YARMOUTH—When Yarmouth’s field hockey team is clicking on all cylinders, it’s close to unstoppable.

And it’s safe to say the Clippers are clicking.

Saturday afternoon, Yarmouth hosted Edward Little in an interclass contest and for 60 minutes, it controlled play en route to another decisive win.

The Clippers, who suffered their lone regular season loss at the Red Eddies last season, weren’t about to fall short this time around and after failing to bury some great chances in the first quarter, they opened it up in the second.

After sophomore Erica O’Connor put Yarmouth ahead to stay 19 seconds into the frame, junior captain Madison Wiles and senior Madeline Nieter added goals before the half to make it 3-0 Clippers at halftime.

Early in the third period, freshman Maya Nasveschuk got in on the fun, then O’Connor scored for the second time before a goal from senior Zoe Sammon brought the curtain down on an emphatic 6-0 victory.

Yarmouth, which has outscored the opposition, 53-7, so far this season, made it 11 straight victories and in the process, dropped the Red Eddies to 4-7.

“We’re having a great season and our record shows it,” said Wiles. “We came out for revenge after our only loss last season, so this feels really good.”

Interclass battle

Other than a stumble on Opening Day, Yarmouth has been perfect this fall.

The Clippers lost at home to Freeport in the first game, a 2-1 setback, in a rematch of last year’s epic and painful Class B South Final, won by the Falcons by the same score, in double overtime.

“I think we were very aware going into the season that we’d be the top teams again,” Wiles said. “We keep an eye on (Freeport), but we’re very focused on our own game.”

“I wish we hadn’t played them first game of the season,” said Yarmouth coach Bre Morrill. “I wish we’d played in the midseason.”

Yarmouth then hit its stride, defeating host Wells (7-0), Spruce Mountain (2-0), Poland (5-1) and Greely (2-1), visiting Fryeburg Academy (8-0), Poland (5-0) and Gray-New Gloucester/North Yarmouth Academy (6-1), host Brunswick (2-1) and Cape Elizabeth (7-0) and visiting York in its most recent game Wednesday, 2-1.

Edward Little, meanwhile, won three times in its first five outings, but had dropped four of five since, with a 3-0 home loss to GNG/NYA Thursday the most recent.

The teams met a year ago for the first time in a countable game and the Red Eddies prevailed at home, 1-0.

Saturday, on a windy but otherwise very pleasant mid-October afternoon (62 degrees at the start), the Clippers carried play from the start, but it took them awhile to get the ball in the cage.

Yarmouth junior Leah Carroll brings the ball up the field as Edward Little junior Blake Hamel keeps pace during the Clippers’ 6-0 victory Saturday. Hoffer photos.

A minute in, junior Sally McGrath ripped a backhanded rocket that Red Eddies freshman goalie Ruby Harris had to swat aside with her glove.

After junior Celia Zinman was just wide on a corner, Zinman set up Nasveschuk for a shot which went wide, then McGrath was denied by Harris after stealing the ball.

Later in the first quarter, McGrath set up Nasveschuk for a promising shot off a corner, but Harris made the save.

Edward Little’s lone offensive highlight in the opening stanza came with 3:27 left, as junior Mackenzie Joler raced in, but shot wide.

With 2:10 to go in the quarter, McGrath appeared to put the Clippers in front, but the goal was waved off.

Seconds later, Wiles was robbed by Harris and game remained scoreless heading to the second period.

But not for long.

Just 19 seconds in, O’Connor broke the ice, finishing from Nasveschuk.

“We’re having a hard time coming out and immediately putting one in, but we hope that slump ends,’ said Morrill.

O’Connor nearly struck again the next time down the field, but Harris robbed her.

With 9:17 remaining before halftime, Wiles scored her goal, from McGrath.

“Our strength is coming from our balance,” said Wiles. “Our passing is amazing. We all know we’re capable of scoring and we’re just one unit out there.”

With 3:47 on the clock, McGrath set up Nieter for another goal to make it 3-0 at halftime.

Yarmouth had a 15-0 advantage in shots on cage in the first half, but a dozen Harris saves kept the Red Eddies within hailing distance.

The Clippers then ended all doubt with three goals in the third quarter.

Edward Little junior Mackenzie Joler knocks the ball away from Yarmouth junior captain Sally McGrath.

After Red Eddies senior Kassidy Lobb missed just wide to start the half, Wiles just missed after redirecting a long hit from Zinman.

With 12:11 remaining in the quarter, the Clippers made it 4-0, as Zinman fed the freshman sensation, Nasveschuk, for the goal.

“Maya’s brought so much grit, strength,” Wiles said. “She makes all of us get on our toes.”

After O’Connor sent a shot off the post, she scored for the second time, from sophomore Dylan McElhinney, with 7:43 to go in the third.

“I think we’ve got the best passing,” said Morrill. “We utilize everyone. It’s hard to pick out a best player on the team when there’s 10 of them out there.”

After the Red Eddies earned their first corner but had nothing to show for it, Harris robbed O’Connor one-on-one as she tried to complete the hat trick, but with 1:58 remaining in the period, off a penalty corner, Sammon scored from senior captain Harper Featherstone.

“Our passing I feel like is the best it’s every been,” said Morrill. “We have a lot of moving parts that have connected. We’re getting it done.”

Edward Little had a great chance to get on the board midway through the fourth quarter, but a breakaway bid from Lobb was denied by Yarmouth junior goalie Emma Shannon, who came way out to break up the play.

From there, the Clippers ran out the clock and made their 6-0 victory official.

Yarmouth celebrates at the final horn.

“The girls wanted a little bit of revenge from last year,” said Morrill. “It’s a nice confidence boost. They know Class A isn’t 100 percent based on skill, but on school size, but still, winning this was something they were striving for.”

The Clippers finished with an overwhelming 20-1 advantage in shots on cage, got one save from Shannon and took four penalty corners to the Red Eddies’ one.

All six Yarmouth goals were assisted.

“They want to set each other up,” said Morrill. “They don’t care who scores. We do a good job this year counting assists.”

Harris made 14 saves for Edward Little.

Finishing up

Edward Little (currently ranked seventh in the Class A North Heal Points standings) has home games remaining against Mt. Blue and Lewiston, sandwiched around a trip to Brunswick.

Yarmouth, which is still second behind Freeport in Class B South, plays its final home game Thursday of next week versus Lake Region, then it closes at St. Dom’s Oct. 21.

“We’ve bonded as a team from last year’s loss which really fuels us,” said Wiles. “I think we just need to continue to come together. We all have the same goal. We’re so unbelievably motivated. We’re all in it to win it. We’re so ready.”

“The hope is to play at home,” Morrill said. “We just have to keep doing what we’re doing. We look forward to Lake Region, then what we hope is one last grass game, then playoffs. It’s anyone’s game. The upset train is there and we just hope we won’t get on it. We’re excited to keep the intensity going for playoffs.”

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