FALMOUTH—Stopping Scarborough senior standout Lana Djuranovic is hard enough for opposing teams.
When Djuranovic’s teammates are putting the ball in the net as well, forget about the prospect of beating the defending Class A girls’ state champions.
Monday evening at Falmouth High’s Stadium Field, the Red Storm capped a fantastic regular season with a tremendous display of scoring balance and as a result, will be the favorite to repeat when their postseason commences next week.
Scarborough got the only goal it would need when senior Sarah LeFebvre scored on a rebound in the ninth minute. Junior Delia Fravert added a goal in the 28th minute for a 2-0 halftime advantage.
The Navigators had time to rally, but couldn’t generate many chances and when sophomore Maya Taylor scored with 16:09 to play, the floodgates opened.
With 7:46 remaining, after several near-misses, Djuranovic finally put the ball in the net and 48 seconds later, sophomore Paige Garlock finished as well and the Red Storm went on to a 5-0 victory.
Scarborough won its 10th game in row, improved to 13-1 and in the process, ended Falmouth’s regular season at 9-3-2.
“This was a big step for me,” said longtime Red Storm coach Mike Farley. “We’d had 10-minute lapses here and there the past couple games, but for the most part, we kept our foot on the gas the whole time. It’s a really positive way to end the season. We want to be playing at a high level and that’s about as high a level as we can play.”
Finishing like they started
Back on a warm day Sept. 1, host Scarborough got four goals from Djuranovic and opened with a 4-1 victory over Falmouth. With one exception, the Red Storm had no peer in the region the rest of the way.
Scarborough defeated visiting Noble (5-0) and host Kennebunk (5-0), then was shocked by visiting Thornton Academy (3-2, in overtime), before bouncing back to down visiting Cheverus (3-0), host Windham (3-0), visiting South Portland (3-1), host Gorham (1-0), visiting Portland (6-0), visiting Bonny Eagle (3-0), host Deering (3-0), host Marshwood (5-1) and host Sanford (4-0).
“I think having the loss was good for us,” Djuranovic said. “It gave us a different mindset and showed us nothing is given to us and we have to work hard.”
Falmouth, meanwhile, surged after its opening loss to become one of the top contenders in Class A South.
The Navigators started a win streak with a 6-1 home victory over Biddeford and continued with a 3-1 home win over Kennebunk, then announced they were for real with a 3-1 home win over perennial powerhouse Windham, before handing visiting Westbrook (7-1), blanking host Bonny Eagle (5-0), edging host Marshwood (2-1), defeating visiting Noble, 4-1, then edging host Deering (2-1). After a 1-1 home draw versus Sanford, Falmouth lost at Thornton Academy (3-0), but bounced back to down host Massabesic (9-1) before settling for a 1-1 tie at Gorham Friday.
Monday, on a chilly, rainy evening (just 52 degrees at kickoff), the Navigators, on their Senior Night, looked for just their second win over Scarborough since the start of the 2002 season, but instead, the Red Storm struck early and didn’t look back.
Scarborough senior Avery Pettingill races up the sideline with the ball as Falmouth senior Gracyn Mick gives chase early in the Red Storm’s 5-0 win Monday. Hoffer photos.
Falmouth had the game’s first shot, but senior Gracyn Mick’s bid was saved by Scarborough junior goalkeeper Sophia Rinaldi.
After Djuranovic set up Fravert for the Red Storm’s first look, which was denied by Navigators junior keeper Madison VerLee, Scarborough senior captain Talia Borelli was fouled, giving the visitors a free kick, which led to the game’s first goal.
With 31:30 left in the first half, after Djuranovic sent the ball in from the left side of the box and it was knocked around, it came to LeFebvre, who banged it home for a lead the Red Storm wouldn’t relinquish.
“I just saw the rebound and I thought, ‘This is it and that I had to go for it,'” LeFebvre said. “I knew I had to capitalize.”
Four minutes later, LeFebvre nearly struck again, but she missed just wide in transition
“We’ve talked all season about Sarah finding her shot and being aggressive,” Farley said. “She got the ball on the weak side one-v-one off the wing and looked for her shot.”
After VerLee saved a shot from Djuranovic, Falmouth had a look to tie the score, as junior Mackenzie VerLee sent a free kick into the box, but it deflected off Mick and went just wide.
Scarborough senior Lana Djuranovic is a blur as she races up the field with the ball.
With 14:40 remaining, Scarborough came within inches of a breathtaking transition goal, as Djuranovic won the ball in the defensive end, showed off an array of moves in dribbling up the field, then passed to Fravert on the wing and Fravert sent a beautiful cross on target, but it was just barely beyond the reach of freshman Maggie Booth.
