PORTLAND – Portland responded to a wakeup call Thursday night by registering a dominant 6-0 win against Bonny Eagle in an SMAA boys’ soccer game at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

A week ago, the Bulldogs pulled off an early-season upset, eking out a 1-0 against defending Class A state champion Scarborough.

It was a rare loss for the Red Storm on their home turf.

Tuesday night, Noble eked out a 1-0 win against Portland at North Berwick.

The Bulldogs got the message.

“When we beat Scarborough we let it get to our heads,” said Portland captain Sam Farr, a sophomore who had assisted on one of the goals Thursday night. “We thought we were on top, and we came out flat (against Noble). They scored a quick goal. Noble played well, and we didn’t come together as a team that well.”

Two days after that loss, the Bulldogs were a different team.

“This was a good game to really come together as a team,” Farr said. “We really played well. We had tons of people passing the ball and moving. Just keeping it going.”

Steve Rwendeye and Yusef Yama, a senior transfer student who helped Lewiston advance to the Eastern Class A final last fall, each scored two goals.

Yama opened the scoring two minutes into the game by tucking a shot just under crossbar from 25 yards out on the right side.

During the 14th minute, Josh Irving made it 2-0 when he beat Bonny Eagle goalie Jeff Martin to Farr’s pass from the middle to the left side of the penalty area.

After intercepting a clearing pass less than 18 minutes into the game, Ibraham Dahir rolled a shot inside the far post from 15 yards out on the left side to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead.

“They moved the ball really well from the midfield to the forwards,” Bonny Eagle Coach Larry Robertson said. “They definitely came out with more enthusiasm than we showed in the beginning.”

The Bulldogs (3-1) never let up. They held a 26-3 edge in shots over the Scots (3-2).

“Credit to them all the way,” Robertson said. “From the get-go, they were pushing the ball more and more, getting us back on our heels.”

Portland goalie Bobby Brittingham only had to handle the ball three times during the first 40 minutes.

In the 23rd minute, the sophomore goalie dived to his left to bat James Patchell’s penalty kick away from the Portland net.

It was the only save he had to make in the game.

“To go down three-nil so early in a game is definitely deflating,” Robertson said. “It’s just about teaching the boys when you get down like that you’re still in the game. It’s not over.”

The Bulldogs held a 4-0 lead at halftime.

“The parity in this league is such that anybody at any time can beat anybody else,” Portland Coach Rocci Frenzilli said.

“Tonight we came out, and we were fortunate to get on top early.”

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

pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH