Yarmouth boys edge Waynflete in OT classic

BOX SCORE

Yarmouth 12 Waynflete 11 (OT)

Y- 5 2 2 2 1- 12
W- 1 5 2 3 0- 11

First period
11:11 Y Olson (unassisted)
9:27 Y Fulton (unassisted)
9:13 Y Olson (unassisted)
7:09 Y Olson (Flowerdew)
3:28 W Burton-Johanson (Hopkins)
1:46 Y Psyhogeos (unassisted)

Second period
8:50 Y Psyhogeos (unassisted)
7:59 W Burton-Johanson (Cloutier)
5:42 Y Moll (Psyhogeos)
4:43 W Woodman (unassisted)
3:28 W Woodman (unassisted)
2:41 W Burton-Johanson (unassisted)
33.0 W Hopkins (unassisted)

Third period
6:43 Y Psyhogeos (Olson)
6:24 W Cloutier (Kline)
5:25 W Hopkins (unassisted)
3:21 Y Psyhogeos (Flowerdew)

Fourth period
8:19 W Kirby (Hopkins) (MAN-UP)
7:35 Y Psyhogeos (unassisted)
5:15 W Woodman (Kirby)
4:19 W Burton-Johanson (Woodman)
3:44 Y Psyhogeos (unassisted)

Overtime
:10 Y Marsh (Olson)

Goals:
Y- Psyhogeos 6, Olson 3, Fulton, Marsh, Moll 1
W- Burton-Johanson 4, Woodman 3, Hopkins 2, Cloutier, Kirby 1

Assists:
Y- Flowerdew, Olson 2, Psyhogeos 1
W-Hopkins 2, Cloutier, Kirby, Kline, Woodman 1

Faceoffs (Yarmouth, 15-11)
Y- Dauphinee 9 of 15, McGonagle 6 of 11
W- Curtis 6 of 12, Anderson 3 of 6, Polsky 2 of 3, Curtis 0 of 3, Isherwood 0 of 2

Ground balls:
Y- 37
W- 36

Turnovers:
Y- 21
W- 28

Shots:
Y- 37
W- 22

Shots on cage:
Y- 24
W- 14

Saves:
Y (Kim) 4
W (Israel) 12

PORTLAND—Two reigning state champion boys’ lacrosse teams engaged in a heavyweight bout Monday afternoon at Fore River Fields.

Where 48 minutes weren’t enough to determine a winner.

Visiting Yarmouth, which has won two straight Class B crowns, continued its recent surge by racing to a quick 4-0 lead behind three goals from sophomore Colter Olson, but Waynflete, the defending Class C champion, settled in on a goal from sophomore Nils Burton-Johanson.

The Clippers took a 5-1 advantage to the second quarter, but the Flyers roared back, sparked by a pair of goals from sophomore Jacob Woodman, a breathtaking goal from Burton-Johanson and a tally from junior Roan Hopkins to cut the deficit to just one, 7-6, at halftime.

When Hopkins scored midway through the third period, Waynflete had drawn even, but Yarmouth senior standout Peter Psyhogeos gave the Clippers a 9-8 lead to take to the fourth quarter.

There, the Flyers tied it again at 9-9 on a goal from sophomore Nico Kirby and after Psyhogeos answered, Woodman tied it, then Burton-Johanson gave Waynflete its first lead with 4:19 to play.

But Psyhogeos answered 35 seconds later and the game would go to a four-minute, “sudden victory” overtime.

There, the Flyers appeared to win it on a shot from Cloutier, but a timeout had been called first and even though Waynflete had more looks to end it, it wasn’t to be and the Clippers got the ball back and took advantage.

With just 10 seconds to go in OT, junior Killian Marsh scored to play the hero and Yarmouth survived and prevailed in a thriller, 12-11.

Psyhogeos had six goals as the Clippers won their fifth game in a row, improved to 8-2 and in the process, dropped valiant Waynflete to 6-5.

“You see the best teams win the overtime games,” said Yarmouth coach Jon Miller. “The teams that want to be great teams win the close games.”

Back and forth

Waynflete dominated Oak Hill, 17-5, to win the Class C championship last spring, the Flyers’ second title in three seasons.

