September is nearly in the rearview mirror and the arrival of the month of October means that the fall sports season is just kicking into gear.

It won’t be long until the first champions are crowned, as golf’s state match is just over a week away, and for everyone else, making the playoffs will be the focus.

Here’s a glimpse at where things stand as September slips away:

Football

Cheverus, the reigning eight-man large school division state champion, playing 11-man in Class C this season, improved to 3-1 with its third straight victory Saturday afternoon, 20-0, over visiting Hermon. After a scoreless first period, Rilan Smith’s touchdown run and a two-point conversion rush from Matt Fogg put the Stags on top for good. Later in the second quarter, Smith caught a TD pass from Gio St. Onge and it was 14-0 at the break. Smith then scored his third touchdown, on a run in the fourth period, to account for the final score. Cheverus next hosts 3-1 Wells in a big test Saturday.

Portland fell to 1-3 after a 28-16 home loss to undefeated Oxford Hills Friday night. The Bulldogs were down 7-0 after one quarter and 20-0 at the half before getting on the board twice in the second half. Kennedy Charles scored o a 2-yard run and Louis Thurston hit Remijo Wani with a two-point conversion pass to make it 20-8 and after the Vikings responded, Thurston hit Wani from 5-yards out and Andrew Brewer scored on the two-point conversion rush. Portland hopes to snap a three-game skid Friday when it goes to 3-1 Biddeford.

Deering fell to 0-4 with a 34-0 home loss to Biddeford Friday. The Rams hope to end a 16-game skid, dating to 2019, when they go to 0-4 Brunswick this weekend. It will be the teams’ first meeting since Deering beat the Dragons in the 2003 Class A state final.

Boys’ soccer

Waynflete’s boys’ soccer team, the three-time reigning Class C state champion, fell from the ranks of the unbeaten last week, but promptly bounced back. Last Tuesday, at Class B South power Cape Elizabeth, the Flyers took an early lead on a goal from standout Myles Culley, but the Capers scored twice before halftime and that was enough to hold on as Waynflete didn’t get a pivotal call late, when Nils Burton-Johanson appeared to be fouled in the box, but no penalty kick was awarded.

“This is 100 percent what we wanted,” longtime Flyers coach Brandon Salway said. “We hadn’t really played at this intensity in awhile and we hadn’t played this intensity for this amount of minutes at all this year with the group. It was an important step in our process of being the best team we can be. We didn’t come here to lose, so that stings for sure, but now that that’s out of the way, we’ll focus on what we need to do to get better. I’m proud of the guys. We battled. We have some kids who are a little upset, but that’s OK, they care.”

Waynflete then bounced back with a 4-2 home victory over previously undefeated Traip Academy Thursday before improving to 6-1 Saturday with a 4-1 win at reigning Class D South champion North Yarmouth Academy. Culley scored three more goals and Burton-Johanson added the other against the Rangers, then, in the win over the Panthers, Culley scored his 19th and 20th goals of the season and added a pair of assists, while Burton-Johanson and Matt Adey also had goals. The Flyers were home versus another Class B South power, Greely, Tuesday (see pressherald.com/forecaster/forecaster-sports/for game story), welcome Freeport, another Class B squad, Thursday and go to St. Dom’s next Tuesday.

In Class A South, Deering remained undefeated by blanking visiting Bonny Eagle, 3-0, last Monday. Alberto Bayata, Ethan Fisher and Daniel Landry had the goals. The Rams were home against Thornton Academy Monday, welcome Cheverus Wednesday, go to Massabesic Saturday, then welcome Gorham in a critical contest next Tuesday.

Portland won its fourth consecutive contest, 4-1, over visiting Westbrook last Wednesday, then fell to 4-3 after a 1-0 (overtime) home loss to South Portland Saturday. In the victory, Oliver Hettenbach and Kosta Nedeljkovic both scored twice. Against the Red Riots, the Bulldogs had an advantage in possession and shots and got a huge diving save from goalkeeper Ben Littell late in regulation, but they still went down to defeat.

“Credit to South Portland for getting the goal,” said longtime Bulldogs coach Rocco Frenzilli. “They took advantage of a miscue and put the ball behind us and that was it. The kid brought it to the line, then he was right there to knock it in. It just stinks when you work that hard and come up empty. I feel so frustrated for the players. A draw against a team like (South Portland) would have been good. We played with them.”

Portland goes to Massabesic Wednesday and visits Bonny Eagle Friday before coming home Monday to face Kennebunk.

“We can play with anybody, but the bottom line is we have to put the ball in the net,” Frenzilli said. “We’ll regroup and see how next week shakes out. We still have some big games. We just have to pin our ears back and hope for a better result.”

Cheverus was 3-3-1 after a 2-1 overtime victory over Biddeford, then lost at home to Westbrook, 1-0. Against the Tigers, James Baur scored in regulation to tie it, then produced the game-winner. The Stags were home with Massabesic Monday, go to Deering Wednesday and visit Falmouth Friday.

Girls’ soccer

On the girls’ side, Waynflete opened last week with a 3-0 home win over Traip Academy to improve to 4-0, then lost at home to three-time reigning Class B champion Cape Elizabeth (7-0) and at NYA, the three-time Class D champion (4-3). In the victory, Lucy Hart, Lucy Olson and Iris Stutzman all had goals and Morgan Earls added two assists. Against the Capers, goalkeeper Leah Noone made seven saves, but the Flyers fell behind by five goals at halftime and couldn’t recover.

“We needed to do simple things like marking up in the box and that hurt us, but I thought we matched their physicality,” said Carrie Earls, who co-coaches Waynflete with George Sherry. “I thought we had a couple good chances in the end and we played a full 80 minutes.”

