FALMOUTH — Sixth-seeded Portland High pulled off another upset, edging second-seeded Falmouth 3-2 in penalty kicks in a Class A South semifinal on a rain-soaked Saturday.

The Bulldogs (12-3-2), who upset No. 3 Deering in the quarterfinals, will play for the regional title Wednesday against the winner of Monday’s game between Scarborough and Gorham.

Portland won the penalty-kick shootout, 4-3. Both teams scored twice in the first three rounds, but Falmouth senior Michael Lydick narrowly missed high to start the fourth round.

Zekariya Shaib took Portland’s fourth shot and scored, getting Falmouth keeper Jack Scribner to dive to his right and open up the other side of the net.

“I set up right so I could choose the left or right side,” said Shaib. “I (faked) left and shot it right side. It was a good goal.”

Schuyler Parkinson kept Falmouth alive in the fifth round, finding the bottom left of the net. But Quinn Clarke took the final kick for Portland and put his shot into the right side of the goal.

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“Before I even walked out, I decided where I wanted to go (with the shot),” said Clarke. “I faked a little bit to the left, kicked it to the right, got the goalie going the other way (and) found the back of the net.”

Portland appeared headed for a win in regulation, holding a 2-1 lead as the clock ticked under one minute to go.

But Falmouth junior Brendan Hickey tied the game with 46 seconds left, off a corner kick.

Neither team could score in either 15-minute overtime, forcing the game into penalty kicks.

“We’ve been preaching all year long to just hang in, hang in, and give yourself a chance,” said Portland Coach Rocco Frenzilli. “I thought the boys did a great job of that and I’m proud of them.”

Portland keeper Rowan Daligan played a solid game in net, making eight saves.

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“(Falmouth was) pounding us at the end and Rowan came through,” said Frenzilli.

Falmouth (12-3-1) led 1-0 at halftime, on a goal by Hayden Farr just under 11 minutes into the game.

Portland tied it just under nine minutes into the second half on a beautiful play by Shaib and Alex Millones.

Millones sent an entry pass from the left side toward the net to Shaib, who leaped and sent a header that popped over Scribner and bounced into the net.

Millones gave the Bulldogs a 2-1 lead with 7:58 remaining in regulation.

“We were in desperation mode. We made the most of it,” said Falmouth Coach Dave Halligan.

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“You do what you’ve got to do because if you lose today, it doesn’t make a bit of difference whether you lose by one or two.”

Scribner played well in goal for Falmouth, making some crucial saves late in regulation, as well as one in overtime.

Portland, which has never won a soccer state championship, will be on the road again for the regional final against either Gorham or Scarborough.

“We’re looking forward to it, should be a good game,” said Clarke. “We’ve been improving every game, so we should give them a good fight.”

“We’re ready to go wherever. It doesn’t matter,” said Frenzilli.


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