Portland: Spring sports season hits midway point

If you blinked, you might have missed it.

The long-awaited, highly anticipated spring sports season is already halfway finished and there is still plenty of drama, and hopefully even better weather, yet to come.

Here’s a glimpse of where things stand at the midway point:

Baseball

Waynflete’s Payton Smith delivers a pitch during Saturday’s game vs. Sacopee Valley. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

Cheverus’ baseball team lost its first two games, but improved to 3-2 after wins last week over visiting Westbrook (14-1, in five innings) and at Deering (13-0). Against the Blue Blazes, Matt Connor had two hits and three runs batted in, while Brady Cormier and Richie Tremble both had two hits and two RBI. In the win over the Rams, the Stags put it away with an eight-run seventh inning. Cheverus was home versus reigning Class A champion Scarborough Tuesday, goes to Deering Thursday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story), then hosts Windham for a doubleheader Saturday before visiting Gorham Tuesday of next week.

Deering fell to 0-7 last week with 13-0 losses at Biddeford (in five innings) and at home to Cheverus. After going to South Portland Tuesday, the Rams host Cheverus Thursday and welcome Portland Tuesday of next week.

Portland dropped to 0-4 after a 7-1 loss at Thornton Academy last week. The Bulldogs face Deering Thursday, host Gorham for a doubleheader Saturday, then play Deering again Tuesday of next week.

The Waynflete/North Yarmouth Academy co-op squad was 4-2 at press time after splitting a doubleheader against visiting Sacopee Valley Saturday. After dropping the opener, 3-1, Waynflete/NYA took the nightcap, 6-5. In the victory, Luke Josephson had four hits and Anders Jonsson’s RBI single in the bottom of the seventh won it. Waynflete/NYA hosted Berwick Academy Tuesday, visits Richmond Friday and welcomes St. Dom’s Tuesday of next week.

Softball

Portland’s softball team got in the win column for the first time last week. After falling at home to Biddeford (12-0, in five innings) and at Thornton Academy (8-2), the Bulldogs split a doubleheader at Falmouth Saturday, winning 15-2 and losing 8-5, to fall to 1-5. Hannah Hawkes had two RBI against the Golden Trojans. In the victory, Sadie Armstrong threw a two-hitter with eight strikeouts and had three hits. Vanessa Connolly (three RBI) and Caroline Lerch also had three hits apiece, while Jordan King drove in three runs. In the loss to Falmouth, Armstrong had a pair of hits. Portland hosts Deering Wednesday, then welcomes Gorham for a doubleheader Friday.

Cheverus dropped to 0-4 after an 11-1 home loss to Westbrook, then got in the win column Friday with an 18-1, five-inning victory at Deering. Mackenzie Turner struck out 11 against the Blue Blazes. She fanned 10 in the win. The Stags faced Deering again Monday, host three-time reigning Class A champion Scarborough Wednesday and welcome Windham for a doubleheader Friday.

Deering fell to 0-5 after losses last week to visiting Falmouth (17-6), host Biddeford (27-1, in five innings) and visiting Cheverus (18-1, in five innings). The Rams hosted Cheverus Monday, go to South Portland Wednesday, welcome Falmouth Friday and play host to Thornton Academy Monday of next week.

Boys’ lacrosse

Waynflete’s boys’ lacrosse team stayed perfect and improved to 5-0 after wins last week over host Gray-New Gloucester (14-0), visiting Freeport (14-0) and host Yarmouth (6-5). Sam Whipple scored five goals and Ned Lane added four against the Patriots. In the win over the Falcons, Harry Millspaugh score six times, while Whipple added five goals. Millspaugh and Nils Burton Johanson both scored twice against the Clippers. The Flyers look to stay perfect Wednesday at St. Dom’s, host York Saturday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story) and welcome Portland Tuesday of next week.

Portland fell to 3-3 after a pair of losses last week to Gorham, 16-6 at home and 10-4 in Gorham. After going to Deering Tuesday, the Bulldogs host the Rams Saturday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story), then visit Waynflete Tuesday of next week.

Deering gave new coach Geoff Arris his first victory last Tuesday, 21-8, over visiting Westbrook. After an 18-5 loss at Bonny Eagle, the Rams improved to 2-4 with a 23-11 win at Westbrook Saturday. In the first victory, Andrew James and Rob Johnson both scored six goals while Andrew Burke added five goals. Johnson then went off for eight goals in the second meeting, while James added five goals and Burke finished with four.

