July 29, 2011
Scarborough boys, girls repeat in Maine
by Michael Hoffer/
The 2011 Maine high school lacrosse championships truly had something for everyone. Fans saw two teams repeat, a third win it all for the first time and then, after a nearly two-hour delay after a potent thunderstorm moved through the area, a special group of seniors finally earn their long-awaited crown.
The fun began on the morning of June 18 with the Class A boys’ game between defending champion Scarborough and up-and-coming Lewiston, making its first state appearance since 2006. Scarborough held off Lewiston, 6-4, for its second consecutive championship and fourth in six seasons.
Scarborough’s Red Storm appeared in control early, up 3-0, but the Blue Devils didn’t wilt and tied the game at 4 late in the third period on senior Ryan Lemelin’s goal. Scarborough (14-1) answered right back, however, with 49.8 seconds to go in the quarter when sophomore standout John Wheeler fired a low shot past Lewiston senior goalie Jesse Leeman. An unassisted goal from junior Ryan Pallotta early in the fourth gave the Red Storm some breathing room and a tremendous defensive effort slammed the door.
Senior Peter Moore led the way with two goals. The Blue Devils’ dynamic senior tandem of Sam Cloutier and Curtis Robinson was held to three goals. Lewiston finished 13-2, its best season to date.
Next up, the Scarborough girls followed the boys’ lead and went back-to-back in championship games, beating Brunswick, 13-11.
Facing a traditionally strong Brunswick squad — which won Class A in 2008 and ’09 — the Red Storm dug an early 3-1 hole, but their unrivaled midfield combination of juniors Kelsey Howard, Laura Przybylowicz, Maggie Smith and Mary Scott got the offense going. The foursome — which scored 10 goals on the day — took control of the game; while the Dragons were able to tie the score at six and at seven, a three-goal surge gave Scarborough the lead for good. Up 12-8 late, the Red Storm appeared home free until Brunswick sophomore standout Dakota Foster scored three successive goals off draw wins in a one minute span to make it 12-11. Scarborough iced it on an empty-netter with two seconds remaining.
Scarborough (14-1) was paced by three goals each from Przybylowicz and Smith. Brunswick (11-4) got four from Foster.
The Class B boys’ contest was seemingly a foregone conclusion, because three days earlier — in the de facto state title game — Falmouth finally got over the hump and beat defending champion Cape Elizabeth. In their first state title tilt since 2007, the Yachtsmen defeated North Yarmouth Academy, 15-4.
Falmouth dominated the Panthers in two regular-season meetings and did so again, never trailing, racing to a 4-1 lead after one period, a 7-2 advantage at the half, a 10-2 bulge after three and ultimately inducing a mercy-rule running clock in racing to the 15-4 win.
Junior All-American Mitch Tapley had four goals and four assists. Junior Jack Cooleen and sophomore Willy Sipperly scored three times apiece for Falmouth (14-1). North Yarmouth Academy finished 8-8.
Everyone on hand was eager to witness the final game of the day — the Class B girls’ showdown between perennial powerhouse Waynflete and the best team of the regular season, Yarmouth. Just before the teams took the field to warm up, however, Mother Nature intervened with rain, hail, thunder and lightning. The game started nearly two hours later.
Yarmouth won the tight, back-and-forth game, defeating Waynflete, 9-8.
The Clippers, featuring 12 superb seniors who had never participated in a state-title game, had gotten a huge dose of confidence by finally beating defending state champion and recent playoff nemesis North Yarmouth Academy in the regional final three days prior. At states, Yarmouth showed no nerves early, racing to a 3-0 lead but, as they so often do, the Flyers rallied to tie.
A late goal from Danielle Torres put the Clippers on top at the half, but less than four minutes into the second half, Yarmouth was dealt a cruel blow as Becca Bell received her second yellow card.
Waynflete took advantage, going up 6-5, on a goal from sophomore Sadie Cole, but Yarmouth got back-to-back goals from Natalie Salmon to retake the lead. A Cole goal in transition with 11 minutes to play tied the score. After Torres put the Clippers back on top 32 seconds later, sophomore Martha Veroneau raced three-quarters of the field for a goal with 8:27 left to tie the score again. Then, with 6:40 to play, Torres was given a free-position opportunity after the Flyers were given an offsides penalty; she buried the shot, and Yarmouth won its first title since 2007.
Torres, a three-time All-American, led the way for Yarmouth (14-1) with four goals and an assist. Salmon scored twice and had two assists and Devin Simsarian scored once, assisted twice, grabbed a game-high 15 ground balls and filled in admirably for Bell in the draw circle, winning five of seven opportunities.
The Flyers (12-3) got four goals from Cole and two from Veroneau.
This article originally appeared in the July 2011 issue of New England Lacrosse Journal.
Michael Hoffer can be reached at feedback@laxjournal.com
