Playoff time is upon us.

The postseason has already begun in field hockey and cross country and soccer and volleyball are set to commence this weekend. Even football is winding down.

Here’s a look back at the events of last week and a glimpse at what’s upcoming:

Field hockey

Cheverus junior Lucia Pompeo lunges for the ball during the Stags’ 3-1 home loss to Massabesic in last week’s regular season finale. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald

Cheverus’ field hockey team qualified for the Class A South playoffs as the No. 5 seed after a 7-4-3 regular season. Last Wednesday, the Stags closed the regular season with a 3-1 home loss to Massabesic. Lucia Pompeo gave Cheverus an early lead, but the Mustangs answered and after Pompeo was twice denied on breakaways late, the Stags went down to defeat.

“When we play together, I think we’re a very hard team to compete against, but we started to get tired and broke down and Massabesic does a great job,” said Cheverus’ first-year coach Theresa Hendrix.

The Stags visited fourth-ranked Westbrook (7-5-2) in the quarterfinals Tuesday. On Sept. 26, the teams settled for a 3-3 tie in Portland after Cheverus let a three-goal lead slip away in the final eight minutes.

The Blue Blazes won three of four prior playoff meetings, including a 1-0 victory in the 2017 Class A South quarterfinals, the most recent.

“Our big thing is just focusing on ourselves and focusing on playing as a team,” Hendrix said. “If we do, I think we can go on a run.”

If Cheverus advanced, it will either go to top-ranked Biddeford (14-0), the defending state champion, or host No. 8 Thornton Academy (8-6-1) Friday or Saturday. The Stags lost, 3-2, at the Tigers and beat the Golden Trojans by a 2-1 score during the regular season.

The Class A South Final is Wednesday of next week at Sanford High School.

The state finals are Saturday, Nov. 2 at Messalonskee High School in Oakland.

The Portland/Deering co-op team finished 0-13-1 and 16th in Class A South, where just 11 teams made the playoffs.

Football

On the gridiron, Portland gave Jason McLeod his first win as head coach Friday, 22-17, at Noble. Jamal Moriba did the heavy lifting, gaining 247 yards and scoring three touchdowns on 28 carries. Moriba’s third TD came in the fourth period and put the Bulldogs (1-6) on top to stay and Portland’s defense did the rest.

The Bulldogs enter Friday’s finale against visiting Massabesic (5-2) clinging to the eighth and final playoff spot in the Class B South Crabtree Points standings. A win would ensure an eighth consecutive trip to the postseason. The teams didn’t play in 2018.

Cheverus fell to 3-4 and sixth in Class B South following a 41-14 loss at Bonny Eagle. After the Scots returned a punt for a touchdown, the Stags tied the game, 7-7, on a 60-yard TD scamper from Sean Tompkins. Bonny Eagle went up, 21-7, after one period, but Josh Paquet hit Avery Conant for a 26-yard score to cut the deficit to seven at the half. The Scots then pulled away in the second half, getting a touchdown in the third quarter, then scoring two more in the fourth.

Deering fell to 2-5 and seventh in Class B South after losing at home to Biddeford, 27-12. After a scoreless first quarter, Travis Soule’s 6-yard TD run gave the Rams a lead, but the Tigers rallied to make it 6-6 at the half. Biddeford then scored 21 more points in the second half before Soule’s 1-yard touchdown run accounted for the final score.

Deering closes the regular season at Cheverus Saturday afternoon. Last fall, the Stags beat the host Rams, 31-18.

The playoffs begin the following weekend on the fields of the higher seeds.

Boys’ soccer

Waynflete’s defending state champion boys’ soccer team took a 12-1 record and the No. 3 ranking in Class C South into Tuesday’s regular season-ending home game against perennial Class B powerhouse Yarmouth (in a game rescheduled from last Thursday). Last Tuesday, the Flyers downed visiting St. Dom’s, 3-1, as Joey Ansel-Mullen, Luca Antolini and Henry Hart scored goals.

In Class A South, Portland, Cheverus and Deering also appear playoff-bound.

The Bulldogs improved to 9-3-1 and seventh in the Heals after a 5-0 home win over Kennebunk (5-0) and a 1-1 home tie against Marshwood last week. In the win, Gabriel Panzo and Anselmo Tela each scored twice and Allan Bemdibe also tickled the twine, while goalkeeper Henry Flynn made five saves. Against the Hawks, Alex Millones had the goal. Portland closed at Falmouth Tuesday (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/) in a game critical for Heal Points.

Cheverus settled for a scoreless tie at Thornton Academy last Tuesday, then played visiting Westbrook to a 1-1 draw Friday. Goalkeeper Harrison Bell made three saves against the Golden Trojans and stopped 13 shots against the Blue Blazes while Nate Smith had the goal. The Stags (5-4-4 and ninth in Class A south) had a chance to move up the standings when they closed at Scarborough Tuesday.

