Marcia Wood asked her Scarborough girls’ lacrosse players late this week who among them expected to reach today’s state championship game again?

Honestly, some said, they weren’t sure.

There was an expectation to be competitive, but championship caliber?

“Now there’s a whole new level of confidence,” said Wood. “A whole new confidence and outlook.”

The defending Class A champs will bring their aggressive style to Fitzpatrick Stadium today for the first of two girls’ title games.

Scarborough (13-1) will face Brunswick (11-3) for the Class A title at 12:30 p.m., and Waynflete (12-2) will take on Yarmouth (13-1) for the Class B title at 5:30.

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“Now it’s down to playing our game,” said Wood. “It’s going to be a hard one, but we have a very athletic team. We’ve worked a little bit on being a little more aggressive and trying to get the ball back.”

Scarborough presents one of the most balanced teams in both classes.

Multiple players can score, like Kelsey Howard, Meghan Quirk and Mary Scott.

“We have so many shooters, so many that can do things on offense, it’s nice to not rely on one or two girls,” said Wood. “Every game it’s someone different who can read the defense.”

Meg Kirsch has been remarkable for a first-year goalie, and she has tough defenders fanned out in front of her.

Brunswick, meanwhile, boasts one of the top goalies in the state in Molly Herman, and the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference player of the year, Dakota Foster.

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The Dragons have reached the title game five of the last six years.

“We’ve had many more close games this year, so I think that prepares us better,” said Brunswick Coach Beth Caputi. “Yet at the same time, we’re going up against a Scarborough team that is strong from one end of the field to the other.

“We will have to play our absolute best game.” 

IN CLASS B, two storied programs will be competing. Yarmouth entered the season as an East favorite with 12 seniors — depth that doesn’t come around often.

“This is just an incredible team that really works well together,” said Coach Dorothy Holt. “They really support each other. It takes a village to beat a team like Waynflete. I think our village is ready.”

The Clippers have a few standouts but generally have reached this point with a balanced, sound team from front to back.

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“We’ve worked really hard all season to get here. It’s been their main focus,” said Holt. “And now that we’re here, I think they’ve got that drive and determination, and the support of each other.”

Waynflete, coached by Cathie Connors, is perennially deep, with a fundamentally sound, team-oriented game.

Izzer Berang and Scout Haffenreffer handle the ball well, and Martha Veroneau adds zing to any play.

“They’re coached really well, always show composure and don’t turn the ball over a lot,” said Holt. We’ve got to maintain our control, and then I think we can play really well.”

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:

jmenendez@pressherald.com

Twitter: JennMenendez

 


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