Hello All,

I have been MIA from my posts sorry, but moving into a new house has required long days with no down time for catching up.

A brief word about a wonderful all around performance Saturday at Sacopee. The team knew what it had to do against an opponent that was on a hot streak and they did it to perfection. Debutant goalkeeper Ryan Salerno was protected to such a degree that he had few real saves to make.

Sacopee was certainly caught off guard by our tenacity and determination to such a degree that once Matt Michaud scored a beautiful opening goal, the game was pretty much out of their reach.

When he tallied again midway through the second half, it was time to stick  a fork in them as the game was over as a contest.

In the JV game, Sacopee stormed into leads of 2-0 & 3-1 before the Panthers roared back to take a 4-3 lead at the half. Despite chances at both ends of the field, the score remained the same until Sacopee tied it up with just over 10 minutes remaining..

However, determined to secure a third straight win, NYA turned to Ben Coleman for the winner and he didn’t disappoint. His speculative shot from distance, squeezed home under the Sacopee keeper to put them ahead for good.

Jake Burns secured the win with a quick, reaction save down low to his right with just 30 seconds left on the clock, breaking the Sacopee hearts!

Tonight at a very soggy Yarmouth, the JV team moved to 4 – 1 with a memorable 1-0 victory thanks to  a late goal from Jacob Scammon. This was a hard fought game and Jake Burns following on from his good late save Saturday played a wonderful game to cement the victory.

In the varsity game that followed there was heartbreak. For the second time this season against a power house team we came agonizingly close. After a season opening loss at Cape Elizabeth to  a goal with 52.8 seconds remaining (that time frozen on the scoreboard clock is etched in my mind!!) the team again fell to  a single goal.

It was a horrible night weather wise for any goalkeeper, let alone a young man playing only his second ever varsity game. Unfortunately for Ryan Salerno he had to learn not only a new position in a pressure cooker situation, he also had to experience the difference rain makes to the speed of the ball.

The first half was very even with Noah Seely coming within inches of putting the Panthers ahead following a great cross from Matt Michaud.

The second half proved to be just as competitive, but the game was lost to a fluke goal that somehow found its way through and under Ryans hands and body to roll agonizingly slowly over the line.

Cape and Yarmouth has a combined record of 14 – 0 – 2 with the two ties coming when they played each other. So, for this team to twice have been so close to famous results yet have nothing to show for it, is a bitter pill to swallow.

This however is NOT A TIME to hold a pity party as there are 14 other teams in Class C West who want NO PART of NYA in the post season. Our job now is to make sure that we make it there so that we can give ourselves the chance to make this season the ultimate success.

We could go  a long way to achieving that with a win over Waynflete at homecoming on Saturday!! In fact I will go as far as to say a win or at the very least a tie is essential !!!

I am issuing a challenge to every player on the team to focus on that task by preparing diligently for the game.

We have shown that we can play competitively with ANY team in the state and I am thoroughly proud of that fact. I love this team and the family’s who support them.

I DO NOT want the team to be spending the end of October thinking about what might have been. Our destiny is still in our own hands and I will do  all I can to help you.

Now, you ALL need to do your part and begin to ensure that we can wear our “dancing shoes” when the regular season is complete.

My apologies for the tardiness of my posting, especially to our worldwide fans in Europe and Africa (Hi Pete), who are no doubt waiting with baited breath for the wonderful game recap!!

Well, today’s experience was definitely a little different, but in my opinion a very worthwhile and thought provoking experience.

Just pulling into the parking lot at AR Gould school (AKA Long Creek and various other aliases) was pretty interesting with the tall curved fencing and obviously secured buildings. Stepping into the reception area was even more surreal as it required everyone to sign in, give up all personal belongings and then walk through metal detectors.

All the liberties we daily take for-granted were quite obviously not available to us on these premises and hopefully it gave our boys a very interesting perspective.

The field which was right next door to the Portland international jetport also obviously serves as a layover point for the migrating flocks of Canadian geese, as it looks and smells like the anatinae family (look that one up boys…. and you thought I was just a dumb soccer coach) version of “Blow Bros port a potty’s”.

Nonetheless, there was a game to be played and heal points to be won and eventually we got underway, without a real warm up, thanks to me leaving the balls in my car at NYA. (maybe the dumb tag was fitting after all!)

