FALMOUTH – Top-seeded Falmouth gave second-ranked Cape Elizabeth a different defensive look Wednesday night, and it helped the Yachtsmen claim their second consecutive Western Class B boys’ lacrosse championship.

The defending state champions used a zone defense for the first time this season and held off the Capers for a 10-9 victory.

Falmouth will play North Yarmouth Academy for the state title at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

It was the third time the two Western Maine Conference teams played one another this season. Both of their regular- season games were decided by one goal, with each team winning on its home field.

“This is one of the most intense games I’ve ever played in,” Falmouth goalie Cam Bell said. “Give Cape credit. We would score. They would score. They would score. We would score, back to back to back. It was just a great game on both sides.”

The score was tied or the lead changed hands 17 times.

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The turning point came when Charlie Fay and Mitch Tapley scored 22 seconds apart to give the Yachtsmen a 10-8 lead less than two minutes into the fourth quarter.

It was the only time either team lead by two goals.

“At that point it really gave us the confidence to do what we wanted to do defensively instead of them forcing us to play a certain way defensively,” Falmouth Coach Mike LeBel said.

“We saved a zone look for them. We’ve been practicing it all season We felt if we could give Cam a 10-yard look at the ball we would be OK. Stopping a shot from just outside the crease is tough for any goalie. He had good looks and was able to make some big-time saves.”

Bell made 13 saves as Cape held a 32-18 edge on shots.

“We had way more shots and had some good possessions,” Cape Elizabeth Coach Ben Raymond said, “but their defense played well when it had to and Cam made some big saves.”

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Abyn Reabe-Gerwig, a senior middie, won 16 of 23 draws to provide the Yachtsmen with the majority of possessions following a goal or at the start of a quarter.

“I thought we did a good job of not giving up fast breaks when they won the draw,” Raymond said.

“They’re very good offensively and we knew that coming in, and their defense today changed some things up a little bit and they played very well when they needed to.”

Tapley led Falmouth (13-1) with four goals and two assists. Fay followed with three goals and Jack Cooleen scored twice. Will Sipperly had a goal and an assist.

Alex Bornick led the Capers (12-2) with five goals and Tim Lavallee added five assists. Justin Cary scored two goals, and Brian Brett and Thomas Bottomley each scored a goal.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH

 


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