CUMBERLAND—Something has to give between the Cape Elizabeth and Greely girls’ soccer teams.

But that something hasn’t happened yet.

Wednesday evening at Glenn A. Hutchins Field, the ancient rivals met for the second time in four weeks and followed a familiar script, as the Capers took the lead, but the Rangers battled back and ultimately, the teams had to split Heal Points.

Junior standout Noelle Mallory headed home junior Kate Hetrick’s corner kick in the 10th minute to give Cape Elizabeth an early lead and through 77 minutes, it appeared that goal would be the difference.

But Greely never says quit and with just 2:46 left in regulation, junior Avery Bush set up classmate Lily Pierce for the tying goal.

Each team had a Grade-A chance in overtime, but couldn’t finish and the contest, which was great theater from start to finish, wound up deadlocked, 1-1.

Greely is now 8-0-3 on the season, while Cape Elizabeth is 7-1-2.

“They’re a great team with great athletes and they’re well-coached, but we’re right there,” said Rangers coach Rachel Williams.

“Were you not entertained?” said Capers coach Branden Noltkamper. “It was such an evenly matched game between two really good opponents. It’s fun I’m sure for the spectators. It’s stressful for the staff and the kids, but it’s a great environment to be a part of.”

Fight for first

With two-time champion Yarmouth showing hints of mortality this season, both Cape Elizabeth and Greely are hoping to ascend to the top of the heap in Class B South and each team has impressed to date.

The Capers defeated visiting York (4-1) in the opener, then won at Lake Region (4-0). After letting a two-goal lead slip away in a 2-2 home tie versus Greely, the Capers held off host Freeport, 2-1, blanked visiting Yarmouth (2-0) and host Poland (4-0) and downed visiting Fryeburg Academy (5-1) and Gray-New Gloucester (2-1) before meeting their match last Saturday at Class A contender Brunswick (3-1).

The Rangers, meanwhile, opened with a 2-2 home tie against Yarmouth, then blanked host Fryeburg Academy (5-0), rallied to tie host Cape Elizabeth (2-2), then downed visiting Waynflete (7-0) and Freeport (2-0) before holding off host York, 3-1, winning at Yarmouth (2-0) and defeating host Poland (5-1), visiting North Yarmouth Academy (2-1) and visiting York (4-0).

In the teams’ first meeting, Mallory and senior CC Duryee scored to give Cape Elizabeth an early lead, but Greely rallied behind goals from Pierce and senior Jackie Franklin.

Wednesday, on a chilly evening which started with the temperature reading 53 degrees but plummeting from there, the Rangers sought to beat the Capers for the first time since Oct. 5, 2017 (4-3 in Cape Elizabeth) and came mighty close to doing so, but in the end, there would be no resolution.

Again.

Mallory made her presence felt early, firing a long shot just 45 seconds in, which was saved by Greely goalkeeper Lily Warzicki-Stein.

After Duryee missed wide, Warzicki-Stein beat sophomore Addie Miller to Duryee’s long pass.

Then, with 30:15 to play in the first half, Cape Elizabeth took a corner kick and Hetrick served a perfect feed in front to the tall, dynamic and unstoppable Mallory, who headed the ball past Warzicki-Stein and into the net for a quick 1-0 lead.

Cape Elizabeth celebrates its early goal. Hoffer photos.

But that would prove to be the Capers’ lone tally of the night and the Rangers had over 70 minutes to counter.

“You couldn’t ask for a better start,” said Noltkamper. “That was a great ball from Kate and Noey did Noey things. After we scored that first goal, I said, ‘We’ve been here before.'”

“We never should have given them a corner and that’s how it’s going to go,” Williams said. “It was a perfect set-up.”

Greely then roared to life and looked for the equalizer, but a rush from Bush was broken up by Cape Elizabeth senior back and captain Campbell DeGeorge, a long shot from Pierce was saved by Capers senior goalkeeper Libby Hooper and Hooper made a splendid diving save on a long free kick from Emilia Savoy, which was redirected by Bush.

Hooper is normally a defender for Cape Elizabeth, but she was pressed into service in goal with sophomore Kelsie Law out sick.

“I found out last night, but (Kelsie) was sick last weekend, so I was aware I might have to jump in,” Hooper said. “It’s been about two years since I played. I was nervous. I hadn’t been in goal in a long time. As soon as I stepped in there, it felt really natural and it all came right back.”

“It’s Libby first game in goal in a couple years,” said Noltkamper. “We are so fortunate to have someone like her. As soon as we got the phone call that Kelsie was out, she didn’t hesitate. I’m so proud of her for stepping up. Without hesitation she said, ‘I’ve got my gloves with me.'”

Later in the first half, the Capers went back on the attack and hoped to strike again, but Warzicki-Stein beat Mallory to a Hetrick feed, she saved a long shot from senior captain Elena Rosenberg, then after Duryee took a pass from Mallory and missed high, Warzicki-Stein snared a long shot from DeGeorge.

After senior captain Molly Partridge missed wide for Greely, Hetrick broke up a Pierce rush and a long free kick from Savoy was bobbled and eventually saved by Hooper.