Yarmouth, bookended the pandemic with a second straight title last June, downing Marshwood, 13-10, in the Class B state final, as the Clippers captured their sixth all-time championship.

This spring, Waynflete started with a 7-4 loss at North Yarmouth Academy, then beat host Greely (7-4). After a 9-5 loss at York, the Flyers doubled up visiting Freeport (10-5), but win-one, lose-one trend continued with a 13-1 setback at Class A power South Portland, a 15-1 home win over Lake Region and an 8-3 home loss to Windham. Waynflete then enjoyed an amazing stretch of three straight shutouts, blanking visiting Traip Academy (17-0), visiting Fryeburg Academy (16-0) and host Gray-New Gloucseter/Poland (14-0).

Yarmouth, meanwhile, began with a 15-2 home win over Gray-New Gloucester/Poland, then lost at home to reigning Class A state champion Cape Elizabeth (14-5). After downing host Greely (10-5) and Brunswick (20-8), the Clippers lost a shootout down in York, 15-12, but they haven’t lost since, defeating visiting Messalonskee (15-9), shocking host Cape Elizabeth (18-16) and handling host Freeport (17-4) and visiting Fryeburg Academy (22-4).

Last year, Waynflete eked out a 6-5 win at Yarmouth.

The Clippers entered play Monday having beaten Waynflete in nine of 11 meetings since 2002 (see sidebar, below) and on a most pleasant afternoon (69 degrees at the start), they made it 10 of 12.

But just barely.

Yarmouth senior Steve Fulton makes a move on Waynflete junior Jasper Curtis early in the Clippers’ 12-11 overtime win Monday. Hoffer photos.

Yarmouth started fast, as junior Jaxson Dauphinee won the opening faceoff and 49 seconds in, Olson got a step on a defender and fired a shot past Waynflete junior goalie Avi Israel to break the ice, as the Flyers surrendered their first goal in four games.

After Israel robbed Olson, senior Steve Fulton doubled the Clippers’ lead on an unassisted goal with 9:27 to play in the opening stanza.

Dauphinee won the ensuing faceoff and 14 seconds later, after a nice spin move, Olson tickled the twine to make it 3-0.

The Flyers got the ball momentarily on the ensuing faceoff, but turned it over and Olson scored for the third time, taking a pass from senior Sawyer Flowerdew and finishing in traffic with 7:09 on the clock.

Waynflete coach Andrew Leach called timeout to settle his team and it worked, as in transition, Hopkins found Burton-Johanson for a shot which Yarmouth sophomore goalie Eddie Kim couldn’t stop, cutting the deficit to three with 3:28 on the clock.

Psyhogeos then got into the scoring column for the first time with 1:46 left, finishing unassisted, to make it 5-1 Clippers after 12 minutes.

Yarmouth started the second period as it did the first, as after Marsh’s attempt at a highlight reel behind-the-back goal was denied by Israel, Psyhogeos scored unassisted with 8:50 to go before halftime for a 6-1 advantage.

Burton-Johanson answered (from Cloutier) 51 seconds later, but after Kim made a save on a shot from Hopkins, Psyhogeos set up junior Ben Moll to restore the five-goal lead, 7-2, with 5:42 on the clock.

The Flyers then roared to life and got right back in the game.

The comeback began with 4:43 left, as Woodman scored unassisted.

Woodman added another unassisted goal with 3:28 to play to cut the deficit to just three.

Waynflete’s fifth goal was improbable and downright jawdropping, as after a Flyers’ defenseman heaved the ball up the field, Burton-Johanson ran it down and in one motion, scooped it up and flung it over his shoulder while falling and the ball eluded Kim and found the net to make the score 7-5.

“We started winning a couple of the faceoffs,” Leach said. “We put a couple poles on the faceoffs, then every time we shot on goal, the ball went in and we developed confidence from there. We knew if we got space and got our hands free and put shots on net, good things would happen. It started to build and build and build. You could feel the momentum they had leave and we got it.”

Hopkins then cut the deficit to one with 33 seconds to go, bulling his way through the defense before finishing, and an apparent runaway had turned into a one-goal nailbiter at the break.

“Lacrosse is a game of momentum,” said Psyhogeos. “We had it in the first quarter, then they got it in the second quarter and it was anybody’s game. Five goals isn’t much in lacrosse because you can go on a run and start pouring them in quick.”

