The boys soccer team completed its regular season two weeks ago, and the 10-2-1 mark the Bears recorded was good enough to put them in first place in the Eastern Maine Class D standings when the Heal Points were first released last Tuesday.
Easton now finds itself in second place, according to rankings released yesterday, but Miller still doesn’t mind the time off his team will receive due to the current harvest. His team is, and for years has been, the only one in the state to have its regular season matches completed by mid-September.
“There is no pressure on us,” is how Miller sums things up, noting other teams who still have games remaining must stay in tune with the volatility of the standings. “We like the fact that it is a time to rest injuries.
“We’re just hoping to hold on for a good bid in the first round.”
Miller feels his squad has a good chance to remain in the top four, which would be as high as the Bears have finished during his tenure. Last year, Easton placed sixth, won a home preliminary playoff game against Deer Isle-Stonington and dropped a 1-0 decision to No. 3 Machias in the quarterfinals.
“The defense is really jelling this year,” Miller said. “We’ve got a lot of hard-nosed, aggressive players, with some young guys who are filling in some holes from last year.”
Offensively, the Bears have a potent pair in junior Corey White and senior Bradley Trask. White has battled a leg injury for the better part of the season, but Miller said he should be recovered by the time the post-season rolls around. Trask was the leading scorer a year ago with 19 goals and is right around that figure again this year.
However, it is the defense that has been the key and will continue to be from here on out. Senior Sam Bacon is brilliant at sweeper, while freshman Reid Clark has stepped in and has been a huge contributor at the stopper position. Senior Sean Daniels and junior Luke Fuller have been consistent at the wing fullback slots.
“The defense has to have a big game,” Miller said of assessing the key factors when the playoffs begin. “When those guys win the balls in the air, they are able to push it up the field to Corey and Brad and that is when we are at our best.”
Besides Clark, other freshman play key roles, including halfbacks Holden Turner and Jonah Bacon and goalkeeper Cody Tompkins. Seniors C.J. Beaton and Tony Brown both play at center midfield and are key veterans. Sophomore Jacob Bacon has started several games at both stopper and midfield, while sophomores Zach Clark and Devyn Gray and junior Chris Flewelling are key substitutes.
“We play a direct sort of game as opposed to relying on getting good touches, so the harvest recess does not affect us as much as it would some teams,” Miller said. “I have a bunch of smart kids who don’t forget things, so we’ll be fine.”
