Hoffer's High School Sports
Hoffer's High School Sports
Regular season recap/Playoff preview
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An in-depth look at the baseball, softball and boys' and girls' lacrosse regular seasons and a first glimpse at the upcoming postseason.
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SPEAKER_02Well, we're back to a beautiful spring day. Finally. Oh, God.
SPEAKER_00It does. It's uh yes, you know, it it's nice to be outside. There have that hasn't been the case every day this spring, but no, we are and this always happens, Tim, right? I mean you s you struggle through April and May, you're like, it's summer ever gonna get here, and yeah, and it usually just shows up with a bang. Yeah. And you know, we still got a couple weeks to go, so that's not to say the weather's not gonna mess things up again. But for for right here, right now, as we end the regular season, it's pretty ideal.
SPEAKER_02I feel like we should just um get out of school June 1st and let the kids play sports. I bet it would work for them too. You know what would be great is if you could you could do the sports, they could just they could do lacrosse from twelve to three, and then baseball and softball, you know, maybe do baseball three to you know, work on your schedule.
SPEAKER_00I would love that. Yes. That would kids would too. That would be uh it would make for even more writing, but it would make for more attendance as well. So that no, that that would be good. But I'll take what I can get. It's been a it's been a very busy, very full spring sports regular season, which is coming to a close here uh today and tomorrow. And I know the postseason is going to be awesome. We've got a two-week mad dash coming up, and uh yeah, lots to talk about and uh and so many local teams that are heavily involved in all of this.
SPEAKER_02So do you uh like before we start going through the what you uh see as the the playoffs, any favorite games so far that you can that you can pinpoint?
SPEAKER_00Wow, that's actually a good question. Not off the top of my head. I mean I will say that you know some of the top baseball games I've covered, um, you know, seeing Gorham and South Portland under the lights, highly anticipated game, great pitcher's duel, came up came down to the last hitter. Yeah, you know, that that was certainly fun. Um yeah, there's been a few dramatic softball games over at Gorham. They came back and uh and beat South Portland early in the year. They they came back with a was it an eight run, six inning to beat Wyndham. Yeah. Um so no, no, really good. You know, yesterday was the Falmouth TA Boys Lacrosse highly anticipated game of the year, quote unquote, which was not close. Yeah, but I have a feeling the rematch will be, and we'll certainly get to that. So you know the ones that are highly touted sometimes don't work out that way, but I think the best are still to come. You know, I haven't really had much overtime action yet or extra innings, but yeah, you know, when these when the best teams start playing here in the playoffs, you'll you'll get some of that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, this this uh you you wrote a nice article about uh the baseball team down in the south that uh I know you're gonna I know you're gonna allude to the Sanford. Yeah, they were really impressive.
SPEAKER_00And it just and it's it just kind of dawned on me while I was watching them yesterday. I'm like, they kind of remind me of Biddeford from last year, right? A team from out of the Portland area, not getting a lot of attention, but kind of putting it together as the season goes on. And you know, they're in a position, I think, to host a prelim, and then who knows? You know, they've got some athletes who've had some success this year in basketball. Yeah. And uh, you know, they just kind of they're kind of flying under the radar. And if if you're looking for a dark horse, you know, they're certainly in there. Um you know, a lot of teams closer to home that are probably more highly touted, and you know, we can talk about some of that too. But yeah, yeah, I mean it wouldn't be shocked to no one saw Biniford coming last year.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, let's let's start there. Let's start with Class A baseball. Um I know that sounds uh you know selfish, but but uh And congratulations on the Bulldogs victory to get in the W is that was that was awesome.
SPEAKER_00They deserve it. No one should go winless. That team had had come so far this year and and had come close a few times, so I was very happy to see them getting the win conference.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, they get they just kept getting better and better and better, their young team and uh and the coaching staff stuck with them. And Bailey Jordan had an unbelievable game on the mound, and it was you know, all the all the stars were aligned. Yeah, and it was uh it was a fun trip home. That's a hard trip when it's an hour and ten minutes on a bus.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, Marshwood is not the easiest place to get to, so I'm glad I'm glad it was a joyous bus ride.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's for sure. All right, so who do you get uh who do you get in the uh in the playoffs here for Class A baseball?
SPEAKER_00So, you know, all season kind of the consensus was there's not a clear favorite. I don't know. Maybe toward the end of the season one emerged, and that's Gorham.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh 15-1. I think they won five of their last six games by Mercy Rule. They had big late season wins over South Portland TA. Uh they have the Gatorade player of the year, Hunter Fink, their their standout pitcher. Uh tremendous defensive team. Their shortstop Miles Brenner just makes some jaw-dropping plays that you really have to see to believe. Yeah. And they're solid up and down the lineup. So I mean, I they're 15-1. Uh, they haven't won a state title since 2005. They've they played in the state game in class A in 2018 and lost to Bangor. But you know, I feel like they're due. I feel like they're very capable of going all the way, but it's not going to be easy. Yeah. South Portland's one run away for being undefeated. Because Gorham beat SP by a run. Yeah. Uh, congratulations to Coach Owens. He got his 200th victory with the program yesterday.
SPEAKER_02One of the great ones.
SPEAKER_00He's one of the great ones. I mean, he's turned that into a perennial powerhouse, and they and they have all the pieces in place too, uh, to make a deep run. If we get a Gorham South Portland regional final, that would be Camp Mess Theater.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Uh, but you know, first things first, because you also have Chevrous having a fabulous year. Uh Thornton Academy, they you know, they've been up and down, but they're dangerous. I think their lineup's as good as anybody. Um they're gonna be tough. You know, does anyone want to play Scarborough? Absolutely not. Right, right. Uh, you know, Sanford we've already alluded to, and there's some other teams that are gonna be in the mix too. Uh Falmouth, I wouldn't want to have to play them, even though they've been up and down. Bonnie Eagle's tough, Massive B6, the only team to beat Gorham. So, you know, who's got their good pitcher going, who has one bad inning? Um, that's how seasons begin and end. And uh, but you know, I I do think the teams at the top, you know, especially those four I mentioned, you know, Gorham, South Portland, TA, Chevres, probably in that order have the best chance.
SPEAKER_02It comes down to pitching playoffs. It is 100% pitching. Who do you get and uh who who can you know have those short first three innings? If you can get through those first three innings and you can get through that first playoff game, it changes everything.
SPEAKER_00Right. And you can, you know, ideally you line up where your best pitcher can pitch in the regional final in the state game. If you now you can do that. You remember back in the day, if you played in that Wednesday regional final, you you sometimes you would gamble, yeah, or you'd hold your you'd have to hold your ace back, but that's not the case anymore. So you know, Gorham's got a couple of great arms. I mentioned Fank Miles Brenner is another really good pitcher. South Portland's probably got the best one-two combination with Hudson Ayakwesa and with Nate Masters, who came over from Scarborough and and has been lights out. So, you know, when those teams play, you're not gonna see a lot of runs. It's it's literally a game you you can't afford to make an error. Yeah, you can't make a base running error, you can't get picked off. Uh, you know, it might just come down to one swing here or there, who did and that determines who goes on.
SPEAKER_02Right, right. That's a that's gonna that would be a fun that would be a fun game to watch. You know, watch that rematch of that that game. And they played that in Gorham right now.
SPEAKER_00They did under the lights. It was uh it was a great it was a great show, and then you know, Gorham played TA last week, it was another big showdown. Yeah that was fun because Wyatt Netto, the pitcher from Gorham last year, who's now at Vanderbilt, was actually hanging out in the press box watching his old teammate Hunter Fink pitch. So that's pretty cool. Yeah, so you know, good Gorham's got a great baseball tradition, it's a great venue over there. I know you've coached there, right? You probably played the played there or you know, certainly coached there back in the day, and you know, strong baseball tradition, and you know, and like I say, uh they're due, but that doesn't guarantee you anything.
SPEAKER_02No, not in the playoffs. No, and especially with a veteran guy like Mike Owens at the helm. He's he knows he knows how to make it happen. He's won a few. And uh even before he was winning a few, he was winning with some pretty uh you know under talented teams. Absolutely, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Getting to a state final or regional final. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02He's got some depth, he's built some depth over the years with you know working with the younger kids, and he's done a great job.
SPEAKER_00No, great. But none of these teams can take anyone for granted. I mean, you well, one eight or one nine game, that's not an you know, you can't just assume you're gonna move on.
SPEAKER_02Nope.
