By Michael Hoffer
MaxPreps.com
Boys Lacrosse: Surprise, Surprise, Surprise
Greely and Cape Elizabeth have two very different histories. The Capers are the most storied program in the state and the Rangers have won just one playoff game since 2001, but things have changed dramatically in 2008.
New Greely coach Casey Abbott has brought stability and success to the Rangers' program, but even he admitted that even in his wildest dreams, his squad wouldn't be undefeated and hosting Cape Elizabeth in a game with the top seed for the Western Class B playoffs on the line.
That was exactly the setting as Greely welcomed the Capers Friday.
Senior Eric Thompson got the scoring started with 48.2 seconds left in the first quarter, converting a pass from classmate Ethan Crosson with Greely was playing a man down. With 16.3 seconds to play in the first, senior Cody Greeley raced in and scored. Then, with just 3.2 seconds left, Thompson scored unassisted and the Rangers had a 3-0 advantage and all the confidence they would need.
Cape Elizabeth got on the board with eight minutes to go in the second as the dynamic tandem of senior Zach Belden to junior Mike Holden worked their magic, finally managing to solve Greely senior goalie Jake Groom, who would sparkle time and time again.
With 6:49 to play in the half, Thompson scored (this time from Chase). The Rangers had some last-minute fireworks again in the second period as Crosson outraced Capers' senior Max Foner to a loose ball and found the open net with 29.6 seconds showing. That gave Greely a 5-1 lead at the break and put Cape Elizabeth on its heels.
But the Capers would come to life in the third quarter.
Belden would score three times in just under three minutes, the first two unassisted, the third from Holden, to make it a 5-4 game. While the Rangers couldn't retain possession and found themselves playing almost constant defense, they clung to the lead until 1:23 remained in the third when Belden found Holden in transition and Holden beat Groom to make it 5-5.
Entering the fourth, it seemed as if Cape Elizabeth was on the brink of seizing control. While the Capers would take the lead, they wouldn't put Greely away.
With 8:18 left in regulation, senior Mike Ott (from classmate Johnny Hayes) scored to put the visitors on top for the first time, 6-5. Cape Elizabeth couldn't add to the lead, however, and the Rangers still had a pulse.
Then, with 2:33 remaining, Greely got a gift and tied the score. Senior Leland Copenhagen would play the hero. Copenhagen, who has made life miserable for the Capers' hockey team the past four years, stole a loose ball in front and beat stunned Cape Elizabeth sophomore goalie Ben Brewster (who had replaced Foner at halftime).
That goal ended a 21:56 second scoring drought and re-awakened both the Rangers players and their vocal legion of fans. Greely fought off a series of Capers' bids to win in regulation and it was on to OT.
“We always have a big quarter where we score a bunch of goals and get pumped up, but we have one or two quarters where we slack off, but we came back around,” Abbott said. “We did well today at bridging that gap from the lull.”
Cape Elizabeth won the overtime face-off, but promptly and uncharacteristically, turned the ball over.
That one break was all the Rangers would need.
The ball was played in from the side to senior Charlie Harwood. Harwood, with plenty of space, raced in to draw the defense, then found Chase open in front. Chase, who didn't even play last year, caught the pass and wouldn't be denied, beating Brewster to give Greely a 7-6 victory and unleash bedlam on the field.
“It just feels amazing,” Chase said. “Charlie came down, drew two defenders and gave me a wide-open pass. Beating Cape is always good for confidence.”
“(The players) knew they'd never beaten Cape,” Abbott added. “They've been thinking about that a lot the last few days. They played with heart and gave it everything they had.”
Groom wound up saving 27 shots as he and his teammates realized a long-awaited dream.
“There's nothing I wanted more,” Groom said. “They beat us in the playoffs last year. We just came to play. We play 110 percent all the time and we never stop. We have a great coaching staff. We've got a lot of good players. We don't have the depth, but we have heart.”
The good times just keep on rolling for the Rangers.
“We knew we'd have a good record this year,” Groom said. “We've worked out the kinks. It's amazing. We've never had this much support.”
“This is a whole different team that I've ever played on or coached,” Abbott added. “They just want it. They give it everything they have. I know we have a great team. We're looking forward to the rest of the season.”
Less than 24 hours later, it was North Yarmouth Academy’s turn.
In NYA's final regular season home game on grass two years ago, the Panthers edged Yarmouth in a stirring and controversial overtime decision. Last spring, NYA beat the Clippers twice on their new turf field, including a palpitating one-goal victory in the Eastern Class B Final. That trend continued Saturday.
