SACO — The Thornton Academy girls soccer team had high hopes coming into this season. It was coming off a season last year in which it made it to the regional finals before losing 3-0 to top-seeded Gorham. It returned much of that core group of players, however.

The Trojans came into the 2012 season with seven seniors, a class that never failed to reach the regional semifinals. When the seniors were freshmen, Thornton Academy made it to the state championship before losing to Brunswick. The next year, the Golden Trojans fell to Scarborough in the regional final before falling to Gorham in the semifinals last year.

This year’s team looked to top all of those teams, as it made it through the regular season undefeated, including a 1-0 victory over Scarborough. TA then exacted revenge on Gorham with a 2-0 quarterfinal win before falling to the Red Storm in Saturday’s semifinal matchup by a stunning 3-0 score.

It was well short of where the seniors wanted to end their careers, but TA head coach Chris Kohl said a look at their whole careers shows just how much they accomplished.

“They won more games than any senior class with 56 wins. That’s just incredible,” he said.

Kohl said that his seniors had a determination the likes of which he had never seen before, which permeated the entire team, and kept them hungry while knocking off every team they faced.

“They’re model teammates. They want to be successful. And they want it, and they want it, and they want it, and because they want it so bad, it just rubs off on (everyone) else,” he said.

Above everything else, Kohl said what stood out about the senior class of Katelyn Pierson, Kaitlyn Couture, Alyssa Gilbert, Courtney O’Brien, Devin Marsh, Emily Richard and Samantha Schildroth, is that they were just fun to be around. Kohl said the girls genuinely enjoyed playing together, and that it was as close a team as he’s ever coached.

“I’m going to miss them, because they’re just great kids,” he said. “They do everything right, and they’re what high school soccer is all about.”

 Returning Ram

While the Kennebunk football team is losing a lot of key players to graduation, who helped lead the Rams to a long-awaited playoff berth and a near-upset of Thornton Academy, there is some hope for the Rams’ faithful for next season. The Rams’ junior class is littered with some players who could bring Kennebunk back to the playoffs again next year, whether it’s in Class A or B.

Kennebunk’s Class of 2014 players are no strangers to winning some big games, as Thornton coach Kevin Kezal pointed out in the week leading up to last Saturday’s playoff matchup.

“That junior class of theirs won the middle school league title when they were in eighth grade, so that’s a pretty talented group,” said Kezal.

Kezal and the Trojans saw first-hand just how good Kennebunk’s juniors could be, as running backs Nicco Delorenzo and Tyler Elkington, and wide receiver Larson Coppinger picked up yards in bunches on a normally-stout Thornton defense. Linebackers Jesse Shields and Chris Broadhead, as well as lineman Ben Bath, made the Trojans earn every yard they gained on offense, and limited the big plays that make them so successful.

But one junior in particular stood out against the Trojans, and put himself in place for a lot more recognition next season. Quarterback Nick Emmons had a masterful game against a big, imposing Thornton defense, and never let the game get too big for him.

“I was really proud of Nick. I thought in terms of leadership, he stepped up. He didn’t have a great first quarter, but I think the rest of the way he was great,” said Kennebunk head coach Joe Rafferty.

After struggling in the air and on the ground in the first quarter, Emmons got locked-in the rest of the way. He finished the game 13 of 24 passing for 127 yards and three touchdowns, and ran 12 times for 73 yards and another touchdown.

“I think that he just kind of settled down, calmed down, and just kind of played his game. He’s capable of doing that,” said Rafferty.

Emmons looked poised in the pocket, and more importantly he didn’t turn the ball over.

With Emmons at quarterback, and a slew of other talented players, the Rams shouldn’t have to wait another five years to make the playoffs again.

 Spirited Spartan

SANFORD — Sanford’s football season ended Friday night with a quarterfinal loss to No. 3 Scarborough, but it wasn’t without the best effort the Spartans could give. One Spartan in particular gave his all, even if it wasn’t at 100 percent health.

Running back Alex Shain gave a gallant effort against the Red Storm, running for 161 yards and two touchdowns, and added a 42-yard reception against a defense that knew he was going to run almost every play.

But Shain badly injured his hip during the game, and couldn’t be the game-changer that he had been throughout the season and his whole career.

“I feel like I let down the team. I mean, I know I didn’t, but I got hurt,” said an emotional Shain after the game.

The injury was bad enough that Shain had to sit out a couple of plays, but he fought through the pain, no matter how much it hurt.

“Every run I had was pure torture on my hip, and it was just rough, to say the least,” said Shain.

Shain didn’t want to use the injury as an excuse, but he admitted that it definitely hampered him, and that the score could have been a lot closer had he been fully healthy.

“I gave it my all, but I just couldn’t do the things I could do before. And it really sucks. It really, really sucks, because I feel like if I was 100 percent, I think it would have been a lot closer,” said Shain.

Sanford head coach Mike Fallon said that it hurt not having his star running back at full strength, but, like Shain, wouldn’t use it as an excuse for the loss.

“You lose your workhorse, and you got to go to some other things. That hurts a little bit,” said Fallon.

Looking at Shain’s noticeable and labored limp, and the anguish on his face after the game, the injury was not something through which every player could play. And maybe in different circumstances Shain wouldn’t have, but there was no stopping him from finishing the game.

“It was my last high school football game, and I just didn’t want to stop playing,” he said.

— Contact Wil Kramlich at 282-1535, Ext. 323 or follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.