Last week began with the weather making everyone miserable, but by week’s end, all was right with the world again.
Most teams have been able to play the majority of their scheduled games and as the action heats up, it’s clear that the best is yet to come.
Here’s a recap:
Baseball
Cape Elizabeth’s Jameson Bryant delivers a pitch during last week’s win at Greely. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster.
Cape Elizabeth’s baseball team is off to a perfect start, improving to 7-0 after recent wins at Greely (4-3) and Gray-New Gloucester (3-2) and at home over Wells (5-0). Against the Rangers, Gabe Harmon had three hits and drove in a couple runs and Curtis Sullivan earned the victory in relief.
“(Relieving is) the same mindset, go out there and do the best I can for the team,” said Sullivan. “Having a lead was nice. I had good stuff. My fastball moved well and my breaking ball felt good. It all worked out. It felt awesome to close it out.”
“I’m just trying to take it one pitch at a time, be ready for fastball and adjust to curve,” said Harmon. “I’m just confident up there. See-ball, hit-ball, having fun. I’m just trying to not do too much and put the ball in play. We’re a resilient team and we don’t get down on ourselves and stay positive.”
“I think it’s just a mindset that these guys want to be successful,” added first-year coach Donny Dutton. “Every day, 18 guys trying to make the best of it. We’re installing a system that puts everybody on the same page. Everyone knows their role.”
In the win over the Patriots, Owen Tighe earned the victory and Harmon got the save. Against the Warriors, Sullivan earned the victory, striking out nine, Harmon got the save again and had a pair of hits and Charlie Song ripped a two-run double. The Capers welcome Greely Friday (see our website for game story), then go to Poland Monday and visit Brunswick Wednesday of next week.
“We’ve just got to keep playing good defense and take it one play at a time and keep having fun,” Harmon said.
“The guys are doing a good job of taking things one day at a time,” said Dutton. “Every day is a challenge.”
Scarborough won its first five games, capped by victories at Sanford (4-0) and at home over Bonny Eagle (13-1, in five-innings). Against the Spartans, the Red Storm stole seven bases, including a steal of home by Mason Porter and Erik Swenson earned the win, fanning nine.
“We’re just trying to put pressure on the other team,” said Scarborough coach Wes Ridlon. “To me, it’s really about smart base running, anticipation, seeing the ball in the dirt and trying to take the extra base.”
In the win over the Scots, the Red Storm scored nine runs in the first inning and didn’t look back. Porter and Matt Fallona each had two hits and two RBI, while Lewis Moynihan delivered three hits. Scarborough then fell to 5-1 Monday with a 7-5 setback at Massabesic. Sanders led the offense with a pair of hits. The Red Storm welcomed Noble Thursday, play at Kennebunk Friday, go to Windham Monday and play host to Cheverus Tuesday of next week.
South Portland was 5-2 following a 2-1 loss at Falmouth in a playoff rematch and victories at reigning Class A champion Thornton Academy (5-3) and at home over Windham (9-1). Andrew Heffernan singled, doubled and scored a run in the setback. Against the Golden Trojans, Nolan Hobbs earned the win and Nick Swain delivered the key hit, a tie-breaking, two-out, two-run single in the fifth inning. In the victory over the Eagles, Swain earned the win, striking out 11, and Johnny Poole hit an inside-the-park home run. The Red Riots had a showdown at Cheverus Thursday (see our website for game story), host Deering Friday, visit Bonny Eagle Saturday and welcome Kennebunk Tuesday of next week.
Softball
South Portland/Westbrook’s Chloe Whitten catches a fly ball against Massabesic. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald
Scarborough’s softball team was up to its usual tricks at press time, posting a 6-1 record. After suffering their first loss, 6-5, at reigning Class A champion Biddeford, the Red Storm bounced back to down host Noble (10-4), blank host Falmouth (21-0, in five-innings) and win at home over Marshwood (3-0). In the setback, Jamie Kemper had three hits and Natalie Moynihan added a pair. Against the Knights, Moynihan had three hits and two RBI, Kemper added two hits and drove in two runs and Angelina Pizzella and winning pitcher Meghan Robinson both finished with a pair of hits. In the win over the Navigators, capped by a 12-run fifth inning, Samantha Cote drove in five runs and scored five times, Robinson had four RBI and Pizzella three. Against the Hawks, Moynihan threw a two-hit gem, fanning 14, Pizzella had two RBI and Avery Charland added a pair of hits. Scarborough was at Gorham Wednesday, hosts Deering Friday, plays at Bonny Eagle Monday and visits Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.
The South Portland/Westbrook co-op squad won its first six contests, including victories at Portland (12-3, in six-innings) and at home over Massabesic (12-2, in five-innings) last week, then fell to 6-2 after a 10-5 home loss to Biddeford and a 5-2 setback at Kennebunk. In the win over the Bulldogs, Madison Cole had four hits, Haley Ball, Andrea DiMauro, Rachel DiMauro and Ella Nickerson added two hits apiece and Andrea DiMauro and Grace Wallace both drove in two runs. Against the Mustangs, Ball scored three runs, while Wallace and Delaney Whitten both scored twice and drove in two runs.
“I think we definitely have a really great hitting lineup, top to bottom,” said Nickerson. “Everybody contributes when they need to.”
“What I love is how well the girls have jelled,” first-year coach Drew DiMauro said. “We’re putting the ball in play a lot, which is a huge advantage for us. It just shows how hard they’re trying for each other.They want to create opportunities for their teammates.”
