Southern: Fall teams looking good at midway point

The calendar is about to flip from September to October and the fall sports season has passed the halfway point, which means the fun is just beginning.

As teams gear up for playoff runs, the games take on more meaning by the day.

Here’s a look back at last week and a glimpse at what’s to come:

Football

South Portland’s football team evened its record at 2-2 last Friday with a 42-18 home victory over Gorham. Easton Healy hit Matthew Berry for a 54-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead after one quarter. Berry then ran for a 41-yard score and caught a 49-yard TD pass from Healy before Healy found Darius Johnson for another score to make it 27-6 at halftime. A 4-yard Healy touchdown run and a TD run from Chris Salamone rounded out the Red Riots’ scoring in the second half. South Portland travels to 3-1 Noble Friday.

Scarborough fell to 0-3 after a 36-0 loss at Bonny Eagle. The game was scoreless after one quarter, but the Scots went up, 14-0, at halftime, extended their lead to 30-0 after three periods, then added one more score in the fourth. The Red Storm welcome 2-2 Lewiston Friday.

Cape Elizabeth fell to 0-4 following a 48-8 setback at Fryeburg Academy. Mike Foley’s 30-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter accounted for the Capers’ points. Cape Elizabeth welcomes 2-2 York Friday.

Boys’ soccer

Scarborough’s Dillon Macleod controls the ball during Tuesday’s home loss to undefeated Portland. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald

Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ soccer team lost at home to York last week (1-0), then improved to 5-2-1 Tuesday with a 5-0 home win over Gray-New Gloucester. In the victory, Alex van Huystee scored twice, while Nathan Ashe, Sam Cochran and Harry Converse also scored. The Capers visit defending Class A champion Brunswick Friday and have a showdown at Greely Thursday of next week.

In Class A South, Scarborough was 3-3-1 following a 5-1 win at Marshwood and a 3-0 home loss to Portland. In the setback, the Red Storm only managed two shots on frame.

“Portland’s good in the middle,” said longtime Scarborough coach Mark Diaz. “They move the ball well and they have a lot of pace. I think we did a pretty job defending them. They made the plays and we didn’t. I don’t have a problem putting Portland and Windham near the top. They’ve earned it. But I don’t know if the distance is as great as people think.”

The Red Storm hosted Falmouth Thursday, go to Deering Saturday and visit Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.

“I think we’re headed in the right direction,” Diaz said. “We’re defending better. We have a couple guys out and they’ll be back soon.”

South Portland was 2-2-3 following a 1-1 home tie versus Deering and a 4-2 home win over Biddeford. In the draw, Casey Corcoran scored the goal and Michael Zaccaria made eight saves. In the victory, Curtis Metcalf scored three times and Ben Morin had the other goal. The Red Riots were at Marshwood Thursday, visit Massabesic Saturday, then host Kennebunk Tuesday of next week and Noble next Thursday.

Girls’ soccer

Scarborough’s Avery Pettengill fights for possession during Monday’s win at Windham. Brianna Soukup / Portland Press Herald

On the girls’ side, reigning Class A champion Scarborough bounced back from its first loss with 3-0 wins over visiting Cheverus and at Windham. Against the Stags, Delia Fravert, Emmie Flaker and Lana Djuranovic all scored once.

“We took some positives from that loss (to Thornton Academy),” said the University of Miami-bound Djuranovic, who is widely considered the state’s best player. “We learned that we need to come into the game with a better mindset. It also showed us we can come back. We had a conversation before this game and said to forget about what happened, that it was a new game and we needed to win.”

“The team hadn’t known what it felt like to lose in awhile, but I think it was a good thing for us because it gave us the realization that we have to work hard from the beginning,” Fravert said.

“I was really glad to see us respond from the opening whistle,” longtime Scarborough coach Mike Farley added. “The warmup was better. Everything was better.”

In the win at the Eagles, Djuranovic scored in each half and Fravert added a late goal.

“We were excited and we knew we had to get it done in a rivalry game,” said Djuranovic. “It was important for us to get in the mindset that we can beat good teams by a lot.”

“We played here last year and we know whenever we come over here, it’s going to be a close game and we have to give everything we have to win,” senior captain and defensive standout Natalie Ryan said.

“It’s always good to come to Windham and win a game like that,” Farley added. “That’s the best we’ve played here in awhile, against a very good team. A team we have to put behind us (in the standings). It was a very good job by our kids.”

The Red Storm hosted South Portland Wednesday, visit Gorham Saturday (see our website for game story) and host Portland Tuesday of next week.

“We have to focus on South Portland,” Ryan said. “Once Gorham comes, we’ll deal with that when we get to it. I think we definitely have the same motivation we had last year. This team is really close. We lost some key players, but the underclassmen are doing an amazing job filling those spots and our level hasn’t dropped.”

