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BANGOR — With a swing of his leg, Aiden Willis produced a historic moment for his school.
Willis scored with 4:12 left in overtime to give the Oceanside boys soccer team a 2-1 victory over John Bapst in the Class B North final Thursday night at Cameron Stadium. It’s the first regional title for the program since the school opened in 2011.
“It feels amazing to make history,” said Willis, a senior. “Since the (school) merger, Rockland sports haven’t been good since the Georges Valley days. It feels good to put everything back together and get back to the glory days of winning games, making the playoffs and making huge moments I know I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Rockland High and Georges Valley High consolidated in 2011 to become Oceanside.
Willis scored both goals for the Mariners (15-2), who will meet South champion Yarmouth (15-1-1) in the state final at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Edward Little High School in Auburn. The Clippers beat defending champion Greely 2-1 in double overtime.
“What I feel is complete joy for a journey that started a year and a half ago, when we took over the program,” said Oceanside coach Robbie Krul. “We just went to work.”
John Bapst, the three-time defending North champion, finished 13-2-2. Rafa Rentosa scored for the Crusaders.
Willis found room to the left of the John Bapst net and got full force behind a kick that wound up in the near corner of the net, past Crusaders keeper Bode Phillips for the winning goal.
“I saw my left foot going into the ball and I could see the goalie tip it into the net,” Willis said. “I just thought, ‘Put anything you can into this (shot) and hope the results pay off.'”
After a scoreless first half, Willis put Oceanside on the scoreboard in the first five minutes of the second half, nailing a high shot that deflected off the hand of a diving Phillips. John Bapst answered midway through the half when Rentosa, moving to his left, knocked a shot past Mariners goalie Grady Geretz and into the far corner of the net.
Oceanside fell 4-0 to John Bapst in a regular-season matchup on Sept. 13 at Hermon High School.
“John Bapst, what a team to beat,” Krul said. “We knew we had to play the champs. That’s what the motivation was for this group. We just dug deep.”
“Every time we played John Bapst, my sophomore, junior, senior year, (we’d) just get absolutely whooped,” Willis said. “It feels good to come back, stick it to the man and get that opportunity in the state final.”
Geretz finished with five saves for Oceanside, while Phillips had eight saves for the Crusaders.
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