In the loss to the Panthers, Hart scored an early goal on a free kick, then Lucy Sarno and Stutzman scored late goals to make things interesting.

“I’m happy walking out of here having played 80 minutes of solid soccer,” said Earls. “It felt like the bounces didn’t really go our way. We just wanted to play our game and possess. I think we really did that. Our combos were nice. We told the girls to keep grinding and to not give up.”

The Flyers look to get back on track Wednesday at home versus Old Orchard Beach, then welcome Lake Region Friday before visiting St. Dom’s Monday.

“That’s a big one for us,” Carrie Earls said. “We can’t wait to see (Old Orchard Beach). I like the direction we’re going. The girls are having fun and that’s all you can ask for.”

In Class A South, Cheverus improved to 5-1 with its fourth straight victory, 13-0, at Westbrook Saturday. Caoilinn Durkin had three goals and Jaelyn Jensen, Sophia Monfa, Mikayla Talbot and Annie Vigue all scored twice, while Finley Brown and Lilly Hoyt added one goal apiece. The Stags hosted Deering Tuesday, welcome Falmouth Thursday (see pressherald.com/forecaster/forecaster-sports/ for game story) and go to reigning Class A champion Windham Tuesday of next week.

Deering will take a 2-4-1 record into Tuesday’s game at Cheverus after settling for a scoreless home tie with Kennebunk last Thursday. Goalkeeper Sophie Hill made 10 saves. The Rams host Massabesic Thursday and go to Gorham Tuesday of next week.

Portland improved to 2-4 after an 8-2 win at Westbrook last week. Anneliese Collin had two goals and three assists, Eliza Stein added one goal and three assists and Jasmin Arweiler, Marissa Hill, Phoebe Knoll, Allison Mina and Kendall Sniper each scored once. The Bulldogs were home with Massabesic Tuesday, play a makeup game at South Portland Wednesday, welcome Bonny Eagle Saturday and go to Kennebunk Monday.

Field hockey

Cheverus’ field hockey team remained unbeaten last week and passed its first big test in the process. The Stags, the reigning Class A champions, improved to 8-0 after recent victories at Marshwood (8-0), at home over Portland/Deering (13-0) and at Scarborough (6-0) in a regional final rematch. Against the Hawks, Lucy Johnson scored four goals and Mackenzie Cash and Zoey Radford both rattled the cage twice. In the win over Portland/Deering, Johnson had four more goals, Radford and Lily Johnson each added a hat trick and Cash, Charlotte Miller and Sophia St. John scored one goal apiece. Against the Red Storm, Lucy Johnson had two goals and three assists, Radford also scored twice and Lily Johnson and Olivia McCartney added one apiece. Cheverus, which has outscored the opposition, 74-2, this year and has won 30 straight games dating back to 2020, next goes to undefeated Biddeford Wednesday (see pressherald.com/forecaster/forecaster-sports/ for game story).

Portland/Deering, meanwhile, fell to 0-7 after losses to visiting Biddeford (6-0), host Cheverus (13-0) and visiting Gorham (9-0). Emma Walsh made 28 saves against the Tigers and stopped 30 shots in the loss to the Rams. Portland/Deering hosted Marshwood Monday and goes to Scarborough Monday of next week.

Volleyball

Deering’s volleyball team took a 5-2 record into Monday’s match at Noble. Last week, the Rams lost at home to Kennebunk in four-sets, then beat visiting Windham, 3-1. Deering is at Massabesic Friday and home versus Marshwood Monday.

Cheverus was 3-5 after a straight-set (15-25, 21-25, 4-25) home loss to reigning Class B champion Yarmouth and a 3-0 home loss to Biddeford last week. Against the Clippers, Abby Marshall had 13 digs and Emma Lizotte finished with five kills. The Stags were at Gorham Monday, visit Sanford Wednesday and host Kennebunk Friday.

Portland fell to 2-7 after home losses last week to Thornton Academy (3-2), Sanford (3-0) and Bonny Eagle (3-0). The Bulldogs were at Kennebunk Tuesday, visit Windham Thursday and go to Lewiston Monday.

Cross country

On the trails, Portland’s boys’ team came in first at a six-team meet in Westbrook last week. The Bulldogs were led by Aran Johnson, the individual runner-up with a time of 17 minutes, 40.84 seconds. The girls produced the top individual in Samantha Moore (18:59.22), but placed second behind Falmouth.

Cheverus took part in a six-team meet in Gorham last week. The Stags boys were third behind Scarborough and Bonny Eagle. Danny McCartney (sixth, 17:51.59) was the top individual. Cheverus’ girls were third behind Bonny Eagle and Gorham and produced the runner-up individual in Annabelle Brooks (20:04.62).

Waynflete competed in a four-team meet in Gray. The Flyers girls finished first and were led by Vivi Jenkins (third, 23:51). The boys were third. Will Barmby placed sixth individually (19:33).

The Festival of Champions in Belfast will be held Saturday.

Golf 

On the links, Cheverus fell to 3-6 after a 7.5-5.5 loss to Scarborough last week. The Stags wrap up their regular season this week versus South Portland and Deering.

Deering fell to 0-7 after last week’s 13-0 loss to Falmouth. The Rams clos with matches against Portland, Scarborough and Cheverus.

Portland was 1-6 after last week’s 11.5-1.5 loss to South Portland. The Bulldogs finish against Deering and Scarborough.

The Western Maine Conference state qualifier was held Tuesday.

The Southwestern Maine Activities Association state qualifier is Monday.

The team state match is Saturday, Oct. 7 at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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