After a scoreless 5 minutes, NYA then rattled off three quick goals in a 6 minute span thanks to Captain Ryan Rousseau, Mike Ianno and a very well taken first varsity goal for Jackson Cohan-Smith.

At that point it looked as though the result could get ugly in a hurry, but  as the personnel on the field changed maybe a little too quickly, the play became a little disjointed and after a penalty kick and a  misplaced clearance, the Gould students found some hope with a pair of goals in reply.

The two goal NYA lead was re-established when Noah Seely became the second player of the afternoon to break his duck (no pun intended) with a first varsity goal).

However, the joy was short lived thanks to two  breakdown’s in communication in the defense. Back -to-back, carbon copy goals tied the game with just a couple of minutes to go in the half, something that had seemed implausible when the initial three goal lead was established.

The fact that we are now using our third and fourth varsity keepers for the season is very sobering as this is a pivotal position on the field.

On the heels of losing Jesse Holland, we are now also without Jordan Haskell for four weeks with a back injury. This is another body blow to the program and we are now going to have to rely heavily on Jake Burns, Ryan Salerno or freshman Austin Smith, one of whom is going to going to have to step into the limelight and grab the opportunity with both hands if we are really going to see fulfillment of the promise we know is there.

Billy Ji then scored with an easy header to put NYA ahead for good and right before the whistle, Matt Michaud scored a very nice individual goal to give us a 6-4 advantage.

This was a quite remarkable scoreline given the fact that it took the undefeated Cape Elizabeth capers 79 minutes and 12 seconds to make their breakthrough!!

The team looked on rather sheepishly at half-time knowing that they should have already had the game wrapped up, however, their generosity and mistakes had in all reality made the game a great experience for the home team and the sizeable and largely “in-house” crowd.

For the second half, NYA resumed normal sevice and set about giving a technically much better display. They cruised through the remainder of the game scoring five additional goals without reply, dominating to such a degree that Ryan Salerno in goal only touched the ball twice I believe. (Jake says thanks boys!!) The additional goals came from Matt Michaud (2), Jackson Cohan-Smith, Mohamed Dahia and a really well taken first ever goal for senior, Harry Fast.

Despite coming mighy close, we just could not find a way to get Allan Brown and Eli Leavit into the scorebook, but there are still plenty of games left to achieve this feat!

In conclusion there was a very insightful comment made by Jordan Haskell that I had not seen borne out previouly. He pointed out that Allan Brown is quite likely the slowest player ever to wear an NYA soccer uniform. Having studied things closely after that  point, I may have to concur and I will try to back up that observation in the future with some hard data!!

Just so that  no one is caught off guard, Friday sees us host the Hyde School, but as there is also a crucial game at Sacopee on Saturday afternoon, this is going to be a game where the players who don’t normally start, get a chance to play right from the opening whistle.

Thursday afternoon the NYA boys varsity soccer team failed a big test against Waynflete and it was a major disappointment. The final score was 0-2 and though it is still early in the season, there are long term ramifications.

With only the top 8 Western Maine Class C teams awarded playoff spots, games against division rivals are must win.

The team talked a good talk leading up to the game, and started very brightly, dominating the first 10 minutes in very  promising fashion. However when Asad Dahia missed a glorious opportunity to open the scoring, it signaled a major turnaround in fortunes. Less than a minute later Waynflete cut through the heart of the NYA defense like a hot knife through butter and in an instant we were behind.

MUCH to my chagrin, instead of bouncing back with fortitude; the belief and work rate that had been so evident in the first two games of the season seemed to disappear. Less than ten minutes later, Waynflete doubled their lead and to all intents and purposes the horizontally challenged woman was already on her podium warming up her vocal chords!!!

A somber half-time talk certainly turned around the work rate and the possession percentages, but despite dominating play for long periods, we could not get the breakthrough. Indeed, Waynflete is still to give up a single goal all season!!

So now, the team stands with a record of 1 and 2 with a trip to Yarmouth (arguably the best team in the State) looming ominously on the horizon, we find ourselves with some very serious questions to be answered.

There will be no “day off” from practice Friday as there is much work to be done before we play next Tuesday at the Gould School, a game where we should not even think of anything but a win.

Yes, of course it is still early and of course we can still make this a very successful season. But, and this is a big but… The Talk needs to be backed up with the Walk if we are going to maximize our  potential this Fall!!

There is no doubt about the ability of this group, but for potential to be realized, it requires teamwork, belief, consistency and execution to be added to the talent.

