By Michael Hoffer
MaxPreps.com
If there was one certainty this spring, it appeared to be that the Waynflete girls lacrosse team was going to steamroll all comers and never be tested. That theory went out the window Tuesday afternoon when the Flyers weren't only tested, but they were beaten, 10-8 in a shocking decision at North Yarmouth Academy.
That was one of the many compelling contests last week in lacrosse, baseball and softball.
Girls Lacrosse: NYA Steals the Show
The North Yarmouth Academy girls entered the season with a new coach – former Yarmouth mentor Julia Littlefield – and high hopes, but dropped two of its first three games, at home to Yarmouth and 18-6 at Waynflete.
The Panthers then came to life and earned a huge boost of confidence last Wednesday when they won going away at Yarmouth 15-9. After rolling over host Wells 13-3 Saturday, NYA welcomed Waynflete Tuesday.
Waynflete entered with an 8-0 mark, having crushed every foe to the composite tune of 126-33. The Panthers had lost eight straight to the Flyers, dating back to 2004. NYA had lost decisively against the Flyers May 6, but was within three early in the first half.
This time around, the Panthers (forced to play the rest of the year without junior standout Rachel Darby, who suffered a knee injury last weekend) would make the biggest statement of the season.
Senior Marion Leslie gave NYA a 1-0 lead just 1:31 seconds into the game. After Waynflete tied the score on an unassisted goal from senior Amanda Naimie, Panthers' sophomore sparkplug Courtney Dumont fed Leslie for a goal and Gerrity followed with another for a 3-1 advantage.
The Flyers cut the lead to 3-2 when junior Anna Libby took a pass from senior Grace Verrill and scored. Junior Bugsy Clemetson answered for NYA, but Waynflete sophomore Morgan Woodhouse scored unassisted with 28.5 seconds left to cut the Panthers' lead to 4-3 at the half.
Four saves by junior Abigail Moss, including a pair on free positions, helped NYA stay in front.
The Flyers made an expected run early in the second half. Woodhouse scored unassisted, senior Addie Thompson fed junior Mariah Monks, and junior Ellie Cole set up senior Ashley Allen to give the visitors a 6-4 advantage.
Senior Alex Noyes snapped the 4-0 Waynflete run with a free position goal. Dumont scored unassisted with 13:35 to tie the game at 6. With 12:07 to play, the Flyers went back on top, 7-6, when Woodhouse scored unassisted.
NYA would get the next four goals, however. Gerrity set up Dumont for the tying tally. Dumont then put the Panthers ahead for good with a rebound slapshot. Clemetson scored unassisted and Dumont followed that up with an unassisted goal after the draw win for a 10-7 lead with 5:47 to play.
Waynflete tried to rally and got within two on Ashley Allen's unassisted goal with 3:06 to play, but the Flyers missed on their next four shot attempts and NYA ran out the clock and exulted.
“It's huge to beat a team that was undefeated,” NYA head coach Julia Littlefield said. “This is a good win for us. It took us all the way from March 31 to totally put it together.”
Dumont had four goals and an assist in another amazing effort.
“We didn't have the mentality of coming in and beating them, just of playing our best game,” Dumont said. “It's amazing.”
Clemetson and Leslie both scored twice. Gerrity and Noyes added one goal apiece and Moss made 10 saves.
NYA will be first in the final Eastern Class B Heals. Yarmouth, Morse and Freeport also appear playoff-bound.
In Western B, Waynflete is running away and hiding. Greely, Falmouth and York are also in the mix.
In Western A, Scarborough downed Kennebunk for the first time Tuesday night, 11-7, and figures to leapfrog the Rams for the top spot in the standings. Marshwood is in the hunt as well.
In Eastern A, two-time regional champion Brunswick is the lone undefeated team remaining in girls lacrosse. The Dragons will be first for the playoffs. Oxford Hills, Mt. Ararat and Lewiston figure to garner the other spots.
Boys Lacrosse: Capers Rally for Huge Victory
Cape Elizabeth has long been the flag bearer for Maine boys lacrosse success, but the Capers have been mortal in recent seasons. They lost to Yarmouth in the 2004 state final and to Kennebunk in each of the past two Western B Finals. Cape Elizabeth lost decisively to visiting Portland to start the year, but has sparkled since and avenged that loss Friday night.
Portland scored the first four goals of the game. Senior Spencer Wendland took a pass from junior Dylan Kenney to get the scoring started 2:35 seconds in. At the 5:58 mark, junior standout K.R. Jurgelevich scored unassisted. With 3:53 to play in the first, junior Sam Guimond scored from Howard for a 3-0 lead. Just 26 seconds later, Kyle Roberts (from Jurgelevich) beat Cape Elizabeth senior goalie Max Foner to make it 4-0.
The Capers finally got on the board with 1:09 to play in the quarter on an unassisted tally from their junior scoring machine Mike Holden.
For most of the second quarter, neither team could do anything offensively. Finally, with 3:21 to go before the half, Cape Elizabeth cut the Bulldogs' lead to 4-2 when Holden took a pass from senior Mike Ott and beat Finney. Undaunted, Portland appeared to restore order as Guimond (from Jurgelevich) ended a 12:59 scoring drought with a goal, and senior Mitch Pierter (from Guimond) and junior Tanner Howard (from Jurgelevich) followed with strikes to give the hosts a seemingly commanding 7-2 advantage at the break.
