Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

October 8, 2012

High School Notebook: Golf rivals exhibit SMAA's strength

From staff reports

The Class A state team golf championship Saturday at Natanis was one of the closest competitions in that division in years.

A total of seven strokes separated the top three teams. Gorham won with a score of 309 (four best individual scores count), Greely was next with 314, and Cheverus finished third at 316.

All three teams are from the Southwestern Maine Activities Association. No surprise there. The SMAA is arguably the most competitive league in the state. Notably absent from this year's state tournament was Thornton Academy. The Golden Trojans, a state title contender in most years, failed to qualify at the SMAA qualifying tournament, held at Natanis.

Having the league's qualifying tournament at Natanis, which is in Vassalboro, doesn't make sense from a geographical standpoint, but it makes sense from a competition standpoint. It gives SMAA golfers a practice round on the course before the tournament.

Natanis has been hosting both the state team and individual championships for years. The course is centrally located, making it easier for a majority of teams, with the exception of those in Aroostook County, to travel to the tournament. And with two 18-hole courses, it can accommodate a large field.

On Saturday, individual boys' champions will be crowned in classes A, B and C, and an overall schoolgirl champion also will be decided.

The players dealt with windy conditions for the team championships, but at least the sun was out. For the most part, state tournaments (team and individuals) in recent years have been fortunate with weather, but two years ago the individual tournament was played in cold, wet and windy conditions.

CAPE ELIZABETH dresses about 25 football players for each game, and you figure the Capers would wear down as the game goes on. But the Cape defense seemed to get stronger Friday night in a 20-0 loss to Marshwood.

After giving up a lot of yards and 20 points through 2½ quarters, the Capers stopped Marshwood the rest of the way.

"We have very low numbers this year, but we're in very good shape," Cape Elizabeth Coach Aaron Filieo said. "That's been a focus of ours because we knew these guys would be playing a lot.

"Just Xs and Os, just executing plays is where we're failing ourselves."

Before the game, fans were asked to keep the Pappas family in their thoughts and prayers. Troy Pappas, a former Marshwood standout who moved on to Bates College this year as a freshman, died Friday as the result of injuries suffered when he fell down a stairwell.

IT WAS A GREAT atmosphere Friday night at Kittery's Memorial Field for Traip Academy's Homecoming game against Dirigo.

The football boosters rented 10 portable light towers so the Rangers could have a night game. That helped boost the crowd to about 1,500 -- or, according to Athletic Director Mike Roberge "about three times what we normally get."

Traip's boosters are hoping to eventually get the town of Kittery to install permanent lights at the field, where the Rangers play football and field hockey games. Crowds like that will only help.

Both teams went at each other hard and obviously had great respect for each other, based on postgame comments. Both teams, now 5-1, were complimentary of the other.

And while Dirigo beat Traip 12-6, Rangers Coach Ron Ross felt the outcome will only help his team.

(Continued on page 2)

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