Yarmouth’s girls’ soccer team celebrates its 6-1 home win over Greely Saturday afternoon.

Joe Carpine / 365digitalphotography.com photos.

More photos below.

YARMOUTH—You can only hold the defending Class B state champion Yarmouth girls’ soccer team at bay for so long.

Midway through the second half Saturday afternoon, visiting Greely had to feel pretty good about its chances, only trailing the host Clippers by a goal, but in a span of less than two minutes, Yarmouth erupted for three goals to wrap up yet another victory.

In the teams’ final scheduled meeting this fall, the Clippers took a 1-0 lead on a goal from junior Olivia Feeley in the 26th minute and doubled it when sophomore Hannah Dwyer scored early in the second half.

The Rangers then made things interesting, as with 33:19 to play, junior Skylar Cooney scored on a rebound.

Greely even had a few looks at drawing even, but couldn’t do so and a Dwyer transition goal with 18:30 left opened the floodgates.

A mere 55 seconds later, sophomore Ehryn Groothoff added a goal and with 16:42 on the clock, Dwyer completed her hat trick.

One final goal from junior Isabel Brennan widened the gap even further and Yarmouth rolled to a 6-1 victory.

The Clippers got goals from four different players as they won their sixth game without a loss this season and dropped the Rangers to 4-2 in the process.

“Our chemistry really worked out there,” Dwyer said. “We have a really balanced and deep offense. Everyone who plays is good.”

Tough to stop

Yarmouth has defended its state title with aplomb so far this fall, scoring goals with abandon.

The Clippers opened with a 2-0 win at Gray-New Gloucester, then blanked host Greely in a regional final rematch, 3-0. After a 12-1 romp at Fryeburg Academy, in which senior Sara D’Appolonia had seven goals, Yarmouth blanked visiting Freeport (5-0) and York (3-0) in its first two home games.

Greely shut out visiting York, 3-0, then lost at home, 3-0, to Yarmouth to start the year. The Rangers then downed visiting Freeport (3-1) and Poland (5-2) and blanked host Gray-New Gloucester (4-0).

Entering play Saturday, Greely held a 20-9 (with five ties) advantage since the start of the 2001 season (see sidebar, below), but Yarmouth had won six of the past eight meetings.

Saturday, on a balmy afternoon, the Clippers did it again.

Yarmouth broke the ice with 14:12 to go in the first half and the goal came off a corner kick.

D’Appolonia, who scored 13 goals in her team’s first five games, sent the ball in and Feeley was in the right place at the right time to head it home for a 1-0 lead.

“Liv gets herself on the score sheet,” said Coleman. “She’s such a powerful player on set pieces.”

Both teams had chances before halftime, but the score remained 1-0.

After D’Appolonia set up senior Eva Then for a shot which sailed high, Cooney looked to tie the score, but her blast was saved by Clippers senior goalkeeper Meredith Lane.

After Yarmouth senior Ellie Purgavie shot wide, Rangers sophomore Katherine Clancy took a free kick just outside the box and sent it high.

Clancy got another chance in the final minute, but her low blast rolled just wide of the near post.

The Clippers then transitioned and as time wound down, nearly got a second goal, as Then got to Feeley’s long serve and sent the ball on goal, but with a split-second remaining, Greely freshman goalkeeper Camille Clement managed to make the save, keeping it a one-goal game.

The game would remain tight for awhile in the second half before Yarmouth pulled away with a breathtaking finishing display.

Early in the second half, Rangers junior Anna DeWolfe tried to tie the score, but her shot was saved by Lane.

The Clippers then went up by a 2-0 margin with 37:28 to play.

After Clement couldn’t handle a cross by Yarmouth senior Hannah Merrill, Dwyer was there to bang home the loose ball for her first goal of the game.

“It was kind of a flat ball,” said Dwyer. “The goalie probably didn’t think I was going for it, but I really wanted it.”

Greely didn’t hang its head, however, and after senior Courtney Sullivan and junior Julia Martel were denied by Lane, senior Katie Steinberg’s long free kick was on target, Lane got a piece of it, but the ball came to Sullivan, who was denied before Cooney managed to clean up the rebound to cut the deficit to 2-1 with 33:19 still to play.

Six minutes later, Cooney looked to equalize, but shot wide.

After Clement dove to deny Purgavie, then stopped a shot by Feeley, a long Steinberg free kick was caught by Lane and a great look by DeWolfe with Lane out of the cage rolled just wide of the goal with 22:20 to play.

That would be the Rangers’ last, best chance to draw even.

With 18:30 to go, Dwyer scored for the second time, taking a pass from Then in transition before shooting past Clement for a 3-1 lead.

Just as that goal was being celebrated, Yarmouth struck again with 17:35 on the clock, as D’Appolonia fed Groothoff for a one-timer and a 4-1 lead.

“Sara wanted to get on the score sheet, but she got some assists,” said Coleman. “She’s a great player.”