“The team is really starting to buy in and being more deliberate in what we are trying to accomplish,” Arris said. “Many of our goals in both games came from assists. That’s something we are really trying to develop. Sharing the ball.”

Deering hosted Portland Tuesday and visit the Bulldogs Saturday.

Cheverus fell to 4-2 after a pair of losses last week to Bonny Eagle, 10-3 in Standish and 14-3 at home. The Stags went to Gorham Tuesday and welcome Freeport Friday.

Girls’ lacrosse

Waynflete’s girls’ lacrosse team stole headlines last week by giving longtime coach Cathie Connors her 300th career victory (see story).

Elsewhere, Cheverus fell to 1-4 after close losses at Thornton Academy (11-9) and Waynflete (7-4). Against the Golden Trojans, Riley O’Mara scored five times and goalie Neve Cawley made 16 saves. In the loss to the Flyers, O’Mara collected 17 ground balls, won 11 of 13 draws, scored once and had three assists, but it wasn’t enough.

“We had the cuts, we just weren’t connecting on our passes,” Stags coach Sarah Varney said. “I’m really proud of our defense. The defense did a phenomenal job today. The score might not reflect that, but they came out strong and worked together. I think that we’re going to work to find our spark sooner moving forward.”

Cheverus went to Massabesic Tuesday, hosts NYA Wednesday and welcomes Portland Monday of next week.

“It feels like every practice and game we have we improve,” Varney said. “These girls work so hard with every opportunity. We’re heading in the right direction. I’m telling you, we will peak at the right time.”

Portland fell to 2-3 after losses last week to visiting Kennebunk (14-2) and at Scarborough (13-4). Elizabeth Littel scored three goals against the Red Storm.

“We had fun together tonight as a team and rallied together when we’d dug ourselves into a hole,” Bulldogs coach Beth Broderick said. “It was really nice to see our younger players contribute, to see the energy our upperclassmen players brought on and off the field. Fewer mental errors early on would have been nice, but our goal is to get better each week and we’re really happy with the effort tonight towards that goal.”

Portland is back in action Wednesday at Bonny Eagle. After visiting Thornton Academy Friday, the Bulldogs visit Cheverus Monday of next week.

Deering takes an 0-1 record to Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday. The Rams visit South Portland Friday and return home to face Wells Tuesday of next week.

Tennis

The qualifying rounds of the state singles tennis tournament were held last weekend.

Waynflete’s Morgan Warner and Lucy Hart and Portland’s Jenna Lederer all advanced on the girls’ side, while Waynflete’s Ben Adey and Connor Feeney, Cheverus’ Evangelo Kapothanasis and Portland’s Brendan Mailloux and Dominic Walls advanced in the boys’ competition.

Portland’s boys’ tennis team was 5-0 at press time, beating Cheverus, 3-2, then downing three-time reigning Class A champion Falmouth for the first time, 3-2.

Portland’s girls were 4-3 after sandwiching losses to York (3-2) and Falmouth (4-1) around a 4-1 victory over Cheverus.

Cheverus’ boys improved to 5-2 with wins last week over Gorham (3-2) and Windham (4-1).

The Cheverus girls fell to 2-4 after losses to Portland (4-1) and Windham (3-2).

Deering’s boys fell to 1-4 after losing to Windham (4-1) and Gorham (3-2) last week.

The Rams girls were also 1-4 after falling to Windham (4-1) and Gorham (3-2).

Waynflete’s boys, the 12-time reigning Class C champion, has passed every test so far, improving to 5-0 last week after defeating Fryeburg Academy (5-0) and NYA (4-1).

Waynflete’s girls improved to 3-1 with wins last week over Freeport (3-2), Greely (4-1) and NYA (5-0).

Track

Cheverus and Waynflete joined Falmouth last week. The Stags girls came in first with the Flyers placing third. In the boys’ competition, won by Falmouth, Cheverus finished second and Waynflete was third.

Portland hosted Windham. The Bulldogs boys and girls were both second.

Deering went to Gorham. The boys were second in a close meet. The girls also came in second.