Falcon Colby Wagner headbanged home two beautiful goals on the road at Traip on Saturday morning, Sept. 24, transforming a scrappy back-and-forth into a 4-2 Freeport W.

“I feel really good about the way we moved the ball,” said Falcons head coach Joe Heathco. “It’s an improvement over what we’ve been doing.”

The Falcons controlled for much of game, pressing their attack often. They lit the lamp early when Josh Spaulding one-timed a midair cross on its way in from wide-right. Traip keeper Jayce Neilsen never had a chance. 1-0.

“He’s been dying to get that goal,” Heathco said of Spaulding. “He’s been pushing so hard and playing so well. So for him to get it is a big deal.” 

The Rangers did, however, strike back a mere minute and a half later, Teddy Driscoll tying the action with a header past Freeport’s own netmaster, Joey Burke. From there the game devolved into a tussle. The Falcons generated a number of quality opportunities – Griffin Agnese pinpointed a corner at 10:32 that Neilsen leapt spectacularly to save – but couldn’t convert.

So the teams retreated to their respective corners at the break all locked up at one apiece. When they returned, though, Traip quickly seized an advantage, Driscoll nabbing his second of the morning less than a minute into the half.

As Heathco observed, the Falcons’ defense is a somewhat hobbled of late, Nate Thomas having recently suffered a concussion. “We’re certainly missing Nate, he’s one of our starting backs and he’s played great. That threw us off a little.”

“We’re just not getting quite in position; we’re close, but we’re not there,” said Heathco. “It’s strange, because I felt at the beginning of the year we were tight. And we’ve got such good defenders. Experienced, smart – Evan (McKittrick) is terrific.”

The Rangers earned themselves a questionable penalty kick at 36:26 – but Charlie Driscoll drove the shot straight at Burke, who grabbed the save easily. 

Heathco remarked on the awarding of the PK: “The biggest thing is, [the official] felt there was contact that [caused a Traip player] to go down. But the call was made from ten-plus yards on this side of midfield. I have trouble telling from here, and he was no closer than me. So as a coach, I don’t find that credible.”

“Part of that is the two-man system,” Heathco said. “Which I am big-time against, because I referee at other levels. [US Soccer] will not allow you to do a two-man system. But for some reason, high school in Maine, feels like the extra 20 bucks, or whatever it is, is too much of a burden. I just don’t see it. So for me it’s very frustrating.”

Freeport continued to trail, but maintained their composure and evened the score at 2-2 seven minutes later. Eric Pelletier fired an indirect kick into a scramble of bodies at Neilsen’s feet – a scramble that included Max Heathco, who pounced on a rebound for the goal. 

The Falcons jumped ahead on Wagner’s first contribution, and sealed the deal on his second, at 14:24 and 9:02 respectively. The snappy headers looked almost identical, and both were beautiful: Each time, Pelletier lofted up the initial ball, and Wagner got the biggest air of anyone leaping for first contact. The redirects slipped past Traip’s every defender, ultimately pushing Freeport to their 4-2 final.

“It’s nice to score any way you can,” Heathco said, “but when they’re pretty, it makes you feel good about what you’re doing. Those two headers were really just nice plays. I’d like to think that Eric saw the both of those and put it right where he wanted to – I’m gonna believe that. But they were well-executed. He put the ball in a space, Colby attacked it, nice, over-the-top headers. I’m psyched. I’m really psyched to get the win.”

The victory boosted Freeport over .500, to 4-3 on the season thus far. That’s a heartening place to be for a program that’s faced some struggles in recent years. In 2015, for instance, the Falcons finished 4-8-2. 

Impressively, the team is relatively green. Heathco expressed satisfaction with his boys’ progress through their early schedule. “Come out early, get in the win column – that’s always important for confidence.”

Heathco, in fact, figures his boys should probably have a couple more wins than they do. “We’ve had two tough losses in a row, games where we felt like we should’ve done better. The Gray game, we just made a terrible mistake and lost 1-0 – defensively, we just broke down. And then, Fryeburg, we were kind of absent a little bit.” The Falcons fell to the Patriots on Sept. 20, and to the Raiders on the 24th. 

The Falcons currently rank seventh in B South, a slot back from Greely (3-3) and a slot ahead of Carrabec/Madison (6-1). The team hosts Poland on Tuesday the 27th, and travels to Falmouth two days later. 

Freeport’s Evan McKittrick wins a battle (and quite decisively) with a Traip opponent.

Freeport’s Joe Ashby leaves a Traip opponent lying in the grass as he blasts the ball away.

Freeport’s Eriksen Shea and Traip’s Andrew Macomber engage in one of numerous clashes on Saturday.

Freeport’s Caleb Arsenault shuttles a pass cross-field.

Traipster Andrew Macomber shoulders into Freeporter Eriksen Shea as both boys pursue the ball.

Eric Pelletier of Freeport lofts a ball toward the Traip net.

Freeport celebrates Max Heathco’s (right) game-tying goal at Traip.

Freeport’s Ben Morang takes a touch as a Traip opponent descends on his position.

Joe Ashby pelts a ball forward for the Falcons.

Freeporter Jesse Bennell pushes forward with the ball at Traip on Saturday morning.

Freeporter Colby Wagner outpaces a Traip opponent, chasing down a runaway ball.

Joe Ashby tries to stay upright as Traipster Teddy Driscoll slide-tackles from behind.

Freeporter Joe Ashby settles a ball at Traip on Saturday morning.

Colby Wagner heads a ball toward the Traip cage; the shot would beat Rangers keeper Jayce Neilsen for Wagner’s second header-goal of the day.

Freeporter Evan McKittrick takes flight after booting away a ball.

Freeport Co-Captain Max Heathco tries to interrupt Traip’s Teddy Driscoll.