An unspeakable tragedy and subsequent manhunt last week put high school sports on the back burner and as a result, the fall sports playoffs took a short hiatus.
As the quarterfinal round of the field hockey and boys’ and girls’ soccer tournaments were coming to an end last Wednesday, word came from Lewiston of a mass shooting that ultimately took 18 lives. For the next 48 hours, everything was on hold due to a manhunt for the gunman, Robert Card, who was eventually found after fatally shooting himself.
Contests scheduled for Friday, Saturday were postponed, as were most games Monday.
Maine Principals’ Association Executive Director Mike Burnham said it decided it was important for schools to connect with their students and check on them mentally and socially before resuming playoffs.
“We’ve never been through this,” Burnham said. “We’ve not had one school say to us we should be playing this weekend. Schools across the state are dealing with this. It’s truly impacted everyone.”
While hearts remained heavy, games returned Monday night.
Here’s an overview of just who’s left in the postseason picture, who they play and what remains on the schedule:
Cross country
The cross country state meet was originally scheduled to be held Saturday in Belfast, but was rescheduled for this coming Saturday at the same location.
The Class B girls get the day underway at 11 a.m. The Class B boys’ race begins at 11:40 a.m. The Class A girls’ race starts at 1:40 p.m. The Class A boys’ meet begins at 2:20 p.m.
The New England championship meet is the following Saturday, Nov. 11, also in Belfast.
Volleyball
Scarborough’s Alana Sawyer goes to the floor to save the ball during Tuesday’s loss to Gorham in the Class A state final. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald
Scarborough’s volleyball team came agonizingly close to a state title.
The Red Storm, the No. 3 seed in Class A, had no trouble with No. 6 Bonny Eagle in the state quarterfinals, winning in straight sets. Last Wednesday, Scarborough went to second-ranked Biddeford, the defending champions, for the semifinals and prevailed in a five-game thriller (23-25, 25-22, 26-24, 18-25, 17-15).
“We expected it to be a game,” first-year Scarborough coach Nicole Petherbridge said. “We had split with them in the regular season. Every match had been close. This tight, it was more than we bargained for. More than anyone bargained for. They’re an awesome team and I’d expect nothing less from them.”
The Red Storm were supposed to face top-ranked Gorham in the state match Friday at the University of Southern Maine, but that match was moved back to Tuesday at the same location. Scarborough dropped the first two games, 17-25 and 11-25, then extended the match with a 25-23 third set victory before losing the fourth game, 21-25, to fall, 3-1, and finish the season 13-4.
“It was a great season indeed,” said Petherbridge. “We accomplished so much and it feels better knowing that we did so as a team. One of our focuses for this season was trusting each other on the court, which enabled us to play as a unit rather than as six individuals. Everyone knew their role, whether it was as a six-rotation player, a serving specialist, or someone coming off the bench, and truly embraced it.
“I think our opponents would agree that we were relentless, another one of our team values. We fought for several close sets right down to the wire, especially when we were coming from behind. We were relentless right up until the end of the season, going on a seven-point run when Gorham had match point for the state championship. Our semifinal win against Biddeford stands out in my mind because it encapsulates all the tangibles and intangibles we’ve worked on: serving tough, attacking aggressively and strategically and impressive ball control that enabled us to run our offense.
“We had reliable performers all season like Natalie Moynihan, Olivia Smith, Alana Sawyer, Rose Dittmer and Julia Strouse, but every person on that court took our game plan to heart. Samantha Cote, Bella Cosma, Ray Chamberlain, Brooke Wardrop, Elizabeth Aubrey, and Olivia Ingream also made the most of their time and stepped up in big moments. I love coaching this team because they are always looking for ways to celebrate each other and they have had so much to celebrate.”
Graduation will take a toll on the Red Storm, but look for them to do their all to take the final step in 2024.
“We obviously lose our nine seniors, who have certainly been the pulse of our program, however, we have several underclassmen who have seen game time throughout the season and who I know are eager to carry on a similar legacy,” Petherbridge said. “Natalie will be our only returning starter, but Evelyn Winslow, Olivia Ingream, Ally Canatsey, Anna Knott, Megan Hassett, and Madi Clements have all come off the bench at different points throughout the season. That’s not to mention the potential that we have developing on our JV squad.
