(Ed. Note: For the complete Scarborough-Portland boys’ soccer, Scarborough-Cheverus girls’ soccer and Scarborough-Greely volleyball game stories, with photos, see theforecaster.net) 

The first championships of the fall sports season will be handed out Saturday at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro when golf’s team champions are determined.

For everyone else, the regular season is dwindling and the games are more important than ever. Once again, a compelling week is in store.

Here’s a glimpse at what you might have missed and what’s to come:

Football

Cape Elizabeth was the lone local football team to get in the win column last week, holding off visiting Mountain Valley, 20-12, to improve to 5-0. The Capers got a scare from their one-time fierce rival, trailing, 6-0, after one quarter, before coming to life and taking a 14-6 halftime lead behind a Ryan Weare touchdown run and a Jack O’Rourke-to-Matt Graham TD pass. O’Rourke hooked up with Justin Guerrette for a third quarter touchdown and after surrendering a fourth quarter score, Cape Elizabeth’s defense slammed the door in the final quarter. The Capers (first in the Class C South Crabtree Points standings) visit this year’s feel-good story, 4-1 Gray-New Gloucester, Friday, then go to undefeated Yarmouth the following weekend. Last year, Cape Elizabeth handled the visiting Patriots by a 49-8 score.

Scarborough had its three-game win streak snapped with a 48-7 loss at defending Class A champion Thornton Academy, which dropped the Red Storm to 3-2. A Jack Hughes to Griffin Madden TD pass gave Scarborough an early 7-0 lead, but it was all Golden Trojans after that. The Red Storm (second in Class A South) are home against 2-3 South Portland Friday. Last year, Scarborough won at the Red Riots, 25-7.

Speaking of South Portland, it lost its third in a row, this one in agonizing fashion, 20-14, in overtime, to visiting Bangor. The Rams led, 6-0, after one period, but Matt Crockett’s TD run put the Red Riots ahead at halftime, 7-6. After Bangor scored a touchdown and added the two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter, South Portland drew even late on a TD run from Spencer Houlette. The game would go to overtime, where the Rams scored, but couldn’t get the point-after (it was blocked), giving the Red Riots a chance to win it. South Portland couldn’t punch it in, however, and dropped to 2-3 (fifth in Class A South).

Boys’ soccer

Scarborough’s boys’ soccer team settled for a 1-1 home tie versus Portland last Thursday, then edged host Westbrook, 1-0, Tuesday to improve to 7-0-2 and third behind Thornton Academy and Falmouth in the Class A South Heal Points standings at press time. Against the Bulldogs, the Red Storm fell behind early, but drew even on Noah Stracqualursi’s second half goal. Neither team scored from there and an extremely physical affair ended deadlocked, 1-1.

“We had some opportunities and didn’t finish, but we did come back,” said Scarborough coach Mark Diaz. “It was not soccer, I know that. We had one card, they had seven. It was that way right from the start. I told the kids to keep their composure, which I think for the most part, we did. We can’t play that style. We don’t want to play that style. I think we got caught up in it and we played a little fast.”

Garrett King had the goal in the victory. The Red Storm had a home showdown versus Thornton Academy Thursday, go to Noble Saturday and visit Marshwood Tuesday. 

South Portland was 5-3-2 and sixth following home wins over Westbrook (2-1) and Windham (3-0) and a 1-0 home loss to Thornton Academy. Ahmed Suja scored twice to rally the Red Riots past the Blue Blazes. Against the Eagles, Kervins Anthoine, Charlie Cronin and Khalid Suja had the goals. The Red Riots were at Cheverus Thursday (see theforecaster.net for game story), host Marshwood Saturday and play at Massabesic Tuesday.

Cape Elizabeth was 5-5 and sixth in Class B South after an 8-0 home victory over Lake Region, a 3-1 win at Gray-New Gloucester and a 4-1 home loss to Falmouth. Against the Lakers, Wes Parker and Nicolai Sabatini both had had tricks. Connor Thoreck scored twice and Sabatini also scored against the Patriots. In the loss, Sabatini had the goal. The Capers are at Greely Saturday and visit Fryeburg Academy Tuesday.

