The abbreviated 2020 fall sports season was coming to a close at press time with just a few more games scheduled, as well as the cross country state meet.
While the campaign has been anything but traditional, it has been memorable and last week saw more triumph from local squads.
Here’s a look back:
Boys’ soccer
Falmouth’s defending Class A champion boys’ soccer team improved to 7-0-1 last Tuesday after a 2-1 home victory over Brunswick. Gus Ford scored both goals. The Yachtsmen next take part in a four-team tournament, which also includes Gorham, Scarborough and Windham.
Thursday, Falmouth hosts the Rams (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story), while Friday, the Red Storm go to the Eagles. The losers of the two games and the winners of the two games will then square off next week.
Reigning Class B champion Yarmouth finished its season 7-2-1 after victories at Mt. Ararat (2-0) and Greely (3-2) last week. Against the Eagles, Owen Gillian and Cam Merrill scored the goals. In the win over the Rangers, Sawyer Flowerdew scored for a 1-0 lead, Sutter Augur made it 2-1, then, after Greely pulled even again, Ian LaBrie won it with 7:24 remaining.
“I was thinking the whole game that I wanted (a goal),” LaBrie said. “It wasn’t looking too good in the first half, but we got the ball moving in the second half. We created some chances and luckily, I got one. I poked out my leg and poked the ball free from a defender, then had the open shot.”
“The seniors got the majority of the playing time today and did a really nice job competing,” said Clippers coach Mike Hagerty, who ends the season with 297 victories in his 24 seasons with the program. “It’s not the season they wished for, but they made the most of it.”
Yarmouth ended its season with a win for the sixth time in seven seasons, but this time, didn’t get a Gold Ball as a reward.
“We knew going into the season there wouldn’t be a state championship, so it was about playing hard every game,” Clippers senior defender extraordinaire Evan Van Lonkhuyzen said. “It’s nice finishing the year with such a good result. It was weird as the time was winding down, I realized it’s the last time I’d play (for Yarmouth). I have so many friends in my grade and it was great to play with them.”
“At least we won our last game,” Hagerty said. “I think that us and (defending Class C champion) Waynflete and Falmouth all would have had a great chance to repeat, but I’m thankful we got 10 games in.”
Greely had previously downed host Freeport, 2-1 (behind goals from Chris Williams and Ethan Njitoh), then fell at home to Yarmouth, 3-2. Against the Clippers, Lucas Goettel and Williams scored, but the Rangers weren’t able to beat Yarmouth in Cumberland for the first time since 2007, as the Clippers scored a late goal.
“I feel that when Yarmouth beats us, one big component is that they usually play harder than we do, but in this game, Yarmouth played smarter than we did,” said longtime Greely coach Mike Andreasen. “We made some unfortunate decisions. At critical junctures, championship teams make plays and teams that aren’t championship teams make excuses.”
Greely (4-4-1) hosts two-time defending Class C champion Waynflete Thursday in its finale.
“We’ve had a good run,” said Andreasen. “Going 4-4-1 with the schedule we’ve had is very good. We’ve had great senior leadership and this team has never quit. I have some sophomores who have had a great year learning. We lose Chris Williams, Lucas Goettel and Jonny Piesik (to graduation), but hopefully we’ll have some other kids step into the mix for when we play for keeps again.”
Freeport dropped a 2-1 home decision to Greely last Tuesday (Nick Intraversato had the Falcons’ goal), then improved to 2-4-2 with a 2-1 win over Gray-New Gloucester, as Julian Gideon and Alex Graver scored the goals. The Falcons visit Brunswick Wednesday and close at Waynflete Saturday.
Two-time reigning Class D South champion North Yarmouth Academy finished the season 5-3.
Girls’ soccer
Falmouth’s Lexi Bugbee boots the ball during the Yachtsmen’s 2-1 loss to Brunswick last week. Eli Canfield / The Times Record
On the girls’ side, Yarmouth extended its win streak to four and improved to 6-3 last week after downing visiting Mt. Ararat (6-1) and Greely (2-1). Against the Eagles, Ava Feeley and Anna Wallace both scored twice and Vada Harpool and Parker Harnett each had one goal. In the win over the Rangers, a team that beat them in overtime earlier this year, the Clippers got goals from Harnett and Wallace. Yarmouth was supposed to host two-time Class B champion Cape Elizabeth in the finale Monday, but that game was postponed.