“I think a lot of our goals will be the same next year in terms of serving tough, prioritizing our ball control and looking for opportunities to run our offense, but our style of play will definitely be tailored to what personnel we have. This year’s group is a hard one to say goodbye to, but they are definitely leaving the program fired up and in good hands.”
Field hockey
Scarborough senior Caroline Hartley drives a long hit during Tuesday’s semifinal round playoff loss to Cheverus. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster
The field hockey season has come to a close in Forecaster Country.
Last week, in the Class B South quarterfinals, No. 5 Cape Elizabeth lost at fourth-ranked York, 4-1, to finish 8-6-1. The Capers had beaten the Wildcats twice during the regular season and got a goal from Clio Cook-Sharp, but it wasn’t enough.
“Honestly, just (the) energy (was different) as the game went on,” Cape Elizabeth coach Maura Bisogni said. “I think the first quarter was good, I’m glad we answered, but their energy and focus outlasted us throughout the game.”
In Class A South, Scarborough, the No. 4 seed, survived No. 5 Falmouth in a thrilling quarterfinal last week, 2-1, in overtime. Laney Niles scored in regulation and Maggie Pendergast played the hero in OT by scoring on a penalty stroke. Tuesday, however, the Red Storm were no match for top-ranked Cheverus, losing, 7-0, to finish 9-7. Goalie Jamila Mohamed made 17 saves, but Scarborough couldn’t muster a shot on cage.
“We can last for so long, but their skill offsets ours and it showed after awhile,” said longtime Red Storm coach Kerry Mariello. “Our inexperience was exposed again. We hung tough. We had nothing to lose and we gave it everything we’ve got. It would have been a fairy tale ending to beat them, but the reality is that Cheverus is a darn good team and they deserve to be where they’re at.
“The score wasn’t an indication of how our season was. I thought we became the best version of ourselves. I think we exceeded a lot of what I expected and what the league expected of us. I hope the girls loved being part of a team and learned the lessons they needed to learn along the way. These girls gave me everything they had every minute of every day and that’s all you can ask for as a coach. They dug deep.”
Scarborough loses some key contributors, but this year’s experience should serve it well going forward.
“We graduate five, but the team’s future is very promising,” said Mariello.
Boys’ soccer
Scarborough’s Khalil Ghosheh fights for the ball in traffic during last week’s overtime playoff loss at Portland. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald
Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ soccer team was still in the championship hunt at press time.
The Capers, ranked second in Class B South, dispatched No. 7 Morse, 5-0, in last week’s quarterfinals. Sam Cochran scored twice, while Tully Haydar, Keegan Lathrop and Rory O’Grady all had one goal.
Cape Elizabeth (10-4-1) semifinal round tilt versus No. 3 Lincoln Academy (11-1-3) moved to Thursday (after our deadline). The teams didn’t meet during the regular season. The Capers won the two prior playoff meetings, with a 2-0 victory in the 2018 quarterfinals the most recent.
If Cape Elizabeth advanced to the Class B South Final, it will battle either top-seed and three-time reigning champion Yarmouth (13-2) or No. 4 York (9-5-1) next Wednesday evening at Deering High School in Portland.
The Class B state game is Saturday, Nov. 11, at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham.
In Class A South, fifth-ranked Scarborough defeated No. 12 Marshwood, 2-0, in its preliminary round match, but last Wednesday in the quarterfinals, the Red Storm lost at fourth-seeded Portland, 1-0, in double-overtime. Scarborough goalkeeper Seamus Corry was sensational, making 18 saves, including numerous highlight-reel stops, but the Bulldogs scored on a rebound to advance and end the Red Storm’s season at 10-5-1.
“Portland’s as good a team as I’ve seen in the state and we took them to the wire,” longtime Scarborough coach Mark Diaz said. “My kids did a lot of things right tonight and I’m really proud of the effort. The guys followed the game plan almost to perfection. We just needed a bounce, but we didn’t get one. It was tough at the end.”
The Red Storm lose 14 seniors who made a big impact over the past several weeks.
