Southern: October arrives and the postseason nears

While the regular season still has a couple weeks to go in most fall sports, golf is about to hand out the first postseason hardware.

There is still a lot left to be determined, but certain trends are emerging.

Local teams continue to jockey for playoff positioning and some big games loom, so buckle up, the best is yet to come.

Here’s a glimpse at the week that was and what’s on tap:

Golf

The Western Maine Conference golf Class B state qualifier was held last week and Cape Elizabeth failed to make the cut as a team. Josie Sparks qualified as an individual.

The Southwestern Maine Activities Association golf qualifier was held Monday, where Scarborough placed second and qualified. South Portland was 11th and did not make the cut. Evan Campbell qualified as an individual.

The Class B team and individual state championships will be contested Friday at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro. The Class A championships will be held Saturday in Vassalboro.

Football

Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough’s football teams both earned their first victories of the season last weekend.

The Capers improved to 1-4 with a 30-27 home victory over York. Cape Elizabeth clung to a 27-22 halftime lead and held on. Mike Foley had touchdowns runs of 26- and 2-yards and also threw a 26-yard TD pass.

“It was a great win for the program,” said Capers first-year coach Peter Cekutis. “There are no easy games in Class C South. We have to compete every week and the York game was no different. Our young men are still learning to battle back from adversity and we had several opportunities to practice that this past week. This went a long way to showing our team they can continue to fight when things don’t go our way.”

The Capers (fifth in the Class C South Crabtree Points standings) host Medomak Valley (4-1) Friday.

“We’re looking forward to another tough test this week,” Cekutis said.

Scarborough edged visiting Lewiston, 10-9, to improve to 1-3. The Red Storm trailed, 3-0, early, then went up by a 7-3 margin thanks to a 73-yard touchdown pass from Alek Harris to Lucas-James Renaud. The Blue Devils had a 9-7 advantage at the half, but Caleb Wandell’s 40-yard field goal in the third period gave Scarborough the elusive victory.

“I think the first win of the season is always huge for any team,” said Red Storm coach Packy Malia. “Obviously, you want to get that win before week five, but regardless it’s a big confidence boost.”

The Red Storm (sixth in the Class A South standings) visit 3-2 Windham Friday.

“Going forward we’re going to do what we’ve been preaching all season, stay in the moment and focus on the task at hand,” Malia said. “This week that task is competing against a very good Windham team. We’re trying to get better every rep, focus on our assignments, execute with great effort without worry on the outcome, and let the chips fall where they may.”

South Portland fell to 2-3 and fifth in Class A South following a 28-20 setback at Noble. The Red Riots went ahead early, 7-0, on a 2-yard touchdown run from quarterback Easton Healy, but fell behind, 28-7, before embarking on a desperate rally that fell just short. A pair of Gabe Galarraga touchdown catches from Healy in the fourth quarter, one from 6-yards out and the other from 22-yards, pulled the Red Riots within 28-20 with just over three minutes to play. South Portland got the ball back twice in the final 2:40, but lost it on downs, then saw its final opportunity slip away on an intercepted pass in the waning seconds. South Portland hosts Thornton Academy (3-2) Friday.

Boys’ soccer

Scarborough’s boys’ soccer team appears to be hitting its stride. The Red Storm have won three straight to improve to 6-3-1 and fifth in the Class A South Heal Points standings. Last week, Scarborough blanked visiting Falmouth (4-0) and host Deering (1-0) and Tuesday, the Red Storm won at Thornton Academy, 4-0. Against the Navigators, Matthew Booth, Khalil Ghosheh, Dillon Macleod and Andrew Heanssler all scored and Seamus Corry made five saves. Kilson Joao had the goal against the Rams and Corry stopped six shots. In the win over the Golden Trojans, Ghosheh, Max Peterson, Dillon Grant and Carter Blanche did the scoring honors. Scarborough visits Cheverus Friday (see our website for game story) and plays host to Westbrook Wednesday of next week.

South Portland is also surging, having won straight and improving to 5-2-3 and sixth in Class A South after beating host Marshwood (2-1), host Massabesic (8-0) and visiting Kennebunk (3-1) in recent action. Casey Corcoran and Curtis Metcalf scored the goals in the win over the Hawks. Metcalf and Ben Morin both scored twice in the victory over the Mustangs, while Corcoran, Filipe Kiangala, Beckett Mehlhorn and Luke Tierney added a goal apiece. Against the Rams, Metcalf scored twice and Corcoran added a goal. The Red Riots hosted Noble Thursday and welcome undefeated Windham Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth was 6-2-1 and fifth after blanking visiting Gray-New Gloucester (5-0) and host Brunswick, the reigning Class A state champion (1-0), last week. Against the Patriots, Alex van Huystee scored two goals, while Nathan Ashe, Sam Cochran and Harry Converse added one apiece. In the win over the Dragons, in the teams’ first countable meeting since the 1996 Class A state final, Will Vaine had the lone goal. The Capers were at Greely for a pivotal battle Thursday (see our website for game story), host four-time reigning Class C champion Waynflete Saturday, visit Poland Tuesday of next week and welcome Freeport next Thursday.

