Unfortunately for the Dragons, the final momentum shift went Scarborough’s way, as the Red Storm captured their third consecutive Class A title with an 11-9 victory in Brunswick coach Beth Caputi’s final game on the Dragons’ sideline.
“I think Scarborough is great, and showed great poise at the end of the game, not giving us an extra offensive opportunity,” said Caputi, whose squad finished 13-2 after falling to the Red Storm for the second consecutive year in the title game.
“They were just really quick in the middle of the field, and at times we lost track of them,” said Brunswick defenseman Katie Swan, who along with defenders Liz Faulkner, Olivia LeRoy and goaltender Molly Herman did their best to try and slow down the Scarborough offense.
“They were able to get right on my doorstep, and any goalie when facing a one-on-one situation is a tough thing,” said Herman, who had six saves, four interceptions and three groundballs. “We did a good job containing them out wide and holding them to 11 goals.”
First run to Storm
After Annie Kelly staked Brunswick to a 1-0 lead, Scarborough found its offense, running off four straight goals. The Red Storm owned draw controls, winning four in a row and pinning the Dragons in their defensive zone for nearly nine consecutive minutes.
Mary Scott tied the game with 15:49 left in the first half. Laura Przybylowicz scored a pair for a 3-1 lead before Kelsey Howard finished off the Red Storm run.
After a timeout, the Dragons had their turn in the Scarborough end. Suzannah Smith finished off a nice setup from Corinne O’Connor, and Dakota Foster, who was shadowed throughout the contest by Red Storm midfielder Avery Pietras, broke free of a tumbling Pietras and fired a shot past netminder Meg Kirsch (four saves) to get Brunswick to within a goal.
Smith’s second tied the contest to complete Brunswick’s three-goal run with 7:29 remaining until halftime.
“When we take a timeout, these girls are able to pick each other up, support each other and show what they mean to each other,” said Caputi.
The field tilted Scarborough’s way for the next six minutes, with goals coming from Howard, Przybylowicz and Scott, who had two goals and two assists in the first half, for a 7-4 Red Storm advantage.
A goal by Kelly with 31.4 seconds left in the half drew Brunswick to within two goals, starting a four-goal run by the Eastern A champs.
Brunswick drew from the late-goal momentum shift, getting a goal from O’Connor off a free position just 1:03 into the second half, and Lillian Kjellman picked up a groundball, sprinted between two Scarborough defenders and finished to tie the game two minutes later.
Herman made two saves, and Brunswick got a break when a goal by Howard was waved off due to a penalty.
Smith brought the Brunswick faithful to its feet moments later, beating Kirsch low to give the Dragons an 8-7 lead with 16:28 remaining.
This time, Scarborough coach Marcia Wood called a timeout.
“I didn’t say much,” said the Red Storm coach. “I just wanted them to take a deep breath and play our game. We had to win the draw controls to be successful and get turnovers. It was a tight, back-andforth game, and the little things mattered, like getting to groundballs, diving to keep the ball inbounds and getting it to a teammate. That is what it was going to take.”
Scott turned the tide for Scarborough, taking a pass from Przybylowicz and slipping a shot past Herman to tie the game just seconds after the timeout. Goals by Howard, her third, and Scott, her fourth, made it a 10-8 contest with 13:29 remaining, and the Red Storm won four consecutive draw control and set up the stall, running five minutes off the clock.
A save by Herman on Scott was turned into instant transition offense for Brunswick, with Kelly converting a pass from Caroline Wild with 7:47 left to get the Dragons back within a goal.
Kirsch made her final save on an O’Connor shot from in front of her cage to keep Scarborough in front, and a goal by Kat Gadbois completed the scoring and the 11-9 Red Storm victory.
“It was a great game, and I congratulate Marcia and her Scarborough team,” said Caputi. “They played well, and were gracious.”
Przybylowicz finished with three goals and an assist, while Maggie Smith dished out three helpers. Scarborough finished with an 18-16 shot advantage and led in draw controls, 14-8.
Kelly and Smith each scored three goals to pace Brunswick, while O’Connor chipped in one goal and one assist. Jen Machin added an assist.
Scarborough 11,
Brunswick 9
State Class A Girls Lacrosse Championship
At Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland
Brunswick — 5 4 — 9
Scarborough — 7 4 — 11
Goals — (B) Annie Kelly 3, Suzannah Smith 3,
Corinne O’Connor, Dakota Foster, Lillian Kjellman;
(S) Mary Scott 4, Laura Przybylowicz 3, Kelsey
Howard 3, Kat Gadbois.
Assists — (B) Jen Machin, Corinne O’Connor, Lillian
Kjellman, Caroline Wild; (S) Maggie Smith 3, Laura
Przybylowicz, Mary Scott 3.
Shots — Scarborough, 18-16.
Saves — (B) Molly Herman 6; (S) Meg Kirsch 4.
Draw controls — Scarborough, 14-8.
Records — Scarborough 14-1, Brunswick 13-2.
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