SPEAKER_00Uh we'll we'll see an upset or two along the way, I'm pretty sure.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, I love that about baseball.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, no doubt. All right, what about class Class B baseball? Class B South has become just a wild, wide open region. I mean, it's just to give you an example, Monday, um, going into the seventh inning, uh, Yarmouth led Greeley five to two, Cape led Friedrich Academy six to two. They both lost. Um Fryberg Academy is going to be the one seed. They they made a run to the regional final last year as an eight seed and lost to Greeley on a walk-off. Um, you know, they're probably the favorite, but they're not unbeatable because Greeley just beat them last week. You know, Greeley's been really intriguing, right? They start out four and oh, I think they scored like 17 or 18 runs in every game. Yeah. Then they had this stretch in the middle of the year, they lost five out of six. They got mercy rolled twice. They'd have been mercy rolled twice the whole rest of this century, going back to the start of Derek Sol's coach. I mean, it's remarkable. So just when it's time to think people are like, all right, it's probably not Greeley's year. You blank, and here they are. They close on a six-game win streak, including that dramatic come from behind Win at Yarmouth the other day. So you absolutely cannot overlook them. They don't have the lockdown pitching they've had in previous years. Unfortunately, it's because of injury. It's not because the talent's not there. Their two top arms are unavailable. Uh, but their lineup's terrific. They find ways to win, they're well coached, they know what it takes to win in June. They're gonna be a tough out. You know, Cape's put together a really good season. Uh they had that tough loss to end the year against Freiburg, but they know that they can beat the top team. And uh they'll be in the mix. You know, Yarmouth, no one expected anything from them at the start of the season, and then they had a nice little run. Um, you know, they're gonna go in as a team with nothing to lose. They're really young, uh, but you know, don't tell them they can't win. You know, I think they think they're capable of doing anything. You know, Wells, York, Levitt, uh, kind of like Class A South. There's a lot of teams in there. Uh, you know, if it's the one and the two in the regional final, I'd be surprised. Yeah. Honestly, in B South, which means you can probably pencil in the one and the two.
SPEAKER_02I mean, that makes the that makes the that makes for such a good playoff. Oh, no doubt. Yeah, every game's interesting.
SPEAKER_00You're gonna see some surprises and maybe some names that you haven't heard. And no, it's it's gonna be fun to see how how that goes too. I mean, A will get more attention just because they're bigger schools, bigger names, but you're gonna have just as much drama at the Class B level.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Okay, um what do you get uh what do you get going on in the uh softball world? I know we've been we spent a lot of time in uh interviewing softball and people have. Talk to our sheriff people, yeah. Yeah, it's been a good one. Which is good. I like that. And uh and it means that something's happening over there, right? There's there's a lot of kids rising to the challenge, and um we don't have to talk about the coach of Chevris, but uh we we can talk about the the rest of that team though. Uh is is I mean, are they a clear at this time are they a clear fli clear favorite for for class eight?
SPEAKER_00They are as clear a favorite as I can remember. I I did them, I think their run differential the regular season, their 16 wins was 168 to 4. Okay. I know they gave up the four runs. I think the 168 is correct. I mean that's just that's that's insane. That's crazy. And I mean they've really had one quote unquote close game all year, and that's when their coach started the seniors on senior day, let them play a few innings, and you know, instead of Mercy ruling Scarborough, they won four to nothing. Yeah. Um but I mean you you have Addison DeRoche, you know, the best pitcher that's ever come through the state. Yeah. The scary thought is she's even better than she was the last two years when she was almost unhittable. Yeah and uh she's on a mission, her team's on a mission. They're not the defending champs. You know, they got upset by Wyndham last year in the regional final, and Wyndham went on to win the championship. Shevras is still stinging from that. You know, they want to remedy that. They handled Windham twice in the regular season, but that means nothing, and they know it. Wyndham's peaking. They've won their last six games going in. Uh, you know, they're starting to round into that title form. And then you got Gorham, you got Bonnie Eagle, you got Westbrook, uh, you got South Portland and Scarborough who are dangerous. Uh it's going to be fun. I mean, once you get you have a clear number one, but who's that team that's going to emerge to get to play them at USM where anything can happen on a given night, and we've seen it. And you know, if if there's an error or a bad inning or something wacky happens, the next thing you know, Chevers is down, they haven't been down all season. How do they respond?
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00So, you know, we'll see. I mean, they they look like as safe a bet as as you can think, but I remember a Boys Lacrosse team last year that was the same way going into the state final Falmouth, and they lost uh one of the biggest upsets you've ever seen. So that's why they play the games, right? And it's the baseball, softball, it's one of those things that it means nothing what has happened before. Uh, it all comes down to the present pitch, the present inning. Yeah, and you know, yeah, it's gonna be really hard to score a run on Addison DeRoche, but if you do, anything's possible.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, get a base runner, get a couple of pass balls, and it could be a one-nothing game.
