BIDDEFORD—The Deering Rams weren’t your typical number nine seed.

And that came as no surprise to top-ranked Biddeford Monday evening at Tiger Gymnasium.

Where the Tigers were able to dig just deep enough to hold off the Rams in a closer-than-expected Class A state quarterfinal.

Deering had the Tigers on the ropes in the first set, leading 24-22, but Biddeford fought off two set points, then won it, 26-24, thanks to back-to-back aces from sophomore Brynn Wilkinson.

Undaunted, the Rams, behind the serving and passing of senior captain Shea Fenton, came back and took the second game, 25-20, to even the match.

The Tigers were at their best in the third set, getting a dozen assists from talented junior setter Clarice Cote to prevail, 25-16, and take a step closer to advancing.

But that last step was a doozy and even though Biddeford opened up a 16-10 advantage in the fourth game, Deering simply refused to fold and roared back to take a 23-22 lead on a kill from junior Caroline Chong.

But the Rams weren’t able to extend it to a winner-take-all fifth set, as Biddeford got a block from Wilkinson to end it and take the fourth game, 26-24, and the match, 3-1.

The Tigers improved to 14-1, advanced to take on No. 4 Bonny Eagle (11-4) Wednesday at 5 p.m., in the Class A state semifinals and in the process, ended Deering’s season at a misleading 6-10.

“That’s exactly what I expected the girls to do,” said Rams coach Nika Francois. “We came in hot. I love that we didn’t back down. We had the energy all the way to the last point. It was a great game. I’m really proud of my team and of our season.”

Fighting to the finish

Deering got to the state semifinals last season for just the second time in program history, but after losing 3-1 to eventual champion Gorham, the Rams were hit hard by graduation and as a result, the 2024 campaign has been one of growth and steady improvement. Deering won just five of 14 regular season matches, but four of their losses came in five sets.

Last Thursday, at No. 8 Edward Little, the Rams advanced with a four game (25-18, 17-25, 25-23, 25-17) victory.

Biddeford, the 2022 Class A champion, which was upset in the semifinals by Scarborough a year ago, entered the season as a favorite and didn’t disappoint, losing only to Gorham and winning its other 13 matches to finish atop the standings.

The teams met in the regular season opener way back on Sept. 5 and the Tigers won, 3-1.

Monday, in front of a vocal crowd, which included a strong representation from the Deering student section, the Rams had their chances to shock the world, but ultimately, Biddeford did what it had to do to survive and advance.

There was little separation in the first set, as the score was tied eight different times.

The Rams got the first two points and the Tigers didn’t take their first lead until 6-5. Neither squad led by more than two points until the score was 18-15 and Deering got the next point as well, on a soft kill from Fenton to go up four. Biddeford crept back within one on a kill from powerful junior hitter Maeve Donovan, then drew even at 22-22 on consecutive Donovan aces. After sophomore Blake Gayle saved possession for Deering with a diving save, senior Nola Delcourt’s block put the visitors in front by one and Gayle added a kill to set up set point, forcing Tigers coach Andrew Glenn to call timeout.

It worked like a charm, as junior Gabrielle Diggins kept Biddeford alive with a kill, then the Rams were unable to return a ball that hit the ceiling, tying the game, 24-24. Wilkinson then served up an ace and Deering was on the ropes. Francois called timeout, but it didn’t help, as another Wilkinson ace brought an end to the 26-minute set and the Tigers had a 26-24 victory to draw first blood.

“For however many weeks the season’s been going, we talk about keeping our heads,” Glenn said. “Volleyball’s an excessively mental sport. I want the girls to perform at a high level.”

Wilkinson led the way in the set with four aces, while Donovan had three kills and two aces and Cote added five assists. Fenton’s six assists and three service points and Gayle’s four kills weren’t quite enough to give the Rams early momentum.

But Deering did bounce back and take the second game.

Biddeford held early leads of 4-2 (on an ace from junior Beks Hatch), 8-4 (on a kill from Wilkinson) and 10-7 (on a kill from Diggins). The Rams rallied to tie it 10-10 (on a Gayle kill) and the teams were deadlocked again at 13-13, 14-14 and 15-15. The Tigers went up, 17-15, but Deering took its first lead in the set, 19-18, and extended it on a kill from Gayle, a block from junior Quincey Cummings and two more Gayle kills to make it 23-18. Biddeford ended Fenton’s five-point service run, then pulled within 23-20 on an ace from Cote, but a service fault, followed by a Gayle kill, gave the Rams a 25-20 second game win to even the match.

