The 2010 high school lacrosse season comes down to today. Games are scheduled at Fitzpatrick Stadium at 10 a.m. and 12:30, 3 and 5:30 p.m.
There are two 14-0 teams: the Scarborough girls and Portland boys.
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There is one newcomer: The Mt. Ararat girls.
And by the end of the day, four champions will be crowned.
Here is a look at the matchups:
CLASS A GIRLS: Scarborough and Mt. Ararat are not perfect strangers, but hardly familiar opponents.
Mt. Ararat (10-4) knocked off top-seeded Brunswick in the Eastern Maine final to reach their first state title game.
The Red Storm advanced to the state final by getting past Gorham.
In their one regular-season matchup, Scarborough won, 14-9. They will meet at 3 p.m.
“If they can knock off (Brunswick), they are obviously doing something right,” said Scarborough Coach Marcia Wood. “I remember them being really aggressive, and they have a lot of players who can score.”
Jill Carney, in her fourth season with the Eagles, is retiring from coaching to attend graduate school.
“Not a lot of people expected us to be in this game,” said Carney. “But I really like the position we’re in. I have a tremendous group who really wants this from the bottom of their heart.”
Wood said her team will focus on playing its own game.
Against Gorham, Scarborough devoted a player to cover top scorer Mia Rapolla.
“With this game, we will play straight-up,” said Wood. “They have a lot of players who can score, which is just like us.
“I told the girls don’t ever, ever underestimate them. They’re doing something right if they can beat Brunswick twice.”
CLASS A BOYS: SMAA rivals Scarborough and Portland, the defending state champion, will play each other for the second time this season.
The unbeaten Bulldogs ended the regular season with a 16-12 win against the Red Storm at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
“We played them the last game of the season and they were phenomenal,” Portland Coach Eric Begonia said. “I saw them several times during the season, and every time I saw them they were better.”
Scarborough is appearing in the state final for the third time in five seasons. But the Red Storm, who won state titles in 2006 and 2008, have lost 30 players to graduation over the past two years.
“Finally starting to play together as a team was the key,” Scarborough Coach Joe Hezlep said. “A lot of guys have played a lot of lacrosse, but just not at the varsity level.”
Today, Scarborough will try to find a way to stop Portland’s All-American attack, Caleb Kenney, who had 10 goals the last time the teams met.
“He definitely will see some different looks,” Hezlep said. “We’ve got to change things up.”
CLASS B GIRLS: It seems Waynflete and North Yarmouth Academy make a date each year for the third Saturday of June.
For the last two, the Flyers have dominated, taking home state titles in 2008 and 2009.
This spring, among some difficult times, NYA has beaten Waynflete twice.
The Panthers beat crosstown rival Yarmouth in the East. Waynflete advanced by holding off Falmouth in the West.
“This is two really great teams meeting up at 10 o’clock,” said NYA Coach Julia Sterling. “We’re just going to play our game. The girls are ready.”
Sterling said she believes the teams match up quite well.
“We love to play them. It’s not aggressive. Not a lot of cards. They’re so well coached,” she said.
“In my 17 years as a coach, the best time I’ve ever had is playing Waynflete. We have so much respect for one another. It will be a beautiful lacrosse game.”
Flyers Coach Cathie Connors said draw controls and physical exhaustion played into their losses to NYA earlier this year.
She has prepared her team to play within its own system today, to take thoughtful shots, to support the defense.
“They were both close games. We’re really focusing on being calm and playing our game,” said Connors. “We want to move the ball well, keep control and play to win. We don’t want to play to not lose.”
CLASS B BOYS: Two-time defending state champion Yarmouth and Cape Elizabeth will meet in the state final for the third consecutive season.
“It’s become a really great rivalry,” Yarmouth Coach Craig Curry said. “I think they certainly know a lot about our team and our kids. Likewise, we know a lot about their team and their kids.”
They already have played each other twice this season. Three weeks ago, Cape rallied in the second half for a 10-7 win at home, handing the Clippers their first regular-season loss in more than two years.
“We obviously had to reflect on mistakes we made in the second half of that game, and that’s what we’ve focused on,” Curry said. “We certainly haven’t rested on our laurels. We’ve improved as a team since then.”
The Capers may play without All-American attack Tom Foden, who missed the final 22 minutes of their 7-6 overtime win against Falmouth in the Western final because of an injured right shoulder.
“If his shoulder is bothering him, we’re not going to risk anything here,” Raymond said. “He’s going to play football in college next year, so we’re going to be real smart and help him make the right decision. He’s got to make a decision based on the rest of his career, and not just a lacrosse season.”
Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:
jmenendez@pressherald.com
Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:
pbetit@pressherald.com
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