Yarmouth won 10 of 15 first half faceoffs and enjoyed a 19-8 edge in shots, but five Israel saves and a resurgent offense got the Flyers right back in the contest.

There would be very little separation in the second half as well.

Yarmouth senior Peter Psyhogeos plays keep-away from Waynflete junior Liam Anderson.

Fulton hit the crossbar with the first shot of the third quarter and at the other end, Cloutier’s bid to tie the score went just wide.

The Clippers then ended a 10 minute, 59 second scoring drought when Olson set up Psyhogeos for a goal with 6:43 on the clock.

The Flyers’ offense then reawakened, as 19 seconds later, off the ensuing faceoff, freshman Spencer Kline set up Cloutier for a goal.

Then, with 5:25 left, Hopkins backed down a defender, then spun and finished to complete the comeback from a five-goal deficit and tie the score, 8-8.

“We had the possession to start and we were rolling, but the way lacrosse is, there’s always waves,” Miller said. “They started getting faceoffs and were scoring on offense and we couldn’t get the ball back. I’m not surprised they came back. They always play us hard.”

Waynflete wasn’t able to take the lead, however, as after Israel robbed both Fulton and Marsh, Flowerdew set up Pyshogeos for a 9-8 lead with 3:21 remaining.

Late in the quarter, Kim denied Woodman twice, while Marsh missed just wide and had another shot saved by Israel.

That sent the game to what everyone thought would be the final stanza with Yarmouth clinging to a one-goal lead.

Early in the fourth, Olson twice bid to extend the lead, but Israel denied both.

Then, the Flyers went man-up for the only time in the game and took advantage, as with 8:19 to play, Hopkins found Kirby for the equalizer.

Again, the Clippers countered, as 44 seconds later, Psyhogeos scored unassisted.

Undaunted, Waynflete drew even for the third time with 5:15 on the clock, as Kirby set up Woodman to make it 10-10.

Then, with 4:19 left, Woodman found Burton-Johanson for a goal and at last, the lead.

But the lone Flyers’ advantage of the game would only last 56 seconds, as Psyhogeos scored for the sixth and final time 35 seconds later to make it 11-11.

Yarmouth looked to retake the lead, but Israel robbed Marsh and Psyhogeos hit the post.

Waynflete then went on offense and milked the clock under a minute before turning the ball over, giving the Clippers one final chance, but they would turn the ball over and as time wound down, Hopkins raced up the field. He attempted to throw the ball in front, but it was knocked away and the horn sounded, sending the contest to overtime.

Dauphinee won the faceoff to start OT, as senior Cam Miller scooped up the ground ball, but Yarmouth gave it right back and Anderson got the ground ball and the Flyers raced the other way.

With 3:31 on the clock, Cloutier fired a shot into the net for an apparent victory, but a split second before the shot, Leach had called timeout.

A timeout he’d dearly love to have back.

“My wife is going to kill me for calling that one,” Leach said. “That one’s going to stay with me past my 24-hour rule.”

As a result, the game would go on, but Waynflete would have several more chances to end it.

First, Woodman shot wide.

Waynflete junior Roan Hopkins tries to get past Yarmouth sophomore defenseman Walter Ruthman in overtime.

Hopkins then had a shot deflect off Clippers senior defender Oliver Prinn.

After the Flyers coughed the ball up, they got it right back, then Hopkins had another shot altered by the fearless Prinn.

“We felt great about getting an opportunity,” said Leach. “We thought if we could just get our hands free and get the ball to the right guys in the right spot, we’d finish.”

Burton-Johanson then missed wide and Hopkins had two looks to play the hero, but on the first bid, he shot high and on the second, the ball went wide and the visitors had held.

“Defense is what makes us better,” Marsh said. “In practice, they challenge us to put in the work. We’ve dialed it in on defense. We take it personally when other teams score.”

Yarmouth then got possession and Jon Miller called timeout with 37 seconds to go, hoping to design a game-winning play.

Which is exactly what he did.

Olson would get the ball out of the break and he ran around the cage and while he couldn’t get to the goal himself, he spotted an open Marsh and with 10 seconds on the clock, Marsh shot and while Israel got a piece of the ball with his foot, it rolled across the goal line and in.