“It would have been a very different match if we won the first set, but one thing I tell my team is to move on,” Francois said. “If we got stuck, we wouldn’t have moved on to the next set.”

Fenton led the way with nine assists and seven service points, Gayle had eight kills and Cummings added four blocks to negate seven assists and two aces from Cote.

Game three then proved to be the only easy win of the night for the home team.

Deering won the first two points, but the Tigers went ahead to stay on a kill from Diggins, then rode three straight Diggins aces to an 8-4 lead. After the Rams crept back to 10-7 on an ace from junior Almarina Abore, Biddeford got the next three points. Deering drew within 13-10 on a kill from Delcourt and an ace from Chong, but kills from Diggins, freshman Olivia Hunter and Donovan, as well as a block from Wilkinson, made it 18-12. Abore had consecutive kills for the Rams, but Hunter and Donovan answered with aces. Kills from senior Tabrea Richerson and Donovan put Biddeford on the brink, then Donovan put it away with a kill, 25-16, for a 2-1 match lead.

Cote sparked the Tigers’ powerful hitting game in that set with a dozen assists. Donovan had six kills, negating six assists from Fenton and four kills from Chong.

Biddeford would finish the match in the fourth game, but not without a mighty scare at the end.

The Tigers shot to a 4-1 lead, then made it 8-4 on a kill from Donovan and an ace from Richerson. The Rams got within three at 11-8, but consecutive Cote aces made it 14-8. Aces from Richerson and Donovan pushed the lead to 16-10, but Biddeford couldn’t shake free.

After winning a point, Deering got a kill from Chong and an Abore block to cut the deficit to three. The Tigers went up, 18-14, then crept closer to victory at 21-17 on an ace from Wilkinson. The Rams pulled within one on back-to-back aces from Fenton and after a kill from Diggins made it 22-20 Biddeford, the Tigers couldn’t return the ball, Chong had a kill, then Chong delivered another kill for a shocking 23-22 lead.

Biddeford refused to buckle, however, as Diggins tied the score with a kill, then Diggins served up an ace, setting up match point. The Tigers then hit the ball into the net, making it 24-24.

When Deering hit the ball into the net, Biddeford had another chance at match point and this time, took it, as the Rams went up for a kill, but Wilkinson blocked the ball and when it landed on Deering’s side of the floor, the Tigers were able to celebrate their 26-24 fourth set victory and a 3-1 win in the match.

“(Deering) made us work for it,” Glenn said. “We played them the first game of the season. I know Nika’s a great coach. We talked all week that they wouldn’t come in and go quietly. They came to play. We needed someone to push us. It took us a couple sets to find our legs, then it was full speed ahead. We talk about perseverance a lot and overcoming adversity. We step up in pressure situations. We want to be in those situations. The best teams find ways to win. We were just able to overcome and push the gas pedal down at the end.”

Cote, the granddaughter of Biddeford’s legendary basketball player and coach Ron Cote, was sensational, assisting on 30 points while serving up a dozen points, including five aces.

Donovan finished with 16 kills and three aces, Richerson finished with nine service points and five kills, Hatch served up nine points, including three aces, Diggins added eight kills and five aces, Wilkinson had five kills, five blocks and four aces and Hunter finished with four kills and a block.

Biddeford blanked Bonny Eagle during the regular season and hopes to move on, then win the championship Saturday.

“We’re just having fun,” Glenn said. “We just need to focus as much as possible. We have to continue to play with joy. We play our best when we’re having fun.”

Ram Pride

Deering, meanwhile, was led by Fenton, who bowed out with 27 assists and 14 service points, including three aces.

“Shea is going to be a big loss,” said Francois. “She’s been the quarterback of this team. She was a captain this year and really brought the team home.”

Gayle had 14 kills, Chong 13 kills and six service points, Cummings five blocks and Delcourt three blocks and three kills.

“This is (Biddeford’s) house and they were number one, so all the pressure was on them,” said Francois. “All I wanted the girls to do was come in and play and that’s what they did. We came back. We’re very resilient. This team doesn’t give up.

“It’s a new team. I had to rebuild. From the team that played Biddeford first game to the team now, it’s completely different and I’m very proud of them.”

The Rams graduate Fenton, Delcourt and two others, but will start next season in a much stronger place.

“I’m always excited to see what the next chapter will bring,” Francois said.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.