Southern: Final stretch of fall sports season arrives

While the fall sports postseason got underway with the golf state matches, the other sports have made the turn for home in terms of regular season action and a lot of questions remain in regards to who will make the playoffs and where they’ll be seeded.

After another dramatic week, here’s where things stand:

Golf

Scarborough’s Keenan Buteau tees off during Monday’s Class A golf team state match. The Red Storm finished fourth. Rich Abrahamson/Morning Sentinel

Scarborough was the lone local team to qualify for the golf state match and the Red Storm came in fourth in Class A after shooting a team score of 325 (Falmouth was first with a score of 312). Scarborough was led by Marc Twombly, who shot an 18-hole round of 74, which tied him for third place individually. Also scoring were Erik Swenson (83, tied for 24th), Keenan Buteau (84, tied for 28th) and Harrison Griffiths (84, tied for 28th).

Cape Elizabeth didn’t qualify as a team in Class B, but Josie Sparks competed as an individual and shot a 97 (tied for 53rd).

Football

Cape Elizabeth’s football team fell to 1-5 last Friday after a hard-fought 26-22 home loss to Medomak Valley. The Capers led, 14-6, after one quarter, then fell behind, 20-14, at halftime. After going on top, 22-20, Cape Elizabeth couldn’t get a defensive stop at the end and surrendered the winning touchdown with 27 seconds left. The Capers’ first touchdown came on a 71-yard pass from Brady Inman to Logan McVeigh. Mike Foley had two TD runs, including a 1-yard score early in the fourth quarter to give Cape Elizabeth its final lead. The Capers (fifth in the Class C South Crabtree Points standings) go to 4-2 Wells Friday.

In Class A South, Scarborough fell to 1-4 and sixth in the standings following a 21-3 setback at Windham. The Red Storm host undefeated Portland (6-0) Friday.

South Portland fell to 2-4 and fifth in Class A South after a 14-0 home loss to Thornton Academy. The Red Riots’ defense was tremendous, allowing just one touchdown in the first quarter and another in the fourth, but the offense couldn’t find the end zone. South Portland hosts Kennebunk (6-0) Friday in an opportunity to earn some valuable Crabtree Points (see our website for game story).

Boys’ soccer

Cape Elizabeth’s Sam Cochran controls the ball amid the Greely defense during last week’s loss. Brianna Soukup / Portland Press Herald

All three boys’ soccer teams are playoff-bound as the final week of the regular season dawns.

In Class A South, Scarborough improved to 8-3-1 and fourth in the Heal Points standings after downing host Cheverus (6-3) and visiting Westbrook (3-0) to extend its win streak to five. Against the Stags, Kilson Joao scored three times and Matt Fallona, Cooper Mallar and Kevine Paulino added one goal apiece.

“Coach told me to get in there and get a goal and everything would be just fine and that’s what I did,” Joao said.

“We got rattled a little off the first goal, then we settled down and things went our way,” said longtime Scarborough coach Mark Diaz. “It was a learning experience. We responded. I give credit to my guys. Offensively, we played really well and in the second half, we really locked it down.”

In the win over the Blue Blazes, Fallona, Joao and Paulino each scored once. The Red Storm hosted South Portland Thursday and finish at Gorham Tuesday of next week.

“I think we’re playing our best when it matters most,” Diaz said. “Everyone’s good this year. Next week is no different. We’re looking forward to it. We can still be a factor in the playoffs. If things go our way, maybe we can creep into the top two or three. We’re excited.”

South Portland was 6-3-3 and eighth in Class A South following a 7-1 home win over Noble and a 3-1 home loss to undefeated, top-ranked Windham. In the victory, Tim Caouette scored four goals, while Gedeao Buanza, CJ Merenghi and Beckett Mehlhorn added one apiece. The loss to the Eagles snapped a five-game win streak. The Red Riots were at Scarborough Thursday and close at Westbrook Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth was 8-3-1 and fourth after a 4-1 loss at Greely and victories over visiting Waynflete (5-1) and at Poland (7-1). Against the Rangers, Tully Haydar scored the lone goal.

“First half, we played pretty well,” Capers coach Ben Raymond said. “We had plenty of possession, but we weren’t very dangerous. That’s kind of our thing. We did a lot of nice things, but we weren’t as dangerous as we needed to be. That’s something we need to work on and we’ll continue to work on.

“We’ve got to get into a groove, but it’s tough without having the same guys over and over again. We’re still dealing with some injuries and it affects us more than we think. Greely’s a good team. They’re competitive, they worked hard and they’re fast. They played really well today and I think they definitely outworked us in the second half.”

