Karli Chapin (20) and her Cape Elizabeth girls’ lacrosse teammates had plenty to get excited about last month after edging Yarmouth in triple-overtime, on Chapin’s goal, in the Class B state final. File photo.
The spring of 2019 will be remembered for Mother Nature’s uncooperative nature, but more so for triumph by local athletes.
Scarborough’s boys’ outdoor track and field team captured yet another piece of hardware, capping a perfect school year by winning the Class A championship. Several individuals from local schools also finished atop the heap (see below).
Scarborough’s girls’ tennis team shocked Falmouth in the Class A South Final to not only capture the regional title, but in the process, end the Yachtsmen’s 187-match win streak. The Red Storm weren’t able to follow that up with a first-ever state crown, however, losing to Lewiston in the state match. South Portland lost to Portland in the preliminary round. In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth was beaten by Greely in the semifinals.
On the boys’ side, Cape Elizabeth missed the playoffs for the first time since 1983 and Scarborough also fell short. South Portland posted its best record in 17 years, but lost to Deering in the Class A South quarterfinals.
Cape Elizabeth’s girls’ lacrosse team won a second consecutive Class B championship in even more dramatic fashion than a year ago, this time needing triple overtime to complete a rally and stun higher seeded Yarmouth in a state game for the ages. It would be Karli Chapin playing the hero, scoring both the tying and winning goals, seven months after she scored a soccer state championship-winning goal in overtime. South Portland also made the playoffs and knocked off Marshwood in the Class A South quarterfinals, then lost to Kennebunk in the semifinals.
On the boys’ side, Cape Elizabeth enjoyed an undefeated regular season, highlighted by an improbable three straight overtime victories, but after ending South Portland’s season in the Class A South semifinals, the Capers lost to eventual repeat champion Thornton Academy (which had eliminated Scarborough in the quarterfinals) in the regional final.
On the diamond, Scarborough’s softball team continues to have no peer. The Red Storm went 16-0 in the regular season for the sixth year in a row, extended their regular season win streak to 105 games and after rallying past Thornton Academy in the regional final, Scarborough went back-to-back-back and three-peated for the first time in program history, when it handled Skowhegan in the Class A state final. South Portland lost to Scarborough in the Class A South semifinals, while Cape Elizabeth was eliminated by Fryeburg Academy in the Class B South semifinals.
Scarborough’s baseball team shocked many when it won the Class A baseball championship last month. File photo.
Baseball featured a similar script, at least at the end. South Portland was the top seed in Class A South and defeated Biddeford and Marshwood to reach the Class A South Final, but there, the Red Riots met their match.
We’re all eager to get on to summer, but before we do, here’s one last look back at the champions and best moments of the spring:
Southern edition spring state champions
Team
Cape Elizabeth Capers girls’ lacrosse, Class B
Scarborough Red Storm baseball, Class A
Scarborough Red Storm softball, Class A
Scarborough Red Storm boys’ outdoor track, Class A
Individual
Outdoor track
Jack Bassett, Cape Elizabeth, Class B boys’ mile
Darcy Cochran, Cape Elizabeth, Class B girls’ 100 hurdles
Anthony Clavette, Scarborough, Class A boys’ high jump
Jarett Flaker, Scarborough, Class A boys’ 100
Jarett Flaker, Scarborough, Class A boys’ 200
Jarett Flaker, Scarborough, Class A boys’ 400
Anna Gardner, Scarborough, Class A girls’ pole
Ben Hatch, Scarborough, Class A boys’ long jump
Emily Labbe, Scarborough, Class A girls’ 100 hurdles
Southern edition spring regional champion
Scarborough Red Storm girls’ tennis, Class A South
Michael’s top five moments/stories
5) Cape boys get it done in OT
Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ lacrosse team won all 12 regular season contests, but the wins didn’t always come easily. After handling Waynflete in the opener, the Capers got taken to overtime by visiting Scarborough, but survived by a goal. The next time out, Cape Elizabeth tied the score in the final second, then beat visiting Yarmouth in OT. If that wasn’t enough, the following game saw 48 minutes again fail to be sufficient, as visiting Thornton Academy scored late to send the game to overtime where yet again, the Capers found a way to score the goal that mattered most. High drama all around.
4) Scarborough boys win another track title
Scarborough won Class A state titles in boys’ cross country in the fall and indoor track in the winter and last month, the Red Storm won an outdoor title as well. The Red Storm were paced by three-event winner Jarett Flaker and also got victories from Anthony Clavette and Ben Hatch. Add in other key points from myriad sources and the end result was yet another championship.
3) Scarborough girls’ tennis plays giant-slayer
Scarborough’s girls’ tennis team went 11-1 in the regular season, losing, 4-1, to Falmouth in the season opener. The Red Storm didn’t lose again and when the teams met in the rematch, in the Class A South Final, Scarborough found a way to prevail, 3-2, and just like that, the Yachtsmen’s 11-year title reign and 187-match win streak were history. The Red Storm moved on to the state final, but their magic ran out with a loss to Lewiston. Regardless, Scarborough will go down in history as the team which ended Falmouth’s unthinkable run.
2) Cape girls repeat in triple OT thriller
Cape Elizabeth’s girls’ lacrosse team certainly produced one heck of an encore. A year after rallying to edge Yarmouth in overtime in the state final, the Capers had a solid 10-2 regular season, then beat Waynflete and Greely to return to the big stage. Where again, the Clippers awaited. This time, Cape Elizabeth was down by two goals late, but rallied to tie and after goalie Erin Foley made huge saves in the first two overtimes, the Capers won their second consecutive crown in the third OT, as big-game star Karli Chapin did the honors. It had to be seen to be believed.
Bella Dickinson helped Scarborough’s softball team win its third consecutive Class A state title. File photo
1) Scarborough winds up king and queen of the diamond
Scarborough has long dominated the local softball world, but the Red Storm hadn’t excelled at baseball in the same year until this spring, which saw each squad do some amazing things. Scarborough’s softball team went undefeated yet again and won a third straight championship, but even with a lot of new faces, that didn’t come as a huge shock. A year after going 6-11, the Red Storm’s baseball squad winning a title was stunning. Scarborough defeated Cheverus, Falmouth and South Portland to win the regional title, then rode the heroics of Jack Clark, Nick Thompson and others, as well as the nonpareil coaching of Mike D’Andrea, to a state game win over previously undefeated Oxford Hills. For the first time in school history, Scarborough boasts a baseball and a softball champion at the same time.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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