Yarmouth junior Gavin Hamm (16) is congratulated by his teammates after one of his five goals in Saturday’s 13-5 victory over Kennebunk.

BOX SCORE

Yarmouth 13 Kennebunk 5

K- 2 0 2 1- 5
Y- 2 2 4 5- 13

First quarter
9:37 K Z. Sullivan (unassisted)
8:56 Y Corey (unassisted)
6:05 Y Senger (Hamilton)
5:29 K Bush (J. Sullivan)

Second quarter
7:39 Y Hamm (unassisted)
6:45 Y Hamm (unassisted)

Third quarter 
10:44 K Z. Sullivan (J. Sullivan)
9:48 Y Corey (Hamm) (MAN-UP)
7:53 K J. Sullivan (unassisted)
7:18 Y Hamm (unassisted)
4:25 Y Hamm (unassisted)
0.1 Y Hamm (Corey)

Fourth quarter
11:08 Y Hamilton (Senger)
9:05 Y Corey (Hamm)
5:44 K Luddy (Lamontagne)
3:50 Y Corey (unassisted)
2:49 Y Garrett (unassisted)
21.3 Y Corey (unassisted)

Goals:
K- Z. Sullivan 2, Bush, Luddy, J. Sullivan 1
Y- Corey, Hamm 5, Garrett, Hamilton, Senger 1

Assists:
K- J. Sullivan 2, Lamontagne 1
Y- Hamm 2, Corey, Hamilton, Senger 1

Faceoffs (Yarmouth, 14-7)
K- Bennett 6 of 19, Z. Sullivan 1 of 2
Y- Primeau 14 of 21

Ground balls:
K- 18 
Y- 25

Turnovers:
K- 20
Y- 19

Shots:
K- 23
Y- 39

Shots on cage:
K- 16
Y- 27

Saves:
K (Kudas) 14
Y (King) 11

YARMOUTH—On the heels of an agonizing loss, the way a team responds the next time out speaks volumes.

And based on the way the Yarmouth boys’ lacrosse squad performed Saturday afternoon, big things lie ahead.

Tuesday afternoon, the Clippers were less than a second from a victory at longtime nemesis Cape Elizabeth, but the Capers tied the score on a miracle play, then won in overtime.

Four days later, Yarmouth struggled at times with visiting Kennebunk, but as the game went on, the Clippers seized control and pulled away.

The improved Rams took an early lead on a goal from senior Zackary Sullivan, but junior Anders Corey and senior Connor Senger answered for Yarmouth before senior Tripp Bush scored for the visitors to make the score 2-2 after one quarter.

With the Clippers’ defense holding Kennebunk at bay in the second period, junior Gavin Hamm scored two goals to give Yarmouth a slim 4-2 advantage at the half.

Sullivan pulled the Rams within a goal early in the third quarter and after Corey scored man-up, sophomore Jacob Sullivan again made it a one-goal game, but Hamm scored three straight times for some breathing room and an 8-4 lead heading for the fourth period.

There, junior Ben Hamilton and Corey added to the lead and after sophomore Andrew Luddy answered for Kennebunk, Corey, senior Andrew Garrett and Corey scored again to lift the Clippers to a 13-5 victory.

Corey and Hamm each scored five goals and Yarmouth junior goalie Spencer King made 11 saves as Yarmouth got back on track, improved to 2-1 and in the process, dropped the improved Rams to 1-2 on the season.

“I’m impressed how we came out in the second half,” said Clippers coach David Pearl. “Starting a game strong is one thing, but starting strong in the second half and finishing what you started is another. That’s what we failed to do against Cape, but we did it today. You have to have a fighter’s mentality the entire game.”

Bouncing back

Yarmouth stifled visiting Greely in the rain in its first game, 13-4, then dropped Tuesday’s heartbreaker at Cape Elizabeth, 8-7.

Kennebunk started with a 9-3 home loss to powerhouse Falmouth, then got in the win column Tuesday at Massabesic (12-4).

Last year, Yarmouth won, 20-5, at Kennebunk.

This one was supposed to be played Friday, but heavy rain moved it back a day.

Saturday, under 46 degree skies, with the wind howling and occasional light rain falling, the Rams sought their first victory over the Clippers since May 28, 2014 (11-4 in Yarmouth), but the Clippers got the job done at both ends and made it five in a row in the series.

The visitors got off to an auspicious start when Zackary Sullivan scored unassisted with 9:37 left in the opening quarter, but 41 seconds later, Corey answered with an unassisted goal.

With 6:05 remaining in the first, Hamilton set up Senger for the go-ahead tally, but 36 seconds later, Bush (from Jacob Sullivan in transition after a Yarmouth turnover) beat King to tie it, 2-2.

The Clippers finally went on top to stay with 7:39 left in the first half, when Hamm scored unassisted.

