor Gallant and Rory Good and the two defensive midfielders, Evan Yale and Ben Shaw. Windham goals came from Engelman, Cunniffe and three by Rogers to complete the undefeated season, 9-0, and the win over Cape Elizabeth.

“With all the unknowns due to COVID-19 we were really happy just to be allowed to play soccer this season,” said coach Mike Cunniffe. “This group of players have put in countless hours of game time, practice, and dedication to the soccer program over the years. To see all their hard work pay off in their final season together was incredible. Some of these kids have been playing Windham Travel Soccer for over six years. For me, to be a part of their development and lives since they were seven or eight year old boys has been such a privilege.  I see them now as incredible young men and the sky is the limit for them.”

Players agreed.

“It was different to not take throw-ins, that changed things a lot,” said eighth grader Oliver Weatherby.
“Wearing masks on the bench was not fun. We had to get our temperatures checked before every game and practice and it was stressful because if your temperature was too high you couldn’t play. Getting a chance to play on turf for our championship was pretty cool. I was stressed but confident given our record for the season (8-0; leading up to the championship).” <