PORTLAND—Yarmouth/Freeport’s girls hockey team has played in consecutive state finals and if you’re expecting the Clippers to come back to the pack this winter, guess again.

Thursday evening at Troubh Ice Arena, Yarmouth/Freeport took on the talented Beacons co-op squad, consisting of players from Portland, South Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Deering and Waynflete, and thanks to a flurry of goals, the Clippers opened the new year in style.

Beacons senior goal-scoring machine Marina Bassett opened the scoring less than two minutes in, but late in the first period, Yarmouth/Freeport drew even on a goal from senior Drea Rideout.

Bassett struck again early in the second period before the Clippers tied it on a goal from sophomore Dylan McElhinney, then went on top when sophomore Erica O’Connor finished on a rush.

Bassett completed her hat trick with 6:07 to play in the second period, tying the score, but Yarmouth/Freeport would seize control before the end of the frame, as Rideout’s second goal put her team in front to stay, then junior captain Celia Zinman scored out of a scrum and junior captain Emma White struck as well to make it 6-3 heading to the intermission.

The Beacons made things interesting with 3:48 remaining on a goal from sophomore Alexis Turner, but junior captain Adelaide Strout scored to put it away a little over a minute later and Yarmouth/Freeport went on to a 7-4 victory.

Six different players scored, with Rideout leading the way with two goals, and the Clippers improved to 7-1-1 at the midway point of the regular season, dropping the Beacons to 7-3 in the process.

“We knew it would be a tough test,” said Yarmouth/Freeport coach David Intraversato. “They’re a top team and there were a lot of (Heal Points) we had to get. I talked to the girls at the beginning of the game that this game would be about confidence. We’re a little younger than previous teams, but we’re still skilled.”

Coming of age

Yarmouth/Freeport has been to two straight state finals, losing both to Cheverus, and the squad is primed to make another deep run this winter.

Yarmouth/Freeport opened with a 7-4 win at Lewiston, then tied host Edward Little/Leavitt (3-3) before downing visiting York (4-1), host Winslow (5-2) and host St. Dom’s (9-0). After falling at home to Cheverus (1-0), Yarmouth/Freeport rebounded and defeated host Penobscot (5-1) and visiting Edward Little/Leavitt (5-3).

The Beacons, meanwhile, stumbled a couple of times, but have some impressive victories as well.

The Beacons started by downing visiting Falmouth (7-3) and host Greely (8-1). After a 9-1 loss to Cheverus, the Beacons won at St. Dom’s (7-4), then avenged their earlier loss, shocking Cheverus (3-2). Following an 8-3 home loss to Edward Little/Leavitt, the Beacons held off visiting Gorham (5-3), then twice beat Biddeford (10-5 at home and 4-3 on the road)

The teams split a year ago. The Beacons held on for a 5-4 win in Yarmouth, before Yarmouth/Freeport prevailed, 5-2, in Portland.

Thursday, the Clippers won in Portland again, burying their opportunities.

Yarmouth/Freeport junior Sophie White skates up the ice with Beacons sophomore Alexis Turner in pursuit during the Clippers’ 7-4 victory Thursday night. Photos courtesy Kneka Smith.

The Beacons broke the scoring ice with 13:03 to play in the first period, as Bassett finished, from senior Libby Hooper.

Beacons sophomore goalie Mya Clark then preserved the lead after Yarmouth/Freeport went on the power play, turning aside bids from O’Connor and freshman phenom Maya Nasveschuk.

After the penalty expired, the Clippers kept the pressure on and after Clark denied junior captain Erin O’Connor and Strout, Rideout managed to tie the score at 12:19, as her long shot from the blue line got through and found the net.

Yarmouth/Freeport went on the power play again late in the period, but Clark kicked aside a shot from Nasveschuk and saved a bid from Zinman.

After Bassett missed just high on a rush at the other end, the score remained 1-1.

There would be plenty more offense in a second period that would ultimately tilt the Clippers’ way.

Yarmouth/Freeport sophomore goalie Lexie Wiles lunges to make a save.

Early in the period, Clippers sophomore goalie Lexie Wiles robbed senior Jane Flynn one-on-one.