In the win over the Flyers, Sam Cochran and Rory O’Grady scored two goals apiece and Haydar added one. Against the Knights, Cochran scored twice, as did Henry Moore, while O’Grady and Alex van Huystee finished with one goal. Cape Elizabeth hosted Freeport Thursday and closes at three-time reigning Class B champion Yarmouth Monday.

“I think we need to continue to get everybody healthy,” Raymond said. “We have to be more dangerous in the final third. Our possession is really good, but our final balls are a little late or not on target. Our timing isn’t quite there. We’re still working guys in. Other guys have had lot of opportunity. We’ll have a deep group when we make a run in the playoffs.”

Girls’ soccer

On the girls’ side, defending state champion Scarborough improved to 11-1 and first in Class A South following victories at home over Bonny Eagle (3-0), at Deering (3-0) and at Marshwood (5-1) extended its win streak to eight games. Against the Scots, Lana Djuranovic, Delia Fravert and Maya Taylor scored the goals and goalkeeper Sophia Rinaldi made six saves. Djuranovic scored two more goals against the Rams, while Avery Charland also found the net. In the win over the Hawks, Djuranovic scored twice, while Fravert, Maggie Booth and Talia Borelli also had goals. The Red Storm were at Sanford Wednesday and close the regular season at Falmouth Monday.

South Portland was 5-4-2 and eighth in Class A South after blanking visiting Deering (3-0) and losing at home to Noble (1-0). In the victory, Nola Gorneau scored twice and Brooke Lawton also had a goal, while goalkeeper Amelia Burton-Fowler stopped six shots. The Red Riots hosted Biddeford Wednesday, go to Portland Friday and close at home versus Kennebunk Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth was 11-1 and second to reigning state champion Yarmouth in the Heals following home wins over Greely (2-1) and Poland (8-0). Hailey Gorman and Noelle Mallory had the goals against the Rangers. In the win over the Knights, Mallory led the way with two goals. Evelyn Agrodnia, Lucie Boudreau, CC Duryee, Mimi McEvoy, Addie Miller and Gigi Sprague also scored. The Capers were at Freeport Thursday and close with a home showdown versus Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.

Field hockey

Cape Elizabeth’s field hockey team was 7-4-1 and fifth in the Class B South Heals after a 2-0 victory at Fryeburg Academy, a 1-0 loss at Greely and a 1-1 tie at Lake Region. The Capers host reigning regional champion Freeport Friday and close at home versus York Monday.

In Class A South, Scarborough was 5-6 and seventh following a 3-0 loss at Biddeford and a 2-1 (double-overtime) home victory over Noble. In the win, Laine Niles scored in regulation and Caroline Hartley won it in OT. The Red Storm went to Falmouth Wednesday (see our website for game story), host Sanford Saturday, then close at home versus South Portland/Westbrook Tuesday of next week.

The South Portland/Westbrook co-op team was 1-10 and 15th in Class A South (where 10 teams qualify for the playoffs) after losing at Marshwood (5-0) and Bonny Eagle (2-1). South Portland/Westbrook was at Portland/Deering Wednesday, hosts reigning regional champion Cheverus Friday and closes at Scarborough Tuesday of next week.

Volleyball

Scarborough’s volleyball team improved to 9-3 and third in the Class A statewide Heals after beating visiting Biddeford, the reigning Class A champion, in four-games and blanking host South Portland (25-14, 25-10, 26-24). The Red Storm welcomed York Thursday and close at home versus Falmouth Monday.

South Portland fell to 3-9 and 12th after a five-set loss at Marshwood and a 3-0 (14-25, 10-25, 24-26) home loss to Scarborough. The Red Storm went to Cape Elizabeth Thursday and finish at home versus Portland Monday.

In Class B, Cape Elizabeth was 6-4 and seventh following a five-set (21-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-10, 15-13) home win over York last week. The Capers hosted South Portland Thursday, go to Messalonskee Saturday and close at four-time reigning Class B champion Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.

Cross country

Scarborough hosted Falmouth, Gorham and Windham in a cross country meet last week. The Red Storm boys were first and had the top five individuals, led by Ethan Keller, who had a time of 16 minutes, 37 seconds. In the girls’ race, won by Falmouth, Scarborough finished third and had the top individual in Kyleigh Record (19:55).

Cape Elizabeth hosted Maine Coast Waldorf, Old Orchard Beach, Waynflete and Yarmouth. The Capers boys were first. Finn Morris had the top time (17:25). The girls were also first, as Emma Young placed second (20:15).

South Portland took part in a five-team city meet at Smiling Hill Farm in Westbrook, hosted by Cheverus. The boys were second to Portland. Evan Small finished seventh individually (17:59.44). The girls placed third (Portland was first) and were paced by Gabbie Archibald (seventh, 23:27.94).