After seeing her team let a nearly game-long lead slip away, Yarmouth girls’ lacrosse coach Dorothy Holt knew the players were nervous heading into overtime of the Class B state championship game Saturday against Kennebunk.

So Holt told her players what she always tells them in such situations – take two deep breaths, and “play Yarmouth lacrosse.”

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They did.

Lilly Watson scored her first goal of the game 37 seconds into the first overtime and Mary Kate Gunville made big saves in each three-minute extra period as the Clippers beat the Rams 11-10 at Fitzpatrick Stadium to repeat as Class B state champions.

It was the sixth state championship for Yarmouth (12-4), which lost several key players off last year’s title team and started this spring 1-3.

That included an early 10-7 loss to Kennebunk (14-2), which has lost all five of its state finals.

“We were definitely the underdogs and we knew it, but we love the underdog role,” Holt said.

“We knew we had to play our best game ever to beat them. They have poise, they have balance, they have awesome stick skills. But what we had today was that we executed our plan that we have been practicing for the past few days.”

The Clippers scored the first three goals and never trailed, leading 7-5 at halftime thanks to four first-half goals by Emma Torres.

Holt credited Torres and fellow senior captains Shannon Fallon, Mary Coyne and Lane Simsarian for settling an otherwise young team’s nerves down early.

“We were all a little worked up before the game. Getting those three goals right off the bat settled us down,” Torres said.

“From there we had the momentum and kept going.”

Yarmouth built a 9-6 lead early in the second half before Kennebunk (15-1) scored twice in 40 seconds on goals by Olivia Sandford and Kyra Schwartzman to get back within one.

Eliza Lunt struck back to restore the Clippers’ two-goal lead with 20:34 left, but that would be the team’s final goal in regulation.

Kennebunk’s defense began shutting down passing and driving lanes for Yarmouth scorers Fallon (one goal, two assists) and Torres.

“I just told them to be tighter in the second half,” Kennebunk Coach Annie Barker said of her team’s defense. “(Torres) weaseled her way in there a few times and we had to be really, really tight. We had to focus on (Torres and Fallon) and we did a really good job, especially on the crease.”

Yarmouth clung on to the 10-8 lead until Molly Parent of Kennebunk scored on a free position with 11:57 to play.

Sandford then scored on another free position four minutes later to give the Rams a tie for the first time.

Both teams had chances down the stretch, the best coming with 10 seconds remaining when Torres split a double team and had her point-blank shot stopped by Rams goalie Bella Kudas (10 saves).

But Kudas could do nothing to save Watson’s free position chance early in the opening overtime.

Schwartzman had a chance to tie it with 50 seconds left in the first overtime but was stopped by Gunville, who then came up with the save of her life on a Hallie Schwartzman free position chance 20 seconds into the second overtime, getting her knee to the ball to deflect the straight-on shot.

“I was just so nervous, but I knew all I had to do is watch the ball and get in front of the ball,” Gunville said. “I promised my defenders I was going to do everything I could to get in front of it.”

Yarmouth won the race to the end line after Gunville’s save and was able to keep possession nearly all of the remaining 2:40.

“We call it playing Yarmouth lacrosse,” Holt said. “Play like we’ve taught you, play like you know how to and test each other. That’s what they did in overtime and that’s what it took today.”

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