SPEAKER_00I mean, it is, it's it's that simple. Or you know, you play small ball, get runners over, and yeah, hope for a bloop, hope for a wild pitch. Yeah, that's you've seen so many games decided by those.
SPEAKER_02It's gonna be fun to watch that class A side.
SPEAKER_00So, yeah, so that's gonna be, and especially you know, the the other games. Uh, you know, even some of these quarterfinals, like the 2v7 and the 3v6, and it's possible we're gonna get Wyndham Westbrook in the quarters. Yeah, you know, those are both teams that are, you know, one really good team is gonna go home and not even get to the semis. So um and then you know, the semifinal games, you're gonna get some good matchups too, because you know, Gorham's lost twice to Bonnie Eagle. But you know, for my money, they're the second best team, but that's the one team they haven't been able to solve other than Chevras. So it's all it's all about who you match up with, too, right? I mean, some teams just match up better against others. Um, you know, some are just able to hit a certain pitcher and some absolutely can't. So uh, you know, that's all part of it. And at this point, you know, you can't really do much about what your standings are, you just gotta go out and play. But there are a lot of there are several teams that are that are capable of at least getting to that regional final.
SPEAKER_02It'd be great to see Westbrook get back in there. I mean, we've had we've had some great stories, like the Biddeford baseball story last year, and then Westbrook's you know, run this year in football. It's been some really, really great stories. Westbrook would be such a uh you know, it would be so great to see them back back in it, you know, for after so long for suffering for so long in that that program. Right. See Brian turn it around and you know. It'd be great to see those guys back in it.
SPEAKER_00Well, and if not this year, they'll they're they're set up for future success. I mean, Emma Boulette is is terrific, they'll miss her. Yeah. Uh but that, you know, they've they've got a strong feeder program. Yep, you know, everything is is now uh being channeled into it's clicking, and it's it's nice to see, and it's always nice to see, you know, once downtrodden programs come back and become a serious contender. And I I think they'll be that. And you know, we get one more year of Chevrolet's probably dominating, and then after that, who knows? It kind of opens up for everybody else. But uh the f you know, there's no reason to think think that the future isn't now.
SPEAKER_02David and Goliath's story. Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Did you ever think your brother would be the Goliath, though?
SPEAKER_02Oh god, no. I mean he I mean he's gained a few pounds, but I I wouldn't call him a Goliath about just me either. He might beat me on that one.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that's all right. But he's got to like the what he has to work with going in.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, and he's got a great group of kids. Oh, that's the thing. It's a nice group of kids. They just happen to be really good softball players.
SPEAKER_00They are, and it's and it's not just I mean, yes, you have the the generational pitcher, but that lineup's you know sensational. You got Cam Ganyon is the next big thing. There's the their leadoff hitter, and you know, Haley Lamontane's as good as it gets as a as a hitter in the middle of that lineup, and they have you know Kylie Lampson and Anna Goodman and players that have won another sport. So they know what it takes, and and motivation is not a problem because like I said, you know, they know as great as they were last year, it didn't mean anything because they wound up 18 and 1 and didn't get to play in the state game. They're they're not going to make that mistake this time.
SPEAKER_02Well, how about uh how about the Class B side on in softball?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I mean that's a little more wide open. I think you know Madomic Valley was kind of viewed as the favorite. They stumbled a little bit late in the year, but you know, they they were so good in the postseason last year. Um, you know, for my money, they're probably the favorite. A team I'm kind of keeping an eye on right now is Greeley. Uh they won eight of the last nine, um, scoring in double fingers pretty much every game. Uh they they're uh Katie Wallace, their senior standout, set a program record for home runs. She's at seven in one season. Oh wow. Reached the 100 hit plateau. She was actually our athlete of the week this week.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um so they can score a ton of runs. I don't know if they have enough pitching to make a deep run. And right now they're kind of in a in a non-ideal point in the heel points where I think they were eighth, which means you know that if you get past your prelim, you're gonna have to go take on the one seed in the quarterfinals, but stranger things have happened. Right. Um and when you can score runs where they can, and Yarv's another team that can score runs that may be capable of making a run. Yeah. Uh, but you know, I I think ultimately Madomic Valley's probably the team to beat York still, you can't overlook them. Uh, you know, they uh they've been dominant in recent seasons, so uh that'll be worth keeping an eye on as well. I think that'll be interesting.
