PORTLAND – A sign in the stands at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Saturday read: “The Perfect Storm.”
No description could ring truer for the Scarborough girls’ lacrosse team.
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The Red Storm capped a perfect season with a decisive 11-7 win over Mt. Ararat to capture the Class A state title.
They used a balanced attack and held off the surging Eagles to win their first trophy since 2006.
“After beating Gorham we were set on winning this state championship,” said senior midfielder Ellie Morin, eye black dripping in the hot sun. “There is no better way to go out. Everyone played a part in this win.”
It was an emotional win for Coach Marcia Wood, who three times carried her senior class off the field before even reaching the state title game in 2007, 2008 and 2009.
“The hardest part as a coach is to pick up players off the field crying,” said Wood. “I didn’t think I could do it again. This feels so good.”
Scarborough got on board first with a goal from Lindsay Hagerman, off a feed from Morin.
Rowley Jones answered for the Eagles with a low shot at 20:33.
Brittany Ross and Maggie Smith added goals for Scarborough at 19:52 and 16:49 to make it 3-1.
The Eagles kept coming, tying it 3-3 on goals from Haley Michaud and Hayley LaPointe at 16:33 and 14:29.
Morin made it 4-3 after busting through traffic at 13:15, and Laura Przybylowicz made it 5-3 off a feed from Hagerman.
Whitney Dano scored her first of three goals to cut the lead to 5-4.
But Scarborough found the net three more times by halftime, with another from Przybylowicz, and one apiece from Kelsey Howard and Meghan Quirk.
Ten scoreless minutes went by in the second half before Dano struck to make it 8-5.
Scarborough then pulled away with three more goals from Morin, Hagerman and Howard.
Mt. Ararat kept in it with goals from Dano and Michaud.
The Eagles was aware what they were up against.
“We knew they had a really balanced attack, so we tried to crash and keep those shots from happening,” said Coach Jill Carney, who will be heading to graduate school in the fall.
Her team was making its first appearance in the Class A title game.
“I couldn’t be happier we were here today,” said Carney. “I’ve got a lot of veterans and three starters who never picked up a lacrosse stick before this season.
“We’ve really grown together and I’m really proud of how they played today.”
Scarborough, meanwhile, was loaded with veterans.
Two players — Morin and Ross — won three state titles this school year. The first came in field hockey, then basketball, and now lacrosse. They went undefeated in every season.
“For me and Ellie, we really wanted everyone else to experience what we had been able to do,” said Ross. “It’s really an amazing experience. Scarborough is such a supportive community.”
Wood said her team was calm and collected, not nervous as she may have expected.
“They told me (Friday) night they were not nervous. They were calm and ready to go,” said Wood. “I think that leadership, and knowing how to win, helped them.”
At halftime she reminded them it would be their final 25 minutes together as a team.
Said Morin: “Having three state championships is … it’s something we’ll never forget.”
Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:
jmenendez@pressherald.com
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