Portland: June arrives and it’s time to think playoffs

After a season without sports, the 2021 spring campaign has been a great success for all involved.

And the best is yet to come.

For the first time since the winter season in 2019-20, high school sports will feature a full postseason and whether your sport is tennis, baseball, softball, lacrosse or track, there is much to look forward to in the days to come.

Here’s an overview:

Tennis

The team tennis playoffs were getting underway at press time.

Waynflete’s 12-time reigning Class C champion boys’ squad finished with a record of 10-1 after avenging its lone loss by defeating reigning Class B champion Yarmouth, 4-1, in its finale. The Flyers earned the top seed in Class C South and will begin its next title run Wednesday at home in the quarterfinals versus No. 9 Dirigo (0-9). The teams didn’t meet during the regular season.

Waynflete’s girls finished 6-6 after closing with a 5-0 loss to Yarmouth. The Flyers earned the No. 3 seed in Class C South and host sixth-ranked Boothbay (3-7) in the quarterfinals. The teams didn’t play this year.

In Class A South, the Portland boys finished 11-1 after its second 3-2 victory over Falmouth this spring to close the season. The Bulldogs are the No. 3 seed for the tournament and were awaiting the identity of its opponent at press time.

Cheverus finished 7-5 and fifth after closing with a 3-2 home loss to Windham. The Stags hosted No. 12 Gorham (3-9) in the preliminary round Tuesday. On May 19, Cheverus edged visiting Gorham, 3-2.

Deering finished 1-10 after losses at Windham (5-0) and at home to Gorham (3-2). The Rams finished 11th in Class A South and went to No. 6 Westbrook (6-4) for the preliminary round Tuesday. Deering beat the Blue Blazes in the regular season meeting.

Cheverus’ girls finished 7-5 and sixth in Class A South after closing with a 4-1 at Windham. The Stags hosted No. 10 South Portland (4-8) in the preliminary round Tuesday. The teams didn’t square off this spring.

Portland wound up 5-7 and ninth in Class A South after a 4-1 loss at Falmouth in the finale. The Bulldogs were awaiting their playoff foe at press time.

Deering wound up 2-9 after a 4-1 loss at Windham and a 3-2 home win over Gorham. The Rams, ranked 13th, went to No. 4 Scarborough (10-2) for the preliminary round Tuesday. The teams didn’t play this season.

The semifinals will be held Saturday, on the courts of the higher seeds. The regional finals are Wednesday of next week in Lewiston and the state matches are also in Lewiston on Saturday, June 12.

Baseball

Cheverus’ baseball team was 10-5 at press time after a 3-2 (eight-inning) victory at Biddeford and a doubleheader split (2-1 victory, 8-0 loss) at Falmouth. Against the Tigers, Braeden Watson and Brady Cormier hit RBI singles in the seventh to force extra innings, then Matt Connor drove in the winner in the eighth with his third hit. In the win over Falmouth, Sam Clark gave up three hits in 6.2 innings and Brian Connolly earned the save. Nick Giancotti hit a solo home run. In the loss, Clark and Kevin Connolly doubled. The Stags (10th in the Class A South Heal Points standings at press time) closed with a home game versus Gorham Tuesday.

Portland was 4-10 after wins at Westbrook (5-2) and at home over Windham (3-2, in 10 innings) and a pair of five-inning losses at Falmouth in a doubleheader (10-0 and 13-2). In the win over the Eagles, Danny Tocci allowed just one run in eight innings while the Bulldogs scored their lone run in regulation on an error. After falling behind in the top of the 10th, Portland, which struck out 23 times against Windham starter, University of Connecticut-bound ace Brady Afthim, won it in the bottom half, as Carter Page played the hero, hitting a two-run single to end it. The Bulldogs (15th in Class A South) faced Deering Tuesday and still have a second home game versus Windham to make up.

Deering fell to 1-12 and 18th in Class A South after an 11-1 (six-inning) loss at Bonny Eagle last week. Avery Lawrence singled and doubled for the Rams. Deering played Portland Tuesday and closes with a doubleheader at Gorham Wednesday.

In Class C South, the Waynflete/North Yarmouth Academy co-op team was 10-5 and fourth following a 4-3 loss at Fryeburg Academy and a 4-1 home win over Richmond. Waynflete/NYA finishes with a home game versus Lake Region Wednesday.

The baseball playoffs begin with play-in games Saturday. The preliminary round is Tuesday of next week, the quarterfinals next Thursday and the semifinals Saturday, June 12. All of those games will be played on the fields of the higher seeds.

Softball

Turning to softball, Portland fell to 6-9 and 13th in the Class A South Heals after losses last week at Westbrook (14-13) and in a doubleheader at home to Windham (4-1 and 10-2). Against the Blue Blazes, Sadie Armstrong had four hits and four RBI. The Bulldogs wrapped up the regular season at Deering Tuesday.

Cheverus dropped an 11-2 decision at Biddeford, then improved to 4-11 and 15th after a doubleheader sweep at Falmouth (9-3 and 11-8). In the first win, Madisyn Durgin homered and scored three runs, while Eadie Nadeau, Brynn McKenney and Kaydenne Smith all had two RBI. In the second game, Olivia Bradford doubled and tripled and winning pitcher Mackenzie Turner and Mari-Beth Leavitt each drove in two runs. The Stags closed at home versus Gorham Tuesday.

Deering fell to 0-13 and 17th in Class A South following a 15-0 (five-inning) loss at Bonny Eagle last week. The Rams hosted Portland Tuesday and close with a doubleheader at Gorham Wednesday.

The softball playoffs begin with play-in games Saturday. The preliminary round is Tuesday of next week, the quarterfinals next Thursday and the semifinals Saturday, June 12. All of those games will be played on the fields of the higher seeds.

