Scarborough hosts SMYFL Gold Ball Championship game Sunday

In an era where New England pro sports teams seem to repeat, winning multiple championships year after year, it seems that that same winning reputation – and expectation – is rubbing off on the local eighth and seventh graders of Scarborough.

This Sunday, Nov. 3, the Scarborough Junior Red Storm Varsity football team will defend their Southern Maine Youth Football League Gold Ball Championship on their home turf against the Noble Squires. In the opening round of the playoffs, No. 3 Scarborough beat No. 6 Somersworth 36-12, setting up a semi-final matchup against Saco last Sunday. The Red Storm thundered to 27-6 win over the No. 2 Trojans at Thornton Academy, getting the chance to win back-to-back Gold Balls with a win against Noble this Sunday.

The Red Storm will be facing the Squires for the second time in three weeks, and as a result of their 14 to 12 win over the Berwick club and a higher playoff ranking, will have the home field advantage for the game.

“I am so proud of this team to make it back to the championship game and have the chance to win a second Gold Ball at home in front of all of our great fans and families who have supported us throughout this season” said head coach George Spino.

The game will be held at the Cliff “Kippy” Mitchell field with a 1:30 p.m. kick off.

Semifinals: Storm topple Trojans

With a trip to the finals at stake, the Scarborough Middle School faced off against cross-town rival Saco in the semifinal round of the SMYFL playoffs last Sunday.

Scarborough won the toss and elected to receive. With a deep kickoff by the Trojans, Scarborough failed to come up with the ball and quickly ended up on defense. And on the very next play, John Remmes of Saco slipped through the Red Storm defense to put six points on the board in the first 17 seconds of the game.

The Red Storm must have decided to either take a mental “redo” or just hunker down and play their brand of football. And play they did.

On their first offensive drive, Scarborough quickly took control, with Matt Brown running for 19 yards and a first down. Quarterback Ben Wessel drove his offense downfield, getting Brown the ball as much as possible and four plays later, took the lead 7-6.

The visiting defense showed no mercy over the next series of downs, driving the Trojan offense back deep into their own territory and facing a 1st and 40 from the five yard line. Defensive lineman Logan Mars forced the Trojans to cough up the ball, recover it only to be taken down for a safety and giving up two points to the Red Storm, making it now 9-6.

Saco would quickly find out that there was more to the Red Storm offense than Brown with Adam Ek, Kellen Smith and Scot Thibeault all contributing and Wessel connecting with Kolbey Adams for another touchdown. Brown set up to kick the extra point and then faked out the Trojans, passing to Anthony Dibiase for the successful two-point conversion, and increasing the lead to 17-6.

Mars kept up the defensive pressure, sacking the Trojan’s quarterback. DiBiase, Harry Motter and Brown also delivered on defense. Then, Matt Brown caused a Saco fumble, Mars came up with the ball and found himself running into the end zone for his first touchdown of the season. Ben Wessel ran a keeper play for another two-point conversion to make the score 25-6.

Towards the end of the second quarter, Scarborough made two end zone runs, only to have them called back on penalties. Thankfully for Saco, the half ended before the Red Storm could score again.

In the second half, one more safety from Matt Brown would make the score 27-6. Nick Mercer picked off the Trojans for a late interception and the fourth period saw a lot of Red Storm players enjoying what was now going to be a second round playoff win.

“It’s always gratifying to see a team progress and develop as players over the course of a season like these boys have,” said Spino. “They’ve adapted to our continuous improvement philosophy and their no quit attitude was quite evident by not letting a Saco touchdown within the first 17 seconds of the game stop them.”

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