Poland and Greely girls soccer battle to draw
Poland, Maine – The Knights of Poland and the Rangers of Greely squared off on Wednesday in a Class B South high school soccer match that concluded with a 2‑2 tie. The result leaves Poland (8‑1‑2) third in the Heal point standings and Greely (5‑3‑2) sixth, with both squads still fighting for a home playoff berth.
Poland opened the scoring just over six minutes into the contest when Greely goalkeeper Rylee Begin attempted to clear the ball from her 18‑yard box. The effort was deflected by Julia Paradis, who sent the ball into the net for the opening goal. Five minutes into the second half, Greely answered back as Tess Waterhouse converted a corner‑kick delivery that bounced back to her, allowing her to loft the ball into the far corner for the equalizer. Poland quickly reclaimed the lead when Leksi Langevin finished a close‑range finish after a direct kick from Phoebe Paradis, the goal coming within a minute of the restart.
Greely’s second equalizer arrived later, sparked by a corner that Simone Couture delivered. The ball fell to Victoria Zandan, who directed it past the defense to level the score once more. In the ensuing overtime periods, Poland’s Payton Seekins missed a wide‑left attempt, while a header by Davis Hill struck the crossbar, underscoring the contest’s intensity.
Coach Juan Bustamante of Poland reflected on the match, saying, “It was a tough game. We’re happy to honestly come away with a tie with that. We wanted to win, though. We came out fast. But yeah, good competitive game.” He added, “The girls are really hungry, and we want a home (playoff) game, so that’s what we’re looking for.”
Greely’s Neil Carroll praised his squad’s resilience, noting, “It was a little bit of a battle, but at the same time, (to) get out of here with the points is important in the tie, so overall, happy with the kids for battling.” He also highlighted the team’s development, stating, “In the last couple weeks, (the players have) kind of found a little bit different energy, and the culture has changed a little bit in our first year. And give props to the captains, really. They’ve done a great job helping us create that.”
Looking ahead, Poland must navigate three remaining fixtures against Old Orchard Beach, North Yarmouth Academy and Waynflete. Greely’s schedule includes a showdown with Gray‑New Gloucester followed by contests against Cape Elizabeth, Freeport and Yarmouth, each of which could influence the final standings.
Statistical leaders from the game were Julia Paradis and Leksi Langevin for Poland, while Tess Waterhouse, Victoria Zandan and Simone Couture led the Rangers in goals and assists.