Greater Portland Christian School beat A.R. Gould (5-0) and Pine Tree Academy (2-0) last week, then lost at A.R. Gould, 4-2, Tuesday to fall to 7-4-1 and second behind Buckfield in Class D South. In the first game against A.R. Gould, Ethan Spaulding had two goals. Jeremiah Hammond and John Konczal had goals against PTA. The Lions were at Islesboro Wednesday, host Buckfield Saturday and close the regular season at home versus Searsport Tuesday.

Girls’ soccer

On the girls’ side, Scarborough was first in the Class A South Heals at press time after winning at Portland (4-0) and Cheverus (2-1) to improve to 8-0-1. Against the Stags, Gabby Panagakos scored in the first half and Jillian Ware added a second half goal and the Red Storm held on late.

“I had a lot of faith in our defense,” said Panagakos. “They really keep a good line back there. I really trust them.”

“We’re anticipating every game will be tough,” said Ware. “We always try our best.”

“These games are great to get us prepared,” Scarborough coach Mike Farley added. “It’s nice our league is more balanced this year. We’re not worse, everyone else is getting better.”

The Red Storm hosted Westbrook Wednesday, have a showdown at Thornton Academy Friday and welcome Marshwood Wednesday of next week.

South Portland was 4-5 and 13th in Class A South at press time (12 teams make the playoffs) after a 5-0 win at Westbrook and a 3-1 home loss against Portland. Juliana Selser had the goal in the setback. The Red Riots went to Thornton Academy Wednesday, host Cheverus Saturday and welcome Massabesic Wednesday of next week.

Cape Elizabeth enjoyed a 5-0 win at Lake Region last Thursday, then fell to 6-3 and fifth in Class B South after a 1-0 loss at Falmouth Tuesday. Kate Breed had two goals and Katherine Briggs, Mariah Deschino and Prezli Piscopo all had one in the victory. The Capers have a huge showdown versus top-ranked, undefeated Greely Friday, welcome Fryeburg Academy Tuesday and host Gray-New Gloucester Thursday.

GPCS fell to 2-8 and seventh in Class D South (where seven teams make the playoffs) following Monday’s 3-1 home loss to Pine Tree Academy. The Lions were home against Highview Christian Wednesday, welcome Buckfield Saturday and play host to Searsport Tuesday. 

Field hockey

Scarborough’s field hockey team isn’t quite the juggernaut of recent seasons, but the Red Storm improved to 10-1 and second to Cheverus in the Class A South Heal Points standings at press time after downing visiting South Portland (3-1) and Portland (5-1). Lily Nygren had two goals and Cara Reynolds one against the Red Riots. In the win over the Bulldogs, Nygren and Lauren Topchik both had two goals, while Reynolds had the other. Scarborough was at Sanford Thursday, has a makeup game at Biddeford Saturday and closes the regular season at home Tuesday versus Noble.  

South Portland’s skid hit nine games Friday with a 3-1 loss at Scarborough (Amelia Papi scored the goal), but Tuesday, the Red Riots got back in the win column, 5-0, over visiting Noble, as Sophia Cummings, Kelby Doyle, Maddie Hasson, Lydia Henderson and Ciera Mullen all rattled the cage. South Portland (2-9 and 14th in Class A South, where 11 teams qualify for the playoffs) goes to Portland Friday, hosts Sanford Saturday and closes at Massabesic Tuesday.

Cape Elizabeth was 0-12 and 12th in Class B South (where 10 teams make the playoffs) heading into Wednesday’s game at North Yarmouth Academy. The Capers close the season next Wednesday at Falmouth.

