Mother’s Day is in the rearview mirror and Memorial Day is coming up quickly. That means the championship month of June is right around the corner and the spring sports season doesn’t have long to go until the biggest events will be held.
Another exciting week is in the books and this week features an abundance of compelling action.
Here’s a look back and a glimpse ahead:
Baseball
Cape Elizabeth pitcher Jameson Bryant throws a strike during Monday’s loss at Greely. Hoffer photo.
Cape Elizabeth’s baseball team was 6-4 and third behind Greely and Yarmouth in the Class B South Heal Points standings at press time following a 3-1 loss at reigning regional champion Yarmouth, a 6-1 victory at Lake Region and a 7-5 setback at Greely. Charlie Song doubled against the Clippers. In the win, the Capers scored six times in the sixth inning. Gabe Harmon had two hits and earned the victory in relief, while Max Hayward had two RBI. Against the Rangers, Cape Elizabeth couldn’t hold a 4-1 lead in the sixth inning and lost on a walkoff home run. Andy Choi had two hits, scored a run and had an RBI.
“It’s a tough loss,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Donny Dutton. “That’s baseball. Seven competitive innings from start to finish. Greely’s a really good team. We’re a really good team. It’s a really good baseball game at this point in the season. You can’t hang your head. I think our pitchers did an outstanding job all day. They just ran into a couple more (hits) than we did and that’s what it came down to.”
The Capers were at Poland Wednesday, visit York Friday, host Fryeburg Academy Monday, then get another shot at Greely, this time at home, Wednesday of next week.
“We’re a competitive bunch and we’ll stay in that mindset,” Dutton said. “We’ll be ready to go for our next opponent. Class B South is probably the best baseball in the state right now. There are a lot of great teams. We’re all playing each other right now. It’ll be a case of whoever comes through the gauntlet on top might be in good shape. Our pitchers are doing a great job. Our defense is playing a lot better than it was earlier in the season. It just comes down to getting guys on base and getting timely hits.”
South Portland was 7-5 and fifth in Class A South after extra-inning wins at Biddeford (6-2, in eight-innings) and at home over Bonny Eagle (2-1, in nine-innings) and a 2-0 home victory over Marshwood Tuesday. Against the Tigers, Kason Lewis went the distance, allowing just three hits and striking out seven, while Hudson Iacuessa had three hits and two RBI. Alex Horton, who had two hits versus Biddeford, played the hero versus the Scots, singling home Gabe Babineau to end it. Ben Morin earned the win in relief. In the victory over the Hawks, Lewis threw a three-hitter with seven Ks. Curtis Metcalf and Brady Haynes each drove in a run. The Red Riots go to Windham Saturday and host Cheverus Tuesday of next week.
Softball
South Portland’s softball team was 9-2 and third behind Cheverus and Windham in the Class A South Heals after a 17-4 (five-inning) home win over Westbrook and Tuesday’s 6-5 loss at Massabesic. Against the Blue Blazes, a 14-run fourth inning was the difference. Andrea DiMauro, Rachel DiMauro, Phoebe Dodge and Lucy Wetzel all drove in two runs. In the setback, the Mustangs scored two runs in the last of the seventh to steal one. Ella Nickerson had two hits and scored twice, Anaalise Soucy had three hits and two RBI and Chloe Whitten had two hits and drove in a pair of runs. The Red Riots hosted Scarborough Wednesday (see our website for game story), go to Windham, the reigning Class A champion, Friday, visit Kennebunk Monday, then play at Falmouth Wednesday of next week.
Cape Elizabeth was 2-8 and 12th in Class B South following losses at Yarmouth (10-4), Greely (9-4) and Lake Region (12-2). In the loss to the Clippers, Sophia Chung, Shyla McVeigh and Lauren Steinberg had two hits apiece. Against the Rangers, Steinberg and Molly McKibben had two hits each. The Capers played at Poland Wednesday, go to York Friday, host Fryeburg Academy Monday, then welcome Greely Wednesday of next week.
