Well, thanks to  a truly memorable play off run, we got to go to the “Ball”, but unfortunately the clock struck 12:00 and that darned woman I have mentioned before, you know, the portly one!! She opened her mouth with full force and belted out her favorite tune; “Turn out the lights, the party’s over!!!!!!

In tough circumstances, the 2010 boys soccer season ended with the GOLD Ball in full view. Unfortunately, it left on a yellow bus headed North instead of the “Custom Coach” bound for Yarmouth.

There is no hiding the fact that we did not play at our best today, but Fort Kent was a worthy opponent.

Having tasted last year, the bitter pill we currently have stuck in our own throats, they prevailed on the day and I suspect their ride back up North was a little more enjoyable than ours.

Am I disappointed? Oh yes!!! Do I think we maxed out our potential this season? Yes again!

To get this close as an eighth seed was a very worthy achievement and it was a pleasure being a part of it.

Over the years, I have coached many teams that have more talent, but, and this is a big but, I don’t believe I ever coached a more resilient or a nicer group of players. This is not paying lip service to you because we lost, it is how I genuinely feel.

I know one is not supposed to admit it, but I am really pleased that we even got to experience this day and play in this game. I don’t believe anyone involved will ever forget the stirring night in the deluge in Wiscasset! To win 3 games on the road against teams with a combined recored of 33-5-6 is something to be very proud of.

I don’t know what the future holds for me personally, but regardless of who is coaching this program next season, the future is bright and there is the real likelihood that the team could take that one extra step and bring the gold ball to 148 Main Street!

In two seasons, our regular season record has been a ho-hum 14-11-2, but come the play-offs, in 7 straight road games, we have gone 5-2.

The “pain train” as Alan Brown likes to call it has made stops at #1 Wiscasset, #2 Dirigo, #3 Waynflete and at two #5′s Georges Valley and Hall Dale!!!  To use the boys vernacular (which totally baffles me), that is SICK or DOPE????

In closing, I am glad I have been using my spell checker all season. Rumor has it that our opponents have been printing off my blogs and using them as bulletin board material.

Hey, I have a thought! Do we have an expert on royalty payments among our wonderful parents??? I may never make a living by writing, but I would definitely be back to coach next season if I didn’t have to do my real job!!!

This is Coach Martyn Keen checking out for the final time! Thanks for the memories. I truly, truly love you all!!!! (yes, even you coach Salway)

I am so proud of every single player on the squad this season!! We have faced adversity and have taken it all in our stride. Gradually improving to peak at just the right time!

Getting to the Western Maine Championship game as the #7 seed last year was a great accomplishment, repeating that from the #8 spot is truly wonderful. Congratulations boys and thanks also to the parents, administrators and the student body for your wonderful support!!

Wednesday night at Wiscasset was a game that no one will forget, probably in their entire life!!. Not many #8 seeds go in to face an unbeaten opponent and end their season!

When Forest’s left footed shot rippled the net and set up that famous team slide in front of the fans, it made all the problems we have faced pale away!!

The whole evening, from the appalling weather to the stop at Dunkin Donuts on the way back (THANK YOU NIKLAS!) was the stuff of legends!!!

It is not just the players who have been lucky enough to get into the game who have made this week memorable. The quality of play in practice ALL AROUND has been phenomenal! That is exactly why I was not surprised at the results!

Today’s semi final should really have been a more comfortable win, and there was some indiscipline that was frustrating. However I have the feeling that there was a lot more in the “tank” if it had been really needed.

I am very privileged to coach at this school and especially with this particular group of boys. All I ask now is that you get some good rest tomorrow and come back in Monday with a positive mind set to prepare for our biggest game of all against Waynflete.

Though I would never have said it publicly, I have believed for a while now that these were the two best teams in Class C West. Now that has been been proven to be true and the show-down is on!!

We were 3-5 going into our game against Lake Region on October 9th. Now, we stand one game away from the State Cup final at 9-5-1, not including a morale boosting 3-0 win at Class A Morse.

I truly never gave up in my belief in this group (not saying I didn’t question my mental stability!!) and my faith has been proven well founded. Now let us focus on giving a great performance on Wednesday at Waynflete! As I recall, we have produced great results there before!!

In a game that turned from a “laugher” into  a thriller, the McDougall Cup stayed in Freeport thanks to a stirring fightback by a hugely motivated Freeport team. They belied their lowly position in the class B standings and turned in a wonderful second half performance.

NYA lethargically strolled to  a 2-0 half time lead without ever showing the slightest urgency. This same attitude continued into the second half, but when Freeport got a hint that they could get back into the game, they tore into us like a school of sharks on a feeding frenzy.

Freeport thoroughly deserved their goals to tie the game and NYA received a valuable lesson in what desire and momentum can do when all seems lost!

All credit to our team though for the way in which they responded to the swift turnaround in fortune. Their response was quick and determined, but they were ultimately unable to put the ball in the net to bring home the silverware.

It was not fun to watch another team take the prize we had expected to receive, but it was a great lesson to learn.

Namely, that when you want something, you have to earn  it and be determined to get it rather than expect it to fall into your lap!