After Mallory set up Duryee on the run for a one-timer which just missed, Cape Elizabeth clung to a 1-0 halftime advantage.

The Capers nearly made it last another 40 minutes, but ultimately, the Rangers would produce some late-game heroics.

Greely junior Lily Pierce is defended by Cape Elizabeth senior Heather Campbell.

After Hooper protected the lead early in the second half by denying a shot from Partridge, Mallory came within inches of doubling the Capers’ lead, only to have her blast hit the underside of the crossbar. Senior Heather Campbell, who had just subbed into the game, tried to bury the rebound, but missed just wide.

The Rangers’ frustrations mounted with several near-misses.

With 24:02 to go, Hooper came way out to beat Franklin to a long feed from Hannah Hussey.

With 16:05 left, a rush from senior captain and standout Abby Lennox was broken up by Capers junior back Chloe Durken.

With 9:09 on the clock, Lennox missed wide and 34 seconds later, a deflected shot from Bush was saved.

But Greely refused to fold and finally, with 2:46 to play in regulation, Bush set up Pierce, who took the ball, got past a defender and went one-on-one with Hooper, beating the keeper just inside the near post to make it 1-1.

“Avery hit her and Lily’s fast with great intuition,” said Williams. “She’s only a junior and she’s going to keep helping us going forward. We know we can come back. We don’t get deflated. We have good leadership and that matters in big games.”

Just like that, Cape Elizabeth went from the cusp of victory to staggered.

“In the second half, I think we took our foot off the gas, especially with five minutes left being up by one,” Hooper said. “We have to learn from that and go hard the entire time.”

“I thought Greely was great tonight,” said Noltkamper. “It was definitely one of those games where it was, ‘Who’s going to make the next mistake?’ They’re just relentless. It’s wave after wave of every player being committed to their task. You have to admire that to a certain degree. You know they’re never going to have an off-night. They’re always switched on and they’re well-led.”

Late in regulation, the Rangers tried to steal it, as Bush set up Franklin, but Hooper came way out to break up the play and it was on to overtime.

Both teams would have chances in the two five-minute, “sudden victory” OT sessions.

With 1:49 to go in the first overtime, Lennox got into the box, but Hetrick broke up the bid.

Freshman Haisel McGeachey then set up Duryee for a shot from the side, but Warzicki-Stein made the save.

At the other end, with just 10 seconds to go, after a Capers’ defensive breakdown, Partridge found herself in alone, but Hooper made her biggest save of the game.

“I really didn’t think about it,” Hooper said. “I knew if I overthought it, it would go in. I knew she’d go back post and I got on my toes and made myself big.”

Early in the second OT, Miller fired a long shot for Cape Elizabeth, which Warzicki-Stein easily handled.

After Hooper came out to break up a pass from Pierce to Lennox, she beat Franklin to Bush’s cross.

The Capers then transitioned and with 2:20 on the clock, came within inches of victory, as junior Hailey Gorman made a nice run down the right side, then shot past Warzicki-Stein toward the far post, but much to the Rangers’ relief, the ball glanced off the post and rolled wide.

After one final Duryee free kick bid sailed wide, the horn sounded and the game ended, 1-1.

“It was a good game,” Williams said. “We had a couple of errors that cost us big-time and we had a couple of chances that we didn’t finish the way we could have and that made it a neck-and-neck game. We came back, which is always a victory for us. I feel like we dominated for a good chunk of the game.”

“We talk about being able to put in 80 minutes and I thought we put in a really good 70, 75 tonight,” Noltkamper said. “Both teams battled the entire way. I’m proud of our kids. These kinds of games get us ready for playoffs. We’re still a few weeks away from that, but we’ll keep pushing forward.”

Each team put nine shots on frame, Hooper and Warzicki-Stein both made eight saves and Cape Elizabeth took all five of the game’s corner kicks, one of which resulted in a goal.

Back to business

The thought of a third Capers-Rangers meeting, which would likely come in the regional final, is compelling, but both teams have plenty to occupy themselves with first.

Greely, which is first in the Class B South Heal Points standings at press time, hopes to get back in the win column Tuesday of next week at Gray-New Gloucester. The Rangers then have their final home game, an inter-conference battle against Hall-Dale, before closing at Wells.

“We need to continue honing our skills and limiting our mistakes,” Williams said. “We just need to be more consistent. We’re not as attached to our field as some other teams, so we’re excited to move forward and do the best we can wherever we land.”

Cape Elizabeth (second in Class B South) is back in action Saturday at York. The Capers then host Wells and Freeport next week before closing at Yarmouth.

“We need consistency for 80 minutes,” Hooper said. “We have to make sure we finish our chances in the final third. I know we can win and we want to win very badly.”

“We’re hoping to get everyone back healthy,” said Noltkamper. “It’s a wild race. We talk internally about controlling our own destiny. We don’t look at the Heal Points every day. We won’t go watch other games. We just worry about what we need to do. We just need to continue to get better every day.

“Truthfully, I do hope we see (Greely) again and I think they feel the same way and I think the general public probably does too. It could be endless penalty kicks next time. It might be rock, paper, scissors between Rachel and I at that point.”

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