Fall sports season has begun- Portland edition

Portland’s Lydia Stein is mobbed by her teammates after her goal in the second overtime gives the Bulldogs a 1-0 victory over rival Deering in Friday’s regular season opener. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald photo.

It was a long time in coming, but the start of the fall sports season has been worth the wait.

While football and volleyball aren’t playing countable games this autumn, field hockey and soccer are and cross country and golf are also under way.

Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ soccer

Waynflete’s two-time defending Class C state champion opened Saturday morning at rival North Yarmouth Academy and got off to a fast start, taking a 4-0 halftime lead, then prevailing, 5-1. Joey Ansel-Mullen scored twice in the first half and Henry Hart and Alex Vest also tickled the twine. In the second half, Vest set up Ilo Holdridge for the Flyers’ final tally.

Waynflete is back in action Wednesday at home versus Gray-New Gloucester, then visits Deering Saturday.

Cheverus, which went 5-6-4 a year ago, losing, 2-1, to Westbrook in the Class A South preliminary round, opened Tuesday at Westbrook. The Stags welcome Portland Saturday.

Deering, which finished 5-7-3 in 2019, losing, 2-0, to Kennebunk in the Class A South preliminary round, began its season Tuesday at South Portland. The Rams host Waynflete Saturday.

Portland, which wound up 11-4-1 last season, falling, 2-1, to Gorham in the Class A South semifinals, opened Tuesday at home versus defending Class A champion Falmouth (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story). The Bulldogs are at Cheverus Saturday.

Girls’ soccer

Portland’s Toni Stevenson weaves through the Deering defense during the Bulldogs’ 1-0 overtime win Friday. Ben McCanna / Portland Press Herald photo.

On the girls’ side, Portland earned a dramatic overtime win over rival Deering in its opener Friday.

The Bulldogs, who were a big surprise in 2019, going 11-3-1, their best mark in 16 seasons, before being upset by Noble, 2-1, in the Class A South quarterfinals, dominated the Rams in possession and shots for 80 minutes of regulation and into overtime, but were frustrated until Lydia Stein scored with 36 seconds left in the second OT and Portland prevailed, 1-0.

“If it’s the only game we get, we got to play Deering and it was awesome,” said Stein, who claims she rarely shoots, but managed to deflect her game-winner off a Rams’ defender and into the net.

“You go into overtime and you’re looking around at who is going to step up, and we finished,” Portland coach Curtis Chapin said. “In this crazy year, with everything going on, to step up and play like that, I’m going to remember this game for a long time.”

Players and coaches on the sidelines wore cloth face coverings throughout the game. Whenever players came off the pitch, they had to apply sanitizer to their hands. Both teams tried to social distance on the sidelines. Deering’s players sat on the turf, 6 feet or more apart, in designated spaces. Midway through each half, the game was stopped so all players could sanitize.

“On the sidelines, we have to wear masks, and then there’s sanitizing breaks, but it’s not too much and it makes sense with everything that’s happening right now,” said Portland sophomore midfielder Kendall Sniper.

Portland plays its second game, also at home, Friday versus Cheverus.

Deering, which went 3-11 in 2019, managed to keep the Bulldogs off the scoreboard until the very end of Friday’s contest.

“To lose it with 36 seconds left in double overtime, it’s kind of a heartbreaker,” Rams’ coach Kevin Olson said. “It still hurts. But as the team and I talked after, we knew we left everything on the field. But yeah, it still stings. It stings when it’s your rival, but I think everyone is grateful that we’re playing.”

Deering looked to get in the win column Monday at home versus South Portland, then travels to Waynflete Saturday.

Cheverus, which had the best regular season in program history last fall, going 14-0, got to the Class A South Final before losing, 2-1, to Scarborough to wind up 16-1. This season, the Stags opened Tuesday at home versus Westbrook. Cheverus then goes to Portland Friday.

Waynflete, which lost, 1-0, to Maranacook in the Class C South quarterfinals to wind up 3-10-3 last year, gave two-time defending Class D champion North Yarmouth Academy a scare in its opener Friday.

After a scoreless first half, the Flyers struck first when senior Abby Shumway finished a beautiful cross from sophomore Lucy Sarno. NYA drew even on a penalty kick, however, then scored again with four minutes to play and handed Waynflete a 2-1 setback. Goalkeeper Jesse Connors made seven saves for the Flyers.

“We’ve been one of the lucky teams who have been able to hold social distance sessions since June, footwork-only, and we were pumped to be out here today,” said Carrie Earls, who co-coaches the Flyers along with George Sherry. “We’re definitely a young team. Holding on to a lead is something we have to work on. When we gave up that PK, it felt like the wind came out of our sails. (The winning goal) was a beautiful cross and a beautiful finish. Great composure to put that in the back of the net.”

Waynflete went to Poland Monday, visited Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday, then has its home opener Saturday versus Deering.

“We’ll get there,” Earls said. “We have to play the early ball, take a touch less, and find our speedy forwards. We’re playing for growth. This is preparation for next year for our younger kids, but we have seniors who want to win games. They’re all athletes and they want to be out here competing.”

Field hockey

Cheverus’ highly-touted field hockey team opened with a resounding victory.

The Stags, who were 7-5-3 a season ago, losing, 4-3, to Westbrook in the Class A South quarterfinal, hosted South Portland and put the ball in the cage 10 times in a 10-0 victory. Lucia Pompeo and Lily Johnson each scored twice, while Taylor Tory had a goal and four assists.

Cheverus is at longtime power Scarborough Thursday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for game story).

The Portland/Deering co-op squad, which went 0-13-1 last season, opens Wednesday at home versus South Portland.

Cross country

Deering’s Meg Cunningham wins the individual portion of the Deering-Portland girls’ cross country meet Friday. The Bulldogs were first as a team. Contributed photo

Deering hosted Portland in a cross country opener Friday. The Rams boys prevailed as a team and had the top two individuals: Alexey Seredin (17 minutes, 23 seconds) and Owen Richards (17:38).

In the girls’ race, won by Deering’s Megan Cunningham (20:19), the Bulldogs placed first as a team.

Golf

Deering, which didn’t have a varsity golf team in 2019, does have enough players this fall. The Rams opened with a 9-4 loss to South Portland.

Portland opened with a 9-6 victory over Cheverus, then lost, 7-6, to South Portland.

The Stags lost to Portland (9-6) and to Scarborough (10.5-2.5).

Press Herald staff writer Steve Craig contributed to this story.