South Portland took a 3-1-1 mark to Scarborough Wednesday after a 2-0 loss at Gorham and a 5-0 home win over Massabesic last week. Amelia Burton-Fowler made a dozen saves against the Rams. In the victory, Marina Bassett, Stella Henderson, Mya Lawrence, Brooke Lawton and Maci Raucher all scored one. The Red Riots visit Thornton Academy Friday, go to Windham Saturday and visit Westbrook Monday before hosting Deering Wednesday of next week.

Cape Elizabeth improved to 7-1 after enjoying 4-1 victories over visiting York and at Gray-New Gloucester. Noelle Mallory scored all four goals against the Wildcats. In the win over the Patriots, Hailey Gorham had two goals and Evelyn Agrodnia and Maisie Rayback added one apiece. The Capers welcome reigning Class A North champion Brunswick Saturday (see our website for game story), then have a key home tilt versus Greely Thursday of next week.

Field hockey

Cape Elizabeth senior Piper Rickman drives a free hit during Saturday’s loss at Yarmouth. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

Cape Elizabeth’s field hockey team fell to 4-3 after a 2-1 loss at Yarmouth Saturday. The Capers took an early lead on a goal from Lulu Stoecklein, but surrendered two goals in the fourth quarter.

“It was a good game,” said Capers coach Maura Bisogni. “I don’t have a lot of complaints. This is a good confidence boost for us. We lost some big players from last year, but (goalie) Zoe (Burgard) has been back there for four years and our defense knows what these games are like and we have some freshmen stepping up big.”

Cape Elizabeth welcomed Poland Wednesday and Greely Thursday, then go to Fryeburg Academy Wednesday of next week.

“We just need to play more games at this speed,” said Bisogni. “We need to go for the full 60. It’s exciting. We hope to be right there in B South.”

Scarborough was 4-3 after a 4-1 home win over Marshwood and a 1-0 loss at Massabesic last week. The Red Storm hosted Biddeford Wednesday (see our website for game story) and visit reigning Class A South champion Cheverus Tuesday of next week.

South Portland/Westbrook fell to 1-5 after a 2-0 loss at Kennebunk and a 9-0 setback at Biddeford. South Portland/Westbrook hosted Thornton Academy Wednesday, welcomes Gorham Friday and plays host to Massabesic Tuesday of next week.

Volleyball

Scarborough’s volleyball team bounced back from last week’s home to Gorham with victories at Sanford (3-0) and at home over Cape Elizabeth (3-1) to improve to 6-2. The Red Storm were at Marshwood Thursday, visit four-time Class B champion Yarmouth Tuesday of next week, then host reigning Class A champion Biddeford next Thursday.

South Portland was 2-6 following a straight-set loss at Biddeford and a five-set (25-14, 21-25, 14-25, 25-17, 15-9) home win over Windham. In the victory, Ella Nickerson had eight kills and five aces. After going to Thornton Academy Saturday, the Red Riots host Noble Tuesday of next week.

Cape Elizabeth fell to 3-3 after a straight-set loss at York and a 3-1 setback at Scarborough. The Capers hosted Wells Thursday, welcome Mt. Desert Island Saturday, play at Greely Tuesday of next week, then host York Thursday of next week.

Cross country

Cross country action returned last week.

South Portland hosted Scarborough, Kennebunk and Noble.

In the boys’ meet, the Red Storm came in first and the Red Riots placed second. Individually, South Portland’s Evan Small was second (16 minutes, 39.75 seconds) and Scarborough’s Ethan Keller finished third (16:40.9).

In the girls’ race, won by the Rams, Scarborough was second and South Portland third. The Red Storm were paced by runner-up Kyleigh Record (20:31.17). The Red Riots’ top finisher was Gabby Archibald (sixth, 22:59.29).

Cape Elizabeth took part in a five-team meet at Freeport. The Capers girls were runners-up to the Falcons. Emma Young was second individually (20:37.9). Cape Elizabeth’s boys were second to Freeport. Finn Morris came in fifth (17:58.72).

Golf

The golf regular season was wrapping up at press time.

Scarborough improved to 9-0 after recent victories over South Portland (11.5-1.5) and Deering (13-0). The Red Storm hoped to cap a perfect regular season Thursday versus Portland.

South Portland fell to 2-5 after a 11.5-1.5 loss to Scarborough. The Red Riots faced Falmouth Wednesday.

Cape Elizabeth lost, 9-4, to York Monday. The Capers finish against Yarmouth next Tuesday.

The Western Maine Conference qualifier was Wednesday. The Southwestern Maine Activities Association state qualifier will be held Monday of next week. Both qualifiers will be contested at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro, which will also be the site of the state championship match, Saturday, Oct. 7.