Hall-Dale’s Akira Warren (10) turns the corner on Lisbon’s Jack Tibbetts during the second half of Saturday’s Mountain Valley Conference boys soccer game in Lisbon. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)

Hall-Dale’s Logan Dupont (11) races Lisbon’s Caleb Phillips to the ball before scoring the first goal of the game in Saturday’s Mountain Valley Conference boys soccer game in Lisbon. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)

LISBON  — Lisbon High School boys soccer coach Shawn Rhoda knew his Greyhounds were entering the tough part of its schedule two weeks ago, facing the likes of Hall-Dale, Monmouth Academy and Mt. Abram down the stretch. 

Lisbon completed that stretch to close out the regular season with a 7-1 Mountain Valley Conference setback against unbeaten Hall-Dale on Saturday, with Bulldog standout Akira Warren tallying six goals while surpassing the team single-season goal-scoring record previously held by Connor Longfellow.  

The Greyhounds will likely host a Class C South preliminary contest next Saturday, with Rhoda’s first season seeing Lisbon finish with a 9-5 record.  

“I am proud of what we have accomplished,” said Rhoda, who was hired in mid-August, just one week prior to his team’s first practice. “They didn’t know what to expect from me and I didn’t know what to expect from them. They should be proud of this year. It is an accomplishment to win nine games in this conference. This doesn’t define our season. Next Saturday, we will try to be better and extend our season.” 

Lisbon, like most of the MVC teams this year, had trouble containing Warren, who entered the contest two shy of the team record. His first goal off an Ian Stebbins set up made it a 2-0 game after Logan Dupont had put the Bulldogs ahead 8:09 into the contest.  

Warren made it 3-0 with 22:20 remaining in the first half, and his third strike with 6:52 on the clock gave him the record-setting 36th goal of the campaign.  

“I can’t say enough about what Akira has done, but the ‘teammate’ part is just as big,” said Hall-Dale first-year coach Jesse Rowe. “I have a group of seniors that are standout athletes in multiple sports, and he is right up there. What was satisfying for me was seeing the guys gather around him after he did it. Josh Nadeau set him up for those last two goals. It is always nice to have that. It has been a really fun first season for me with them.” 

Lisbon’s Justin Violette (11) beats Hall-Dale’s Josh Nadeau to the ball during the first half of Saturday’s MVC boys soccer match at Lisbon High School. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)

“I was nervous because we only had three guaranteed games left, so I am glad that I was able to do it today,” Warren said. “It is my senior year and I wanted to make it a great season. My teammates have really picked me up.” 

Warren upped Hall-Dale’s lead to 5-0 with 54 seconds left in the first half.  

“First half was an off day for us,” Rhoda said. “We got really flat in transition. We tried to have more depth, but (Warren) is a good player. We thought we could contain that, but (Hall-Dale) is a good team.” 

Lisbon found some life with 13 seconds left in the first half. Hunter Brissette’s long throw-in found the foot of Calvin Jeselskis, who slipped a shot past the dive of Hall-Dale goaltender Sam Sheaffer (seven saves) to make for a 5-1 contest at the break. 

Warren struck for two more goals in the second half, both assisted by Nadeau, who finished with three assists.  

Now, Lisbon and Hall-Dale have some time to prepare. For the Greyhounds, who have dropped three straight and four of their last five contests, it is about getting back to basics.  

“We just try to refocus. It has been a tough few games, but now we reset and move on to Saturday, beginning Monday practice,” Rhoda said. 

Hall-Dale begins preparations for Thursday’s MVC Championship against rival Monmouth Academy, with a rematch of a 3-3 deadlock with the Mustangs on Sept. 21.  

“We know them and they know us pretty well. That game will keep us sharp,” said Rowe. “I have had a really easy job of coaching this team. When you have talent and they like playing together, it is easy.”