The Red Storm then got their second goal with 12:20 showing, as Booth sent the ball in, it got past a defender and Fravert sent it home.
With 5:25 on the clock, a Mackenzie VerLee free kick landed right in front of the goal, but no teammate was there to finish.
Four minutes later, Scarborough sophomore back Shay Charsky cleared the ball at the last second and Scarborough took a 2-0 advantage to halftime.
The Red Storm then ended all doubt in the second half.
Falmouth senior Mallory Kerr prepares to boot the ball away from Scarborough junior Delia Fravert.
For much of the second half, Djuranovic was frustrated, having multiple shots saved and missing just high and wide on other occasions.
Madison VerLee also saved a pair of shots from junior Emma Blanchette, while LeFebvre missed just high and Taylor had a shot blocked.
The Navigators had a chance to cut into the deficit when Mackenzie VerLee ripped a low shot on the wet turf, but Rinaldi made the save.
Then, with 16:09 remaining, Taylor put it away, making a nice move on a defender before burying a high shot to make it 3-0.
With 7:46 to play, with a teammate waiting on the sidelines to come in and replace her at the next opportunity, Djuranovic finally struck, taking a pass from Booth, then beating Madison VerLee for her 26th goal of the season (she had 28 last fall).
“I really wanted to score,” said Djuranovic, who has committed to playing next year at the University of Miami in Florida. “I was just shooting the wrong kind of shot. In this weather, I had to shoot differently. Getting one really satisfied me. I was trying to make the ball bounce in front so it would skid.”
“Lana’s been a rhythm and I wanted her to stay in a rhythm,” Farley said. “It was good timing. She was coming out no matter what there and I think she sensed it.”
The Red Storm continued the onslaught with 6:58 left, as Garlock scored unassisted.
“It shows no matter who’s on the field, they can make an impact,” said LeFebvre. “We work really well together.”
“Our offense is very diverse,” Djuranovic said. “A lot of girls can score.”
“We’re really dangerous when we’re sharing the ball, finding the open player and getting open looks,” Farley added. “Dealing with Lana is enough, but it you have to deal with four other players who can get behind you and create problems, that’s a handful.”
Falmouth had one more look, a shot from sophomore Mila Henry, but it was saved by Rinaldi and Scarborough closed out its 5-0 victory.
“I think we’ve accomplished a lot and that there’s a lot to be proud of so far,” LeFebvre said. “We want to keep the energy going into the playoffs and finishing like this will motivate us to continue to play well.”
“It didn’t matter what the score was, our attacking pressure was impressive,” Farley said. “To end the season with that kind of attacking mindset was great. We had a couple defensive lapses in the first half, but we really turned that around in the second half.”
The Red Storm finished with a 13-3 advantage in shots on frame, got three saves from Rinaldi and took three corner kicks to the Navigators’ one.
Madison VerLee stopped eight shots for Falmouth.
“We gave them some easy goals,” lamented Navigators coach Ben Johnson. “The first and second goal were our mistakes. Against a team like that, it’s going to cost you a game. It’s a good lesson because in the playoffs, you’ll go home when you make those mistakes.
“We had a good regular season besides a few bumps, but tonight’s performance wouldn’t beat Windham or draw Gorham.”
Showtime
Falmouth was ranked sixth in the Class A South Heal Points at press time. The Navigators will host a preliminary round playoff game likely on Friday, against a yet-to-be-determined foe.
“We just have to figure some things out,” Johnson said. “It’s not the end of the world. Our path is a little more difficult. It’ll be interesting to see who we land with. We have to regroup. It’s on to the next one.”
Scarborough will be the top seed in the region and the favorite to repeat, but the Red Storm know that when they return to the pitch either Tuesday or Wednesday of next week in the quarterfinals against a team to be determined, that nothing will come easily.
“We know we have to work hard,” said Djuranovic. “We just have to keep going.”
“I don’t think we can underestimate anyone,” LeFebvre said. “We just have to believe in each other.”
“Homefield advantage was our goal,” Farley added. “We want to play on our home turf. Our schedule is so good. We’ve had competitive games. For us to beat Falmouth twice and play all the best teams in the SMAA, a lot of them on the road, shows we can be something special.
“It won’t be easy because of the parity in the league. Everyone comes to play and they give their all with something to prove when they come play us. Playoffs is where you want to be. For me, going from playing to coaching, it’s so fun to try to help these kids get over the top. It’s a great group to have.”
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023
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