CUMBERLAND—New faces.

Same intensity.

And very little separation on the pitch.

Yarmouth’s four-time reigning Class B state champion boys’ soccer team began a new era Thursday evening at Glen A. Hutchins Field and it’s clear the Clippers are in good hands under new coach Justin Morrill.

While host Greely has a lot to be excited about as well.

It took the Rangers less than five minutes to open the scoring, as senior captain Owen Piesik headed home a throw from senior captain Owen Partridge.

Greely had a great look to double its lead, but Piesik hit the post and the Clippers, as they so often do, roared back.

Yarmouth dominated the second half and with 26:57 left in regulation, produced the equalizer, as the dynamic tandem of seniors Luis Cardoso and Zacarias Binda worked their magic, with Binda heading the ball home.

The Clippers had some great looks to take the lead, but couldn’t do so and after the game went to overtime, 10 additional minutes didn’t produce any offense and the rivals settled for a 1-1 draw.

And the best is yet to come.

“That was exciting,” said Morrill, after his debut. “Our boys played their butts off. We answered the way we needed to answer and that’s the most important thing.”

“It was good for us in terms of seeing where we are,” said longtime Rangers coach Mike Andreasen, after his 423rd contest with the program, 422 more than his counterpart. “We had some good results in the preseason. We needed to play 80 good minutes, or tonight 90.”

Starting over

Yarmouth has been the gold standard in Class B for a decade, winning eight of the past nine Gold Balls, including a 7-0 domination of John Bapst a year ago which capped a 16-2 campaign.

During the offseason, longtime coach Mike Hagerty announced he was stepping down after 344 wins and 13 state titles in his 27 years with the program and Morrill took over.

Morrill, a longtime assistant with the Clippers, long ago made his mark in Yarmouth by scoring the game-winning goal last in the 2004 Class B state final.

Morrill, who played and served as an assistant coach in the rivalry, admitted he felt some butterflies.

“Nerves were up a little bit before the game,” Morrill said. “I probably had more caffeine than I needed before the game.”

Greely, meanwhile, went 9-5-1 last season, losing to York in the quarterfinals, 2-0.

Both teams are again on the short list of title favorites this fall.

Thursday, on a very comfortable evening (69 degrees at kickoff), the Rangers started fast, but the Clippers roared back before the game ended without resolution.

The Rangers came out forcing the action, earning a corner kick in the game’s third minute. It didn’t result in a shot, but the tone was set.

After a rush from senior Bez Mendelsohn was broken up by Clippers senior back Bobby Wolff, Greely earned a throw-in and Partridge sent it right on to Piesik’s head and Piesik directed it over the head of Yarmouth senior goalkeeper and captain Will Raymond and into the net for a quick 1-0 lead.

“(Owen) usually flicks it to somebody running on to it, but I guess he figured he could do it himself,” said Andreasen.

The Clippers then flipped the switch and flipped the field.

Cardoso produced the team’s first shot, which went just wide, then junior Gideon Ahrens fired high with his left foot.

After Cardoso spun and fired just wide, Rangers junior goalkeeper Landon Dominski came way out to break up a through ball from Ahrens to junior Nate Buchanan.

After Dominski denied senior Owen Hayes on a rush, a free kick from junior George Brown was knocked around before being cleared.

With 8:45 to go before halftime, Greely came oh-so-close to doubling its lead, as off a corner kick, Piesik headed the ball on target and over the leaping Raymond’s hand, but much to the Rangers’ chagrin and to the Clippers’ relief, the ball rang off the crossbar and the game remained 1-0 into the halftime break.

The Clippers pushed hard for the equalizer when the second half commenced and were eventually rewarded.

First, Dominski saved a shot from Brown, then he denied Binda and came out to break up a rush from Buchanan.

Then, with 26:57 left in regulation, off a corner kick, Dominski punched the ball to his left, but Cardoso managed to send the ball back in front to Binda, who headed it home to make the score 1-1.

“Once we got going and I could see the kids have taken things to heart in the preseason, I was really proud,” Morrill said. “They responded really well after Greely scored that first goal. They weathered the storm.  Zacarias and Luis are so creative. Even when you think a play has broken down, they’re able to pull it back in.”

“They have the typical Yarmouth fire,” Andreasen said. “You know they’ll never quit against you.”

The Clippers had chances to win it in regulation, but couldn’t convert.

First, a blast from sophomore Owen Advani was deflected just wide and the ensuing corner kick didn’t result in a shot.

With 15:25 to play, Advani sent a free kick into the box and Cardoso got his head on the ball, but Dominski made the save.

After senior Ward Jenkins sent a long, lofting shot just over the crossbar, junior Ian Minnihan missed just wide.

With 4:41 remaining, Ahrens eluded several defenders along the end line and crossed the ball in front, but no teammate could reach it.

After a Advani free kick was headed out of harm’s way, regulation came to an end and the contest went to overtime.

A first five-minute, “sudden victory” OT saw Greely regain control, but a corner kick serve from junior Hunter Caiazzo was punched out by Raymond and a free kick from junior Connor Skillin was cleared.

Yarmouth had a chance as well, but Cardoso’s shot was blocked by Skillin.

In the second extra session, Binda got around a defender and crossed the ball in front but it was cleared, junior Ian Lawrence had a shot blocked off a corner kick and a subsequent Clippers’ corner kick didn’t result in a shot.

The Rangers had one last look, but sophomore Gavin Byrne sent the ball wide and the contest ended with the score 1-1.

“Kudos to the Greely kids, that was a heck of a battle,” said Morrill. “That’s what we needed to see, to test our resolve at the beginning of the season.”

“We scored and we let our foot off the gas,” Andreasen said. “They dominated in the second half until they scored. Then, it balanced back out a little bit. We responded to a need, them tying the game, and you have to play needy all the time. It was good for us. Considering they lost nine starters from last year, they’re really good. They’re an unknown to us without Mike. Justin’s done a nice job with them. The entire staff is intact.  I said at halftime, ‘The team that scores the next goal will win the game.’ It was them, but luckily they didn’t win the game. We have to work on our 1-v-1 defending because they exposed us.”

Yarmouth finished with a 7-3 advantage in shots on frame and a 9-6 edge in corner kicks. Raymond stopped two shots.

Dominski made six saves for Greely.

More tests

Yarmouth stays on the road next week, going to Gray-New Gloucester Monday and Class A North power Brunswick. The Clippers don’t play at home until Sept. 17, versus York.

“We have to clean some things up and get ready for the next one,” Morrill said. “We have a big week coming up. I’m sure we’ll have some kids step up who didn’t play tonight. It’s going to be next man up.”

Greely stays home to battle Fryeburg Academy Monday and Cape Elizabeth in a showdown Thursday of next week.

“Every game will be a battle,” said Andreasen. “We want to put more emphasis on the back end of the season instead of the front of the season.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.