Gentlemen are you up for it?

On a brighter note, the JV team made it back to back wins by a 3-1 margin. After a goal-less first half, Matt Hawkins put NYA ahead and the lead was increased when Nugget Lane finished off a great cross from Jacob Scammon.

NYA took a three goal lead when Van Jung was on hand to tap in a rebound following Jarno’s ferocious 25 yard shot that crashed off the upright.

Waynflete was desperate to get on the scoreboard before the end of the game and in almost pitch darkness, when only Jake Burns shirt fluorescent shirt was visible, they eventually put one over the line (or so we are told by the ref), to rob “Burnsie” of a well deserved shut out.

Congratulations to Coach Carpentier and his team!!

Two games and two wins is the sort of news we want to share with everyone. Today was a good day for the program and much appreciated.

Our opponents were class C rivals Traip Academy and NYA got off to a flying start. On two occasions inside the first three minutes we were very close to getting our first goal of the season only to be denied. However , the very next minute captain Ryan Rousseau opened the scoring and this was followed less than a minute later by a gorgeous goal by the enigmatic Asad Dahia when he finished a cross from Matt Michaud in audacious fashion with an exquisite left foot volley.

Unfortunately, just 10 seconds of playing time later it was deja vu “all over again” when we scored a carbon copy own goal of the game winner from last year’s conference championship against St Dom’s.

That set us back on our heels, but we recovered composure again before half time when Matt Michaud scored our third.

What was pleasing in this game was the fact that every single player on the team saw a good amount of playing time, including new crowd favorites Alan Brown, Eli Leavit and of course Owen Howes!!

Within two minutes of the second half beginning, the rout was on when Matt Michaud scored his second with an incredible solo effort which saw him cover half the length of the field, before ripping a thunderous shot across the hapless (the definition of which is unlucky not useless for the Traip parent who questioned me about this) Traip keeper.

Fortunately, after that, NYA being nice boys kept the score respectable by contriving to miss at least five chances where it appeared harder to miss than it was to score!! Thanks boys, that was very sporting and considerate of you!!

The “ouchie” moment of the game came when captain Sam Leishman ‘decided” unwisely to use the wrong part of his body to block a powerful close range shot from a Traip attacker and to make matters worse, it happened right in the corner of the field  by the bell, where the majority of the crowd was gathered!!!

Just like a good captain however, he was back on the field 10 minutes later apparently fully recovered.

This was a great way to bounce back after the heartbreaking loss to Cape Elizabeth last week and now we must prepare for a huge conference game on Thursday when we visit the site of last years famous victory over Waynflete.

In the JV game that followed, freshman Noah Seely scored his first high school goal to give NYA a  deserved 1-0 halftime lead. Once again the team then missed several good chances to secure the victory. However eventually the pressure paid of when Keegan Drouin and then Jacob Scammon scored to give the scoreline a more realistic feel.

Congratulations to both teams, now the harder work begins with Thursday’s trip into Portland.

I love this game, but sometimes I don’t know why!

After watching the JV team play well in their game at Cape Elizabeth, only to lose to a goal scored with 32.6 seconds remaining in the first half, I should have learned something.

I had scouted Cape in their season opener last Friday and saw them destroy Lake Region so I knew we would get a severe test in our opening game and I was right.

We played against a quality opponent who decided for some reason to employ physical tactics against us and for most of the game, to my delight, we matched them in every single way.

Admittedly, we did not play with the flair or the control I would have liked but we still created two glorious chances to take the lead, only to ultimately succumb to Cape’s first serious shot on goal with just 52.8 seconds left to play.

Nearly ten months have passed since our conference championship loss to St Dom’s and this game ultimately produced the same disappointment. The difference however is that after this game we still have hope of great things to come rather than that empty season ending feeling.

With only a limited number of games in which to pick up the meaningful points we need to make playoffs, this loss is particularly  hard.

Now however, we need to build on the positives and improve in the areas in which we struggled.

Thursday, the varsity players will have the day off from practice as I attend to some important personal business and we will look to get back on track Friday at 3:15. We will begin preparations for what will be a very important pair of games game next week against Traip Academy and Waynflete.

I hope we can again count on your magnificent support and as a team we wish to thank Janet Rousseau for so kindly preparing food for all the players to eat on the bus ride to Cape Elizabeth.

