CAPE ELIZABETH — A season-opening loss to Falmouth has proven beneficial to the Cape Elizabeth boys’ lacrosse team.

“That loss to Falmouth really hit us hard,” said Cape senior Owen Thoreck. “We started off and it was too much of one person doing their own thing. We really just ingrained it in practice, and Coach has been pushing all year that it has to be a team effort.”

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The resulting team-oriented style the Capers have developed was on display throughout an impressive 16-2 win over South Portland on Friday night. Eight Capers scored, led by four goals apiece from Thoreck and Tate Perkins.

“That’s our thing this year,” said Thoreck. “We’re really focusing on the team aspect, that one more pass, the good looks, the open shot.

“We’ve focused on that a lot in practice and it pays off.”

Just over four and a half minutes into the opening quarter, Noah Bates cashed in for the first goal. From there, the Capers never looked back as they improved to 5-1.

Bates kick-started a first half outburst as Cape took a 10-1 lead into halftime.

Six players contributed to the first-half barrage. Perkins scored three goals, Kev Boeschenstein and Thoreck each chipped in with two, and Connor Thoreck and Finn Raymond each had one.

Owen Thoreck scored two more in the second half, while Perkins, Boeschenstein, Cole Spencer, Ben Ekedahl each added a single tally.

“When that many people score, it means we’re having more of our goals assisted,” said Cape Elizabeth Coach Ben Raymond. “Our dodgers are doing a better job of getting their heads up and finding where the slides coming, finding the open man, and then we’re finishing our shots.”

Spencer, the Capers’ faceoff specialist, was dominant in earning possession again for Cape Elizabeth following many of its goals.

“It’s a good benefit to have,” Raymond said. “He’s doing a great job. We’re getting more possessions out of his wins. He’s putting them in spots where only we can get them. He’s realizing when our wing men are shut off and then he’s putting it in a spot where only he can get it.”

“He’s unbelievable,” Owen Thoreck remarked about Spencer’s effort. “He’s a stud and he really pushes us. He gives us a ton of possessions.”

Sam Price turned away seven shots for Cape.

Cooper Mehlhorn and Jack Tierney scored for the Red Riots (4-2), whose only other loss was a 12-10 defeat against unbeaten Falmouth. South Portland goalie Quinn Watson made 18 saves.

“That was just a good, old-fashioned shellacking,” said South Portland Coach Tom Fiorini. “Cape showed up ready to play. Shame on me, my kids were not prepared. That’s it. They’re good and we were under-prepared. That’s on me.

“We should’ve given them a better game than that. It is what it is. We have a whole rest of the season, and we have a big game coming up against (Thornton Academy) and we’ve got to get ready for that. This one is in the dust and we’re going to get ready for TA.”

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