A week of memorable action and dodging raindrops concluded with a pair of teams from both Cape Elizabeth and South Portland still entertaining title dreams.

With the spring sports season set to conclude Saturday, here’s a detailed look back at an unforgettable stretch of action:

Baseball

Cape Elizabeth and South Portland’s baseball teams were preparing for their respective finals at press time.

The Capers, ranked first in Class B South, first blanked No. 8 Morse, 4-0, in the quarterfinals, then defeated No. 5 Fryeburg Academy, 7-2, in the semifinals to advance. Against the Shipbuilders, Curtis Sullivan earned the victory by throwing a two-hitter and Jimmy Hollowell had a pair of hits. In the win over the Raiders, a six-run second inning was the difference. Jameson Bryant threw four scoreless innings, allowing just one hit, and Charlie Song and Owen Tighe both drove in a pair of runs.

Cape Elizabeth took on second-ranked Yarmouth (13-5) in the Class B South Final Wednesday at St. Joseph’s College in Standish (see our website for game story). The Capers won the regular season meeting, 1-0, May 30 at home. Cape Elizabeth was 4-1 all-time versus the Clippers in the playoffs with a 5-0 victory in last year’s quarterfinals the most recent.

If the Capers advanced to the Class B state final for the first time since 2010, they would face Old Town (15-3) or Ellsworth (14-4) Saturday at 1 p.m., at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor. Cape Elizabeth has no playoff history with Old Town, but has met Ellsworth three previous times in the state final, winning two. The most recent was in 1990, when the Capers prevailed, 12-3.

In Class A South, South Portland, the No. 2 seed, blanked No. 10 Kennebunk (8-0) in the quarterfinals, then held off No. 6 Marshwood (4-1) in the semifinals to set up a third straight Class A South Final showdown versus No. 4 Thornton Academy (15-5) Wednesday night at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham. In the win over the Rams, Andrew Heffernan threw a two-hitter, striking out 12, while also scoring three runs. Nick Swain had three hits and an RBI and Nolan Hobbs and Richie Gilboy added two hits apiece, while combining for three RBI. Against the Hawks, Heffernan, Hudson Iaucessa and Johnny Poole all had multiple hits and Nolan Hobbs earned the victory, allowing just three hits with nine strikeouts.

“This was the third straight year I’ve started the regional semifinal,” Hobbs said. “We won both the other times, so I felt like I was ready for it, ready for the moment. I was excited to get after it on the mound today.”

“(Nolan’s) pitched in so many big games for us, so we knew he was going to rise to the occasion,” said Red Riots coach Mike Owens. “I thought his breaking ball was real sharp early and his fastball had its best life all season.”

South Portland (15-3) beat host Thornton Academy, 5-3, back on May 6. The Red Riots have won five of six prior playoff meetings, but the Golden Trojans prevailed in last year’s regional final, 8-1.

If South Portland advances to its second Class A state final in three years, it will take on either Bangor (10-8) or Edward Little (11-7) Saturday at 1 p.m., at USM. The Red Riots lost to the Rams in the 2015 state final (5-4), then beat them two years ago (3-2). South Portland is 1-1 all-time versus the Red Eddies in the playoffs, with a 2-0 victory in the 1991 Western A preliminary round the most recent.

Scarborough, ranked third in Class A South, was ousted, 5-0, by No. 6 Marshwood in the quarterfinals to wind up 11-6. The Red Storm, who were eliminated by the lower-seeded Hawks for the second year in a row, managed just two hits, both from Tyler Archambault, and committed four errors.

Boys’ lacrosse

Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ lacrosse team, the two-time reigning state champion and top seed in Class A, rolled in its first playoff game last Saturday, downing No. 9 Noble/Sanford, 16-4, as the Capers built a 13-0 halftime lead. Nine different players scored. Bobby Offit had three of his four goals and Keegan Lathrop notched two goals and two assists in the first quarter. Sam Cochran, Nick Laughlin and Tom Hennessey all added two goals.

“The little things we did really well in the game today,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Ben Raymond.

The Capers (15-0) took a 21-game win streak into Wednesday’s Class A state semifinal versus No. 4 Thornton Academy (11-4). Cape Elizabeth won both regular season encounters, 7-4 April 26 in Saco and 13-7 at home May 12. The Capers won three of five prior playoff meetings with the Golden Trojans, with last year’s 15-8 victory in last year’s Class A South Final the most recent.

If Cape Elizabeth advanced to the Class A state game for the third year in a row, it will take on either No. 2 Falmouth (13-2) or No. 3 South Portland (12-3) Saturday at a time to be announced at Fitzpatrick Stadium. The Capers swept the Navigators, 9-7 at home and 15-9 in Falmouth and also beat the Red Riots twice, 10-6 at home and 8-4 on the road. Cape Elizabeth is 8-3 all-time versus the Navigators in the tournament, with an 18-7 win in last year’s state final the most recent. The Capers downed the Red Riots in the teams’ lone prior playoff encounter, 9-5, in the 2019 Class A South semifinals.

