Freeport senior Brooke Toothaker lunges for the ball as Yarmouth sophomore Winifred Leahy defends. (Michael Strout Photo)
YARMOUTH — Another day, another historic performance by the Freeport High School field hockey team.
Saturday morning, the Falcons, four days removed from a scintillating home win over defending Class C state champion St. Dom’s and two days after being competitive with defending Class B South champion York for the first time, paid a visit to rival Yarmouth on the Clippers’ turf field, where they had never won, or even managed to score a goal.
Until now.
The Falcons were frustrated early by Yarmouth senior goalie Cayte Tillotson, but with 6:17 remaining in the first half, sophomore Ally Randall scored on a rebound to put Freeport on top to stay.
Less than two minutes into the second half, the Falcons received some breathing room, as senior Kerry Lefebvre scored.
While Freeport was holding the Clippers without a shot in the second half, it was just a matter of time until the Falcons’ offense broke it open.
With 11:47 to play, Freeport earned a penalty stroke and senior Alexa Koenig converted it.
Three more goals followed in less than five minutes, as Lefebvre scored twice on rebounds, giving her a hat trick, and senior Natalie Anderson rattled the cage as well, giving the Falcons a 6-0 Western Maine Conference victory.
Four different players scored as Freeport improved to 7-2 on the season, won at Yarmouth for the first time this century and dropped the Clippers to 4-5 in the process.
“We were motivated to beat Yarmouth,” Lefebvre said. “They’ve been our rival for so long. It was a high after St. Dom’s, then we may have had too much confidence for York, but we got back to our level today.”
A week to remember
Freeport entered the week feeling good about its chances and just a few days later, has the look of a team that can legitimately contend for a regional title.
After starting the season 5-1, Freeport took it to a higher level, edging visiting St. Dom’s, the defending Class C state champion, which beat the Falcons by nine goals a year ago, in a 4-3 thriller. Thursday, at defending Class B South champion York, a team Freeport has had no answers for in recent years, it had an edge in shots and penalty corners, but failed to find the net in a 2-0 loss.
“We weren’t timid at York,” Falcons coach Marcia Wood said. “We outshot them and had more corners. Their goalie and defense were stellar and we couldn’t put it in.”
Yarmouth had won eight of 10 meetings since the teams started playing regularly in 2010, but Saturday, on a 63-degree and breezy morning, Freeport continued to climb the standings, as it just got better as the game went on.
The Falcons threatened just 34 seconds in, as Koenig shot from the side of the circle, but Tillotson kicked the ball away.
After being shutout by a composite 11-0 margin in five previous games on Yarmouth’s turf, the Falcons finally rattled the cage.
“We’re trying to figure out what our warmup needs to be,” Wood said. “It was a little bit of a slow start. Once we score, it continues, but it took awhile to get it in there.”
Freeport had a 7-2 shots advantage and a 2-0 edge in corners in the first half, but Tillotson’s six saves kept the game close.
The Falcons left no doubt in the second half. Koenig scored on a penalty stroke, her second chance on the Yarmouth goaltender.
Freeport senior Kerry Lefebvre and Yarmouth sophomore Anna Pires reach for the ball. (Michael Strout Photo)
“We’ve practiced strokes and I had a plan to go for the low corner, but the goalie had an amazing save,” Koenig said. “Then I went back out there and I didn’t want to risk it and go up, so I just went the other way.”
“(Alexa) only took one (stroke) last year and she missed it after making everything in practice,” Wood said. “I told her to stick with what you’re good at. It’s a good thing we practiced.”
Freeport has another big week upcoming, as it hosts Poland today, welcomes Cape Elizabeth Wednesday, then has a Heal Points-rich showdown at Fryeburg Academy Friday. A showdown with Greely also remains on the schedule.
“I’m so proud of my team,” Koenig said. “We have to keep a level head and go out and play every game like it’s our last. We hope we can keep winning and get Heal Points.”
“We can’t let up at all,” said Kerry Lefebvre. “We need to just push through. I think we have what it takes to make a run. We’re such a good team together. We love each other.”
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
