March 9, 2010
Cape Elizabeth to chase Clippers in Maine
A year after a dominating 2009 season, culminated by winning the Maine Boys’ Class B Championship for the second year in a row, the Yarmouth Clippers hope to make it three straight and four out of five in 2010. Last year, the Clippers went 15-0 against in-state opponents — losing only to Pinkerton Academy of New Hampshire — and averaged a goal differential of more than 10 per game against in-state opponents.
But after losing many key contributors to graduation, including All-American Rob Highland — now a midfielder at Bates College — the rest of the division is licking its chops, hoping for some payback, and a chance to overtake the defending champs.
Cape Elizabeth, which lost to Yarmouth in last year’s final, returns two-sport standout Tom Foden — a highly talented goal-scorer who also starred for the Capers’ state title-winning football team in the fall. Mount Blue had an unbeaten regular season in 2009, but then dropped its first playoff game to Freeport, which had a losing record; the Cougars need to make a playoff run before anyone will find their regular-season success truly impressive.
In Boys Class A, defending champ Portland suffered heavy gradation losses with the departure of All-Americans K.R. Jurgelevich and Dylan Kenney, but was so dominant against division competition last year — just one of its division opponents was able to stay within six goals of the Bulldogs — that few people expect the team to slip back into the pack. Scarborough hopes to bounce back to its 2008 championship form, but will have to recover from two brutal blowouts against Portland, most notably a 14-1 defeat in the West regional finals.
Brunswick will be looking to repeat in the East, where the pool of strong teams is a bit more shallow. The Dragons cruised through an unbeaten regular season and playoffs until taking a title game beating against Portland. As the only Class A East team to finish in the top 10 in LaxPower’s ratings, Brunswick will be heavy favorites to get back to the title game in 2010.
In girls’ Class B, Yarmouth returns Danielle Torres, who made the All-America team as a sophomore last season, as it seeks to return to the state title picture after being foiled in the tournament’s East finals by North Yarmouth Academy two years in a row.
Waynflete seeks a three-peat this year after posting a gaudy 29-1 record over the past two seasons. Wells actually entered the tournament as the second seed and was considered the biggest threat, only to lose in the West semifinals to Cape Elizabeth. Hurt by graduation, it would not be a surprise to see the Warriors take the next step this season, while Cape Elizabeth, led by Academic All-American Maddie Spagnola, will hope to avenge its loss to Waynflete in the West regional final.
In Class A, the Brunswick Dragons are looking to follow up an undefeated season by winning their third straight state title. The team returns Academic All-Americans Eliza Halmo and Rebekka Miller to lead the way.
