KENNEBUNK — Despite seeing his team score 76 goals in its first four games, South Portland Coach Tom Fiorini knew his boys’ lacrosse players had a higher gear and told them so at practice Thursday.

His team got the message.

Kam Andrews had six goals and three assists Friday night, Jack Fiorini added six goals and an assist, and the Red Riots romped to a fifth straight blowout victory to begin the season by beating Kennebunk, 19-4.

Eben Babbidge also scored three goals, and Andrew Whipple chipped in two goals and six assists for South Portland, which has outscored opponents 95-19.

Fourteen of South Portland’s 19 goals were assisted, including 11 of 14 in a first half in which all but one of the Red Riots’ 15 shots got past goalie James Ross of Kennebunk (3-2).

The Fiorinis, father and son, attributed those stats to one thing: better ball movement.

“That’s how lacrosse is played, the ball moves quickly. That’s what we demand at the program,” Coach Fiorini said. “You keep your heads up and find the open man. It was a fun thing to watch tonight.”

“All week Coach has been preaching more ball movement instead of just pushing, pushing and fast-breaking,” Jack Fiorini said. “We used it here tonight. We were just worried about winning each matchup.”

Fiorini did that early, scoring his team’s first three goals from virtually the same spot up top as Kennebunk attempted to use a zone to neutralize South Portland’s powerful offense.

Challenged to shoot 15 yards from the cage, Fiorini deposited three straight shots past Ross to force the Rams out of the zone.

“The top side was sinking in so much when Whipple or Kam had it down low, so I stepped up and let it rip,” Fiorini said.

From there the Red Riots let loose, picking apart the Rams’ man-to-man defense and scoring nine goals in a span of 8:32 to open a 12-2 lead and all but put the game away.

The win was South Portland’s first at Kennebunk, which Andrews said was a motivation heading into the game.

“We just came in here knowing it was a pretty big game,” Andrews said. “Having never won a game at this field ever, we really wanted to win.”

Kennebunk went into the game short-handed, playing without five starters, including its entire first midfield line. Those absences showed, as the Red Riots controlled the faceoff circle and battles for 50-50 balls in the midfield.

Bo Beveridge had three of the four goals for the Rams, who were outshot 42-24 and lost the ground-ball battle 36-18.

“They outplayed us,” Kennebunk Coach Dan Seavey said. “They were all on the same page. They move the ball well, they were scrappier, they won the ground-ball battle, and that’s really what it came down to.”

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