Boys’ lacrosse
Cape Elizabeth’s Sam Cochran winds up to score on Thornton Academy during Saturday’s victory. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald
The three-time reigning Class A champion Cape Elizabeth boys’ lacrosse team remained perfect at 9-0, with a 32-game win streak, entering Wednesday night’s home showdown versus Falmouth (see our website for game story). Last Saturday, the Capers pulled away to down visiting Thornton in a battle of unbeaten teams, 16-9. Cape Elizabeth got five goals from Alex van Huystee, four from Bobby Offit, three from Sam Cochran and two from Aidan Connolly. Keegan Lathrop didn’t score but had four assists.
“There’s nothing like these big games, the energy, the crowd, it was a blast,” Connolly said. “We’ve had more competition than TA did this year and I think we were more prepared. We all have the mindset to just relax. We just focus on the little things and not on the score. It’s important for us as a team that the score doesn’t matter if we get down a couple goals. We’re really good at responding when we’re down a goal or two. Once we get going, we put the ball in the net and I don’t think any defense can stop us when we’re playing 100 percent.”
“Offensively, we’re at our best when we take what they give us,” said longtime Cape Elizabeth coach Ben Raymond. “We didn’t force the ball to Keegan. For the most part today, we played pretty well. It was a fairly consistent effort. Once we got going at the end of the first quarter, we were solid the rest of the way.”
After hosting Marshwood Friday, Cape Elizabeth (first in the Class A state Heals) pays a visit to Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.
“We don’t usually talk a lot about seeding, but we’re first right now and if we can hold that, it’s a huge difference between 1 and 2 because 1 will play the 4 seed, which won’t be Falmouth or TA, and if they play each other, it’s better for us,” Raymond said. “The emphasis is on holding that spot. We talk a lot about not necessarily focusing on winning every single game but just playing our best.”
South Portland was 5-3 and eighth in Class A following last week’s 17-2 home win over Biddeford and a 14-4 setback at reigning Class B champion York. In the victory, Beckett Mehlhorn finished with five goals and three assists, while Bryce Gordon and Ian House each added three goals. The Red Riots hosted Thornton Academy Wednesday, welcome North Yarmouth Academy Saturday, then have a showdown at Falmouth Wednesday of next week.
Girls’ lacrosse
Cape Elizabeth’s Heather Campbell scores during Tuesday’s home loss to Freeport. Courtesy Lisa Mims.
On the girls’ side, Cape Elizabeth was 5-5 and eighth in Class A after holding off visiting York (7-6) and losing to visiting Freeport, last year’s Class C champion, now playing in Class B (9-5). Against the Wildcats, Kaity Woods scored four goals, Libby Hooper added a pair and goalie Belle Reeves made nine saves. In the loss, freshman Wylie Stoeckelin had two goals, Woods, Heather Campbell and Campbell DeGeorge had one apiece and Reeves made six saves, but it wasn’t enough.
“Win or lose, we stay in it,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Alex Spark. “That’s our motto this year. We stay present no matter what the scoreboard said and we did that today. That’s what it’s all about. Team culture is at a high right now. We made some little runs. When we got chances, our ball movement looked great. It comes down to how many chances you get and Freeport was on top of that draw today. When a team moves the ball as well as they do, they’re going to start burying some in the back of the net.”
The Capers travel to Yarmouth Tuesday of next week and go to Lewiston next Wednesday.
“This makes us better moving forward,” Spark said. “We have a big week next week. We’ll reset ourselves. We want to feel good about ourselves moving into postseason. Then, it’s a whole new season and we’ll be ready.”
South Portland was 2-6 and 19th in Class A (where only 15 teams qualify for the playoffs) following a 9-7 victory at Deering and an 8-2 home setback to Portland. Against the Bulldogs, Cassidy Clyde and Abigail Thayer both scored goals and Amelia Burton-Fowler made 10 saves. The Red Riots hosted Westbrook Thursday, visit Sanford Saturday and Noble Monday, then come home to meet Noble again Tuesday of next week.
Tennis
The state singles tournament will be held Friday, Saturday and Monday of next week on Lewiston.
In team action, Cape Elizabeth’s girls were 5-3 and seventh in Class B South at press time. South Portland had a record of 2-7 and was 12th in Class A South.
On the boys’ side, Cape Elizabeth was 5-2 and fifth in Class B South, while South Portland was 6-4 and sixth in Class A South.
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