The Panthers, just 2-7, thanks to a young roster and brutal schedule entering the game, quickly notified
their rival that despite an earlier 16-6 loss at Yarmouth, that they were vastly improved and had come to play.
The contest was scoreless until sophomore Gus Wellin scored unassisted with 1:07 to go in the first period. With 27.5 seconds left, Yarmouth senior Jason Hichborn answered with an unassisted tally and it was 1-1 after one.
Each team managed just one goal in the second quarter as well. With 8:15 to go, Gorman (from sophomore Cam Smith) beat Clippers' senior goalie Jon Poole for a 2-1 lead. With 3 minutes to play before halftime, Yarmouth responded as senior scoring machine Sam Miller took a pass from classmate John Curry and beat NYA junior goalie Matt Ward to tie things up.
Ward made 11 first half saves and kept his team from falling behind.
The Clippers hoped to come out and get some separation in the third quarter, but couldn't shake the Panthers.
With 4:57 to play in the third, Yarmouth took a 3-2 lead as sophomore Steven Petrovek fed junior Rob Highland for a goal. With 1:16 left, NYA pulled even as Wellin (from Smith) scored to make it 3-3.
When Miller scored unassisted with 9:26 to play in the fourth, it looked as if the Panthers might be on the ropes, but Gorman took a pass from senior Graham Bartlett and scored two minutes later, then, with 4:19 left in regulation, Smith took a pass from Gorman (which was deflected, but fortunately for the Panthers, found its way to its intended target) and scored to put NYA ahead 5-4.
The Panthers had a great chance to put the Clippers away with a little over two minutes to go when the visitors were whistled for two separate one-minute penalties. Yarmouth killed the penalties, however, and with 1:06 to go, tied the score as Highland fed senior Jack Gross for a goal.
The teams would go to overtime and the Clippers got the first scoring chance. After senior Tim Sweeney won his 11th faceoff in 14 attempts, Yarmouth worked the ball to Hichborn, but Ward stood tall and denied his shot and transitioned the ball the other way. Once NYA got the ball into its offensive zone, it went for the kill. Bartlett found a cutting Gorman and Gorman one-timed a high pass into the net to win it, 6-5.
“That was a transition goal,” Gorman said. “The defender threw a nice ball to (sophomore) Brandon Barrett. He ran it up the field. They pressured him. He threw it to Graham coming across the middle. I just snuck up behind the post. I was there and he saw me and I just finished it. It's a great feeling being a senior and having graduation coming up. These are the wins you play for.
“Yarmouth is always a big game for us. Even in a down season for us. They haven't won on the turf field yet. We have pride in that. We played our hearts out and we were in it the whole time. We had our chances. They had their chances.”
“Graham and Taylor finishing there was fitting,” Panthers' coach Jeff Thoreck added. “They're our veteran players. We want them to have the ball. The guys came out strong today. They knew they had to put in a complete game. We settled the ball offensively and took the pressure off the defense. The defense played outstanding. Matt made some key saves. As a team, taking care of the ball is critical. That's something we've worked on. I'm proud of how they handled the pressure and the intensity. Yarmouth's a great club.”
NYA got three goals from Gorman and a pair from Wellin. Smith had two assists. Ward made 14 saves. The Panthers forced 28 turnovers and corralled 32 ground balls.
“The guys are starting to figure out the system,” Gorman said “Our defense really shut Yarmouth down most of the game. Matt was unbelievable in goal. The offense did its part.”
The regular season comes to a close Friday. Thornton Academy (the only undefeated team on the boys' side after Greely's 9-8 loss at Gorham Tuesday) will be the top seed in Western Class A, with Portland, Scarborough and Cheverus in hot pursuit. In Western B, Greely hopes to hold on to the top spot, while Cape Elizabeth has a shot at leapfrogging the Rangers if it can upset Yarmouth on the road Friday night.
In Eastern A, Brunswick and Lewiston wound up 11-1 and tied for the top spot. A coin toss will be held Thursday to determine the top seed there. In Eastern B, it appears as if Yarmouth, despite Saturday's loss, will be the top seed, ahead of Morse. The biggest news in that region is that NYA, by virtue of its upset win, will make the playoffs and will be a team no one wants to face.
Girls Lacrosse: Waynflete Back on Track
Seemingly invincible Waynflete got a wakeup call with a 10-8 upset loss at North Yarmouth Academy on May 27, but the Flyers have bounced back with a vengeance.
