Key save, late goals help John Bapst boys earn sixth straight soccer win

BANGOR, Maine — John Bapst High School senior goalkeeper Connor Messervey was having an uneventful second half as he hadn’t had to make a save in the first 34 minutes of the half as his Crusader teammates were efficiently protecting a 3-2 lead against intown rival Bangor and also generating plenty of chances to add an insurance goal or two.
But with six minutes remaining, Bangor junior midfielder Mason Studley took a short pass from Kristian Kendall on the left side of the field, just outside the penalty area, and he launched a powerful shot labeled for the upper far corner.
Messervey read the shot and was to make a terrific save to preserve the lead and the Class B North Crusaders sewed up the win over the Class A North Rams with a pair of goals in the final 3:08 to earn a 5-2 victory at Cameron Stadium.
John Bapst has won six in a row and the B North Heal Points standings leader is now 10-1.
It swept the season series from Bangor as the Crusaders topped the Rams 2-0 on Sept. 19.
Bangor, which entered the day in the eighth and final playoff spot in A North, fell to 5-7 in suffering its fifth loss in its last six games.
German exchange student Moritz Muller scored the clinching goal with 3:08 remaining, seconds after he sailed a glorious chance over the crossbar, and Logan Hart added another with 30 seconds remaining when he guided a Cooper Lewis free kick into the net from three yards out.
Messervey said even though he had little to do in the second half up until there were six minutes left, “I had to stay mentally prepared and keep my mind in the game. That’s what helped me.
“I saw (Studley) load up his right foot and I know he is good on his right foot. I saw the left side open, he shot it there and I saved it. I got a bit of both hands on it,” said Messervey.
“That was a top-notch save and it gave us energy,” said John Bapst coach Jason Pangburn.
Junior striker Muller scored his 12th goal of the campaign with 3:08 left.
He took a pass from Josh Pangburn at the top of the penalty area and was in a one-on-one with a Bangor defender.
“I took the ball to my left, then to my right and scored to the bottom left corner,” said Muller whose well-placed low shot cleanly beat Bangor freshman goalie Maddox Smith.
“Today wasn’t my best game. But I scored one goal and I’m happy we won the game,” said Muller.
Oscar Martinez opened the scoring when he took a Rafa Rentosa through ball and broke in to the area before slotting the ball past Smith.
Lewis made it 2-0 with a deflected shot before Studley converted a Kendall pass to cut the lead in half.
Hart’s penalty kick restored the two-goal lead but Yostin Yax answered for Bangor with 37 seconds in the half off a scramble in front.
Smith made several impressive saves in the second half including one off Muller in which he parried the ball off the crossbar.
Messervey finished with four saves and Smith had six.
“We gave up too many goals,” said Bangor coach Don Erb. “You can’t give up five goals and win.”
“We got off to a real good start but made a couple of mistakes and Bangor capitalized,” said Crusaders coach Pangburn. “Then we settled back in.”
Both teams will be back in action on Saturday.
Bangor will visit 9-3 Brunswick, winner of seven straight, for a 1:15 contest while John Bapst will host 0-13 Old Town at 5.