Fall sports season halfway done, best yet to come- Portland edition

Cheverus senior Emma Gallant collides with a Falmouth defender during the Stags’ 3-2 win Saturday. Gallant scored twice, including the winning goal late. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald photo.

As September gives way to October, the drama is ramping up.

The first hardware of the fall sports season will be awarded Saturday and while the golf season might be coming to an end, things remain very interesting in football, soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country.

Here’s a recap of the week that was and a glimpse at what’s to come:

Football

Cheverus and Deering each enjoyed gridiron victories last weekend.

Friday, the Rams went to Noble and evened their record at 2-2 with a 37-22 victory. Amani Peeples-Gorman opened the scoring with a 29-yard touchdown pass from quarterback James Opio, then Deering made it 10-0 after one quarter on Max Morrione’s field goal. By halftime, the Rams were firmly in command, as TDs passes from Opio to Peeples-Gorman and to Travis Soule and a 40-yard Opio run made it 30-0. After the Knights got on the board in the third quarter, Opio’s 6-yard run accounted for the Rams’ final total. Noble scored a pair of fourth period touchdowns, but it was too little, too late.

Deering (ranked fifth in the Class B South Crabtree Points standings at press time) hosts powerhouse 3-1 Scarborough Friday night. Last year, the Rams lost at the Red Storm, 46-7.

Saturday, Cheverus won its second game in a row and improved to 2-2 with a 54-12 home win over Westbrook. Sean Tompkins’ 94-yard touchdown run made it 7-0 Stags after one quarter. Tompkins added a 74-yard scamper in the second period and Cheverus opened up a commanding 34-12 advantage. In the third quarter, the Stags ended all doubt, as Tompkins and Ian Trafford had TD runs. Tompkins finished with 248 yards and three TDs on nine carries. Trafford rushed for 100 yards.

Cheverus (eighth in Class B South) is home with 0-4 Portland Saturday afternoon (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports for game story).

The Bulldogs dropped a 41-9 home decision to Kennebunk. The Rams were up, 13-0, after one quarter and 41-7 at halftime, as quarterback Grant Crosby’s short touchdown run got Portland on the board. The Bulldogs added a safety in the fourth period.

Portland (1-3 and ninth in Class B South) is at Cheverus Saturday. Last year, the Bulldogs beat the visiting Stags, 37-7.

Boys’ soccer

Waynflete’s defending Class C state champion boys’ soccer team bounced back from its first loss in two seasons with wins at St. Dom’s (3-0) and at home over Cape Elizabeth (3-1) last week. Joey Ansel-Mullen, Oliver Burdick and Pat Shaw had the goals in the win over the Saints.

“We moved it really well today, got a lot of people involved, got a lot of chances,” Flyers coach Brandon Salway said. “We’re still working on finishing, so obviously we’d like to finish more chances, but I’m pretty happy with the way we moved it today.”

Against the Capers, Ansel-Mullen was responsible for an early “own goal” which put the Flyers behind, but he scored twice for his team and Burdick added another as Waynflete improved to 5-1.

“This win gives us confidence,” Burdick said. “We know that once we go down to the Class C level, as long as we play like ourselves, well be better than the other teams.”

“We can build off of this,” said Ansel-Mullen. “We can still get better, but were making good progress.”

“I’d be lying if I said the kids don’t get up for these games,” added Salway. We want to beat everyone, but Cape is always strong and it means a lot to beat a top program.”

The Flyers (fourth in the Class C South Heal Points standings at press time) were home against Traip Academy Tuesday, go to defending Class D champion North Yarmouth Academy Thursday, play host to Gray-New Gloucester Saturday and visit Wells Tuesday of next week.

In Class A South, Portland had its five-game win streak snapped last week and fell to 5-3 after losing at home to Scarborough (2-1) and at South Portland (4-2). Steve Matanga had the goal against the Red Storm, but the Bulldogs let an early lead slip away. In the loss to the Red Riots, Gabriel Panzo and Anselmo Tela scored goals, while goalkeeper Henry Flynn made six saves. The Bulldogs (seventh in the Heals) host Sanford Friday and welcome Massabesic Tueday of next week.

Cheverus was eighth in Class A South at 2-4-2 after a 1-1 draw at Deering and a 2-1 home loss to Falmouth. Ethan Hammond had the goal against the Yachtsmen and goalkeeper Harrison Bell made five saves.

“We’ve now had five hard games against teams ahead of us in Heal Points and we’ve played with all of them,” Stags coach Bill LeBlanc said. “We just haven’t gotten the right bounce. We play a formation to win games 1-0, 2-1. Today, we were just on the wrong end.”

Cheverus was home with Bonny Eagle Tuesday and goes to Windham Friday.

Deering was 1-4-2 and ninth in Class A South after a 1-1 home tie against Cheverus. After hosting Biddeford Tuesday, the Rams go to Bonny Eagle Friday and play at Westbrook Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ soccer

On the girls’ side, Cheverus improved to 8-0 and first in the Class A South Heals after wins last week at home over Deering (4-0) and at Falmouth (3-2). Lauren Jordan, Mia Kratzer, Riley O’Mara and Ava Rausch had the goals versus the Rams. Against the Yachtsmen in a playoff rematch, O’Mara scored in fourth minute and Emma Gallant added a penalty kick goal in the 11th minute, but Falmouth scored twice late in regulation. Then, with 2:34 to play, Gallant buried a 35-yard rocket and the Stags held on.

