(Ed. Note: For the complete Cheverus-Thornton Academy and Portland-Marshwood field hockey and Deering-Portland volleyball stories, with additional photos, see theforecaster.net) 

The fall sports season began in positive fashion for local squads and there have already been no shortage of memorable contests.

Here’s a glimpse at where things stand with the first full week of the season under our belts:

Boys’ soccer

Both the Deering and Portland boys’ soccer teams have gotten off to fast starts.

The Rams stunned defending Class A South champion Scarborough, 1-0, in the opener, then improved to 2-0 last Tuesday with a 2-1 victory at South Portland behind goals from Jonata Mbongo (on a penalty kick) and Iessa Ramadan. Deering hosted Biddeford Tuesday, welcomes Sanford Thursday and Westbrook Saturday, then goes to Bonny Eagle Tuesday of next week.

The Bulldogs built on their 1-0 win at Cheverus to start the season by handling visiting Noble (5-1) and prevailing at Windham (5-0). Against the Knights, Alex Frank scored three goals and Omar Daud and Manny Yugu each had one. In the win over the Eagles, Quinn Clarke led the way with a pair of goals. Portland was at Thornton Academy Tuesday, hosts Marshwood Thursday and visits Massabesic Tuesday of next week.

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Cheverus fell to 0-2 with a 1-0 loss at Marshwood last Tuesday, then got in the win column Thursday, downing host Msssabesic, 3-1. Luc Dionne had two goals while Chris St. John had the other. The Stags looked to even their record Tuesday at home versus Westbrook. After playing host to Noble Thursday, Cheverus visits Windham Tuesday of next week.

Waynflete had last week off due to the school’s Outdoor Experience. The 1-0-1 Flyers returned to action Tuesday when Traip Academy paid a visit. Waynflete is at Sacopee Valley Thursday and plays at powerhouse Falmouth Saturday (game time has been changed to 6 p.m.). 

Girls’ soccer

On the girls’ side, Cheverus shook off its season opening 3-0 loss at Portland by winning two in a row, downing visiting Marshwood (3-1) and Massabesic (3-0). Against the Hawks, freshman Emma Gallant had two goals and Lauren Jordan scored the other. Gallant, Alex Hammond and Katie Gordon had the goals in the win over the Mustangs. The Stags go to Westbrook Wednesday and visit Noble Friday.

Deering lost its first game, 3-1, to visiting Scarborough, but also turned around and won two straight, beating visiting South Portland (2-0) and host Maine Girls’ Academy (3-0). Meghana Clere and freshman Sahar Habibzai scored against the Red Riots. Clere, Habibzai and Ewka Varney had goals against the Lions. The Rams go to Biddeford Wednesday, play at Sanford Friday and return home Tuesday of next week to battle Bonny Eagle.

Portland beat visiting Cheverus in its opener, 3-0, then settled for 1-1 ties at Noble and at home versus Windham. Kate Johnson had the goal at the Knights and freshman Annika More scored against the Eagles. The Bulldogs host Thornton Academy Wednesday (see theforecaster.net for game story) and visit Marshwood Friday.

Maine Girls’ Academy dropped to 0-3 after an 11-0 loss at Bonny Eagle and a 3-0 home loss to Deering. The Lions hope to get in the win column Wednesday when they host Sanford. Friday brings a trip to Biddeford.

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Waynflete (1-0) returned to action Tuesday at Traip Academy. The Flyers are home with Sacopee Valley Thursday, play at defending Class B champion Greely Saturday (see theforecaster.net for game story) and visit St. Dom’s Tuesday of next week.

Field hockey

Cheverus field hockey team improved to 3-0 last Wednesday after a 4-1 triumph at South Portland behind two goals from Sophia Pompeo and one apiece from Bella Booth and Caroline Ford. Friday, the Stags finally met their match against visiting Thornton Academy in a regional final rematch. Cheverus went ahead on Hannah Abbott’s goal in the first half, but the Golden Trojans drew even and the game stayed 1-1 until seven seconds remained, when Thornton Academy’s Emma Dutremble scored off a penalty corner, handing the Stags a 2-1 setback, dropping them to 3-1.

“That was a tough loss,” said Cheverus’ first-year coach Sally Cloutier. “I feel we dominated the whole first half and should have more than one (goal). We just couldn’t get it in. We had some near misses, but they’re a great team. They played tough and we did too. We’re well matched.”

After traveling to Sanford Tuesday, the Stags host Scarborough (a team Cheverus has never beaten on its home grass) Thursday and visit Noble Monday.

Portland fell to 1-3 after losses last week to visiting Marshwood (9-0) and at Massabesic (10-1). The Bulldogs quickly fell behind, 2-0, to the talented Hawks, who got goals from six different players.

“The girls fought to the end,” said Bulldogs coach Beth Arsenault. “There will be teams who school us and we need to take the lessons away from it.”

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Nettie Welsh had Portland’s goal against the Mustangs. The Bulldogs hoped to return to the win column Tuesday when Deering paid a visit. Portland goes to Gorham Thursday and hosts Bonny Eagle Monday.

Deering dropped to 0-4 after losses last week at Scarborough (12-0) and at home to South Portland (5-0). The Rams were at Portland Tuesday, host Sanford Friday and play at Massabesic Monday.

