Camden Hills closes regular season with double OT loss

Wed, 10/20/2021 - 10:30am

BREWER — On a cold and blustery day, the Camden Hills varsity boys soccer team dug themselves a huge hole in the first half and nearly climbed their way out only to lose their third game of the season to a well-placed free kick in double-overtime.

With a strong wind at their back, the Witches came out on fire in the first half getting goals from Brandon Carr, Cade Mckenney and Charlie Brydges.

The Windjammers would seemingly "wake-up" after the third goal and Max Welt placed a ball behind the Brewer back line for Charlie Pons who finished it well to the keepers right.

Down 3-1 and after only mustering seven shots in the first half, the 'Jammers would turn up the intensity in the second half putting 23 shots on goaltender Grady Vanidestine.

Charlie Pons would score from a corner kick and Ben Schenk would tie the game on a well struck free kick with 90 seconds to play.

Tied at three goals a piece the game went to overtime where the 'Jammers put on lots of pressure but on a rare foray into the 'Jammer end of the field Brewer was awarded a free kick from twenty yards.

Andrew Hodgins bent the free kick into the upper corner to win the game for the Witches and earn some valuable Heal Points on the last day of the regular season.

Henry Pharris (Camden Hills) would finish the game with seven saves on 10 Brewer shots while Grady Vanidestine (Brewer) would finish the game with 11 saves on 30 Camden Hills shots. The Windjammers held the edge in corner kicks 10-3.

Brewer was ready to play today and we didn't get off the proverbial bus for the first time since pre-season. We played well at the end of the first half and for all of the second half but in the end, we didn't make the plays to end the game with a win and they did.

I'm optimistic that we learned a valuable lesson heading into playoffs. It's been an amazing season so far but we have to get healthy and everyone starts fresh next week, it's great to be playing playoff soccer again.

Ryan Hurley is the head coach of the Camden Hills boys soccer team.