The Brunswick boys’ soccer team celebrates after beating Lewiston in the Class A North championship game on Tuesday in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal
CLASS A
Who: Scarborough (16-1) vs. Brunswick (13-3-1)
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Deering High, Portland
Outlook: Brunswick returns to the state title game after losing to Marshwood, 2-1, a year ago. The Dragons are looking for their first crown since 1999. Key returners include top scorers Jack Banks (14 goals, eight assists), Luke Patterson (13 goals, nine assists) and Iain Clendening (five goals, six assists). Goalkeeper Brady LaForge (0.6 goals-against average) has not allowed a goal in the playoffs. Banks has six playoff goals, including three in a 6-0 rout of Lewiston in the North final. … Both teams were hardened by difficult regular-season schedules. … Scarborough features dynamic strikers Will Fallona and Kilson Joao and supporting threats like Jack Moreau, along with a stout defense led by backs Noah Flagg and Parker Killiard. … Scarborough is making its first trip to the state final since 2015 and last won in 2013.
Liam Hickey (8) and his Yarmouth teammates run to the Clippers’ student section after receiving the championship plaque for winning the Class B South title Wednesday in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
CLASS B
Who: Yarmouth (13-2-2) vs. John Bapst (16-0-1)
When: 10 a.m. Saturday
Where: Hampden Academy, Hampden
Outlook: In its North final victory against Winslow, John Bapst got goals from Jack Mason and Garrett Fletcher, while a midfield led by seniors Hunter Cluckey, Jon Pangburm and Kyle Sidaway maintained consistent offensive pressure. The defense shut out 50-goal scorer Andrew Poulin. … Yarmouth offers a different challenge. Twelve Clippers have scored this season, but none has reached double digits. Justin Dawes, Zach Turkel and Adam McLaughlin scored in a 3-2 South final win against No. 1 Cape Elizabeth. Steve Walsh and Wyatt Anderson are dangerous threats. … Getting Liam Hickey back from injury, even for limited minutes, bolsters Yarmouth’s defense. … Yarmouth has won six of the past seven Class B titles, including in 2019 and 2021. … Bapst is looking for its first Class B championship in its first trip to the final since losing to Falmouth in 2006.
Senior Myles Culley, center, is the focal point of Waynflete’s offense. He has 47 goals and 15 assists this season. Ben McCanna/Staff Photographer
CLASS C
Who: Waynflete (15-1-1) vs. Fort Kent (16-1)
When: 3 p.m. Saturday
Where: Hampden Academy, Hampden
Outlook: This is a rematch of the 2021 final won by Waynflete, 2-1, in Presque Isle. The Flyers won’t have quite as long a drive in a quest for a fourth straight Class C crown. Since 2018, they have a 70-5-6 record. … Waynflete senior striker Myles Culley has scored 47 goals (with 15 assists), including three goals in a 3-0 South final win against Mt. Abram. But he is not the only threat. Ten other Flyers have scored at least two goals, including defense-first senior captains Roan Hopkins (three goals, nine assists), Matt Adey (four goals, eight assists) and Liam Anderson (four goals, seven assists). Jacob Woodman (seven goals) and Nils Burton-Johanson (five goals) are also threats. … Fort Kent has a top scoring threat in Kaden Theriault. Keegan Cyr has dangerous speed and goalie Drew Deschaine is a returning starter.
Daxton St. Hilaire and NYA started the season 2-5, but the Panthers are back in the state final for the fourth consecutive season. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal
CLASS D
Who: North Yarmouth Academy (10-7) vs Madawaska (15-2)
When: 10 a.m. Saturday
Where: Deering High, Portland
Outlook: Seeing NYA in this game is nothing unusual – it’s the fourth straight season the Panthers have made it to the state final – but it may be something of a surprise given how the year started. NYA was 2-5 on Sept. 24, but has won eight of 10 games since to reach the brink of a championship once again. The Panthers have lost the last two Class D state finals but will look to finish with a win for the first time since 2018. Twins Cooper and Daxton St. Hilaire had big games in the South final, as did Wyatt Thomas and Jack Byrne. … Madawaska has scored six or more goals in 11 of its wins, including all three playoff victories. NYA will need to have an answer for Carsen Cyr, who scored five goals in the North final. … Madawaska is 0-8 in state finals, losing in Class A (1975, 1979), Class B (1982), and Class C (1992, 1998, 2004, 2007, 2013). This is its first Class D appearance.
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