Greely avenged a previous loss with a 4-0 home victory over Freeport, then fell to 2-5-1 Saturday after a 2-1 setback at Yarmouth. Hannah Cornish had the goal in the setback. The Rangers close Wednesday at Waynflete.
Freeport lost, 4-0, at Greely last week, then improved to 3-5 Monday after a 5-1 win at Gray-New Gloucester. In the victory, Rachel Wall scored three times and Rosie Panenka added a pair of goals. After hosting Brunswick Wednesday, the Falcons close Friday at home versus Waynflete.
Falmouth fell to 3-3-2 after losses at Brunswick (2-1) and at home to Scarborough (1-0). Devin Quinn scored and Jordan Wolf had six saves against the Dragons.
“It was a hard fought game,” said Falmouth coach Andrew Pelletier. “Both times we have played Brunswick this season have been really close.”
The Yachtsmen next take part in a four-team tournament, which also includes Gorham, Scarborough and Windham.
Thursday, Falmouth goes to the Rams.
Two-time Class D champion NYA wound up 6-2.
Field hockey
Yarmouth senior Hannah Swift balances the ball on her stick during last week’s home game versus Greely. Swift set up both goals in the Clippers’ 2-0 victory. Brianna Soukup/ Portland Press Herald
Freeport’s field hockey team takes an 8-1 record and an eight-game win streak into Thursday’s finale versus Brunswick.
Yarmouth was 5-4 at press time after a 2-0 home win over Greely and a 1-0 home loss to Mt. Ararat. Against the Rangers, Abby Hill scored early, Cat Jordan scored late and goalie Cassie Walsh made 10 huge saves to preserve the victory.
“I needed to just play until the final second,” Walsh said. “It’s really nice to play this year. Getting back into the swing of things and play with my teammates has been really awesome.”
“Cassie is such an incredible goalie,” Hill said. “I was so proud of her today. She showed off all her skills this game. She still has another great year ahead of her.”
“Cassie saved us the game,” Yarmouth first-year coach Molly Saunders added. “She had her best night of the year right there. She was amazing. We’ve been working in practice in giving her the confidence to (dive) and attack the ball and she did that every time the ball came near her and that was great.”
The Clippers’ game Monday at Greely was postponed.
Greely fell to 2-6 after hard-fought road losses last week to Yarmouth (2-0) and Scarborough (1-0). Against the Clippers, the Rangers had numerous chances, but couldn’t solve goalie Cassie Walsh.
“We played well,” said Greely first-year coach Burgess LePage. “We have a lot of players who play on turf every offseason, so we like to play on turf. We’re just practicing trying to have a hunger in the goal and put the ball in. You definitely saw that more today, we just didn’t get it in. Our effort was super-encouraging. The girls knew Yarmouth’s always a great team. They went in knowing it was going to be a hard-fought game and it was.”
The Rangers’ home game versus Yarmouth Monday was postponed. They close at St. Dom’s Wednesday.
Falmouth was 4-3 at press time and still hopes to make up a postponed game at Morse.
Cross country
Olivia Reynolds of Maine Coast Waldorf School runs in last week’s cross country conference qualifier. Reynolds was the top individual and MCW came in first as a team. John Jensenius / For The Forecaster
The Western Maine Conference held its cross country state meet qualifier last week.
In the Class B boys’ race, Greely (first place in the team standings) and Yarmouth (third place) qualified, while Freeport (fourth place) fell short. The Rangers featured individual winner Sam Wilson, who finished the course in 16 minutes, 26.34 seconds. The Falcons had the second-place finisher in Martin Horne (16:27.09). The Clippers were paced by Harrison Pendleton (12th, 18:00.75).
On the girls’ side, Yarmouth (second behind Cape Elizabeth) and Freeport (third) qualified, while Greely (fourth) just missed. The Clippers featured individual runner-up Maddie Marston (20:16.73). The Rangers featured fourth-place finisher Abby Irish (20:53.65). The Falcons’ top finisher was Jillian Wight (fight, 20:57.62).
In Class C competition, the Maine Coast Waldorf boys and girls both finished first and qualified. The girls were led by individual champion Olivia Reynolds (20:06.40). The boys featured third-place runner John Miles Muentener (18:00.60).
The state meet is next week in Bangor.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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