South Portland trumps TA, falls to Brunswick

The Riots and the Trojans seesawed their way through the first half of Wednesday’s A West Final before a trio of South Portland goals – by Andrew Whipple, Chris Mitchell and Lucas Michaud – pried the game wide open. The Riots eventually won 12-4, in the process earning themselves a chance to repeat as State kings in Saturday’s championship versus Brunswick.

There, however, South Portland – so strong all year, having lost just once in the regular season, an overtime nail-biter – finally met their match. The Riots kept close to the Dragons even into the third, when Whipple actually tied the score at 6-6. But Brunswick managed to open the gap once more as the contest wore on, and ultimately took the crown, 13-9.

No. 2 TA at No. 1 South Portland

“We knew going in that we needed to slow down their transition game,” said South Portland head coach Tom Fiorini. “That’s where most of their goals come from. When they had the ball, we just had to stay tight and force them to make turnovers.”

The Riots carefully assembled a narrow, 4-2 lead in the first half on Wednesday, before finally wearing thin the TA defense to pile on a bunch of points in the third quarter, and then a bunch more in the fourth.

Specifically, Mitchell fed Whipple and Whipple scored, just 1:12 seconds into the third quarter, to put South Portland ahead 5-2. Still, the Trojans dogged them, though, Greg Ruff blasting a quick redirect past Riots keeper T-Moe Hellier for 5-3 just a minute and a half later.

From there, however, South Portland took control. They scored three times in the final two minutes – first Mitchell to Whipple, then Jake Angell to Michaud, and then Mitchell unassisted – to wedge open a five-goal, 8-3 advantage on the Trojans. The Riots hashed four more in the fourth to TA’s one for the 12-4 final.

“We wanted to control the ball and wear down their defense,” said Tom Fiorini, “which is what happened in the second half.”

Whipple finished with four goals in the game, and one assist. Mitchell and Kam Andrews each earned a hat trick, and Mitchell had three assists as well. Michaud finished with two goals and two assists. Hellier in goal made five saves.

South Portland vs. Brunswick

The Riots and Dragons took to the field conservatively Saturday morning; the squads circled each other like wolves, sniffing each other out and occasionally snapping their jaws at one another before getting fully tangled up.

They looked especially reticent to pressure defensively as they attempted to get the read of one another, which Tom Fiorini saw simply as part of both squads’ styles.

“Both teams, all season, have played a defense that allowed teams to move the ball, but not to penetrate. [Both have] forced the offense to make mistakes.”

But that approach appeared to cost South Portland more than it cost Brunswick on Saturday. Brunswick’s incursions on the attack earned them four unanswered goals through the first quarter and into the second, before the Riots finally got on the board.

When they did, it was Mitchell, lined up dead-center and firing from maybe 40 feet out – through a crowd of bodies – to beat Dragons keeper Mitch Smith for 4-1.

South Portland faced an uphill battle to get back into the action. They fought, though, and succeeded: Jack Fiorini, Whipple, Mitchell, Fiorini again and Whipple again – on a particularly pretty play, a contemplative circling behind Smith before a dash in front, a turn and a shot – outscored Brunswick 5-2 through the remainder of the second and into the start of the third to even the match at six all.

“Coming out in the second [half], we started winning faceoffs and getting a little ball control,” said Tom Fiorini, “which allowed us to catch up.”

The Riots defense, though, suffered a pair of damaging blows as the game progressed: First, Nick Mezzanotte’s frustrations got the better of him, leading to his ejection, and then another of the team’s starters checked out with an injury; the combo of turns halved South Portland’s defensive experience on the field and opened up opportunities the Dragons quickly sank their teeth into.

“We lost half our starting D,” said Tom Fiorini. “We were forced to put in a freshman and a sophomore. That thinned us out pretty good. Brunswick took advantage of our inexperience.”

When Matt Brooks made it 7-6, Brunswick had the last lead they would need. The Dragons piled on six additional points where the Riots managed just three, and Brunswick emerged the victors, 13-9.

Mitchell and Whipple each finished with a hat trick and one assist for South Portland. Fiorini earned a goal and two assists – easily one of the State’s best, Fiorini was an obvious target for heavy Brunswick defensive coverage. Andrews and Eben Babbidge had one goal apiece.

South Portland retires for 2015 at 13-2. Brunswick caps a perfect 16-0 season.

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