South Portland had no trouble with No. 6 Windham in its state quarterfinal Saturday, winning, 19-8, behind five goals and five assists from Brady Demers. Lucas Mehlhorn added five goals and Beckett Mehlhorn scored four times.

The Red Riots lost at home to Falmouth, 19-7, May 13. The teams had no playoff history.

Scarborough, ranked 10th in Class A, won, 12-4, at No. 7 Bangor in the state preliminary round, then was ousted, 15-4, at No. 2 Falmouth in the quarterfinals to finish 6-10.

Girls’ lacrosse

On the girls’ side, Cape Elizabeth, ranked 14th in Class A, gave No. 3 Yarmouth a mighty scare in last week’s preliminary round, dropping a 14-10 decision, to finish 4-11. Moira Concannon scored three goals and Heather Campbell had two goals and six assists, but the Capers fell just short.

“It was such a good game,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Alex Spark. “Yarmouth’s a good team. They have some kids with stick skills that are just beautiful. It’s hard to slow them down. We had to wipe the slate clean at halftime and we won the second half, 4-2.

“Our travel from the beginning of the season to the end of the season, I’m so proud. We’re a totally different team than we were. We always want to end higher than where we started. We looked young early in the season. We made silly turnovers. We have freshmen and sophomores on the field. Our leaders are doing a great job, but they’re just juniors. To not have seniors looking over you, it was hard to instill the fire. We’ve focused so much on taking care of the ball and eliminating our self-inflicted wounds, because when we take those away, we’re a really strong team.”

This was the year to beat the Capers, as they’ll return intact next spring and will be hungry to return to their winning ways.

“This isn’t the end,” said Spark. “I can’t wait for spring. It will be so great to have this entire group of really talented players back. A year older, more experienced. It’s a great group. We’re all excited for next year.”

Scarborough, the No. 13 seed, fell, 11-3, at No. 4 Thornton Academy in the preliminary round to wind up 3-12. Molly Henderson scored twice in defeat.

“We were trying to stop their momentum most of the game and we never caught our momentum,” said Scarborough coach Taylor Colangelo. “They’re putting balls in, they’re connecting, they’re converting on attack and we just weren’t able to do that in the second half. If we would’ve been able to connect on a few more touches and passes and put a few more goals in the back of the cage, we would’ve had a little more confidence.”

Softball

Scarborough and South Portland/Westbrook’s softball teams both suffered close playoff losses last week.

South Portland/Westbrook, the No. 5 seed, went to No. 4 Gorham for the Class A South quarterfinals last Thursday, but at the last moment, the game was rained out, pushing it back 24 hours and moving it to USM. South Portland/Westbrook then fell behind, 6-0, before roaring back to take the lead in the top of the sixth. In the bottom half, the Rams scored twice and prevailed, 8-7,  to end South Portland/Westbrook’s season at 12-5. Madison Cole hit a two-run double and Ella Nickerson doubled, then blasted a two-run home run to put South Portland/Westbrook ahead, but the lead didn’t last.

“We knew (our rally) was going to happen,” Nickerson said. “We always trust in our offense and our defense. Anything can happen in this game. It just came down to that last at-bat.”

“We feel fulfilled,” South Portland/Westbrook first-year coach Drew DiMauro said. “I’m really proud of how hard the girls fight and how serious they take it. It’s a special group.”

Scarborough, the No. 6 seed, took an early three-run lead at No. 3 Kennebunk in its quarterfinal, but couldn’t hold on and lost, 4-3, to finish 10-7. Angelina Pizzella had an RBI single.

“Tough one,” said Scarborough first-year coach Liz Winslow. “We came out firing, we came out with energy. They had the one inning. Little squibbers finding the gaps. Shoot.

“We’re young. We’ve got eight sophomores. We’re going to come back tough.”

Outdoor track

Bangor was the site Saturday for the outdoor track New England championships.

Scarborough’s Adam Bendetson was third in the boys’ two-mile (9 minutes, 15.29 seconds). Nate Murray finished 10th in the discus (148 feet, 10 inches) and placed 21st in the shot put (47-1.25). Wyatt Martin tied for 17th in the pole vault (12-6). Ethan Keller was 23rd in the two-mile (10:12.7).

South Portland’s Evan Small was 22nd in the two-mile (9:57.13).

On the girls’ side, Scarborough’s Emerson Flaker placed fourth in the 400 (57.52). Laurel Driscoll was 11th in the mile (5:12.99). Caroline Fallona finished 13th in the 100 (12.67). Kyleigh Record was 14th in the 800 (2:20.93). The Red Storm’s 4×100 relay team (Bailey Stoddard-Baugham, Flaker, Julia Black and Fallona) finished seventh (49.0).

South Portland’s 4×400 relay team (Ava Smart, Samantha Clyde, Iris Young and Anna Brown) placed 24th (4:24.13).

Press Herald staff writers Drew Bonifant and Steve Craig contributed to this story.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.

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