At 3:27, however, the Beacons retook the lead, as again Hooper got the puck to Bassett, who eluded a defender, then buried her shot.

Yarmouth/Freeport tied the score at 6:14, as White set up McElhinney right on the doorstep and Clark couldn’t recover in time.

Two minutes later, after Bassett was robbed by Wiles on a breakaway, the visitors took their first lead, as Erica O’Connor finished unassisted on a rush.

Bassett would tie the game with 6:07 left in the second period, scoring unassisted while being tripped up, giving her a hat trick on the evening.

The Beacons went on the power play with a chance to go back in front, but instead, it was Yarmouth/Freeport taking the lead for good, playing short-handed.

With 4:30 on the clock, Rideout did the honors, finishing Erin O’Connor’s feed.

A mere 41 seconds later, Zinman scored out of a scrum, with O’Connor getting the assist on that goal as well.

“We did make one little adjustment on our lines and it worked out really well with Erin getting two assists on one shift,” said Intraversato. “She likes to get the puck deep and work behind the net and she set up some nice shots in the slot for us.”

After Wiles denied Hooper on a rush, White scored the Clippers’ third goal in just over three minutes, from Nasveschuk, and Yarmouth/Freeport held a 6-3 advantage heading to the locker room for the second intermission.

“Our passes were connecting and we were able to put it in the net,” Strout said. “We brought it to them and were able to finish it off.”

“Marina’s an unbelievable scorer and she got her goals and it was back-and-forth a little bit, but we could tell they were getting tired and we had legs,” Intraversato said. “I think our transition game was much better tonight. We have a really good skating team. Our D likes to skate the puck and we used that to transition the puck through the neutral zone and once we got it deep, we have girls who can win it and get it in the net.”

The Clippers had a chance to pull away when they earned a 6-on-4 power play early in the third period, but they couldn’t finish.

With 5:49 left, the Beacons went on the power play, but they couldn’t cut into the deficit, as Bassett was denied on a rush.

Finally, with 3:48 to go, Turner scored from the side on a rush and Intraversato called timeout to settle his team.

It worked, as with 2:25 to play, Strout’s unassisted tally ended all doubt and Yarmouth/Freeport went on to a 7-4 victory.

Yarmouth/Freeport celebrates the victory.

“We came out of the locker room talking about how we could do it,” Strout said. “We had a positive mindset to finish the game and get the win. I think we definitely stepped it up once we knew we could compete with them. We kept pounding them with goals and we got in their head and we were able to come out with the win. I think everyone on our team played so amazing, especially our underclassmen.”

“At the end of the day, defense was going to win it and we have a top defense in the state,” said Intraversato. “We came together and closed it out.”

Yarmouth/Freeport finished with a 26-15 edge in shots on goal and got 11 saves from Wiles.

The Beacons got 19 saves from Clark, but weren’t able to rally in the third period.

“We had not played a game since December 23rd and we looked like it,” said Beacons coach Bob Mills. “We got out of position, gave the puck away too much, had a hard time possessing the puck and took too many penalties. Practicing for two weeks is just not the same as playing games and that (second period) stretch really hurt us. Our bench is a little short and we got a little tired. The second period wasn’t our best period. We talked in the locker room after the second period about looking at it as a challenge and seeing if we could claw our way back in it.”

Home and away

The Beacons (who are second to Cheverus in the South Region Heal Points standings) stay home to face Greely Saturday. They go to York Tuesday of next week.

“On any given night, any team can win this year and it’s nice to have that parity,” said Mills. “We have to play better positional hockey, possess the puck better and not give it away as much.”

Yarmouth/Freeport (first in the North Region) is home versus St. Dom’s Monday, then has a pivotal showdown next Thursday at Brunswick.

“Losing last year’s seniors was really rough, but we have some good freshmen, which is really helpful,” Strout said. “We want to help the underclassmen compete at this level. We have so much team chemistry. We’ve been able to bond.”

“We’re not as deep as we’ve been, so we have to stay together,” said Intraversato. “Our schedule down the stretch is tough, but we have a lot of home games. It will be good to have some home cooking. We want to be playing our best at the end of January. We just have to come in and play our game every time.”

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