CAPE ELIZABETH – This was after the celebration.

After Waynflete overcame a four-goal second-half deficit, scored three times in the final three minutes of regulation, came from behind twice in the first six-minute overtime, and finally achieved its only lead on Walker Foehl’s goal 2:40 into sudden-death overtime to give the Flyers a stunning 11-10 victory over top-ranked and previously unbeaten Cape Elizabeth in the Western Class B girls’ lacrosse final Wednesday night at Hannaford Field.

Only then could Martha Veroneau admit what she had sensed as time — and Waynflete’s season — seemed to be slipping away.

She had started to doubt.

Oh, sure, Waynflete had come back from three down to eliminate Cape Elizabeth by a goal in this same regional final a year ago.

But that was a Flyers team loaded with seniors, and they had come back quickly and spent much of the endgame playing keep-away.

And yes, second-seeded Waynflete (13-1) had just rallied from two down in Saturday’s semifinal against third-ranked Falmouth to win on a goal in the final minute.

But this time, with top-ranked Cape Elizabeth (13-1) playing on its home turf, three goals appeared to be too much to overcome.

From the sideline, a shout of encouragement reached Veroneau’s ears. It came from her twin sister, Catherine, out with an ACL injury for the second year in a row.

“Why would I go out and have this opportunity to play and not give it my all?” said Martha, emotion catching in her throat, “when there’s somebody sitting on the bench who wishes so much that she could be out there?”

Veroneau set up Foehl — who was also on the bench for last year’s regional final comeback not because of injury but because of inexperience — to cut the deficit to 8-5 with 12 minutes left in regulation.

A Cape Elizabeth penalty with five minutes left gave Waynflete a one-player advantage for two minutes, and the Flyers capitalized.

Veroneau, who either scored or assisted on 10 of her team’s 11 goals, fed Cole and Foehl on quick cuts in front of the net to make it 8-7.

With 2:21 left, Veroneau converted a steal into a transition goal for the game’s first tie since the opening five minutes.

“There’s something special about this team,” said Sadie Cole, who scored three goals for Waynflete, two of them on Veroneau assists.

In the first six-minute overtime, Cape Elizabeth went ahead 9-8 and 10-9 on goals from Hannah Newhall and Lauren Steidl, but each time Veroneau set up the tying score less than a minute later, first to Cole and then to Ella Millard.

Only stellar goaltending from Elin Sonesson (13 saves) of Cape Elizabeth on a shot by Veroneau from a free position with 27 seconds left kept the game tied. Millard nearly won it with 11 seconds left, but her shot hit the post, and Cole’s shot flew wide moments later to set up sudden death.

Cape Elizabeth won the draw and went on the attack, but Waynflete keeper Katherine Torrey (11 saves) caught a shot by Talley Perkins (two goals) and, after two turnovers, it was Waynflete’s turn, with Veroneau cradling the ball and prowling, looking for cutters.

“It was a simple draw and dump, something we’ve worked on all year,” Foehl said. “Martha made a great pass. She drew the two defenders and I slid through.”

It was the seventh assist of the game for Veroneau, who finished with three goals. Steidl had three goals for Cape Elizabeth, with Newhall, Perkins and Bella Robinson scoring two each.

“If that game doesn’t enhance the sport of lacrosse throughout the state of Maine,” said Cape Elizabeth Coach Jeff Perkins, “I don’t know what will. … The two games we’ve played them have been phenomenal lacrosse games.” 

Staff Writer Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or at:

gjordan@pressherald.com

Twitter: GlennJordanPPH