“I have a lot of trust in Colter,” Marsh said. “He knows when to pass and when not to. He trusted me to shoot and I did. It hit his foot, then it rolled in. It felt great.”

“I knew Colter was going to take it and initiate a dodge and if he didn’t have a shot, he’d look for Killian,” Psyhogeos said. “My job was just go behind the net and back up the shot, but Killian won us the game.”

“We had two failed clears, so it was a sloppy overtime, but when we got possession, we ran a play and the boys executed with composure,” Jon Miller added. “That was the play. Colter was going to initiate and Killian take the shot and they executed perfectly. Killian was due. He hit posts, legs all game, but he got the one that mattered most.”

“(Avi) got a foot on it,” Leach lamented. “It was so close.”

Yarmouth celebrates the overtime goal and the victory.

At 5:53 p.m., after nearly two hours of breathtaking lacrosse, the Clippers at last got to exhale and rushed Marsh to celebrate the 12-11 victory.

“They were a really good team and we had to fight to the very end,” Marsh said. “It was a good time playing them. It was definitely stressful, but we had fun at the end.”

“It’s great to fight through adversity and come out with the win,” Psyhogeos said.

“I think our defense did play well down the stretch and made the stops we needed,” Jon Miller added. “We were missing three guys who would have contributed on defense today. Younger guys had to step up. If you told me we were going to have to do that, I would have thought we’d be in a bad place, but all the credit to the boys, they got it done. Our offense hit pipes and their goalie played well. It was a tight game.”

Psyhogeos, who led Yarmouth to a basketball state title in March and will play hoops at Bates College next year, led all scorers with six goals and also had a pair of assists.

“Pete’s a basketball player on the lacrosse field, but he does well,” said Jon Miller.

Olson added three goals and two assists, including the biggest of the game. Fulton, Marsh and Moll had one goal apiece.

Flowerdew also had two assists.

Kim made four saves.

Yarmouth won 15 of 25 faceoffs, had a 37-36 edge in ground balls (Cam Miller collected six and junior Owen Redfield added five), enjoyed a 37-22 shots advantage (24-15 on cage) and overcame 21 turnovers.

Tough to accept

The Flyers got four goals from Burton-Johanson, three from Woodman, two from Hopkins and one apiece from Cloutier and Kirby.

Hopkins also had two assists, while Cloutier, Kirby, Kline and Woodman each finished with one.

Israel was solid, making a dozen saves.

“Avi played like an All-American today,” said Leach. “He’s really grown. We had Alex Vest last year and he’s right there with him as a junior. I’m so proud of him.”

Anderson had a game-high eight ground balls.

Waynflete committed 28 turnovers.

“I know this is going to burn and it’s burning for a lot of the guys right now, but they have to take a lot of positives from this,” Leach said. “We played this like a playoff game. This was exactly what we wanted. Overtime lacrosse on a beautiful day in front of a packed house. I just wish we had a better ending.

“We talked about not coming here for moral victories. These guys showed a lot of grit and guts to play together and battle back. Credit to Yarmouth. They’re a great team and we had them on the ropes.”

Ready for June

Waynflete (currently ranked sixth in the Class C state Heal Points standings) has just one game left, next Wednesday at Lake Region.

“This is what gets us ready for NYA, Oak Hill, the top teams in the playoffs,” Leach said. “For us to not have a senior and to be right there with Yarmouth, I know the other teams will be looking at us and thinking, ‘Oh no, here they come.’ We’ll be ready to roll. It looks like we’ll have to win a big playoff game on the road and we’ll be ready.”

Yarmouth (second to Messalonskee in Class B) hosts Greely Wednesday (the time of that one has been changed to 4 p.m.), then finishes up at home versus NYA June 1.

“It’s good to have tough, close games, especially with playoffs coming up,” said Psyhogeos. “We needed that. We definitely want homefield advantage for the playoffs and we want to win every game. We have to work hard in practice and if we do, we’ll win games. Our offense makes our defense better and our defense pushes the offense.”

“We’re pleased with where we are,” Miller added. “Practice is fun right now. We’re in a good place. We want homefield. That would be huge. We don’t want to go down to York and have to play on grass. Staying home is huge in my mind. It’s all about possession, ground balls, passing, the simple stuff you do in middle school. That will take us through until the end.”