Scarborough can’t dig out of early hole in loss to Biddeford

SCARBOROUGH—Biddeford dominated the first half and Scarborough had the better of play in the second, but the difference in a showdown of top Class A South field hockey contenders Wednesday evening at the Kippy Mitchell Sports Complex was that the Tigers managed to put the ball in the cage while they had control of the game.

Just eight minutes in, Biddeford went ahead for good when junior Ayla Lagasse scored off a penalty corner.

Two minutes into the second period, sophomore Corinne Ramunno tipped home a Lagasse blast off a corner and the Tigers doubled their lead.

In truth, Biddeford could have had five or six first half goals, but Red Storm senior goalie Jamila Mohamed made a series of spectacular saves to keep her team alive.

Scarborough came out a different team in the second half, but despite earning seven corners, couldn’t cut into the deficit and the Tigers were able to go on to a 2-0 victory.

Biddeford improved to 6-2 on the season and in the process, dropped the Red Storm to 4-4.

“The better team won today, no doubt about it,” said longtime Scarborough coach Kerry Mariello. “We didn’t show up. We haven’t shown up. It comes down to energy and if we don’t bring it, then it’s proving that won’t do it for us.”

Second half starts

The first half of the season saw promising wins and some tough losses as well for both teams.

Biddeford started with a 5-0 loss at reigning Class A South champion and consensus favorite Cheverus, then defeated Thornton Academy (1-0), Noble (2-1, in double-overtime), Falmouth (4-1) and Sanford (2-1). After a 2-1 loss to Windham, the Tigers bounced back by handling South Portland/Westbrook (9-0) Monday.

Scarborough started the season with a 3-2 overtime win over Windham, then lost at home to Cheverus (7-1). The Red Storm knocked off Windham again (3-1) and beat Thornton Academy (6-1). After a 2-1 loss at Gorham, Scarborough handled Marshwood (4-1), but Monday, the Red Storm were blanked at Massabesic (1-0).

Last year, the Tigers won the lone meeting, 1-0, in Biddeford, on a late penalty stroke.

Wednesday, on an evening that began with temperatures in the mid-60s, only to plummet as the game wore on, Scarborough hoped to begin the second half of its season with a key victory, but instead, the Tigers took care of business.

Scarborough sophomore Sabrina Ocampo rushes up the field as Biddeford freshman Cordelia Kane tries to keep up during the Tigers’ 2-0 victory Wednesday night. Hoffer photos.

Biddeford came out on fire and took early control of the game.

Just 90 seconds in, off a long hit from junior Eliza Doyon, Ramunno had a great look, but her shot hit the post.

After a defensive save from Scarborough senior Caroline Hartley, Lagasse rushed in but was denied by Mohamed.

But with 7:01 to go in the opening stanza, off a penalty corner, the Tigers went ahead to stay, as junior Hannah Sonne-Loranger inserted to sophomore Kayla Magnant, who set up Lagasse for a shot that found the mark.

Mohamed kept the deficit at one by robbing senior Riley Langevin on a shot off a corner, diving to save a shot from Sonne-Loranger off another corner, then denying Ramunno point blank after a turnover.

As time wound down in the quarter, the Red Storm earned a corner of their own, but couldn’t manage a shot.

Biddeford didn’t let up in the second period either.

With 13:07 to go in the first half, off a corner, the Tigers doubled their lead, as Sonne-Loranger inserted to Lagasse, who ripped a shot that Ramunno got a stick on and redirected high and past Mohamed to make it 2-0.

From there, Mohamed continued to shine, robbing Sonne-Loranger on a backhanded shot and when Sonne-Loranger tried to finish the rebound, senior defender Jersey Martin was there to make another key stop.

“Jamila’s been a stud all season long,” said Mariello. “She’s a very underrated goalie. We rely on her too much at times.”

“Their defense and goalie had some amazing saves,” said Biddeford coach Caitlin Tremberth. “I can’t believe they made two defensive saves on us.”

The Tigers had a 10-1 shots advantage and a 7-1 edge in corners in the first half, but Mohamed and Company kept the deficit at 2-0.

The Red Storm came out strong in the second half, but couldn’t produce the goal that would have made things very interesting.

Scarborough junior Ruby Weidner handles the ball as Biddeford junior Eliza Doyon defends.

Three minutes in, off a corner, senior Maggie Pendergast had a promising shot blocked.

With 5:05 left in the third quarter, sophomore Sabrina Ocampo launched a blast that Biddeford senior goalie Cadence Goulet managed to stop.

In the final minute, Scarborough had a corner, but couldn’t muster a shot and it was on to the fourth period.

There, Goulet stopped an early shot from Red Storm senior Emma Lally, then sophomore Laine Niles just missed wide off a corner.

The Tigers had chances to end all doubt, but twice junior Keelie Gregoire was robbed by Mohamed.

The home team’s last chance came with just under four minutes to play, when it took its final penalty corner, but it couldn’t muster a shot.

Biddeford was able to run out the clock from there and prevail, 2-0.

“It was 2-0 at halftime and I just told them to keep it up and to keep pressuring,” said Tremberth. “We had four injuries in the second half, so I’m glad our depth stepped up.”

The Tigers out-shot the Red Storm, 13-3, got three saves from Goulet and took eight corners, scoring on two of them.

Scarborough got nine saves from Mohamed and one each from defenders Hartley and Martin.

“There were a lot of critical mistakes at the wrong times,” Mariello lamented. “We’re very young and it’s showing. It looked like we were playing 15-on-11 for awhile, because they were beating us to the ball.”

Unfinished business

The Red Storm and Tigers meet again Oct. 5 in Biddeford, but both squads will face the title favorite first.

The Tigers will get to measure themselves against undefeated Cheverus Saturday morning at home. Monday, Biddeford goes to Thornton Academy.

“There’s only three weeks left in the regular season, so now, it’s just a matter of other players stepping up,” said Tremberth. “We’ve had some setbacks. Starting out on Cheverus’ grass was a setback. We’re a turf team. They’re still the top team. I think in order to close the gap with Cheverus, we need to understand their strengths, utilize our strengths and we can’t give up on any ball. If we play like we did in the first half tonight, I think we can make a run.”

Scarborough is idle until next Tuesday, when it goes to Cheverus.

“We’re going to play the best we can against some good teams with veteran players, “Mariello said. “Losing 19 players in two years has exposed us. We’ll keep fighting. We have to figure it out somehow. We will. Tomorrow’s a new day.”