One extra.

It’s a favorite phrase of Monmouth Academy coach Gary Trafton and, for just two words, it’s made an indelible impact on Mustangs soccer.

“Everything we do is one extra — one extra push up, one extra sprint,” said Trafton’s daughter, Ali, who starred at Maranacook, played collegiately at Southern New Hampshire and University of New England and now is one of his assistant coaches. “A girl that played for him five years ago came up to him and said ‘everything I do is one extra at the gym because of you.’ It goes beyond soccer.”

This year, Trafton and the Mustangs kept finding one extra. Usually, it was a goal. In late October it was a win that sent Monmouth to the regional final for the first time in 15 years.

For his efforts, Trafton is the Kennebec Journal Girls Soccer Coach of the Year.

Monmouth entered the preseason as one of the favorites in Class C South. It had one of the top goaltenders in Class C in Mikayla Cameron, some explosive offensive players in Haley Fletcher, Sidney Wilson and Sammy Grandahl and a contingent of younger players who were ready to make strides after last year’s baptism by fire as freshmen.

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But graduation and an offseason injury to Olivia Homer left Trafton shorthanded on defense. Sophomores Abbey Allen, Hannah Anderson and Emily Grandahl emerged as the top candidates to shore up the back line.

“We really had to piece it together and those girls came along,” Gary Trafton said. “They’re real hard workers and they improved all year long.”

“He finds the perfect combinations,” Ali Trafton said. “He sees the strengths every person brings and how they can help the team.”

Whether its through sharing video instruction, handing them notes of encouragement or calling one of his assistants up at 9 o’clock at night to kick around an idea, Trafton — who coached Monmouth’s boys for 12 years and is now in his ninth season with the girls — is always trying to find a way to help his players to improve.

“He lives for soccer,” Ali Trafton said. “This is his passion and he puts everything he has into it.”

Trafton preached to his players the importance of taking advantage of scoring opportunities. As the year went on and the games got tighter and more intense, the Mustangs — who navigated the tough Mountain Valley Conference schedule for a 10-2-2 record — became more adept at taking advantage of even the slightest opening.

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Monmouth ended up as the fourth seed in Class C South. In the quarterfinals, they avenged one of their regular season losses with a convincing 4-1 win over Hall-Dale.

That set up a semifinal matchup with unbeaten Sacopee Valley, a team Monmouth did not play during the season because they are in different conferences.

Thanks to Trafton, the Mustangs were ready for the Hawks.

“I talked to the girls off and on all season about them,” Gary Trafton said. “I scouted them three times, so I knew what to expect. And the girls rose to the occasion.”

“He did a great job of pumping them up and telling them, ‘we’ve come so far. We can do this,'” Ali Trafton said.

The Mustangs did it, winning 1-0 on an Allen goal just 1:52 into the game to clinch their first regional championship game berth since 2000, which was also when they won their last state championship (in Class D).

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They just missed out on making history again, losing to Waynflete, 3-2, in overtime in the final.

“It was tough. We were just one goal away from the big game,” Gary Trafton said. “We had a really good year.”

Trafton said he was amazed by the community support the Mustangs received, even at road games. He’s grateful for the coaching support he received from assistants Butch Dow, Larry Saucier and his daughter.

“It’s really nice to have her around because she’s female, she’s played at a higher level and the girls will listen to her,” he said. “She kind of grounds me a little bit.”

Randy Whitehouse — 621-5638

rwhitehouse@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @RAWmaterial33


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