The tide changed early in the third period.
Just 46 seconds into the second half, Cape Elizabeth senior Zach Belden scored unassisted. A mere 15 seconds later, Belden, who won possession off the face-off, raced in and scored to make it 7-4. Neither team scored the rest of the quarter.
When Jurgelevich (from Howard) scored with 10:49 to play, ending a 14-minute scoring drought. The Bulldogs' lead was 8-4, but instead of taking advantage of its apparent breathing room, Portland promptly watched in horror as the Capers went on a five-goal surge to take the lead.
With 9:28 to play, Holden took a pass from senior Chris Bagley and tickled the twine. Moments after Belden hit the crossbar, Bagley fed Holden for another goal to make it 8-6. With 7:54 to play, Bagley eluded a defender and raced in to score unassisted. Twenty-eight seconds later, Belden tied the game when he collected a rebound and fired it home.
Bulldogs' coach Eric Begonia called timeout, but it was to no avail and with 6:30 to go, Bagley scored unassisted again to put the visitors ahead for the first time, 9-8.
“In the second half, they made adjustments and got stronger defensively,” Begonia said. “They put pressure on us. That required our offense to move the ball more and we didn't do that well. We couldn't stay out of the penalty box, which was a killer, and they won face-offs.”
With 6:01 remaining, Pierter (off a pass from Howard) beat sophomore Ben Brewster, who replaced Foner at halftime, to tie the score at 9-9. Both teams then had ample opportunities to take the lead, but the game remained deadlocked until Holden (from senior Johnny Hayes) scored with 58.8 seconds to go.
“I knew I had to bounce it hard because (Finney) was saving everything through his legs,” Holden said. “I was just looking for the top.”
The Bulldogs would get another chance after a Capers' turnover, but their last, best chance to tie went by the wayside when Wendland shot just wide with 11.3 seconds left. Cape Elizabeth then ran out the clock and left Portland shellshocked with the 10-9 victory.
Guimond, Jurgelevich and Pierter all had two goals for Portland. Holden led all scorers with five goals. Belden added three and Bagley had two for the Capers.
“We knew we could come back,” Holden said. “Our offense can be very good when it works. We were throwing the ball around and being sloppy. We pressured a lot more on defense. We knew we needed the ball and to finish on the opportunities. This is huge. It's nice to win this one. Hopefully this will put us on a roll.”
“This is a great win,” Cape Elizabeth coach Ben Raymond added. “I think we came out and played much better defensively in the second half. We were a little sharper and quicker. Offensively, we decided to show up.”
Cape Elizabeth is still second to Greely in the Western B Heals, but could take over first place if it wins at the Rangers Friday night. Waynflete and Falmouth also appear playoff-bound.
In Eastern B, Yarmouth is closing in on Morse for the top spot. Mt. Blue and Lincoln Academy are also enjoying strong seasons.
Thornton Academy remains unbeaten and leads the Western A Heals, with Portland, Gorham, Cheverus and Scarborough on its heels.
In Eastern A, Lewiston and Brunswick, the defending state champion, continue to lead the way. Messalonskee is also in the mix.
Softball: Scarborough Wins Showdown of Unbeatens
Something had to give Monday afternoon when 13-0 Scarborough, the defending Class A state champion, hosted 13-0 Biddeford in a game which figured to decide who would enjoy home field advantage for the upcoming playoffs.
The Tigers had a great chance to get to Red Storm sophomore ace Melissa Dellatore in the first inning when they loaded the bases, but Dellatore escaped with a clutch strikeout. She only gave up one hit the rest of the way.
Scarborough got the only run it would need in the bottom of the fifth, when with one out, sophomore catcher Heather Carrier, senior centerfielder Kira Gordon and junior third baseman Catie Funk hit consecutive singles. Dellatore slammed the door from there and the Red Storm improved to 14-0 with the 1-0 victory, essentially clinching the top spot in the Heals.
Biddeford, Deering, South Portland, Bonny Eagle and Gorham are also high in the standings.
Fryeburg still has a slim lead over defending state champion Cape Elizabeth in Western Class B.
Georges Valley is first in Western C. Richmond leads the way in Western D. In the east, Brewer leads Class A, Mattanawcook is tops in Class B, and Calais is No. 1 in Class C.
Baseball: Wins Keep Coming for Deering
Deering's undefeated juggernaut baseball team improved to 14-0 Monday with an easy 11-1 home win over Windham. The Rams played at Kennebunk Wednesday and Portland Thursday as they hoped to close the year with a perfect record.
Deering leads the Western A Heal Points standings. Thornton Academy, Biddeford, surprise Westbrook, Portland, Bonny Eagle and Marshwood are also in the mix.
In Western B, York leapfrogged Lincoln Academy for the top spot. Mountain Valley, Maranacook, defending state champion Greely, Falmouth, Yarmouth, Lisbon and Wells are also enjoying strong seasons.
Dirigo sets the pace in Western C. Richmond is tops in Western D.
In the east, Skowhegan has a slim edge over Cony, Bangor and Brewer in Class A, John Bapst is tops in Class B, George Stevens Academy is first in Class C and Ashland 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