Boys’ lacrosse

Waynflete celebrates its 8-3 victory at Greely last week. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

Waynflete’s boys’ lacrosse team was battling Oak Hill for the top seed in the Class C state tournament at press time. Last week, the Flyers suffered their first loss, 16-2, to visiting Berwick Academy, one of the best teams in Class A, then bounced back and improved to 9-1 with an 8-3 win at Greely. Against the Rangers, Ned Lane and Sam Whipple both scored twice and Waynflete’s defense smothered the Rangers for most of the contest.

“That loss didn’t feel great, so we were definitely hungry coming back for this game,” Lane said. “We channeled our energy into this one. That got us up in the first half and got us through the entire game.”

“I’m really proud of the guys,” senior defenseman Ben Adey said. “We had a good practice after a tough loss, but we were confident that we could bounce back today.”

“I’m proud of the guys,” said Flyers first-year coach Andrew Leach. “This could have gone either way this late in the season, but the guys had a great practice yesterday and came out from the first whistle ready to go today.”

The Flyers hosts another Class A team, Portland, Wednesday, then close at home versus Camden Hills Thursday.

“It’s a special group and we’re doing special things,” Leach said. “We’re right there hunting for the first spot. If we finish strong, I think we can stay in Portland for the entire playoffs.”

In Class A North, Portland extended its win streak to four games and improved to 7-3 and third in the Heals after defeating visiting Fryeburg Academy (10-0), Deering (19-2) and Cheverus (16-2) last week. Sam Gerber scored six times against the Raiders. In the win over the Rams, Gerber scored seven times and assisted on five goals. Against the Stags, Gerber scored seven more goals. The Bulldogs were at Cheverus Tuesday and close at Waynflete Wednesday.

Cheverus fell to 5-6 and seventh in Class A North following an 18-6 setback at Wells and a 16-2 loss at Portland. The Stags closed at home versus Portland Tuesday.

Deering was 3-8 and 10th in Class A North after losses to visiting Messalonskee (16-3) and host Portland (19-2) and a 14-7 win at Traip Academy. The Rams finished the regular season at home against Bonny Eagle Tuesday.

The boys’ lacrosse playoffs begin with the preliminary round Saturday and Monday. The quarterfinals are Wednesday and Thursday of next week and the semifinals Friday and Saturday of next week. All of those games will be played on the fields of the higher seeds.

Girls’ lacrosse

Waynflete senior Kilee Sherry (4) and NYA sophomore Vy Tran battle for a loose ball during the Flyers’ 5-4 home win last week. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

On the girls’ side, Waynflete won a pair of one-goal games last week to improve to 7-4 and third in the Class C state Heals. First, the Flyers eked out a 4-3 victory at Lake Region, as Jesse Connors scored twice and assisted on the other goal. Then, Waynflete hosted North Yarmouth Academy and after letting a 3-1 halftime lead slip away, the Flyers rallied from a goal down to prevail, 5-4, as Connors scored twice late, Kilee Sherry also had two goals and goalie Emily Girard made seven huge saves.

“I just heard my Mom yell, ‘Take it,’ so I knew if I missed it would be OK,” said Jesse Connors, the coach’s daughter, of the winning goal. “I saw a little bit of a lane and I don’t really know what I did. It was a little bit of a weird shot, but it felt good. It’s exciting when you feel like you made the difference in the game.”

“It was very nerve-wracking,” Girard said. “My defense is amazing. They save me so much. I try to help out, but they do everything. It’s my first year as goalie and it’s such a hard position to play. My (goalie) coach (Laura Bishop) is amazing. She’s helped me a lot. I’ve improved a lot because of her. My mind kind of goes blank when I see the ball coming at me.”

“We’re pulling it out in the big minutes, which is really exciting because I don’t think (the girls) thought they could do that,” added longtime Waynflete coach Cathie Connors, who tied former Brunswick boys’ coach Don Glover as the winningest lacrosse coach in state history, regardless of gender, with her 303rd career victory. “I’m just so happy for the girls.”

The Flyers finish the regular season at two-time reigning Class B champion Cape Elizabeth Thursday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story).

“I have hopeful optimism,” Jesse Connors said. “We’re doing everything we can and I think we have a good chance in the playoffs. We work well together and I just hope we can pull it together.”

In Class A North, Portland finished the regular season 6-6 after losses to visiting Massabesic (12-8) and host Windham (16-6) and an 8-3 victory at Deering. Lilah Green had three goals in the loss to the Eagles. In the win, Elizabeth Littel scored three times and Ella Reagan added two goals. The Bulldogs were fifth in the Heals at press time.

Deering was 2-4 and sixth in the region following a 10-6 victory at Westbrook and losses at Sanford (12-6) and at home to Portland (8-3). Morgan Shibles had two goals against the Bulldogs. After welcoming Westbrook Tuesday, the Rams finish at home versus Bonny Eagle Thursday.

Cheverus finished 2-10 after losses at Windham (16-5) and at home to Falmouth (15-2) and a 12-7 home victory over Bonny Eagle. Riley O’Mara scored three times against the Eagles. The Stags were ranked ninth in the Heals at press time.

The girls’ lacrosse playoffs begin with the preliminary round Saturday and Monday. The quarterfinals are Wednesday and Thursday of next week and the semifinals Friday and Saturday of next week. All of those games will be played on the fields of the higher seeds.

Track

The outdoor track state championship meets are Saturday. Class A will be held in Waterboro, Class B in Bath and Class C in Brewer.

Last weekend, the Western Maine Conference held its championship meet in Naples. Waynflete’s boys were seventh in Division II. Levi Lilienthal won the mile in 4 minutes, 36.68 seconds and the two-mile in 10:03.61. Bryan Stark-Chessa was first in the 800 (2:06.64).