SPEAKER_02I always I always uh because my my niece nieces went to went to Greeley. John coached up there for for a little while, so I you always secretly push for like I always secretly push for Westbrook, and you know you're constantly watching because you have ties and uh it's good to hear Greeley softball back into that conversation because it's it's been a while, you know.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, they've they've got some talent for sure. They can really hit the ball. I mean if they had a top pitcher, uh I think you know they they'd really be it would it would be possible to make a series run. I just don't know if that's gonna happen this year.
SPEAKER_02Yep, sure. Okay, let's make a uh sport change uh over to uh Girls Lacrosse. Okay. Um we got A, B, and C in lacrosse. I learned that from you uh last week. Learn your A B C's, yes. Um so who you want to start with C and work our way up to the top?
SPEAKER_00That's that's different. Boy, you're throwing me a curveball.
SPEAKER_02Sorry about that. I thought we were C for curveball.
SPEAKER_00I thought we were not uh staying with baseball softball. Uh yes, C is very interesting. Um, and one of the beauties of class C now is is since lacrosse went to three classes, you you're hearing of some schools competing for championships that never in a million years would have been able to before. Last year's state game was Mirana Cook Winthrop against Trape Academy. Schools that would not be synonymous with lacrosse at all, ever. Uh Morana Cook won that last year. I think they're the favorite to win it again. Uh, but NYA is having a terrific season. Uh they've been very competitive. I think they lost to Morana Cook by a goal in the regular year, so they'll be right there.
SPEAKER_01Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Wells is another really, really talented team. Uh so you know, I'd expect for out of that group, you know, two of those three will emerge and uh and that and uh you know we'll see what happens. The NYA is a traditional power, but Miranda Cook is not. Wells is not, although Wells has played in a couple state games, so they're looking to break through, and and this year's team certainly has the uh the talent to do that.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, that's cool. I I feel like the Wells Kennebunk area is it's a it always breeds really good lacrosse players, right? No doubt. Yeah, no doubt. That's uh that's that's not the case like around around here in the kind of greater Portland area. It it's it's odd how it's regional. It always seems odd to me, but I know that we're you know traditionally a baseball, softball area, but it's uh it it's cool that lacrosse has become um three classes because of that, that you hear those those those schools that you you would never think about. They would always be you know bottom of the order or they'd be you know middle of the pack and now here they are. Right.
SPEAKER_00In class B is kind of similar too. I mean Gl Greeley is the clear favorite. Um I'd be very surprised if come June 19th they don't win their fourth title in five years. Uh but Mesalansky's having a great year. Camden Hills just knocked off Mesalonsky, they're dangerous. Uh you know, Freeport only went eight and six this year. They were the undefeated champs last year, uh, but they're the team I think that worries Greeley most because they played them within a goal in the regular season. Uh they they ended Greeley's reign last year with a double overtime win in the semifinals. If Greeley has to see them, and it looks like knock on wood, which I think is the best thing for the sport, it looks like they wouldn't play till the state game if Freeport can get there. Uh that could be a great matchup. But this Greeley team, uh I think they're a top five team in the state. I think if they were in class A, they'd they'd be right up there with these with these top teams. Uh their defense is unbelievable. They have balanced scoring, and and then you know, that we talked about with Chevras Softball, they're hungry. They they came oh so close last year and couldn't quite get the job done. They've got some great senior leaders and players who want to bow out with the championship. So uh, you know, I I would say they have as good a shot as anyone, uh boys or girls lacrosse.
SPEAKER_02Nice. Yeah. So that's good. That's class B.
