YARMOUTH—The defending Class C girls’ lacrosse state champions are still alive.

But North Yarmouth Academy took the phrase “survive and advance” to an extreme Saturday at Lewis Field.

Thanks to the effort a valiant foe, Waynflete, which pushed the Panthers to the brink and did everything but steal a victory in a double-overtime thriller in state quarterfinals.

NYA, ranked second, appeared poised to move on when it scored four times in the game’s first five minutes, but the seventh-seeded Flyers settled in and prevented the Panthers from running away with it, trailing 7-3 at the half.

Waynflete then roared back to start the second half, tying the score with four quick goals, two apiece from junior standout Tilsley Kelly and sophomore Lydia Birknes.

The Panthers went back on top and when senior star Vy Tran scored her fifth and final goal, on a free position with 1:57 left, the lead was 10-8 and again, NYA was on the verge of victory.

But again, the Flyers battled back, as Kelly scored twice in a 13-second span and the game would go to overtime deadlocked at 10-10.

The first three-minute, “sudden victory” OT didn’t produce a goal, so it was on to a second.

There, Kelly had a look at capping one of the most dramatic victories in the history of the storied Waynflete program, but she was denied by Panthers freshman goalie Anaya Roundy.

Then, with 1:26 on the clock, senior Leah Dube, a transfer from Lewiston, who opened the scoring way back in the game’s second minute, brought the contest to a close with an unassisted goal and NYA was able to celebrate an 11-10 victory in an instant classic.

The Panthers improved to 10-5, ended Waynflete’s season at 8-8 and advanced to take host third-seeded Lincoln Academy (11-4) in the state semifinals Wednesday at a time to be announced.

“We got a little comfortable and then we realized we had to step it up and get back in it and that we really wanted it,” said Dube. “We knew we had to get our energy up and play as a family and if we really wanted it, we’d get it.”

One for the ages

Back on April 13, visiting NYA pulled away for a 14-8 victory at Waynflete in the regular season opener.

The Panthers then went on to post a 9-5 record in their title defense (see sidebar for links to previous game stories), winning their final four contests to earn the No. 2 seed.

The Flyers, meanwhile, dug themselves into a 1-7 hole and risked missing the playoffs altogether, but they turned things around, won six straight to wind up seventh in Class C, then knocked off No. 10 Traip Academy, 16-7, in Wednesday’s state preliminary round.

In the teams’ first meeting, Tran scored five times for NYA, while Kelly had four goals for Waynflete.

The Flyers had won five of seven prior playoff meetings (see sidebar), but last year, in the state quarterfinals, the Panthers prevailed, 8-6, en route to the state title.

Saturday, on a drizzy day, in a microcosm of its season, Waynflete started slowly, then came to life and had victory within reach, but NYA dug into its reservoir of championship heart for one of the most memorable playoff wins in program annals.

Kelly won the opening draw, but the Flyers couldn’t muster a shot and 81 seconds into the contest, Dube finished unassisted, beating Waynflete senior goalie Pippa Huffard to break the ice.

A mere 13 seconds later, after Tran won the ensuing draw, sophomore Lyla Casey fought through the defense and finished unassisted to double the lead.

NYA wasn’t done, as Tran scored for the first time, off a feed from sophomore Gwen Curran with 21:37 remaining in the first half, forcing longtime Flyers coach Cathie Connors to call timeout.

It didn’t help, at least initially, as Tran scored on a free position shot with 20:14 to go.

But after Huffard saved a free position shot from junior Lauryn Casey, Waynflete got on the board with 16:27 showing, as Kelly went coast-to-coast and found the net for the first time.

The Flyers had looks to get closer, but Birknes twice shot wide.

Then, with 9:13 on the clock, Lyla Casey fought through the defense again and beat Huffard to make it 5-1.

Waynflete answered, as after Roundy denied Birknes on a free position, in transition, sophomore Leah Kramer fed Kelly for a goal with 6:55 to go.

The Panthers then went up 6-2 with 5:33 left, as Dube scored on a free position, but with 4:22 remaining, Birknes finished unassisted to seemingly give the Flyers momentum.

After NYA coach Molly Moss-Stokes called timeout, the Panthers finished the first half on a high note, as after Roundy saved a Birknes free position shot, Tran buried one of her own with 1:33 to go and the Panthers had made their early four-goal cushion stand up and led at the break, 7-3.

Five Huffard saves prevented NYA from leading by even more.

Waynflete then got off the deck in the second half and battled back to tie the score.

Kelly set the tone when she scored on a free position with 22:37 to play.

After Huffard saved a Dube shot, Waynflete cut the deficit to 7-5 when Kelly fought through the defense and finished with 20:07 on the clock.

With 18:58 to go, Birknes took a pass from sophomore Skylar Harris and scored and suddenly, it was a one-goal game, forcing Moss-Stokes to call a timeout.

Which didn’t stem the tide.

With 14:24 to play, Birknes scored an unassisted goal and the Flyers had rallied from down four to tie it, 7-7.

Waynflete couldn’t go on top, however, as senior Keegan Dolan missed just high.

At the other end, Huffard robbed Dube, but with 9:33 remaining, Tran spun, shot and scored an unassisted goal to put the Panthers back in front.

