KENNEBUNK — By the time Scarborough managed to attempt a shot during a possession that resulted directly from winning a draw, only two minutes remained in the Class A South girls’ lacrosse championship.
The shot was wide. The teams had been on running time since early in the second half.
Top-seeded Kennebunk built an early lead and never let up Tuesday night in a 13-2 rain-sprinkled victory over visiting Scarborough, the No. 2 seed. The Rams (15-0) advance to the Class A state championship game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland against Falmouth – which edged Windham 13-12 in overtime – at 5 p.m. Friday.
Sophomore Ruby Sliwkowski scored the first of her game-high six goals less than a minute into the contest after gathering in the opening draw from teammate Lily Schwartzman. It was a pattern that continued throughout the game as the Rams gained possession on 9 of 11 draws in the first half.
“Momentum is our biggest strength,” Sliwkowski said. “Gas pedal down. We go out there and do what we know how to do, and that is Do Not Stop.”
Sliwkowski and Schwartzman each scored twice in the first six minutes, prompting Scarborough Coach Emily Field to call time trailing 4-0 and with only one possession and nary a shot for the Red Storm (11-4). By halftime it was 9-1. The clock continued to run when Kennebunk built up a double-digit advantage (11-1) four minutes after intermission.
“We didn’t quite play our game today, but I’m proud of these girls,” Field said. “They made it this far and I couldn’t ask anything more of them this season.”
If not for the efforts of Scarborough goalie Kathleen Murphy (14 saves), the margin would have been larger. Kennebunk’s defensive pressure forced 24 turnovers and allowed Scarborough only five shots.
“She’s one of the best goalies in Maine,” Schwartzman said of Murphy. “She came up with some crazy saves.”
Natalie Bilodeau scored both Scarborough goals, one assisted by Paige Spooner and the other from free position. For Kennebunk, Schwartzman scored five goals. Sydney Dumas and Emily Archibald each scored one. Elizabeth Hayes made two saves.
“We worked hard to win every ground ball, to win all the draws we could,” Schwartzman said. “I think that’s what made us so successful.”
Falmouth, the two-time defending state champion, and Kennebunk met in the 2019 title game. The Rams are aiming for their first state championship since winning a second straight Class B crown in 2017.
In three tournament games, Kennebunk has outscored its opponents by a combined 50-7.
“Our motto is to come out and score early and just keep on going until we tell you to slow down,” Kennebunk Coach Annie Barker said. “Then, when the ball goes the other way, the (defensive) attack is on everybody. We try to stifle it so they can’t get to the other end of the field. That’s our game plan, and they executed it very well (Tuesday).”
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