The state team golf championships have been held at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro for several years. But in all those years, a first happened on Saturday.
“I can’t remember three teams tying for first place before,” said head pro/owner Dick Browne.
When Gorham, Brunswick and Deering all tied at 329, it had people wondering if it was a first. According to Browne, it was.
A team score is complied by adding the best four of five scores. The fifth score is used only to break ties. After all the shots, the tiebreaker was required this time.
Gorham got the title because its fifth player, Spencer LaPierre, shot an 86 to beat the No. 5 players from Brunswick and Deering.
Brunswick finished second and Deering was third.
It was a disappointing day for Deering, which entered as the favorite. Gorham, meanwhile, had to place in the top three at the SMAA qualifying tournament to make the state championships, but handled the wind and cold at Natanis.
BOTH ARE gearing toward a run at the Class B cross country championships at the end of the month, but the Falmouth boys and Cape Elizabeth girls had a different workout regimen last week.
The Falmouth boys went into Thursday’s Western Maine Championships a little tired. “We pushed them hard,” said Yachtsmen Coach Jorma Kurry. “We’ll see how they respond.”
Falmouth won the boys’ meet by 20 points over Greely.
Cape Elizabeth, after running a couple big out-of-state meets, took the previous weekend off while others were racing in the Festival of Champions meet in Belfast, and the Capers went into the conference meet rested.
“The season is too long,” Capers Coach Mary Ann Doss said. “Having a break halfway through, to mentally regroup and physically regroup, I saw a big difference (Thursday).”
Cape breezed to the conference title with a 28-point margin over Falmouth.
But Doss knows the state competition will be tough, with John Bapst looking strong in the East. The Crusaders finished second to Class A power Cheverus in the Festival of Champions.
The Falmouth boys, based on their second place in the Festival of Champions behind Class A Scarborough, may be considered the early Class B favorite, but Caribou, fourth in the festival, is also strong.
THERE MAY be something magical about Friday night lights, but the Cheverus Stags look forward to playing under blue skies.
“Love to be playing on Saturday afternoon,” said lineman and linebacker Zach Dulac. His reasoning is simple: Cheverus, because it has no lights on its field, plays day games.
Saturday afternoon games usually mean home games for the Stags. And they have two key games coming up — against Bonny Eagle and Deering — both at home.
Cheverus (6-0) has not been caught looking ahead to the end of its schedule.
“Now, ‘ahead’ is here,” Dulac said. “We took care of business through the first six. And now we have two big ones. Love to be home.”
One of the Cheverus goals in Friday’s 35-0 romp at Westbrook was to avoid injury. It didn’t happen. Starting left guard Eric Bryant left the game with a separated shoulder. His status is uncertain.
WHEN BONNY EAGLE and Windham play football, fans get their money’s worth. At least that’s been the case this season and last, as the games have ended with a flair for the dramatic.
A year ago in the Western Class A semifinals at Windham, the Eagles went for the win in overtime, electing to attempt a 2-point conversion instead of a tying extra-point kick. They completed the pass in the corner of the end to beat the Scots and advance to the regional final, which they won. A week later, Windham won the state title over Bangor.
On Friday night, the Eagles had no choice but to go for the 2-point conversion, since they trailed by that margin with 1:49 left.
Expect the unexpected with Windham’s play calling in these situations. Quarterback Cody Laberge ran left after the snap but pitched to Damien Sheppard, who was running to the right. Sheppard’s was looking to throw to Kyle Williams. Williams was wide open in the end zone, but Sheppard, a running back, threw short. Williams dived for the ball but couldn’t reach it.
Sheppard gave the Eagles (2-4) a chance for the tie by returning the kickoff 57 yards after the Scots (6-0) had taken a 21-13 lead.
KERRY MARIELLO has to be pleased with the way her Scarborough High field hockey team has responded from its first loss in two years.
The Red Storm had a 26-game winning streak snapped last Saturday against South Portland.
But Scarborough (10-1) reaffirmed its place atop Western Class A with pivotal victories over Westbrook and Cheverus — both teams ranked second at the time.
“You’ve got to take it as it is,” Mariello said of the loss. “It’s a good thing. It didn’t hurt us and it made us work harder.
“It’s like, ‘No, that’s not going to happen again.’ “
WELLS CELEBRATED its thrilling 14-7 victory over Cape Elizabeth in Western Class B football on Friday, putting the Warriors into the championship picture.
But junior Paul McDonough, who scored one touchdown, set up the other and intercepted two passes, cautioned Warriors fans.
“There’s a long way to go,” he said. “This is just the start.”
Coach Tim Roche gave defensive coordinator Carmen Perri a lot of the credit for the win.
The Capers were held to just 19 yards rushing and 18 yards passing in the second half. Both Wells and Cape Elizabeth are now 5-1.
“The guy’s been at it for 33 years,” said Roche. “He knows what he’s doing. He has the defense ready to play every week.
“In that first half, Cape ran the ball down the field. In the second half, the kids buckled down and got it done. They worked so hard to get ready, they felt this game was one that they deserved.”
— Staff Writers Tom Chard and Kevin Thomas and Mike Lowe contributed to this report.
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