Volleyball

Defending Class A volleyball champion Cape Elizabeth remains red-hot, blanking Scarborough (25-13, 28-26, 25-13) and Thornton Academy (25-15, 25-23, 25-20) to make it eight straight victories and improve to 8-2 and first in the Class A Heal Points standings. Against the Red Storm, Maddie Bowe had 13 kills, Katie Connolly added nine kills and 12 digs and Maggie Dadmun had 32 assists and seven digs. The Capers went to Kennebunk Thursday and host Falmouth Tuesday.

Scarborough fell to 7-3 and second in Class A after a 3-0 loss to Cape Elizabeth (13-25, 26-28, 13-25) and a 3-1 home setback to Greely (19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 20-25). Against the Rangers, Haley Nelson had 12 services point, Taylor Marinko added eight kills and six blocks, Libby Chadbourne had eight assists, Jordyn Cowan eight kills and four blocks, Caroline Goodwin seven assists and Emily Hanson 11 service points, but it wasn’t enough.

“I think we’re a good team,” said Scarborough coach Jon Roberts. “We’ve had a couple opportunities to show we can be mentally tough, but we dropped the ball a little bit.”

The Red Storm went to Biddeford Thursday and host Kennebunk Tuesday.

South Portland was 4-5 and 13th in Class A (12 teams make the playoffs) after a 3-0 loss at Biddeford and a 3-1 (13-25, 20-25, 25-23, 17-25) home loss to Windham. The Red Riots were home against Cony Thursday. They host Thornton Academy Tuesday and Wells Wednesday and go to Cheverus Thursday of next week.

Cross country

Local cross country runners descended upon Belfast for the Festival of Champions Saturday.

In the boys’ meet, Scarborough finished first, ahead of 63 other teams. The Red Storm had three of the top seven finishers, as Andrew Sholl was fourth (16 minutes, 18.62 seconds), Connor Doherty came in fourth (16:20.37) and Colin Tardiff placed seventh (16:24.99).

South Portland came in 29th. Xander Keiter (58th, 17:40.02) was the top individual.

Cape Elizabeth finished 36th. Mac Huffard (90th, 18:05.33) led the way. 

In the girls’ race, won by LaSalle Academy of Rhode Island, Cape Elizabeth was sixth, Scarborough came in 12th and South Portland was 19th.

The Capers were paced by 18th-place finisher Liv Palma (19:27.81). Serena Mckenzie led the Red Riots by coming in 25th (19:42.05). Laura Volan was the fastest Red Storm runner (32nd, 20:04.20).

The Western Maine Conference regular season concludes this weekend, as Cape Elizabeth hosts Falmouth, Maine Coast Waldorf, Gray-New Gloucester and Poland. In the Southwestern Maine Activities Association, Scarborough and South Portland join McAuley at Noble.

Golf

The Southwestern Maine Activities Association and Western Maine Conference golf qualifiers were held Monday.

In the SMAA, Scarborough, the defending Class A champion, shot a 314 to finish third and qualify for states. Drew Kane had the second-best 18-hole score (73). South Portland (356) was 10th, but only six teams made the cut.

In the WMC, Cape Elizabeth had no peer, shooting a 322, to finish first by 24 strokes and easily qualify. The Capers got a 74 from Austin Legge, which was the best individual round by six strokes. Teammates Max Altznauer (fifth, 81), Ryan Collins (sixth, 82) and Bryce Hewitt (tied for seventh, 85) also qualified for the individual state meet.

The state team match is Saturday in Vassalboro. The top individuals will vie for championships the following Saturday, Oct. 17, also in Vassalboro.

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

Sidebar Elements

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Scarborough senior quarterback Jack Hughes prepares to throw a pass during the Red Storm’s 48-7 loss at Thornton Academy Saturday.

Scarborough junior Jillian Ware picks up senior Maddie Chen in celebration after Chen set up Ware with the second goal of the Red Storm’s 2-1 win at Cheverus Monday afternoon. 

Scarborough senior Chloe Gorey delivers a serve during the Red Storm’s 3-1 home loss to Greely Tuesday.