Then, with 16:42 left, Dwyer produced the dagger, as she broke in on the left and poked the ball into the goal for a 5-1 advantage.

“I knew the defender was coming, so I just toed it across the goal,” Dwyer said.

“Hannah Dwyer is a player I’ve coached previously in Premier,” said Coleman. “She knows she has to work on consistency, but she’s always dangerous. Her movement is always good. You always want her around the penalty box. She has composure and can finish. She wanted more minutes and scored three goals, so she earned it.”

After DeWolfe hit the post at one end and Feeley just missed on a long free kick, the Clippers produced the game’s final goal with 10:38 on the clock, as Brennan booted a long shot which hit the inside of the near post and bounced in.

From there, Yarmouth milked the clock and celebrated its 6-1 victory.

“Greely pressured us for 20 minutes and got back in the game and we couldn’t figure it out, but our goals show how dangerous we can be,” Coleman said. “We’ve got a lot of forwards who can score goals. It’s a good group that works tremendously hard.”

The Clippers finished with a 12-7 advantage in shots on frame and got six saves from Lane. They also took five corner kicks to none for the Rangers.

Greely got six saves from Clement. 

“(Yarmouth) took advantage,” said Rangers coach Josh Muscadin. “They beat us fair and square. Although we lost, it was a valuable lesson learned. We hope we learned a lot. We have to keep moving forward. It was a close game at the half, then we scored and momentum turned. We had our chances, but they’re the better team. We need to strengthen our goalkeeping.”

See you next month?

There’s a very good chance Greely and Yarmouth could meet again in the playoffs, perhaps even in the regional final, but both teams face some stern tests in the weeks to come.

The Rangers will be tested by dangerous Cape Elizabeth Tuesday, then go to Lake Region Friday. Games at York and Cape Elizabeth and a home tilt with defending Class C South champion Waynflete also loom.

The Clippers look to stay perfect when they go to Poland Tuesday. Yarmouth then has a home test versus Cape Elizabeth Friday. Trips to York, Freeport and Cape Elizabeth also remain.

“We still have things we can do better,” Dwyer said. “We still have to get wide and keep transition in the midfield clean.”

“We’re not even halfway through and we’re still learning how to play,” Coleman said. “We still have to work on our composure and our shape. Greely is a good team and York is good. We know that Cape will give us a great game. We’ve still got a lot of work to do. Playoffs is what’s most important.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

As time winds down in the first half, Yarmouth senior Eva Then fires a shot on goal while classmate Hannah Corey looks on. Greely freshman goalkeeper Camille Clement made the save, however.

Greely sophomore Katherine Clancy tries to keep Yarmouth senior Sara D’Appolonia away from the ball.

Yarmouth senior Hannah Corey and Greely sophomore Ellie Holt keep their eye on the ball.

Yarmouth sophomore Hannah Dwyer scores one of her three goals as Greely senior Bridget Roberts (7) and senior Katie Steinberg look on.

Yarmouth senior Sara D’Appolonia looks to make some magic. D’Appolonia didn’t score for the first time all season, but had three assists.

Yarmouth sophomore Ashlyn Feeley congratulates her sister, junior Olivia Feeley (5) after Feeley scores the game’s first goal.

Recent Greely-Yarmouth results

2017
Yarmouth 3 @ Greely 0

2016
Yarmouth 4 @ Greely 1 
@ Yarmouth 1 Greely 0
Class B South Final
@ Yarmouth 3 Greely 1

2015
@ Greely 6 Yarmouth 3 
@ Yarmouth 2 Greely 1
Class B South semifinal
@ Greely 2 Yarmouth 1 

2014
Greely 2 @ Yarmouth 0
Yarmouth 2 @ Greely 0

2013
@ Greely 3 Yarmouth 0
@ Yarmouth 1 Greely 0

2012
Greely 2 @ Yarmouth 1
@ Greely 3 Yarmouth 0

2011
Greely 2 @ Yarmouth 1
@ Greely 5 Yarmouth 1

2010
@ Yarmouth 2 Greely 1 (OT)
@ Greely 1 Yarmouth 0

2009
Greely 2 @ Yarmouth 0
@ Greely 2 Yarmouth 0

2008
Greely 3 @ Yarmouth 1
@ Greely 1 Yarmouth 0 (OT)

2007
@ Greely 4 Yarmouth 0
@ Yarmouth 2 Greely 2 (tie)

2006
@ Yarmouth 2 Greely 0
@ Greely 1 Yarmouth 1 (tie)

2005
@ Greely 2 Yarmouth 2 (tie)
Greely 2 @ Yarmouth 1

2004
Greely 3 @ Yarmouth 2
@ Greely 1 Yarmouth 1 (tie)

2003
@ Greely 4 Yarmouth 2
@ Yarmouth 0 Greely 0 (tie)

2002
Greely 3 @ Yarmouth 1

2001
@ Greely 2 Yarmouth 0
Greely 5 @ Yarmouth 1