(Ed. Note: For the complete Scarborough-Portland game story, with additional photos, please visit theforecaster.net)

With one week remaining in the regular season, two of three local football teams appear playoff-bound.

The lone winner last weekend was Cape Elizabeth, which improved to 3-4 with a 20-8 home win over Fryeburg. The Capers were down, 8-0, after the first quarter, but pulled even by halftime on a touchdown pass from Noah Wolfinger to Cam Wilson. A short TD run from Nick Moulton put Cape Elizabeth ahead, 14-8, in the third period and the Capers put it away in the fourth on another Wolfinger to Wilson scoring pass.

Cape Elizabeth (sixth in the Western Class B Crabtree Points standings) finishes the regular season at longtime nemesis Mountain Valley (2-5) Friday night. A victory wraps up a seventh straight playoff berth. Last year, the Capers lost twice to the Falcons, 20-14 at home in the regular season finale and 13-0 at Rumford in the Western B semifinals.

In Western A, Scarborough fell to 5-2 after dropping a hard-fought 25-20 decision at Portland. The Red Storm grabbed a 7-0 lead in the first period on a 44-yard scamper by junior Dan LeClair. Portland roared back behind TD runs from sophomore quarterback Ryan Ruhlin and junior workhorse Justin Zukowski, but Dillon Russo hit senior Greg Viola from 37 yards out for a 14-13 lead at halftime.

The Bulldogs went back on top, 19-14, when senior Nick Volger broke free for a 62-yard TD run in the third period, but with 6:23 left in the game, Russo and Viola hooked up again, this time from 17 yards out, and the Red Storm appeared en route to victory.

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Instead, Portland embarked on a final scoring drive. An unexpected 40-yard pass play from Ruhlin to senior Joe Nielsen got the Bulldogs close and with 1:28 left, Ruhlin sneaked in from the 1. A pair of sacks denied Russo and Scarborough’s last gasp and the Bulldogs held on to win.

The Red Storm (clinging to third over Portland in the Western A Crabtrees) finishes the regular year Friday at home versus 0-7 Gorham. Last year, Scarborough beat the host Rams, 41-12.

South Portland fell to 1-6 last Friday night with a 57-12 loss at Deering. The Red Riots were down 27-0 after one quarter and 34-0 before a TD run from quarterback Duncan Preston got them on the board. Preston scored again late, but it was all Rams from start to finish.

South Portland (13th in the Western A Crabtrees) hosts 5-2 Portland in the regular season finale, the “Battle of the Bridge,” Saturday afternoon. The Red Riots have beaten the Bulldogs two years in a row, including 20-7 last fall.

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

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Scarborough senior Merrick Madden runs with the ball during Friday’s 25-20 loss at Portland.


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