After an undefeated season in 2010, the Scarborough girls’ lacrosse team had some heavy expectations.

Turns out, 2011 is going pretty well, too.

The Red Storm sit atop Western Class A and will carry a 10-1 record into the last week of the regular season.

They are joined by the Scarborough boys’ team, which has a matching 10-1 record with one game left.

“It’s always nice to do it with the boys’ team,” said Scarborough girls’ coach Marcia Wood.

“It’s exciting if we can both be so fortunate to make it to the finals again this year.”

The girls, said Wood, have adjusted well to key losses, including Ellie Morin, the Maine Sunday Telegram lacrosse MVP.

The team knocked off top teams Gorham and Kennebunk last week to gain confidence.

“It took a little bit at the beginning to get people used to filling in the positions of the seniors last year,” said Wood.

“I don’t really know if they knew that they could do that this year. That big win against Gorham and the one (Thursday) against Kennebunk kind of gave them that confidence that they can do this.”

Sophomore goalie Meg Kirsch has been a major key on defense, said Wood.

But the entire team has stepped up: “There’s been different leading scorers every game. I’ve got a core group of juniors who’ve been playing together for a while now and they have been splitting the attack duties. So there’s not one person I feel a team could mark out.”

Boys’ coach Joe Hezlep said his group is more experienced from last year and it’s showing.

“We had a fairly young team last year that took some time to develop,” said Hezlep.

“A lot of these kids were a part of that. We were able to play a bit higher level at the beginning of the season.”

His team has a major test to close the season Wednesday against Portland (9-2). The teams met in the state final last year.

“We’ve done a really good job of letting individual players play to their strengths,” said Hezlep. “That’s when we play our best.”

Both teams do their best to attend and cheer for the other.

“One of the girls’ games got moved a couple weeks ago, and we had a bunch of players end practice early to get over there,” said Hezlep.

“That kind of support is something that’s great for the whole school.”

 

NOTES: Any lacrosse players suspended at North Yarmouth Academy for an after-prom party last week will be eligible to return June 8, the day preliminary playoff games begin.

 

THE KENNEBEC Valley Athletic Conference will hold its Class A championship games for boys’ and girls’ lacrosse Saturday at Messalonskee High in Oakland.

The girls’ game is tentatively set for 2 p.m. and the boys’ game is scheduled to start at 4.

The Class B boys’ game will be played Friday at Hoch Field in Gardiner.

 

BEST BETS: In what could be a preview of the Class B girls’ lacrosse state championship game, Waynflete, the top team in the West, will visit Yarmouth, the top team in the East, at 6 p.m. Wednesday.

On the boys’ side, Portland (9-2) visits defending Class A state champion Scarborough (10-1) in a rematch of last year’s state final.

 

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at: jmenendez@pressherald.com

Twitter: JennMenendez