Girls’ soccer

Scarborough’s Avery Pettingill fights for possession during Saturday’s win at Gorham. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald

On the girls’ side, Scarborough was 8-1 and a close second to Gorham in the Class A South Heals following wins last week over visiting South Portland (3-1) and at Gorham (1-0) and Monday’s 6-0 home triumph over Portland. Against the Red Riots, senior standout Lana Djuranovic scored two goals and Sarah LeFebvre had the other. Sophia Rinaldi made five saves. Djuranovic scored the only goal at the Rams, a free kick in the second half, and Rinaldi made three clutch saves.

“I knew I had to score,” said Djuranovic. “I got fouled, the ball was right on the edge of the box and I knew I could get it in. Recently, when I curve it around the wall and go front post, I have more success and it worked out.”

“Our defense was awesome,” said senior defensive standout Maeve Davis. “We have a great defense and a great goalkeeper.”

“Coming here and winning a close game is never easy,” longtime Scarborough coach Mike Farley added. “The difference was having someone like Lana who could have a moment that changes the game. Coming here slowed the game down a little for us and makes it more of a grind. We’re better on turf when we can fly up and down the field.”

In the win over the Bulldogs, Djuranovic scored goals number 15 and 16 on the season, while Delia Fravert also scored twice and Talia Borelli and Maya Taylor added one apiece. Vera DiSotto got the start in goal and made four saves for the shutout. The Red Storm hosted Bonny Eagle Wednesday, go to Deering Friday, play at Marshwood Monday and visit Sanford Wednesday of next week.

“We want another championship,” Djuranovic said. “We just have to maintain how we’re playing. Keep pushing ourselves in practice.”

“We need to keep playing our game,” Davis said. “We want to get the number one seed again. I think we have a chance again this year.”

“I think we just need to stay focused,” Farley added. “We want to be at home for as many games as we can. Being on turf makes us far more dangerous. This should put us in a spot to defend our home field. We’re in a much better spot now.”

South Portland was 4-3-2 and eighth in Class A South after a 3-1 loss at Scarborough, a 1-1 tie at Thornton Academy, a 2-1 loss at Windham and a 4-0 home victory over Westbrook. The Red Riots got an “own goal” at the Red Storm, as well as a dozen saves from keeper Amelia Burton-Fowler. Brooke Lawton scored the tying goal against the Golden Trojans. In the loss to the Eagles, Marina Bassett scored. Bassett scored twice, while Nola Gorneau and Emma Travis added one goal apiece in the win over the Blue Blazes. South Portland hosted Deering Wednesday, welcomes Noble Saturday and plays host to Biddeford Wednesday of next week.

Cape Elizabeth’s CC Duryee plays the ball early in the Capers’ 3-1 win over Brunswick Saturday. Photo courtesy Lisa Mims.

Cape Elizabeth improved to 9-1 and second behind Yarmouth in Class B South following a 6-0 victory at Wells and a 3-1 home win over reigning Class A North champion Brunswick. Against the Warriors, Noelle Mallory scored three times, while Evelyn Agrodnia, CC Duryee and Hailey Gorman added one goal apiece. In the win over the Dragons, Mallory scored twice and Gorman also found the net, while Agrodnia finished with three assists and goalie Ellis Piper made eight saves.

“It’s really exciting,” Agrodnia said. “We came in knowing it would be a good game. We knew we had to play well and stay calm the whole time. I’m really proud of us.”

“We capitalized well on offense and we had good defense,” Mallory said.

“All the credit to the kids,” first-year Capers coach Branden Noltkamper added. “We prepared really well. I’m so proud of them. Brunswick’s Class A runners-up and we knew that coming in. I’m a Bath guy, so the rivalry runs deep for me. I’m happy, but more so for the players. We’ve really turned a corner. We’re playing on the front foot a little bit more. We have great leadership with our captains and seniors. We’ve trained well.”

Cape Elizabeth hosted Greely Thursday and welcomes Poland Tuesday of next week.

“I think we just need to prepare,” Mallory said. “You can’t always control things that come, but we just have to perform the same.”

“I really want to win, especially after (losing in the semifinals) last year,” Agrodnia said. “We’re out there to win it.”

