PORTLAND – The crowd at Fitzpatrick Stadium cheered a little longer and a little louder when Waynflete players Peabo Knoth and Zander Majercik were introduced during a celebration after a boys’ soccer game Wednesday.

With good reason. Knoth and Majercik had everything to do with the Flyers’ 3-1 win over North Yarmouth Academy in the Western Class C final.

Knoth scored twice and had an assist as top-seeded Waynflete (13-1-3) took a big early lead. Majercik protected it in the second half when the ninth-seeded Panthers (9-7-2) ramped up their offense.

“We knew NYA would come back at us,” Waynflete Coach Brandon Salway said. “We were on our heels a little bit. Not only in the second half but at the start of the game. I give (NYA) credit for that.”

Knoth got credit for giving Waynflete its 3-0 cushion. He scored the first goal in the eighth minute. A throw-in from Paul Runyambo bounced several times as it came through the goal box. Knoth found it at his feet and knocked it in.

Twenty minutes later, with 12:08 to play in the half, Knoth delivered a corner kick to Mohammed Suja, whose shot caromed off the NYA defense. Harry Baker-Connick blasted the loose ball in for a 2-0 lead.

With the Panthers reeling, Knoth capitalized. He took a long run toward the NYA goal, deked a defender and booted a left-footed shot into the back of the net for a 3-0 lead with 10:47 left in the half.

Knoth celebrated by running past the NYA goal, arms and hands out to the side, as if he was asking what the Panthers were going to do to stop the Flyers. Knoth was given a yellow card for the celebration.

“We were just extremely frustrated because those were two soft, soft goals,” NYA Coach Martyn Keen said, referring to Knoth’s scores. “He’s a great player but we had some big letdowns there.”

The Panthers didn’t have any defensive letdowns in the second half, but neither did Waynflete. The Flyers can thank Majercik, their goalkeeper, for that.

During a 15-minute span in the second half, Majercik was forced to make six saves while Waynflete couldn’t manage a shot on NYA.

With 17:06 left, D.J. Nicholas of NYA fired a shot off a Waynflete defender. The ball bounced back to Nicholas, who ripped a shot into the top right corner.

“The really tense moment for me was after that NYA goal,” Majercik said.

“We were down.”

Down but not out.

The Flyers took care of business down the stretch to protect their lead.

Waynflete will have to hope Knoth and Majercik are in fine form again Saturday when the Flyers take on Houlton (14-2-1) at Hampden Academy for the Class C state championship.