New field, plenty of players and other things learned at York boys soccer practice

York High opens new turf field in $6‑million athletic‑complex upgrade

York, Maine – The York High School boys’ soccer team finally has a home field that meets modern standards. The school’s artificial‑turf field, completed in late November as part of a $6 million renovation that also added a six‑lane track and a new scoreboard, is now ready for the fall season.

The turf installation was finished a few weeks after the 2025 fall sports season began, so teams had to use temporary venues for the first part of the year. The Wildcats played their 2025 matches at the Bog Road community fields, a modest youth football field that, according to senior center back Tyler Moores, “isn't really home.”

“I’m very grateful to have this field,” Moores told reporters at a Thursday practice. “It’s awesome, especially for my senior year.”

Moores also reflected on the old grass field that had sat on the school’s campus since the 1970s. “Honestly, I loved it,” he said. “You would see teams coming onto the field complaining about it right away, and we were so used to it.” He described depressions that ran along the sidelines and a penalty‑kick area that had turned into a dusty pile. “Players in the middle of the field would end up looking like the Peanuts character Pig Pen, surrounded by swirls of dirt.”

The previous year’s 8‑7 season saw the Wildcats lose at Cape Elizabeth in the Class B South quarterfinals and give eventual state champions Yarmouth its only defeat at the Bog Road venue. Senior goalkeeper Orrin Culp Dechant recalled the challenges of playing on that surface. “We were great last year even on the grass,” he said. “It was not great circumstances, but we made it work. I think if we can make it work over there, we can make it work even better here.”

Coach Julie Johnson, who is in her ninth season leading the varsity program, has mixed feelings about the new turf. “I’m a bit concerned York will lose that home‑field advantage,” she said. “But make no mistake, Johnson is not complaining.” Johnson emphasized the practical benefits of clearly marked lines: “No more spending precious practice minutes laying out cones for markers.”

The program itself remains robust. York’s school population is 488, and Johnson has 50 players on the high‑school roster—enough for varsity, junior‑varsity, and a first‑team squad. “Everyone knows that once you play here, it’s just a huge family,” Johnson told reporters. “The alumni always come and help out with practices, because everyone just loves playing here.”

Alumni participation was on display Thursday, with at least three former Wildcats—“legends,” Johnson called them—joining the 10‑v‑10 training blocks.

York’s boys’ soccer team has long been a top‑tier member of the Western Maine Conference, routinely facing powerhouses like Yarmouth (13 Class B titles since 2004), Greely (2024 champion), and Cape Elizabeth. The school’s last state championship came in 1998.

The team is hoping to secure a home playoff game this season and advance past the regional quarterfinals. “It’s working hard, really,” Moores said. “Just if you want it or not.” He added that grit and love for the game will be the deciding factors.

Beyond the field itself, York’s soccer experience is enhanced by the 220‑yard path that leads from the parking lot through old‑growth oak, maple, and beech trees. “It’s really exciting,” Moores said, “you get the jitters in your body as you’re walking up because you’re so excited.” Goalkeeper Dechant, whose first two seasons were at Marshwood, noted that the walk “adds a different atmosphere.” “There’s no way to see the field from the parking lot here,” he said, “so that first walk up to the lights will be amazing.”

As the Wildcats gear up for a new season on a field that feels both familiar and fresh, the community’s enthusiasm and the team’s strong tradition suggest that York’s boys’ soccer program will continue to thrive.