“(The day after the NYA game) we sat down for almost a full hour after practice just talking and going over our goals and how we want to change practice up,” Waynflete coach Cathie Connors said. “We weren't as intense as we should have been in practice. Our warmups weren't as intense. We noticed NYA was warming up more intensely than we were.”
It didn't take long for the Flyers to restore order last Friday against a Yarmouth team they had beaten 13-7 May 9 on the road.
Just 18 seconds into the game, Morgan Woodhouse won the draw, raced in and beat Clippers' junior goalie Kelley Kasper to put Waynflete on top to stay. Two minutes later, Anna Libby (from Mariah Monks) scored for a 2-0 lead. With 20:03 to go in the first half, Woodhouse scored unassisted again, forcing Yarmouth coach Dorothy Holt to call timeout.
The Clippers did get on the board 44 seconds later when junior Lanier Bolmer scored, but Libby (from Woodhouse), Ashley Allen (from Monks) and Amy Allen (unassisted) responded for a 6-1 advantage with 8:52 to play in the half.
Yarmouth senior Tierney Minte ended the run with an unassisted goal, but Amy Allen (from Amanda Naimie) and Ellie Cole (unassisted) scored late in the half to give Waynflete a commanding 8-2 lead at the break.
“We wanted to come out strong,” Amy Allen said. “We responded, had fun and played a good game. Getting a lead helped.”
The Flyers won 10 of 11 draws in the half, corralled 23 of 35 ground balls and forced 10 turnovers.
Even though Bolmer (from Minte) scored early in the second half, the result was never in doubt. Ashley Allen (from Addie Thompson) answered and Amy Allen (from Woodhouse) scored with 17:29 to play for a 10-3 advantage. After Bolmer (from junior Hilary Attura) scored for the Clippers, Thompson (from Cole) and Woodhouse (unassisted) answered for Waynflete, making it 12-4. An unassisted goal from Minte and another Amy Allen tally (from Woodhouse) accounted for the 13-5 final score and the Flyers impressively ran out the final three-and-a-half minutes by playing keep away.
“Yesterday in practice, we only worked on offense,” Connors said. “Only offense and moving the ball. That was the difference today. We moved the ball and talked to each other. We didn't bunch or try to go one-on-one. That's easy to defend.”
Amy Allen led all scorers with four goals. Woodhouse added three goals and three assists and Ashley Allen and Libby both had a pair of tallies. Monks finished with two assists. Senior goalie Margaret Veroneau made eight saves.
Softball: Scarborough Finishes Unbeaten
Scarborough left no doubt that it was the very best team in the state a year ago and the 2008 Red Storm are following suit. After a 1-0 home win over Biddeford last week, Scarborough edged South Portland 1-0 at home Friday to finish 16-0 and earn the No. 1 seed for the playoffs. The Red Storm, Red Riots and Tigers are the teams to beat in the postseason.
Fryeburg, Cape Elizabeth and Maranacook lead the way in Western B. Greely and Gray-New Gloucester are possible spoilers. Georges Valley in on top in Western C and Richmond leads the way in Western D.
In Eastern Maine, Brewer (Class A), Hermon and Mattanawcook (Class B), Calais (Class C) and Ashland (Class D) are the atop the latest standings.
Baseball: Deering Goes 12 to Finish with Perfect Mark
Deering's undefeated juggernaut baseball team ended up 16-0 for just the second time in program history. The 16th win did not come easily.
Playing at rival Portland last Thursday, the teams battled into extra innings tied at 3-3. Finally, in the top of the 12th, Matt Powers stole home to put the Rams on top. The Bulldogs threatened in the bottom of the inning, but a double play slammed the door and Deering remained unblemished.
Deering wound up first in the Western A standings. Thornton Academy, Westbrook, Biddeford and Bonny Eagle also enjoyed stellar regular season. Portland, Marshwood, South Portland and Scarborough are potential playoff spoilers.
In Western B, York's magical regular season appears as if it will culminate with the top seed for the playoffs. Lincoln Academy, defending champ Greely, Mountain Valley, Maranacook and Cape Elizabeth are all capable of going all the way as well.
Winthrop sets the pace in Western C. Richmond is tops in Western D.
In the east, Brewer appears to be the top seed in Class A. John Bapst is tops in Class B, George Stevens Academy is first in Class C and Katahdin has the top spot in Class D.
Michael Hoffer is the sports editor of The Forecaster, a family of weekly newspapers based in Falmouth. Michael can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net