With the greatest of respect to the very handsome McDougall trophy and to the young man whom it honors. NYA has it’s eyes on a more illustrious prize and this experience may yet prove invaluable to help them achieve it.

We scrimmage class A #4 seed Morse, Friday @ 3:45 in Bath as a pre-curser to next Wednesday’s showdown versus v the unbeaten and top-seeded Wiscasset next Wednesday 27th.

This team has not had a smooth 2010 season by any means, but the potential is there, as is evidenced by some great performances against teams with very lofty reputations and expectations. Probably the very best teams in the whole State.

So now gentlemen, the challenge is laid down, you know what you need to do. The question is, do you have the mental fortitude to achieve your goal?

From past experience I know we can count on great support from the parents and school in general. We go in as huge underdogs in the eyes of the general public, but this is exactly why the games are played on the field and not in the prognosticators offices!!!

“Cometh the hour, cometh the man!!!” Lets go Panthers!!!!!

Well all I can say is that I am glad I have a very fit heart!!

This team likes to keep the stress level of the coach high, but has shown its resiliency when the chips are down.

Both games against Sacopee were pretty much make or break games and the boys came through each with flying colors. As I write we are in a playoff position, but by a mere 2 points with the aforementioned Sacopee right behind, hoping we slip up.

We cannot afford any more dropped points and must hope Sacopee does not beat Fryeburg and also that none of the teams below them pulls off a big upset win in their remaining fixtures.

We have very few points left to play for with only trips to Wells, Traip and Freeport remaining. Every single one is absolutely crucial and we MUST maximize our chances of ensuring we have the opportunity to pull off our own “upset” when playoffs get underway.

It would be a huge disappointment if we didn’t make it, but in fairness, we would have only ourselves to blame!

As always, I want to thank the parents for their incredible support, especially in providing pre and post game refreshments and dinners. It is as much for your sake that I want this team to make it into post season play.

So play and cheer your hearts out, while mine reamins on a high stress alert!!!!

Gentlemen, please bring your ropes and carabiners to tomorrows game.

We are in a hole so deep that we can only just see the light up top, but as long as that light is there, it is not over and you had better start climbing!

Never in 12 years has any of my teams missed the playoffs but as we all know, that record is in major jeopardy now. However until it is impossible, we still have a chance and while there is a chance as long as we have the will there is hope.

If you are one of my players, you HAVE to have the will.

Let it never be forgotten that this is just a game and in life’s grand scheme it is not that important. However some of life’s best lessons can be learned in unexpected ways and whatever happens to our playoff hopes, I am determined that we are going to finish out this season the right way.

Please be in the locker room tomorrow 90 minutes before kick off and be sure to  come with heads held high and a positive attitude.

Your coach still believes in you all boys so please don’t stop  believing in yourselves!!!

Some good news though, I had surgery today and have stitches inside my eye so I cannot do any shouting or anything physical that could cause the stitches to tear. Therefore tomorrows game will be eerily quiet!! Aaaagh, peace!!

Just to ease your worried minds, I am letting you all know that I did survive the half marathon. Being the competitive person I am, I set out to run under 1 hour 30 mins and finished in 1:29:23. Although I am slower than I used to be, all things considered, I am very satisfied.

I was even able to coach this afternoon, so maybe I could have gone faster!!

Seriously, I want to sincerely thank the people who have supported me in this for my designated charity; “Love 146″. I will be presenting the total amount next Sunday 10th. So if you would still like to donate to this very worthy cause, anything, regardless of size will be gratefully accepted and very much appreciated.

While I was running, I was able to come up with some plans to revive our season. Hopefully all will come to fruition and we will still be able to turn this around. I still believe in you all, so you had better believe in yourselves!!!

Well , we are back in familiar territory, same place as last regular season. We are up against a wall with nowhere to go. We either cave in and give up (not an option!) or we charge forward and make things happen.

3-4 with six games to go. We need a finishing record of 9-4 to have a realistic chance of post season play.

That may seem like a daunting task, but as I said to the players after yeaterday’s tough loss ( stop me if you’ve heard that before, this season!!). We don’t need a six game winning streak, we need six, one game winning streaks. That is how we have to approach it.

Yesterday, on a perfect Homecoming, fall day we were undone for the second time this season by Waynflete in a 1-0 loss. The lone goal coming with exactly 120 seconds left in the game AAAAGH!

The major reason for our predicament is clear. A lack of goals!! For the 4th time in 7 games we were held scoreless and that has to change if we are to achieve anything worthwhile this season. The defense is playing admirably, but there are two sides to every sport and both need to work to achieve full success.

We certainly cannot rely on Matt Michaud every game! He has scored seven goals already, but we need to find another reliable goal source in addition to him, and we need to find it quickly. Changes are upcoming this week and I as the coach will do everything I can to rectify this situation.

We host the next three games right here against Fryeburg Academy, Lake Region and Sacopee Valley beginning Thursday.

Remember, what we need is a one game winning streak, three times and then we need to do it three more times after that.

I have to close there as I am about to leave to run the Maine half marathon. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to all who have, or who have agreed to sponsor me in my efforts to raise money for the organization “Love 146″