“We’ve come so far,” Diaz said. “I feel badly for the seniors, but the effort was there and I’m so proud of the guys. We moved some people around and I give my senior class credit. They might not be the senior class of last year, but they took pride in their work and turned things around. They made it happen. They really did.”
Scarborough returns a lot of key pieces, however, and should be back among the top teams in the league again in 2024.
“There’s a lot of young guys on this team and this was a good learning experience for them,” Diaz said.
South Portland, seeded eighth in Class A South, blanked No. 9 Bonny Eagle, 1-0, in its prelim, then was ousted, 4-0, by top-seeded Windham in the quarterfinals to finish 7-6-3. Goalie Michael Zaccaria made 10 saves in defeat.
Girls’ soccer
On the girls’ side, reigning champion Scarborough found itself two wins away from a repeat title at press time.
The Red Storm, seeded first in Class A South, had no trouble with No. 8 South Portland in last week’s quarterfinals, prevailing, 5-0. Scarborough (14-1) hosted No. 5 Cheverus (11-3-2) Thursday in the semifinals. The Red Storm beat the visiting Stags, 3-0, on Sept. 20 and were 7-0 all-time versus Cheverus in the playoffs, with a 2-1 victory in last year’s semifinals the most recent.
If Scarborough advanced to the Class A South Final Tuesday of next week at Kennebunk High School, it would take on either No. 2 Gorham (12-1-2) or third-seeded Windham (11-3-1).
The Class A state final is Saturday, Nov. 11 at Messalonskee High School in Oakland.
In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth, the No. 2 seed, blanked No. 7 Wells, 3-0, in the quarterfinals last Tuesday. The Capers host No. 3 Greely (8-5-2) in the semifinals Friday at 5 p.m. (see our website for game story). Cape Elizabeth won both regular season meetings, 4-1 on the road Sept. 7 and 2-1 at home Oct. 5. The Capers are 11-10 all-time versus the Rangers in the playoffs, with a 5-0 victory in the 2021 quarterfinals the most recent
If Cape Elizabeth reaches the regional final Wednesday of next week at Deering High School in Portland, it will battle either top-ranked, reigning champion Yarmouth (13-1-1) or No. 4 Freeport (8-4-3).
The Class B state game is Saturday, Nov. 11, at Mt. Ararat High School in Topsham.
Football
South Portland quarterback Easton Healy looks to throw under pressure during Tuesday’s loss at rival Portland. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster
Cape Elizabeth’s football team was the lone Forecaster Country team to reach the playoffs.
The Capers, ranked fourth in Class C South, defeated No. 4 York, 41-6, Monday in the quarterfinals to improve to 3-6. Mike Foley scored on touchdown runs of 44- and 36-yards and Danny Gray added a 5-yard scoring run to produce a 22-0 lead after one quarter. Logan McVeigh’s 39-yard touchdown pass from Brady Inman in the second quarter made it 29-6 at halftime. Foley added a 20-yard TD run in the third period, then McVeigh scored on a 16-yard rush in the fourth to account for the final score.
Cape Elizabeth will go to top-ranked, reigning state champion Leavitt (8-0) for the semifinals Saturday at 5 p.m. The Hornets won the regular season meeting, 45-7, Sept. 8. The Capers are just 1-4 all-time versus Leavitt in the playoffs. Last year, in the regional final, the Hornets prevailed, 35-0.
In Class A South, South Portland finished 4-5 after a 34-6 loss at rival Portland in the “Battle of the Bridge” Tuesday night. The Red Riots trailed, 21-0, at halftime and after forcing a fumble, got on the board on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Easton Healy to Matthew Berry, but that was all the offense they could muster. When Sanford edged Noble, South Portland was relegated to fifth place in the region and only four teams qualified for the playoffs.
“We just didn’t get enough wins,” said Red Riots coach Aaron Filieo. “We’ll carry it into the offseason. We’re a young team and we’ll be back. I thought we had more left in us, so it’s tough to go out like this. These guys really surprised us and showed they had a lot of heart and passion and fight. We just have to clean up the schematics and execution and need to be more disciplined, plain and simple.”
Press Herald staff writers Drew Bonifant, Steve Craig, Glenn Jordan and Travis Lazarczyk contributed to this story.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023
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