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YARMOUTH — Even when the game was over, no one seemed exactly sure who should get credit for Yarmouth’s first-half goal that proved the difference in a 1-0 Class B South boys soccer win Thursday against old rival Greely.

Both of Yarmouth’s center backs, senior captain Ian Lawrence and junior Finn Grimnes, went up to head a back-post corner kick by Karsten Voparil with under six minutes left in the first half.

“I know it hit my shoulder,” Grimnes said.

“And then at the same time, it hit my shoulder, neck, head,” said Lawrence, who was slightly behind Grimnes.

The double-whammy attack ended up producing a perfectly placed deflection just inside the left post in the top corner that Varsity Maine All-State goalie Landon Dominski (five saves) couldn’t reach.

In the final analysis, Lawrence was credited with the goal based on the likely second touch, and Grimnes got the assist.

“The thing that pleases me is that they both were in the spot they needed to be in,” said Yarmouth second-year coach Justin Morrill.

Rivalry renewed

Morrill claimed his first coaching win against Greely. A year ago, Greely was 2-0-1 in its three games against Yarmouth, including a 1-0 victory in the Class B South final en route to claiming the state championship. Yarmouth had won the four previous state championships.

Yarmouth is now 2-1. Greely is 1-1.

The longtime rivals entered the game as the highest-ranked Class B teams in the Varsity Maine poll — Greely at No. 4 and Yarmouth at No. 5.

Yarmouth controlled play throughout the first half, getting strong games and good passing combinations from midfielders George Brown, Lucas Hayner and technically creative Gideon Ahrens, often teaming with attacking right back Ian Minnihan. Yarmouth had a 7-1 edge in first-half shots and finished with an 11-3 advantage.

Yarmouth nearly scored a second goal in the 55th minute. Owen Advani stepped into a shot from long distance that Dominski had to dive to his left to save. Hayner jumped on a rebound bid that he targeted toward goal, only to have Greely back Lucas Sproul swipe it away a foot from the line.

Greely did mount better offensive thrusts in the game’s final 25 minutes. Max Allen just missed wide right while looking at an open net with six minutes to play.

What it means

The game represented a strong test for both clubs. For Yarmouth, it was a chance to bounce back from a 2-1 road loss to York on Tuesday.

“What we need from them is coming out focused before the game, and the first half was a true response, and we were really pleased to see them come out that way,” Morrill said.

Greely coach Mike Andreasen was pleased with how his team — with several new starters on the flanks — increased its tempo in the second half.

“We’re very strong down the middle. That’s where all our experienced guys are from last year,” Andreasen said. “We have two new outside backs and I thought they held up well to the test. Our wings are new. I think the first half, they outplayed us, and the second half, we came back well, played with some urgency, had some chances.”

They said it

• “They’re big, and playing long balls and trying to beat (Yarmouth) in the air is not effective. You’ve really got to get the ball to the outside, and we started figuring that out in the second half. I’m just happy that we competed.” — Greely coach Mike Andreasen

• “We were locked in at practice yesterday, and today we knew (Greely) was going to be a good team and we had to come out firing.” —Yarmouth center back Ian Lawrence