Lyla Casey added an unassisted goal with 4:14 to play and Connors used her final timeout.

The Flyers cut the deficit to 9-8 with 3:32 on the clock, as Kelly set up Harris for a goal, but after Kelly won the ensuing draw, NYA forced a turnover and with 1:57 left, Tran’s free position goal appeared to be the dagger.

But proud Waynflete was far from finished.

Just 11 seconds later, after Kelly won the draw, she fired a long shot that eluded Roundy and found the net to cut the deficit to just one.

Kelly won the ensuing draw as well and she scored for the second time in 13 seconds, on a similar long shot and the Flyers had again pulled even, 10-10.

Both teams had chances down the stretch, as Birknes had a free position shot blocked, then Tran shot just high, sending the contest to extra time.

For just the second time in the teams’ postseason history, overtime would be needed (Waynflete beat NYA, 5-4, back in the 2005 state final, in a game in which Moss-Stokes came out on the losing end).

Lyla Casey won the draw to start OT, giving the Panthers the chance to win it, but they turned the ball over.

The teams then traded turnovers and with 13 seconds to go, Dube couldn’t convert.

But she would get another opportunity in the second overtime.

Kelly won possession to start and 18 seconds in, she took another long shot, but this time Roundy saved the game and the season.

“That save was really big,” Dube said. “She’s helped us all season.”

“Anaya stepped in after never playing before and did amazing job,” said Moss-Stokes.

NYA would eventually transition to offense and the ball came to Dube along the near sideline. She spotted some space, beat a defender and went one-on-one with Huffard before putting the ball into the net.

“I felt like I needed to run and just went for it,” Dube said.

“I passed the ball off and I just stood there,” Tran said. “Everything went into slow motion. Leah’s a really good player. She has a lot in her bag. I’m happy she could unload it.”

“Leah came up huge,” Moss-Stokes added. “I’m so proud of her. She just had some room and she took it.”

At 12:42 p.m., the Panthers were able to exhale and celebrate their exhilarating 11-10 victory.

“It feels really good,” Dube said. “I wasn’t really all there in the moment, but when everyone ran up to me, it was really exciting. I was happy to celebrate it with the team. I was thinking it’s a big deal, I get to spend more time with my “family.” I knew this year we’d be a solid team and I was excited to start up with them.”

“This game was very nerve-wracking,” Tran said. “Waynflete’s always really good. They got a lot better during the season. We just a little too comfortable with the lead. We should have kept up our intensity. Every one of us wants to win and we’ve won a lot of state championships (in multiple sports). There was no way we were going home with a loss. That’s what motivated us to keep going.”

“We came out pretty strong, which was actually new for us, then we had to adjust to what they did in the second half,” added Moss-Stokes. “Cathie Connors, Waynflete, playoffs, it’s such a fun rivalry. They’re a great team to play. It was a great game. I knew it would be a battle and I was not wrong. We just told the girls to drain the tank and that this was it. I needed 100 percent from all of them and they gave it. The whole team, from defense to attack and our goalie played great.”

Tran paced NYA with five goals, while Lyla Casey and Dube had three apiece.

Curran had the Panthers’ lone assist.

Roundy made six critical saves.

Tran had 11 ground balls, while Dube collected seven.

NYA had a 22-20 edge in shots (20-16 on cage) and overcame 21 turnovers.

Heroic

Waynflete got a game-high six goals from the indomitable Kelly, who also had a game-high 13 ground balls, won 15 of 23 draws and has blossomed into one of the state’s elite players. Birknes added three goals and Harris had the other.

“Tilsley won’t be denied,” Connors said. “It was all about her getting the draw. Lydia is a force and Skylar has stepped up and scored goals.”

Harris, Kelly and Kramer all had one assist.

Huffard made nine saves.

“Pippa had never played goal before,” Connors said. “I couldn’t have asked for anything more from her.”

The Flyers had 46-42 advantage on ground balls (Birknes grabbed six) and gave the ball away 22 times.

“The girls are amazing,” Connors said. “We left everything on the field. There’s nothing more they could have done. We just couldn’t get the goal in overtime. We started slow, but that happens. These girls are never out of it and they never give up. They worked as a team. We talked about how we’ve been behind before and women’s lacrosse is so amazing because you can score four quick goals and it’s never over until the final second.”

Waynflete parts with six seniors, but returns a lot of talent, especially on offense.

While the sting of this loss will remain, don’t be surprised if the Flyers parlay it into a championship run in 2024.

“We’re going to have a very solid team next year,” Connors said. “We have a lot to look forward to.”

Finishing the job

NYA didn’t face Lincoln Academy this spring and the teams have no playoff history. The Panthers will be favored to move on to states for the second straight season, and likely have a showdown with top-ranked Freeport, but they won’t overlook the Eagles.

“We have to keep up the intensity and just focus on one game at a time,” Tran said. “At the beginning of the season, we had a lot of new players. More new players then returning. It was just a case of getting them up to speed and getting everyone on the same page. By the time it’s June, it’s when we flip the switch.”

“We need to keep playing as a team, communicate, make good passes and continue to finish the ball,” said Dube.

“We’ve got another game and we’re looking forward to that and we’ll start prepping for them,” Moss-Stokes added. “This group has what it takes. They work hard and they rely on each other and lift each other up.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.

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