FREEPORT — They are geographic neighbors, one with a long history of success in boys’ lacrosse and the other with a promising future.
A future that will have to wait at least one more year.
No. 4 Yarmouth made quick work of No. 2 Freeport by scoring the first half-dozen goals on the way to a 16-3 victory in the Eastern Class B final Wednesday.
“We didn’t know too much about them,” said Yarmouth defenseman Thomas Lord, “but we don’t like to overscout teams. We just play our game.”
That game started with Brendan Dioli positioned behind the Freeport net, picking apart a zone defense with precision passes to oncoming teammates. Dioli scored once and assisted on four other goals as Yarmouth took a 6-0 lead in the first seven minutes.
“He’s a great feeder,” Lord said. “That’s how you have to break a zone defense. You set up and cut to the crease, and they did that well. The offense was really on today.”
Twelve players scored for Yarmouth (10-5), which will face Western Maine champion Cape Elizabeth in the Class B state final Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
A year ago, Cape Elizabeth beat Yarmouth 7-4 for the state title.
“We really wanted a rematch with Cape,” Dioli said before the Cape-Falmouth regional final got underway. “We’re hoping to see them so we can take it to them.”
Freeport (9-6) remained on its heels for much of the early going because the Clippers wouldn’t give up the ball. Walter Conrad and Ricky Tillotson helped win 10 of 13 first-half draws for Yarmouth, with help from wings Bobby Murray and Matthew Woodbury.
“That’s been huge for us,” Lord said. “Walter Conrad had just been unbelievable this year. That gives us all the possession and, when you look back on it, that’s who wins the game.”
Dioli, Patrick Grant, Joseph Oliva and Matthew Beatty each scored twice for Yarmouth. Woodbury, Dylan Tureff, Kyle Thomas, Andrew Beatty, Brady Neujahr, Max Watson, Isaak Dearden and even Lord, with his long stick, also scored.
“It happens every once in a while when I get lucky,” said Lord, who only goes on the attack when the Clippers have a man advantage.
“If we could erase the first quarter the game would have been a lot closer,” said Freeport Coach Geoff Arris. “They came out tournament ready. We were psyched to be here.”
Yarmouth has 10 seniors to Freeport’s one. That experience, particularly when it includes plenty of tournament action, made a difference in front of a large crowd at Freeport’s natural grass field.
“The starters … were all very anxious, very nervous and it showed,” Arris said. “After a couple minutes they figured out what Yarmouth was all about and that they had to play.”
Sam Wogan, Ramsey Dodge and Brady LaFrance scored for Freeport. Zac Wogan made 11 saves.
For Yarmouth, Connor Hoehle made six saves and Cameron Kennedy had two.
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