Now the fun really begins.
With the field hockey playoffs in full swing (please see story), soccer and cross country begin their postseason runs this week. Golf wrapped up its season Saturday with the individual state championships. Here’s a glance:
Boys’ soccer
The Waynflete boys’ soccer team suffered its first loss of the 2009 season last Wednesday, 1-0 at home to North Yarmouth Academy. The visiting Panthers scored in the first half and fended off several Flyers’ bids down the stretch (including one that hit the post) to knock Waynflete from the ranks of the unbeaten.
“We were complacent today, but this might be a good thing for us,” said longtime Flyers coach Brandon Salway.
Indeed.
Saturday, Waynflete enjoyed a 4-0 victory at Richmond (senior Robin Wajler scored three times). The defending Western C champion Flyers closed their regular season Monday at home with a 2-1 win over Sacopee to finish 12-1-1 (their best regular season mark ever and their first 10-win regular season since 1998). Waynflete was second in the Heals as of Tuesday morning.
In Western A, Cheverus and Portland appear playoff-bound, while Deering will likely be on the outside looking in.
The Stags held off visiting Thornton Academy 3-2 last Tuesday (senior Scott Moody, sophomore Nick Melville and freshman Parker Doyon had the goals), then were upset 1-0 at Deering Thursday. Cheverus closed its regular season Monday with a 3-2 home loss to South Portland. At 8-5-1 and fifth in the Western A Heals, the Stags will start the postseason on the road.
The Rams improved to 5-7-1 with the win over the Stags, junior Charlie Dupee scored the goal and senior goalkeeper Pat Bride came up big to preserve the victory). Deering had lost three straight, including a 4-0 setback at Kennebunk last Tuesday. The Rams (12th in Western A, only the top nine qualify for the playoffs) closed at Marshwood Tuesday.
The Bulldogs of Portland are finishing the season in style. Portland was a 4-0 home victor over Marshwood Tuesday (junior standout Fazal Nabi scored twice), then eked out a 2-1 decision at South Portland Thursday (behind two second half goals from Nabi, including the winner on a penalty kick in the final minute) to improve to 8-3-2 with its sixth successive victory. The Bulldogs (fourth in Western A) wrapped up their regular season Tuesday at home against dangerous Bonny Eagle.
The boys’ soccer playoffs begin Saturday with the preliminary round. The quarterfinals are Wednesday, Oct. 28. Games will be contested on the field of the higher seed.
Girls’ soccer
Four of five local girls’ soccer teams will make the playoffs.
In Western C, defending state champion Waynflete remained hot with recent victories over visiting Old Orchard Beach Thursday (7-2, behind five goals from senior standout Morgan Woodhouse) and host Sacopee Monday (5-0) to finish the regular year 13-1 (good for third in the Heal Points standings). The Flyers now await their final ranking and first-round foe, which could be rival North Yarmouth Academy.
In Western A, Cheverus and Deering did battle Friday in a contest rife with Heal Points implications. The teams settled for a 0-0 draw, leaving the Stags 8-2-3. Cheverus (fifth in the standings) closed its regular season Tuesday at home versus McAuley.
The Rams (who were coming off a 3-2 overtime setback at Kennebunk) are now 7-4-2. Deering (seventh in Western A) closed its regular season Tuesday at home versus Windham.
McAuley snapped an eight-game unbeaten streak (0-6-2) Tuesday with a 1-0 home win over South Portland (on sophomore Kathryn O’Donoghue’s late goal), but fell to 3-8-2 Friday after a 2-1 home loss to undefeated Thornton Academy. Junior Maura Esten had the lone goal. The Lions (16th in the Heals) closed their season at Cheverus Tuesday.
Portland’s girls, like the boys, are coming on at the right time. Friday, the Bulldogs made it four straight with a 1-0 victory at South Portland to improve to 7-4-2 (sixth in Western A). Senior Kristen Baker had the goal and freshman goalkeeper Mishale Nabi kept the Red Riots at bay. Tuesday, Portland capped its regular season with a game at Kennebunk.
The girls’ soccer playoffs start Friday with the preliminary round. The quarterfinals are Tuesday of next week. Both rounds will feature the higher seeded team playing host.
Cross country
Cheverus hosted Deering, McAuley, Portland and South Portland in a cross country meet Friday which brought the curtain down on the regular season.
The Stags won both the boys’ and girls’ races. Deering was third on both sides. Portland came in fourth in the boys’ race and fifth in the girls’. McAuley placed fourth on the girls’ side. Cheverus’ Jack Terwilliger was the top male individual (16 minutes, 50 seconds). Stags sophomore Emily Durgin won the girls’ race (18:51).
Waynflete, meanwhile, ended its regular season at North Yarmouth Academy. The girls came in first. The boys finished fourth.
The regional championships will be held Saturday at Twin Brook in Cumberland.The Class A girls (Cheverus, Deering, McAuley and Portland) run at 10 a.m. The Class A boys’ race starts at 10:35 a.m. Waynflete’s girls start at 12:20 p.m. The boys run at 12:55 p.m.
The state championship meet is Saturday, Oct. 31, back at Twin Brook.
Golf
Several golfers from the city took part in the individual state championships Saturday at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro. The top finisher was Cheverus’ D.J. Honan, who shot a 75, which left him tied for second with Cony’s Kyle Bonenfant, two shots behind champion Brian Angis of Thornton Academy. Cheverus’ Kyle Bourasa finshed with an 84. Deering’s Ben Rodick came in fourth with a 77. Rocco Spizuoco shot an 81, Joe Walp finished with an 82, Cooper Nadeau shot an 84, Jake Nichols finished with an 87 and Ryan Bourgault shot a 96.
In Class C, Waynflete’s Tom Spagnola shot a 79 to place eighth (NYA’s Tim Millett was the champion, shooting a 71).
In the girls’ championship meet, Deering’s Sam Loring (107), Austin Lemoult (124) and Delaney Loring (134) took part. Greely’s Laura Grant (83) won the title.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net
The girls’ race featured a plethora of local standouts Friday. From left, Portland’s Nywal Lia (10th), McAuley’s Becca Kaiser (14th) and Deering’s Ania Chandler (11th) showed their form. Cheverus came in first as a team.
Sidebar Elements
Cheverus’ Jack Terwilliger (left) and Taylor Dundas helped pace the Stags to a first-place finish at Cheverus last Friday in the annual “City Championship,” which also included Deering, McAuley, Portland and South Portland. Terwilliger was the top individual, Dundas came in second.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.