West Canaan
A postponement never happened. Junior varsity coach Keli Green took over the reins for a game and watched the Royals pound in three first-half goals for a 4-1 win. Limero spent portions of his afternoon checking scores on his phone. Afterwards, Green said the team wanted to win for its coach.
The Royals haven’t lost since.
Mascoma, a program that has never won a state soccer championship, is 4-0-1 through its first five games in NHIAA Division III. It is the team’s best start under third-year head coach Limero thanks to a more balanced offensive strategy, a continued sense of team camaraderie and a restored confidence that has given the Royals the freedom to dig deeper.
“We’ve been creating that confidence in practices, ramping things up in practices a little bit more, getting them prepared,” Limero said after his team’s game against White Mountains ended in a scoreless tie on Friday. “Keli has been doing a really good job with the JV program. A lot of these guys were on jayvee last year. … I think it’s just starting to click. Guys are starting to see that we can win.
“It feels special,” he added. “This is a really close group of guys. They care about one another. If things aren’t going our way, we’re going to stick together and power through.”
Limero, who played collegiate soccer at Elmira (N.Y.) College, has overseen a drastic turnaround for a team. Mascoma was 3-13 in his first season, in 2015, a year Limero admitted was full of growing pains.
Last season, the Royals finished 10-6-1 and qualified for the postseason, a first for last year’s athletes who had never experienced the playoffs in their four years. Mascoma fell to Prospect Mountain in the first round of the tournament.
“We’re usually the underdogs; we don’t feel that pressure,” said Royals senior defenseman Killian Dowd. “It’s a big difference.”
Added Limero: “I think that’s just the confidence from last year. The guys expect to win. They’re over there with their heads down right now. Like, ‘Guys, we got a point out of that.’ But they’re over there like, ‘If this is what I tie feels like, I don’t want to experience a loss.’ I like to see that.”
Last season, Limero said, the Royals learned how to win and what it takes to make the postseason. Forty-two athletes chose to play this season, forcing Limero to make eight cuts from the roster, a first for him. Now that they’ve had a taste of success, Mascoma’s coaching staff has upped the ante to make sure the Royals don’t fall back on old habits.
“I think that’s how I’ve changed,” Limero said. “I’ve come into this year expecting more from them.”
Mascoma’s latest game, on Friday, was a physical grudge match that left Limero’s group physically drained. But it also served as an illustration for what the Royals have become: a team that bends but doesn’t break.
Senior goalkeeper Hunter Whyte made seven saves in the draw behind Mascoma’s stingy defensive unit, led by Dowd and senior Jordan Peck. In overtime, the defense swept two balls from the goal line and deflected another screaming shot wide to keep the game going. The Royals have allowed only three goals against this season.
“There’s so much chemistry and so much bonding,” Whyte said. “We all play indoor soccer, we all play summer soccer. … It’s just become a brotherhood.”
Disbrow, who was on the scoresheet in each of Mascoma’s first four games, came within inches of winning Friday’s game on a breakaway in the dying seconds. White Mountains goalkeeper Mike Gooden answered with a diving stop at the edge of the box.
“It’s been a lot of work,” Dowd said. “We’ve always had a tight-knit group. There’s no superstars on our team. We just work together well, and I think that really makes it work.”
Mascoma’s offense is spread more evenly among its attackers following the departure of high-scoring senior striker Tucker Stenger. The Royals graduated eight from last season.
But, in Limero’s mind, not having a prime goalscorer has made the Royals more dangerous. While his athletes have championship aspirations, Limero has long-term goals in mind.
First is earning a home playoff game and winning it. That, he said, is the next step.
“I’ve come into this season saying, ‘OK, if we make the playoffs, let’s get a home game,’ ” Limero said. “Let’s not just get to the playoffs; let’s do something while we’re there.
“It’d be huge for the community and good for everybody here. It’s nice to see so many people in the stands, see the excitement.”
Josh Weinreb can be reached at jweinreb@vnews.com or 603-727-3306.