SPEAKER_00That's class B. So let's move into class A. Let's move into Class A. Um, it's kind of the way things have played out here. It looks like there's four top teams. Um Cannebunk, Wyndham, TA, Chevres. And they've all beaten each other. Win wind Wyndham beat Canabunk, TA beat uh beat Windham, Chevro uh Canabunk beat uh TA. Uh TA and Chevris are about to play. As soon as we get done recording this, I'm heading over to that. That's gonna be a great matchup. So I mean it just goes to show if those four teams get through to the semis, you know, flip a coin. Uh, because they all, you know, a lot of it's gonna be who matches up with whom. Yeah. Um, but you know, Cannebunk's the perennial power, although it's been three years now since they won a championship. Each of the last two years they fell short. Wyndham won it last year. They struggled a little bit in the middle of the year, and but they've come on like gangbusters. Uh their standout senior Abbey trainer just reached 400 career points. Wow. Uh believed to be the first player in Maine history to do that. She's also on the brink of 300 career goals, which hasn't happened. Uh so she's had an incredible, prolific career, and she wants to bow out with another championship, no question. TA, some people thought they were a year away. Um it's mostly juniors and sophomores on that team, but you know, they've they've come a long, long way since losing to Kenabunk early. They knocked off Windham and they kind of haven't looked back. Um and Chevris has uh you know the Brunel sisters are as good as anyone. Uh Falmouth, Yarmouth, they've been up and down, but they're very dangerous. No one's gonna want to see them. Scarborough just knocked off Falmouth, so you have to take them seriously. Uh, but I think you know that the top four are probably gonna get through. Yarmouth could crash that party, but uh if I had to make, you know, give me sodium pentathal, and what I really think, I think you're gonna see uh, you know, TA Wyndham uh in one semifinal, most likely, and then probably Chevrolet's Kennebunk in the other.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, it sounds like it's gonna be cool. Like when you see teams beat each other like that, yeah. And they're not gonna be able to do that. There's not much separation. Yeah, right.
SPEAKER_00It's who who shows up, who gets an early lead, you know, who gets off to a fast start, a slow start. You know, last year in the state game, Wyndham came out and they blitzed Kennebunk 4-0 and they never look back. Same thing when they met in the regular season this year. It's a totally different story. If they meet again, you know, Kennebunk will probably stress we've got to have a fast start.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00And you know, it's a long game, but though these things momentum is everything, right? It is, especially in championship games, and I think that's the case in all sports. You know, it's it's really hard to come back. Yeah. You saw what Chevrolet's girls basketball did, but that almost never happens, right? I mean, generally it's just too much of a hill to overcome because the team that's ahead gets more and more confident. Yeah. You know, you can play to your strengths, you can use the clock, all that stuff.
SPEAKER_02You start pressing as And then you make mistakes. That's right. So you try to score score three goals in one shot.
SPEAKER_00So it's gonna it's gonna be a fun playoff, and and uh yeah, there's there's several teams that could take it. I mean, I wouldn't be shocked to see Kennebunk, you know, finish it off. Their seniors won as freshmen, but they haven't won since they feel like they're due. Wouldn't be shocked if Wyndham repeats. Okay. And uh you know, uh maybe it's TA's year, a year if it had a schedule. That wouldn't be that stunning either.
SPEAKER_02That's cool. Yeah. All right, let's slide over to the boys. We got one more one more grouping. Yes. Uh let's start with class A and the and the boys' side and work our way backwards.
SPEAKER_00All right, last night, quote unquote game of the year. It wasn't the game of the year. Felmouth uh on the brink of capping another undefeated regular season. They went undefeated last year, too. Um they beat TA 11-3, jumped out 4-0 early. Um, I don't think the teams are that far apart. I, you know, it's one of those things, and you know, as a coach, sometimes you do you do keep some of your cards close to your vest. Yes. TA played it very vanilla. They usually play a very intricate zone defense. Yeah, they they just kind of played it straight up last night and said, all right, Falmouth, do your thing. We're gonna take some notes, and and uh, you know, we're expecting to see you again on the 20th, and you can expect some different and that's what happened last year. Falmouth killed TA twice in the regular season. They meet in the state game, TA springs the upset of the century. Yeah. Um, so I if they do play again, I'm expecting it'll be a much, much closer game. There's one caveat, there's one team that could crash that party, and that's Yarmouth. The two-time defending B champs, they're an A now. They lost to both TA and Falmouth in the regular season. Uh the the TA game, especially Yarmouth, was very competitive. I could see them giving uh TA a run in the semis if that's how it works out. Um, you know, Falmouth handled Yarmouth fairly easily, but I could see uh you know Yarmouth maybe giving TA a scare. But ultimately, you know, the TA and Falmouth, that's about as fierce a rivalry as you have right now in high school sports. I mean, there's not a lot of love lost. Uh they've played three very intense state finals over the last eight years. Um, you know, a lot of times before games you'll see opposing coaches kind of chatting and being social. Not so much. Now very cursory in the handsake take line. I mean, there's mutual respect. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing unsportsmanlike about it. But, you know, these these two programs know that they have to get through the other. I mean, that it's become the premier rivalry. You know, right now Cape's down a little bit, so right now it's TA Felmet. Yeah. And uh, you know, if we if we get uh if we get another uh state game, it's gonna be Campus Theater. And I wouldn't be surprised if TA um you know closed that gap and maybe even found a way to pull it off again. I I think they're certainly capable of doing that. I like that.
