YARMOUTH — They have flown under the radar this season all the way to a historic championship matchup.
The Yarmouth High boys’ lacrosse team (11-4) is making its fourth straight trip to the Class B championship game. After three straight state final losses to Cape Elizabeth, the Clippers will face their longtime rival, Falmouth (11-3), in a 3:30 p.m. game Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
It will be the first time Falmouth and Yarmouth have met in a state final in any sport.
“Going out against Falmouth has been kind of a dream of ours as seniors,” Yarmouth midfielder Walter Conrad said. “It’s one of the biggest rivalries in Maine sports and it’s something that’s so rare (to) see them in this game. That rivalry is going to make it so much more intense.”
Falmouth beat Cape Elizabeth 7-5 in the South final. In the process, Falmouth exorcised its own demons against the Capers. Falmouth lost three straight to Cape in regional finals.
“I knew we were skilled enough to win but the question was, can we get over that mental hurdle that has kind of been keeping us down the last three years?” Falmouth Coach Mike Lebel said. “I think this year we essentially had the same team as last year so the kids are familiar with the system and what we do, so there’s more confidence.”
Falmouth also had to battle in its regional semifinal, beating Kennebunk 10-9 after trailing 8-5 at the half. The Yachtsmen have allowed six goals in the last six quarters.
Yarmouth had an easier path through the North, beating sixth-seeded North Yarmouth Academy 19-4, 10th-ranked Gardiner 16-0 and fifth-seeded Maranacook/Winthrop, 22-5.
“The goal of our season was to get to this point,” said co-captain and rugged faceoff specialist Ricky Tillotson. “I think we all expected to be here. I don’t think anyone on our team is really surprised because of the way we work.”
The South (formerly West) winner has won six straight championships: Cape in 2010 and 2013-15, Falmouth in 2011-12. Yarmouth beat Cape Elizabeth in the 2009 game.
Earlier this season, Falmouth beat Yarmouth, 12-7.
“We’re happy to embrace the underdog role,” said Yarmouth Coach David Pearl. “Falmouth beat us on our home field. We own that but we’ve also always thought that we can win every time we step on the field.”
Yarmouth also lost early-season games to lacrosse heavyweights Cape Elizabeth and Brunswick among its first five games. The team had to overcome a number of injuries to key players. Attack Henry Venden was hurt (he’s since returned). Goalie Cameron Liddy went down and freshman Liam Harke stepped in.
“We have faced a little adversity,” said Conrad, who also played in Yarmouth’s state final appearances in the fall (a soccer win) and the winter (a hockey loss). “Losing to Cape and Falmouth in the regular season, those are defining points in a season. Our message all season has been to get back up and fight because we knew that this game might come.”
A day before another marquee game against Scarborough, Jack Venden, Henry’s brother and the team’s only returning defender, broke his foot and was lost for the season.
In that game, senior co-captain Matthew Beatty made his first start at attack. The former midfielder quickly became the fulcrum of the offense. Stationed behind the net during possessions – the “X” position in lacrosse parlance – Beatty has dished up assists to teammates such as Bill Jacobs, Patrick Grant and Cooper May, starting with his 10-assist, 3-goal game against Scarborough, a 16-11 win.
“That was a huge win for us, a turning point in our season, I think, and the coaches recognized it before the game,” Beatty said. “The emphasis was to come out hot in that game and we executed, and look where we are now.”
Before the season was finished, Beatty earned acclaim as one of the state’s All-American selections – a deserved individual honor but not what the senior co-captain wants most.
“I remember losing to Cape the last three years,” Beatty said. “Having a new opponent in the state game just really livens it up. To play Falmouth in a state game, which I don’t think has ever happened in any sport, is just huge. It’s just the Falmouth-Yarmouth rivalry. It’s friendly outside the (game) because everyone has friends from Falmouth, but on the playing field I wouldn’t say it’s very friendly.”
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