Hamm added an unassisted goal 54 seconds later, but after Hamm hit the post and Corey rang a shot off the crossbar, Yarmouth’s halftime lead was only 4-2.

Clippers senior Griffin Primeau won six of eight first half faceoffs and the hosts had a 21-10 shots advantage, but Kennebunk freshman goalie Jacek Kudas kept his team within hailing distance with eight first half saves.

The Rams twice drew within one goal early in the third quarter before Yarmouth opened it up.

Just 76 seconds into the second half, Zackary Sullivan finished a feed from Jacob Sullivan to make it 4-3.

With 9:48 to go in the third, Corey (from Hamm) scored man-up, but with 7:53 on the clock, Jacob Sullivan’s unassisted goal again pulled Kennebunk within one, 5-4.

But that’s as close as the Rams would get, as Hamm came to life.

Twenty-five seconds after the Kennebunk goal, Hamm scored unassisted.

After killing a penalty, the Clippers scored again, as Hamm again did the honors unassisted with 4:25 remaining.

Then, just before the horn, Corey got the ball to Hamm, who beat Kudas to extend the lead to 8-4.

“Kennebunk is better this year,” Hamm said. “They have solid players. It took us awhile to get started. We had great ball movement today. We worked on our dodges and worked on the back side trying to get open.”

Hamilton (from Senger) scored 52 seconds into the fourth period and with 9:05 to play, Hamm set up Corey for a low bounce shot which made the score, 10-4.

Luddy (from senior Chase Lamontagne) got a goal back for the Rams with 5:44 remaining, but Corey (unassisted with 3:50 to go), Garrett (unassisted with 2:49 on the clock) and Corey (unassisted with 21.3 seconds showing) scored to slam the door on Yarmouth’s 13-5 victory.

The Clippers finished with a much better taste in their mouths than they had Tuesday.

“We practiced hard all week,” Hamm said. “We wanted to get it back and this game was our game to redeem ourselves. I think that (Cape) loss will help us.”

“We just tried to bring positivity to practice all week,” said senior defenseman Jake Rogers. “We won’t forget about that game. We’ll learn from it and try to get better every day. We put it behind us and moved on to this game.”

“(Tuesday) was a hard loss, but the guys have a much shorter memory than I do,” Pearl said. “It’s great to be young. We’re a loose team and we play loose. The guys don’t play scared. Getting their confidence back up at practice wasn’t hard. We had a couple really focused, wet, cold days at practice. I’m really proud of the way they responded.

“Give credit to Kennebunk. They’re vastly improved from last year. I saw a lot of really great things out of them and they pushed us.”

Corey and Hamm each tickled the twine five times. Hamm added two assists, while Corey finished with one.

“They’re really good players,” Pearl said. “What I’m seeing is Gavin and Anders score a lot of goals, but other guys are working hard off-ball and making good decisions and being able to pass and catch.”

Garrett, Hamilton and Senger had one goal apiece and Hamilton and Senger both added assists.

King had another solid day, making 11 saves, and he had strong defensive play in front of him.

“Spencer has been great,” Rogers said. “He bails us out. “Defense is a strength. We pride ourselves on hard-nosed, smash-mouthed defense. We take pride in it.”

“I feel like Spencer is amazing,” Pearl said. “He made some amazing saves again today. He’s a big part of clearing game. We’ve worked on that. He’s the quarterback on the clear. Goalies get attention for the saves they make, but they have to handle the ball and make good decisions and communicate on the clear.”

Primeau was solid in the faceoff circle, winning 14 of 21 opportunities.

Yarmouth had a 25-18 edge in ground balls (Rogers and sophomore Wyatt Sullivan led the way with four apiece), a 39-23 shots advantage (27-16 on cage) and overcame 19 turnovers.

For Kennebunk, Zackery Sullivan had two goals, while Bush, Luddy and Jacob Sullivan scored once apiece.

Jacob Sullivan had two assists, while Lamontagne contributed one.

Kudas made 14 saves.

Sophomore Cameron Bennett scooped up a team-high three ground balls.

The Rams committed 20 turnovers.

Upcoming

Kennebunk returns to action Wednesday when Deering pays a visit. The Rams are at Sanford Friday.

Yarmouth, meanwhile, has a pair of road tests upcoming, at North Yarmouth Academy Tuesday and at Class A South contender South Portland Friday.

“We just have to work hard in practice and bring the intensity the whole game,” Rogers said. “If we put it all together and get everyone healthy, I think we can compete with anyone.”

“We know we have a target,” Pearl said. “NYA is much improved. I’ve been around long enough to know you don’t sleep on NYA. They’ll be fired up and we’ve had a wonderful rivalry with South Portland. We’ve had great games over the years.”

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

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