The Maine Girls’ Academy/Waynflete co-op team began its season Monday at Old Orchard Beach. After hosting North Yarmouth Academy Friday at Waynflete, the Flying Lions play at St. Dom’s Saturday and visit Poland Monday before returning home to host Traip Academy Tuesday at Waynflete.

Volleyball

Two second-year volleyball programs put on a show last Tuesday when Deering hosted Portland.

The Rams erased a 20-18 first set deficit and went on to a 25-22 victory behind the stellar serving of Dianne Dervis and Maddie Broda. 

The Bulldogs shot to leads of 7-1 and 16-10 in the second set, but Deering refused to buckle and even though Portland twice held set point, the Rams hung tough and ran off the final four points to win, 26-24, as Angeliha Bou capped the comeback with an ace.

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Deering appeared ready to quickly close out the third game, taking a 4-0 lead and eventually going up, 18-11, on an ace from Dervis, but Portland wouldn’t go quietly, roaring back to go ahead, 22-21, only to see the Rams score the final four points and close out the match when Kaylee Helmick served up an ace for a 25-22 victory.

“It was a very tough match,” said Dervis, who had 11 service points, including five aces. “(Portland) played very well. They’re a big rival. We were prepared enough to be able to come back. We know we have the ability to do what we need to do.”

“It was nervewracking, said Helmick, who finished with eight kills. “It was an exciting match for both of us. We were both fired up. We stayed relaxed and worked together.”

“It was back and forth, which is what you want and what you don’t want,” Deering coach Larry Nichols said. “We had a couple chase-downs where I thought we were done, but we wrestled it out. It’s a big deal because we had goals going into the season and if we lost again, we’d have to re-examine. Now, we can keep improving.”

The Rams improved to 2-1 Thursday with a 3-0 (25-3, 25-9, 25-14) win at Gardiner. Broda led the way with 23 aces and 12 assists and Helmick had nine kills. Deering was home with York Tuesday, visits Lake Region Thursday and welcomes Cheverus Tuesday of next week.

Against Deering, Portland was paced by 12 service points (including seven aces) from Sophia Silva, six service points and three kills from Abby Krieckhaus and five assists and three kills from Shayla Eubanks.

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“In the big picture, that was an amazing display of volleyball by two teams who are new,” Bulldogs coach Joe Russo said. “Deering came up with three or four critical hustle plays, plays I thought we had to win. I don’t know how they did it. They dove and kept it alive. That was really the difference. We played great. The girls played their positions and the subs came in and played terrific..”

Portland then blanked visiting Brunswick, 3-0 (25-17, 25-15, 25-11), Thursday to improve to 2-1 and exceed last year’s win total. The Bulldogs hosted Bonny Eagle Tuesday, visit first-year program York Thursday and welcome South Portland Tuesday of next week.

Cheverus lost its first two matches, including a 3-0 (14-25, 18-25, 12-25) decision at perennial power Falmouth, but last Thursday, the Stags improved to 1-2 with a marathon 3-2 (25-23, 25-22, 21-25, 15-25, 15-7) victory at Bonny Eagle. Cheverus was home against Cony Tuesday, visits Biddeford Thursday and plays at Deering Tuesday of next week.

Cross country

Deering’s cross country team (along with Gorham and Westbrook) ran last week at Noble, where the Rams boys placed first thanks to a superb pack effort from Yahya Nure (second, 17 minutes, 28.93 seconds), Alec Troxell (third, 17:31.71), Masho Gebremikael (fourth, 18:05.18), Jerry Mixangelo (fifth, 18:30.12) and Jose Bay-Ken (sixth, 18:51.18). The Deering girls finished third as a team, as Nicole Whipkey was runner-up individually in 21:12.20.

Cheverus joined South Portland and Windham at Marshwood. The Stags girls were runners-up to the hosts, as Ashley Turner had a fifth-place individual showing (22:38). The boys were fourth (the Red Riots were first), as Steve Larkin placed fourth individually (19:25). 

Portland (along with Biddeford and Scarborough) competed at Massabesic. The boys were third behind behind the Red Storm and Mustangs and got a seventh-place individual finish from Joseph Harrington (18:46). The Bulldogs girls came in fourth (Scarborough was first). Raven Bradenday placed 15th in 25:20.

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Maine Girls’ Academy joined Bonny Eagle and Thornton Academy at Sanford and came in fourth as a team. Sanni Hackett was 12th individually (27:44).

This weekend, Cheverus joins Sanford and Westbrook at Scarborough, Deering (along with Massabesic and South Portland) runs at Bonny Eagle, Maine Girls’ Academy joins Biddeford and Marshwood at Gorham, Portland (along with Noble and Thornton Academy) runs at Windham and Waynflete returns to action, joining Kennebunk and Yarmouth at Sacopee Valley.

Golf

Cheverus’ golf team improved to 3-0 last week after beating South Portland, 

Deering fell to 0-4 after losses to Portland (11-2) and Scarborough (10.5-2.5).

Portland beat Deering, 11-2, then fell to 2-2 on the year with a 11.5-1.5 loss to Falmouth.

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

Sidebar Elements


Cheverus senior Carrie Hight drives the ball up the field during the Stags’ 2-1 loss to Thornton Academy in last week’s regional final rematch.

Portland junior Veronica Iris-Bates goes up for a block against Deering junior Avery Donovan during the Rams’ 3-0 win last week.


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