Thornton Academy’s Thomas Levasseur, 3, and Alec McAlary hug after a goal for the Golden Trojans against Scarborough in Class A South boys’ lacrosse quarterfinals Wednesday. Thornton used an early-season loss to Cape Elizabeth to work on some on-field issues and prepare themselves for the next time they’d meet the Capers. (Brianna Soukup/Portland Press Herald)

SACO – Thornton Academy used an early-season, overtime loss at the hands of Cape Elizabeth to reflect inward on some facets of their game that needed to improve if the Golden Trojans were to defend their Class A state boys’ lacrosse title.

Some players played too selfishly, said Thornton coach Ryan Hersey, while others didn’t assert themselves.

After Saturday’s 10-1 win over No. 6 Kennebunk (7-7) in a regional semifinal, a match in which five different players scored for second-seeded Thornton (13-1), the Trojans now face the one team that has beaten them in the last two years.

 “I think (losing to Cape) humbled us a little bit. I think it allowed us to address some of the things that we were doing that we needed to fix,” Hersey said. “I think losing kind of helped us … start back at square zero.”

Since that 8-7 loss to Cape on April 26, the third game of the season, the only team to score more than six goals against Thornton was Kennebunk in a 14-10 Trojans win on May 20. Rams seniors Zackary Sullivan and Dante DeLorenzo gave the Trojans’ defense fits, scoring five and four goals, respectively.

Thornton worked Thursday in practice on different ways to defend the duo, including not overextending and letting the Rams offensive players come to their defenders. Other strategies, such as not allowing Sullivan to reach the middle of the field, paid off in a critical game. On Saturday, Sullivan’s goal in the second quarter was the only Kennebunk offense of the night.

“Defensively, you couldn’t ask for anything better,” Hersey said.  “We were really able to execute.”  

Despite leading just 1-0 at the end of the first stanza, Thornton kept the pressure on Kennebunk’s defense with eight shots on cage. Rams freshman goalie Jacek Kudas made seven saves in the quarter – he ended with 16 saves – and kept Kennebunk in the match throughout the first half.

Thornton took a 4-1 lead heading into the locker room courtesy of first-half goals by Sam Edborg, Gavin Tanis, C.J. LaBreck, Colby Bolduc and Anthony Bracamonte. LaBreck opened the scoring in the second half and Edborg followed with the next three goals to give Thornton a decisive 9-1 advantage. Tanis’ second goal, which came with 25 seconds left in the fourth, was the icing on the cake.

Edborg, who finished with a game-high four scores, was questionable coming into the contest as the junior dealt with an elbow injury he suffered during Thornton’s 12-5 win over seventh-seeded Scarborough.

“(Edborg) provided that offensive spark,” Hersey said. “We had to practice without him one day and then lightly the next day. He was an X-factor as far as if he’d be able to go.”

The Trojans now get a rematch with the Capers on Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the regional championship at Cape Elizabeth. Revenge hasn’t been a topic of conversation.

The only motivation anyone in Thornton’s locker room needs is these two words: “Beat Cape.”

“That’s going to be a heck of a matchup,” Hersey said. “There are the two best teams in the state of Maine.”