SCARBOROUGH – Every team, even highly skilled outfits like the Scarborough High field hockey team, love to see all-out hustle.
That’s what was seen Saturday from Emily Bunting.
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Bunting dove to knock in a rebound of an Abby Walker drive 15:28 into the game, and top-ranked and unbeaten Scarborough went on to a 3-0 victory against fourth-seeded Westbrook in a Western Class A semifinal.
“We’ve been through so much, I just wanted us to keep going. We’re such a strong team, I had to dive for it. I mean, it was just there,” Bunting said. “I was like, ‘you know what, if I get hurt, I get hurt. It’s for the team.’ “
Scarborough (16-0), which hasn’t allowed a goal this season, will attempt to win its third Western Maine title in five years Tuesday, against second-ranked Cheverus, a 1-0 winner over No. 3 Marshwood.
The Class B and Class C regional finals also are set for Tuesday at Scarborough. The game times will be 3:30, 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. The order hasn’t been set.
Bunting’s effort is emblematic of this team, said Coach Kerry Mariello.
“If anyone were in that spot, every single girl on this team would have done the same thing. That’s the kind of mentality this team has,” Mariello said. “If I could have this particular team minus the record and all the scoring and the win-loss type of thing, I’d have this team every year for the rest of my career because they’re that special.”
Westbrook (11-3-2) came out with intensity. Behind strong play from Kathryn Berry and Ally Lemay, it generated four first-half penalty corners. What it couldn’t do, until less than 4:30 remained, was put a shot on goalie Shannon Hicks.
That shot, by Michelle LeBeau, was snuffed by Hicks.
“Score. That was their goal. They wanted to be the first team to score on Scarborough,” Westbrook Coach Beth Murphy said.
“We gave them some good pressure. I think at the end we were just tired. Kerry (Mariello) can sub every kid on her bench and you don’t know it. They all have a great amount of equal stick skills out there.”
Scarborough converted its first two penalty corner chances of the second half. Elly Walker made it 2-0 two minutes into the half, and Grace Whelan finished the scoring with 11:06 to play.
“That’s what it’s all about. You have set plays and you hope that they execute those plays and they should work in your behalf,” Mariello said.
Walker’s goal was another example of effort.
Nicole Miranda (7 saves) stopped one shot but Scarborough’s quick sticks kept the ball in the circle until Walker collected the ball and found enough space to put home the shot.
Whelan’s goal showed the precise teamwork and individual skill that also define the Red Storm.
A smooth insertion pass from Maddie Dobecki and a gentle pass from Karli-An Gilbert gave Whelan the ball at the top center of the circle. She flashed a quick, right-left-right dribble move to get deeper in the circle and finished with a hard push shot to the right corner.
The victory helped erase two years of tournament disappointment.
Scarborough also was the top seed in 2010 and ’11, but was upset in the semifinals the first year and the quarterfinal the next.
“It feels great because for two years we couldn’t get past the semifinals and the quarterfinals,” Whelan said. “Now that that’s just off our backs, I know we can do it. I really believe we’re going to have some type of trophy to take home.”
Staff Writer Steve Craig can be reached at 749-6413 or by email:
scraig@mainetoday.com.
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