Against the Tigers, Ball and Cole both had two hits. In the loss to the Rams, Whitten doubled. South Portland/Westbrook hosted Falmouth Wednesday and went to Cheverus Thursday, then has a home showdown versus Windham Monday before hosting Thornton Academy Wednesday of next week.
Cape Elizabeth was 5-2 after wins at Greely (11-9) and Gray-New Gloucester (22-8), a home loss to Wells in five-innings (18-4) and a five-inning home victory over Old Orchard Beach (21-3). Against the Rangers, the Capers rallied from a late deficit, scoring three times in the top of the seventh. Catcher Lauren Steinberg, who arrived when the game was already in progress due to an AP exam, hit a two-run single and scored the winning run. Sophia Chung had four hits and two RBI.
“I was glad I made it before the end of the game,” Steinberg said. “I knew Greely had great players. I just wanted to win and I knew we could.”
“We’re never out of a game,” Chung said. “That’s how it is this year. We’re in it to win it. You just have to have good energy and we do. We brought it today.”
“This team has a lot of fight, a lot of grit and we’ve figured out how to get it done and win games,” said first-year coach Danica Gleason. “That could be our youth and inexperience, but it’s working to our advantage right now. The girls are energetic all the time. I couldn’t ask for a better group. They’re special.”
In the win over the Patriots, Steinberg drove in six runs and Chung scored five times. In the setback, Elsie Maxwell had two hits and three RBI.
“The beginning of our season was great and a little unexpected and I think the girls kind of got content and this needed to happen to prove to themselves that we can’t just show up and expect to win,” Gleason said.
Boys’ lacrosse
South Portland senior Lucas Mehlhorn possesses the ball as Waynflete junior Pauli Mukerangingo defends during the Red Riots’ 6-5 victory Saturday. Hoffer photos.
Cape Elizabeth’s two-time Class A champion boys’ lacrosse team took a 7-0 record into Wednesday’s game at Yarmouth (see our website for game story). Last week, the Capers downed visiting Messalonskee (14-5) and host Scarborough (12-1). Keegan Lathrop scored five goals against the Eagles, while Connor Goss scored three times. Lathrop led the way with four goals against the Red Storm. Cape Elizabeth hosts Thornton Academy Friday (see our website for game story), then goes to York Wednesday of next week.
South Portland made it six straight victories and improved to 6-1 after beating host Deering (18-5) and Waynflete (6-5) last week. Brady Demers and Beckett Mehlhorn each scored seven times in the win over the Rams. Against the Flyers, the two-time reigning Class C state champions, the Red Riots got goals from seven different players and 13 saves from Ben Kieu, but had to hold on for dear life at the end when a 6-2 fourth quarter lead nearly disappeared.
“I trust my defense,” Kieu said. “Even though it was close at the end, we were confident. It was a big win.”
“We knew (Waynflete would) come out hungry,” South Portland coach Dan Hanley said. “I know they were looking forward to the matchup. A lot of the guys play hockey together (on the state runner-up South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op team). Those kind of rivalries, where you’re playing against your friends, it’s even more intense.”
After hosting Windham Wednesday, the Red Riots have a key home showdown versus Falmouth Saturday.
“We have to take it one game at a time,” Hanley said. “We’re finally healthy. Playing good opponents helps push us to be a better team.”
Scarborough was 2-5 after a 13-7 home win over Bonny Eagle and a 12-1 home loss to Cape Elizabeth. In the victory, Drew Witas scored five goals. Goalie Ben Kerbel made 19 saves against the Capers. The Red Storm hosted Gorham Wednesday, go to Yarmouth Friday and play at Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.
Girls’ lacrosse
On the girls’ side, South Portland got in the win column Tuesday, 13-4, over visiting Bonny Eagle. The Red Riots, who were coming off a 15-2 setback at Thornton Academy, got four goals from Rain Jordan and three from Abigail Thayer. South Portland hosts Biddeford Friday and goes to Westbrook Tuesday of next week.
Scarborough fell to 2-5 with recent losses to visiting Gorham (10-7), host Yarmouth (12-6) and visiting Cape Elizabeth (12-11). Molly Henderson scored five times against the Rams. In the loss to the Clippers, Henderson had two goals. Against the Capers, Henderson had three goals, while Fiona Betters and Grace Carlista each scored twice. The Red Storm go to Falmouth Friday and return home Wednesday of next week to battle Marshwood.
Cape Elizabeth was 2-4 following a 15-1 home loss to two-time reigning Class A champion Kennebunk and a 12-11 victory at Scarborough. In the win, Kaity Woods scored six goals. The Capers welcome Lewiston Friday and play host to defending Class C champ North Yarmouth Academy Tuesday of next week.
Outdoor track
On the track last week, South Portland joined Deering at Biddeford last week and the Red Riots boys and girls both placed first.
Tennis
Scarborough’s Amber Woods, the top seed, qualified for the girls’ state singles championships, which begin Friday, May 19, at Bates College in Lewiston. On the boys’ side, Cape Elizabeth’s Gabe Berman advanced.
In team action, Scarborough’s girls have lived up to preseason billing, improving to 6-0 with recent 5-0 wins over Cheverus and Portland.
The Red Storm boys were 4-2 after beating Cheverus (4-1) and losing to Portland (3-2).
South Portland’s boys improved to 5-4 after a 5-0 win over Marshwood Tuesday.
The Red Riots girls were 5-3 after Monday’s 3-2 win over Marshwood.
Cape Elizabeth’s boys were 5-2 after downing Freeport (4-0) and Greely (4-1).
The Capers girls were 4-2 after extending their win streak to four games by blanking St. Dom’s and Freeport by 5-0 scores.
Press Herald staff writers Drew Bonifant and Steve Craig contributed to this story.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
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