Deering was 5-6–2 and 10th in the region after a 1-0 home loss to South Portland and a 2-1 win at Thornton Academy. Calvin Benider (on a penalty kick) and David Musabawa had the goals in the victory. The Rams finished at Sanford Tuesday.

The boys’ soccer playoffs begin with the preliminary round Friday and Saturday. The quarterfinals are Wednesday of next week. Those games will be contested on the fields of the higher seeds.

Girls ‘soccer

Cheverus junior Lily Paszyc rushes after the ball during the Stags’ 4-0 home win over Thornton Academy last week. Michael Hoffer / For The Forecaster

On the girls’ side, Cheverus won its first 13 games for the first time in program history after downing visiting Thornton Academy (4-0) and host Westbrook (5-1) last week. Against the Golden Trojans, Lauren Jordan, Julia Kratzer (in her return from injury), Riley O’Mara and Lily Paszyc all scored.

“There’s pressure, but we handle it well and come out strong every game,” Kratzer said. “We just have to continue playing like we’ve been playing.”

“Rather than sitting on a lead, we took the play to them,” said Cheverus coach Craig Roberts. “We tried to control the tempo. I was proud of the girls for having a workmanlike effort.”

In the win over the Blue Blazes, Jordan had two goals, while Kratzer, O’Mara and Emma Gallant also scored. The Stags hosted two-time defending regional champion Scarborough Tuesday in the regular season finale (see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/ for story). A victory would give Cheverus its first-ever undefeated campaign and the top seed for the Class A South playoffs.

Portland extended its win streak to six and improved to 10-2-1 and fourth in Class A South after a 1-0 win at Kennebunk and a 4-1 victory at Marshwood. Toni Stevenson had the goal in the win over the Rams. Against the Hawks, Stevenson and Annika More both scored twice. The Bulldogs (who last posted double-digit regular season wins in 2008) closed the year Tuesday at home against Falmouth in a game pivotal for playoff seeding.

Deering fell to 2-11 and 14th in Class A South (where 12 teams qualify for the playoffs) after losses last week at South Portland (4-2) and at home to Thornton Academy (2-1). Mia Sargent scored twice against the Red Riots. In the loss to the Golden Trojans, Sahar Habibzai had the goal. The Rams closed at home versus Sanford Tuesday.

In Class C South, Waynflete finished the regular season 2-9-3 and were ranked 12th in the Heals at press time after a 4-2 loss at Old Orchard Beach and a 1-0 overtime loss at St. Dom’s. Against the Seagulls, Devan Sherry and Kilee Sherry both scored and goalkeeper Jesse Connors made eight saves.

The girls’ soccer playoffs begin with the preliminary round Friday and Saturday. The quarterfinals are Tuesday of next week. Those games will be contested on the fields of the higher seeds.

Volleyball

Cheverus’ volleyball team was 8-5 and eighth in the Class A Heals after a straight-set (24-26, 22-25, 22-25) home loss to Windham and a four-set (20-25, 26-24, 25-22, 27-25) win at Deering last week. Against the Eagles, Maddie Williams had 11 assists, Liza Rogers 13 service points and six kills, Alex Hammond six kills and Jill Lozotte five kills and three blocks. In the victory, Williams had 19 assists, while Hammond and Rogers both produced 13 kills. The Stags closed the regular season at home versus Thornton Academy Tuesday.

Portland was 4-9 and 12th in Class A (where 11 teams make the playoffs) after a straight-set (25-13, 25-14, 25-17) home win over Kennebunk and a 3-0 (12-25, 9-25, 16-25) home loss to Gorham last week. In the win, Rose Watson had nine aces and Erin Chadbourne added four kills and eight assists. In the setback, Kiera Eubanks had five blocks and three kills and Chadbourne added eight assists and two kills. The Bulldogs closed the regular season at Massabesic Tuesday.

Deering was 1-12 and 16th in Class A after home losses to Massabesic in four-sets and Cheverus in four-games. In the loss to the Stags, Aalliyah Ferreira had 12 kills. Rachel Pardi contributed 10 kills and Janella Ridge finished with seven aces. The Rams closed the year at Scarborough Tuesday.

The playoffs begins with the preliminary round Thursday. The quarterfinals are Saturday. Those matches will be contested on the courts of the higher seeds.

Cross country

Waynflete took part in the Western Maine Conference championship meet Friday in Standish. The Flyers’ girls were 11th overall, as Blythe Thompson came in 22nd individually in 23 minutes, 20 seconds. Waynflete’s boys placed 14th and were paced by Levi Lilienthal (52nd, 20:03).

Next up is the regional championships at Twin Brook Recreation Center in Cumberland Saturday. The Waynflete girls compete in the Class C meet at 12:20 p.m. and the Flyers’ boys run at 1 p.m. The Class A girls’ meet starts at 1:40 and the boys’ race begins at 2:20 p.m.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.