Match notes: There were some excellent performances on the field tonight and as a whole I thought the defense was magnificent in completely shutting down Cape’s potent offense. As a unit, they performed well under the leadership of co-captain Sam Leishman.

If I was forced to single out two individuals for extra merit, I would have to mention seniors Mike Ianno and Matt Kibler, so congratulations to both.

Hello Once again. Here is the latest update on the 2010 boys soccer program here at NYA.

First of all, welcome back to school!! I am sure you are all bright and cheery to begin another year.

Because of large numbers turning out for the program, we have been able to add another coach to assist us. His name is Alex Pilitsis, an NYA alum (class of 2008) who played soccer at the University of Maine in 2008 and then moved to Franklin Pierce in 09 after the soccer program was eliminated at UMO.

We are thrilled to have him and we warmly welcome him into the fold. We are currently deciding the best way to utilize his talents. We may divide the JV players into two teams based largely on age or just rotate players for games so that we do not have 30+ players vying for playing time.

There are also extra games that will be added to the schedule to assist us in getting everyone fair playing time. To date three have been added with two more likely to follow. the extra games already in place are:

Thursday 9;16 vs Greely 4:30

Tuesday 9/21 @ Yarmouth 3:30

Friday 10/1 @ Greely 3:30

Stay tuned for extra updates.

Happy holiday to all,

I just want to keep everyone updated of things as our opening day approaches (at last!!)

There will be a varsity team dinner at the Michaud household Tuesday after practice. I am not aware of any event scheduled by the JV team, but encourage players/parents to feel free to build up that team spirit.

The Michaud’s live in South Portland, close to the Cape Elizabeth line and the plan is to head down right after practice tomorrow afternoon.

I watched Cape play Friday night and they were very impressive. This will be a stern test, but hopefully we will be focused and ready to play (if preseason has not put you all to sleep).

I would love to add pictures to these updates, so anyone who snaps away at a game, either varsity or JV, please feel free to post them so that I can upload them for the world to see.

Thank you everyone for your patience over this long period, hopefully we can now set out to achieve our goal which is to play one more game than last season.

That will take great effort and commitment but I assure you that with the right attitude and some good fortune, it can be done.

Hello and happy holidays to you all!

I’m sure you are all thrilled at the prospect of school beginning next week! I just want to make sure everyone knows the schedule as it currently stands.

There will be a practice for the varsity team on Monday morning @ 9:00 till approximately 11:00.

If and only if there is a family commitment then I am alright with you missing it. However, if you just don’t feel like getting up, that is NOT an acceptable excuse!

This is an important practice with the Cape Elizabeth game looming on the horizon.

Tuesday’s practice will run from 3:15 – 4:45 and unless you hear otherwise that will stand for Thursday and Friday also.

Please note after practice Tuesday, there will be a team dinner for the varsity squad at the Michaud’s, either in South Portland or by Forest Lake on the Gray/Cumberland line. I will confirm the location when I receive feedback from the players as to which is most convenient for the majority.

Enjoy the weekend everyone and let’s be focused for the opener Wednesday evening.

Hello and welcome to the latest news from the NYA boys soccer program.

Tuesday saw us wrap up our preseason schedule with two more games against class A opposition.

It was generally a very positive experience as we totally outplayed a supposedly strong Westbrook team, for long periods without a single starter on the field except for goalkeeper Jesse Holland. NYA eventually winning the game 2-1 and playing the starters for just 21 of the 60 minutes.

Though we actually lost the second game against South Portland, the game was a great lesson about overcoming adverse circumstances without blaming anyone else for the result. Hopefully we will draw upon this experience in a more meaningful situation.

We ended up with a preseason record (against Maine schools) of 4-2-1 with 3 of the four wins coming against Class A opposition.

Now we have a long (and so far very warm) break before we open at class A Cape Elizabeth next Wednesday September 8th @ 6:00 pm.

It will be important to stay focused, especially as Cape opens up Friday at home to Lake Region.

This Friday (3rd) the varsity players will have the day off from practice (news of the JV team to follow) though we will have a session on Monday (Labor day) beginning at 9:00 am at the school.

Next Tuesday, the team is hoping to have an evening get together in preparation for the season opener the following night, so if any one out there has any great ideas about a suitable meeting place, please don’t be shy in shouting out.

Hopefully everyone has enjoyed their summer and I wish the entire family of NYA soccer all the best as the new school year gets underway.