“We’ve preached from the preseason that we don’t want to peak in September, that we want to peak for playoffs and I think we haven’t gotten to that peak yet,” Noltkamper added. “We’re hitting our stride. We’re very confident. We’ve got Yarmouth last game of the season and we’ll see where things fall. We want to be number one, but no matter where we place, we’ll get after anybody we play.”

Field hockey

Scarborough’s Sabrina Ocampo rushes up the field during last week’s home loss to Biddeford. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

Cape Elizabeth’s field hockey team was 6-3 and fourth in a very competitive Class B South following home wins last week over Poland (1-0) and Greely (4-2). Jenna Tuttle scored the goal in the win over the Knights. Against the Rangers, Mia Frost had two goals and Sophia Chung and Lulu Stoecklein added one apiece. The Capers were at Fryeburg Academy Wednesday, visit Greely Saturday and go to Lake Region Tuesday of next week.

In Class A South, Scarborough fell to 4-5 and seventh after losses to visiting Biddeford (2-0) and at reigning regional champion Cheverus (5-1). Against the Tigers, goalie Jamila Mohamed made nine saves, but the Red Storm fell behind early and couldn’t recover.

“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. There were a lot of critical mistakes at the wrong times. 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.”

In the loss to the Stags, Lane Niles scored the goal and Mohamed made 15 saves. The Red Storm were at Biddeford Thursday, host Noble Saturday and go to Falmouth Wednesday of next week.

“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.”

The South Portland/Westbrook co-op squad fell to 1-8 and 15th in Class A South (where 10 teams make the playoffs) following losses to visiting Thornton Academy (3-1), Gorham (8-0) and Massabesic (5-2). Lily Dorrington scored in the loss to the Golden Trojans. Against the Mustangs, Maeve Tardif and Ellyana Young each had one goal. South Portland/Westbrook was at Marshwood Thursday, visits Bonny Eagle Monday and goes to Portland/Deering Wednesday of next week.

Volleyball

Scarborough’s Julia Strouse serves the ball early in Tuesday’s match at Yarmouth. The Red Storm lost in four sets. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

Scarborough’s volleyball team was 7-3 and third in Class A following a 3-0 win at Marshwood and a four-set (21-25, 25-21, 24-26, 14-25) setback at four-time reigning Class B champion Yarmouth. Against the Clippers, the Red Storm let a 24-20 third game lead slip away and they couldn’t recover despite 15 assists from Olivia Smith, 11 service points and six kills from Alana Sawyer, nine kills and six service points from Natalie Moynihan and nine kills and six service points from Julia Strouse.

“(Yarmouth) came out hot and we battled for awhile, then we ran out of steam a little bit,” said Scarborough first-year coach Nicole Petherbridge. “I think they came out and played well. As much as we made mistakes, they challenged us from the first point. I have to hand it to Yarmouth. We’re infamous for turning it on, but we couldn’t turn it on today.”

The Red Storm hosted top-ranked, reigning Class A champion Biddeford Thursday, then play at South Portland Tuesday of next week.

“The girls know we play Biddeford next and we’ll need to rebound,” said Petherbridge. “We have to just play our game. It’s easy to get frazzled against great competition. We just need to stick to our game plan and execute. We know Biddeford will come out guns blazing and we’re hoping to do the same.”

South Portland was 3-7 and 11th in Class A after losing in straight sets at Thornton Academy, then downing visiting Noble in four-games (25-13, 24-26, 25-12, 25-15). The Red Riots visited Marshwood Thursday and play host to Scarborough Tuesday of next week.

In Class B, Cape Elizabeth was 5-4 and sixth following a 3-0 home win over Wells, a four-set (21-25, 27-25, 25-18, 25-18) home win over Mt. Desert Island and a five-game (25-23, 22-25, 22-25, 25-19, 13-15) loss at Greely. The Capers hosted York Thursday and go to Wells Tuesday of next week.

Cross country

Local runners took part in the Festival of Champions in Belfast Saturday.

In the boys’ race, won by E.O. Smith of Connecticut, Scarborough was fourth out of 75 scoring teams. The Red Storm were led by Ethan Keller, who was 30th in 16 minutes, 43.97 seconds. South Portland placed 18th and was paced by Ethan Small (10th, 16:12.47). Cape Elizabeth finished 29th. Liam Nudd was 64th (17:15.27).

In the girls’ meet, won by Cumberland High School of Rhode Island, Cape Elizabeth finished 21st. Emma Young was 29th (20:02.41). Scarborough came in 34th. Kyleigh Record (83rd, 21:18.88) paced the Red Storm. South Portland placed 43rd. Maddie Daggett was 235th (24:18.49).