BUCKFIELD — There was a 25-minute pause after Mt. Abram punched in four goals in a span of 13 minutes in the first half.

Somehow the Roadrunners wandered into the doldrums, but they more than made up for their standstill in the second half, scoring six more goals in their 10-0 victory over pertinacious Buckfield in a boys soccer game on an overcast Saturday afternoon.

Senior Kenyon Pillsbury delivered four of Mt. Abram’s 10-goal onslaught. He scored three goals in a row in the first half, allowing the Roadrunners to build a 4-0 lead.

Pillsbury attributed his teammates’ passing to putting him in scoring positions.

“Our outside backs did well crossing the ball in,” Pillsbury said. “That helped a lot. We have been playing well lately.”

Freshman Morgan Thibodeau sparked the Roadrunners’ scoring with his first of two goals on a Pillsbury assist with 4:52 into the first half. Pillsbury took his cue from there and reeled off a natural hat trick, with two assists going Wyatt Siemimski and one to Cam Walters.

But for the next 25 minutes of the first half, things got real quiet for both teams.

“We are coming off a real tough match against Hall-Dale. It took a lot of energy out of us,” Mt. Abram coach Darren Allen said. “Buckfield coach Kyle Rines does an awesome job with (his team). Buckfield came out and went hard to the ball and they play hard. The gave us a task. We had a stretch of 25 minutes there in the first half where it looked like we were just going through the motions. They were applying pressure and we weren’t doing what we needed to do.” 

The Roadrunners shook off that first-quarter sputter in the second stanza with six unanswered goals.

“So we made some adjustments at halftime and came out and talked to the boys,” Allen said. “Kenyon scored some goals. I think the boys really played well together. They complement each other well. Everybody is involved in the passes. The kids are really playing well right now. It is good to see.”

Thibodeau riled up the ‘Runners with his second goal on a Pillsbury assist, followed by another goal by junior Cam Walters, who scored on a free kick. Pillsbury punched his fourth goal on a Walters assist and Mt. Abram was feeling pretty good with a 7-0 lead.

Despite Buckfield’s raw determination and goalie Gavin Charest’s (22 saves) Herculean efforts, Mt. Abram wasn’t finished putting the ball in the net. The Mt. Abram coaching staff couldn’t help but applaud Charest’s daring saves. He faced the Roadrunners’ 29 shots on net.

“Abram passes it around really well and Gavin did really well,” Buckfield coach Kyle Rines said. “He didn’t hang his head. He kept fighting. We’ve had a lot injury. We a lot of lack of subs. We have (Sunday) off and we play (the Roadrunners) again on Monday so we can’t burn out our guys today. I thought we played pretty hard. 

“We are just so young,” he added. “We have 15 freshmen and sophomores, two juniors and five seniors, and one of our seniors is hurt so it is more dependent on the green players. I thought they all played hard. That is all you can ask for.”

Freshman Payton Mitchell scored on a Trey Pease assist followed by Sam Cockerham’s unassisted goal three minutes later. Sophomore Kenny Tozier topped off the Roadrunner’s nine-point lead with his goal on a Mitchell assist. 

Buckfield’s Zach Sheilds attempts a goal against Mt Abram’s goalie, Ian Allen, during Saturday afternoon’s game in Buckfield. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

Buckfield’s Zach Sheilds and Mt Abram’s Trevor Phelps struggle for control of the ball during the soccer game in Buckfield on Saturday. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo

Buckfield’s Brayden Jack and Mt Abram’s Payton Mitchell struggle for control of the ball during the soccer game in Buckfield on Saturday. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal Buy this Photo