“I knew there were only a couple minutes left, I had space, the whole team needed it and I wanted to put it in for the team,” Gallant said. “(The shot) felt good, but I thought it was going over the crossbar, then at the last second (it went under).”

“This shows we’re a strong team and we wanted to win for each other and not for ourselves,” Jordan said. “We could have put our head down and taken a tie, but we didn’t want a tie.”

“After they tied it, both teams were gassed,” Cheverus coach Craig Roberts added. “My girls could have dropped back into a shell and let them come wave after wave and settle for the tie, but there was resiliency there, they wanted to go for the win.”

The Stags went to Bonny Eagle Tuesday, then host Windham Tuesday of next week.

Portland suffered a 4-1 loss at Scarborough last Tuesday, then improved to 5-2-1 and eighth in Class A South with a 2-0 home win over South Portland Friday. Toni Stevenson had the goal and Caroline Lerch made a dozen saves in the loss. Against the Red Riots, Stevenson and Annika More had the goals. The Bulldogs visit Sanford Friday and play at Massabesic Tuesday of next week.

Deering fell to 0-7 and 16th in Class A South after a 4-0 loss at Cheverus last Tuesday. The Rams went to Biddeford Tuesday, host Bonny Eagle Thursday and welcome Westbrook Tuesday of next week.

In Class C South, Waynflete was 1-4-2 and 13th in the Heals following a 2-2 home tie versus St. Dom’s and losses at defending Class B champion Cape Elizabeth (6-1) and at home to Greely (4-0). Devan Sherry had both goals against the Saints. In the loss to the Capers, Sherry had the goal and goalkeeper Jesse Connors made 14 saves. Connors stopped 10 shots against the Rangers. The Flyers were at Traip Academy Tuesday, welcome defending Class D champion NYA Thursday, visit Gray-New Gloucester Saturday, then play at NYA Tuesday of next week.

Field hockey

Cheverus’ field hockey team was 3-2-3 and seventh in Class A South after a 2-1 loss at Kennebunk and a 3-3 home tie versus Westbrook last week. In the tie, Lucia Pompeo had two goals and Taylor Tory one, but the Stags let a three-goal lead slip away. The Stags were at Windham Monday, host Thornton Academy Wednesday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story), go to Noble Friday, then welcome Gorham Tuesday of next week.

The Portland/Deering co-op squad tied host Noble, 1-1, then fell to 0-9-1 after a 7-2 home loss to Gorham. Aleah Murph and Noelle Walker scored goals, while Jada McElwain made a whopping 36 saves against Gorham. Portland/Deering (16th in Class A South) was at South Portland Monday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story), welcomes Massabesic Wednesday, goes to Falmouth Monday and closes the regular season Tuesday of next week at home against Marshwood.

Volleyball

Cheverus’ volleyball team was 3-3 and eighth in Class A after a five-set (23-25, 25-12, 31-33, 25-21, 15-11) win at Massabesic last week. Jill Lizotte had 16 kills, Liza Rogers added 14 service points, six assists, seven kills and four digs, Alex Hammond had 19 service points and 13 kills and Maddie Williams finished with 14 assists. The Stags were home with Gorham Tuesday, welcome Biddeford Thursday and Sanford Friday and go to Brunswick Tuesday of next week.

Portland was 1-5 and 14th in Class A after straight set losses to visiting, defending Class A champion Falmouth (17-25, 15-25, 13-25) and host Scarborough (20-25, 8-25, 7-25). Against the Yachtsmen, Kiera Eubanks had six blocks and Erin Chadbourne finished with nine assists. The Bulldogs were home with Sanford Tuesday, host Bonny Eagle Thursday, go to Windham Saturday and visit Deering Tuesday of next week.

Deering was 1-5 and 16th in Class A after a three-set (14-25, 21-25, 21-25) home loss to Bonny Eagle and a four-set win at Kennebunk. Against the Scots, Janella Ridge had 14 digs and Rachel Pardi added six kills and two blocks. The Rams were at Windham Tuesday, visit South Portland Thursday and welcome Portland Tuesday of next week.

Cross country

Waynflete’s Connor Feeney runs in last week’s meet at Greely. Feeney was 23rd individually and the Flyers came in fourth as a team. John Jensenius / For The Forecaster

Cheverus joined Bonny Eagle, Massabesic, Scarborough and Thornton Academy for a cross country meet at Biddeford Friday. The Stags girls’ team finished third. Grace Turner (fifth, 21 minutes, 28 seconds) was the top individual. The boys’ squad placed fourth. Will Herman (10th, 18:23) was the top individual.

Deering and Portland ran with Falmouth, Sanford and South Portland at Westbrook. In the boys’ meet, won by the Yachtsmen, the Rams came in second and the Bulldogs were third. Individually, Portland was paced by Wyatt Dana, who came in fourth in 17:02.76, and Deering was led by Owen Pfaff (eighth, 17:30.63). In the girls’ meet, the Bulldogs finished first and the Rams didn’t score as a team. Portland was paced by Tenley Flint (fourth, 21:10.39). Deering’s Megan Cunningham placed third individually (20:41.94).

Waynflete joined Cape Elizabeth and York at Greely. The girls’ squad placed fourth. Blythe Thompson was 10th individually in 22:45. The Flyers boys came in fourth. Levi Lilienthal was 20th individually in 19:47.

Thursday, Deering joins Westbrook at Noble, while Waynflete runs with Fryeburg Academy and NYA at Freeport Friday and Cheverus and Portland take part in the Belfast Festival of Champions Saturday.