SPEAKER_02The cat and mouse thing is good. That's it's that's a that's a that's a risky game to play.
SPEAKER_00It it is, but you know, and you see it all the time. You see it in baseball, softball where teams won't won't pitch a certain person thinking want to hold them back for playoffs, and you know, sometimes it pays dividends and other times it doesn't. It's a gamble, but you know, no, it's certainly worth doing.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well, okay. Let's uh let's let's move to move to B and uh and boys will cross.
SPEAKER_00Uh York has played a really tough schedule, a lot of Class A games. Um and there's their sketch their record is not as impressive as why are they playing cat class A games? Because I think it helps them. I mean, you want to play as tough a schedule as well. They can choose to play class A. You can you can play to a certain number, I think. Yeah. I I mean I don't know exactly how the schedule form will work. But you um, you know, if you want to play teams that are that are higher in class, and you know they had two games against Yarmouth, which traditionally was a B fo. This year they're A.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_00Um so you know, they took their lumps a little bit in the regular season, but I think it's gonna it's gonna pay dividends for them in the playoffs. They're they've lost an overtime in the state game the last two years to Yarmouth. They you know they want to get back and win it. Uh Greeley's a team that's coming up on the outside. Everyone thought they were a year away. They started 0-2. Uh, they've they've pretty much won every game since. And this is a young team, they're exciting. I had a chance to see them beat Wells the other night. Um, in fact, I'm working on a feature story about that that hopefully will be out this weekend. Um, you know, they're they're not a year away. They're uh they're capable of maybe getting to at least a semifinal, state final. They've never won a championship. I know they're uh they they came really close at the end of the last century a couple times. Yeah, and then the best team that they had, they it was in 2020, they might have won it that year, and then the season got canceled. So they're back to that level, and I think they're gonna be around for a while and uh be curious to see if they can make a run, if they're ready to do that yet. Uh, you know, Messelonski's another team that's tough. Freeport's a potential dark horse. Um, so yeah, I mean again, we're talking about some schools that we don't talk about necessarily in lacrosse traditionally, which now have that opportunity, and that's true in C as well.
SPEAKER_02Yeah, well done. Uh it's uh not a not a huge fan of the MPA, but they they it sounds like they did that right because it does it does create a uh a better environment for everybody, right? More kids get to experience. No doubt.
SPEAKER_00And I remember it was only 20 years ago that lacrosse was one class. Yeah. And then it went to two, and I think about eight, nine years ago they they added the third. And there's it's just I mean, the sport is so popular. So many schools have it now. I mean, it's it's in communities you never think in a million years. That would have it. And you know, like uh like on the girls' side, you look you know, you look at class C, Mirana Cook is uh again one of the top contenders. NYA won the championship last year. I think they have a great shot to repeat. They've got a really good team, and you know, they've played some uh some top-notch teams, including Deering the other day, who's very good in A. If you're looking for a dark horse in A, Deering, Scarborough, those would be those teams. But you know, NYA's schedule will prepare them for what they hope is a repeat run, and Wells is another tough team. So Wells boys and girls, um, you know, they they both could be at at Deering on the night of the 19th playing in uh or on the uh that's actually on the 20th for C playing for titles. So yeah, I mean buckle up, it's gonna be uh gonna be fun. A lot to keep track of and uh and a lot to watch.
SPEAKER_02Did we talk about C?
SPEAKER_00We did. I just kind of glossed over it with uh NYA being the favorite and you know Miranda Cook Wells. Um yeah, I I think NYA is a really good shot at repeating.
SPEAKER_02Well that's fun. It's it's gonna lacrosse, I really I truly believe this. Like it's softball's become a very I we've talked about this too before, but softball's so much fun to watch. Yeah. But lacrosse, watching lacrosse is just so fast. Everything could happen in a minute, right? You just one turnover, one girl could take it down the the other side just.
SPEAKER_00I miss stuff all the time, looking down on my pad, writing something down. The next thing I know, someone's scoring at the other end. I'm like, slow down, I'm too old. I want to be fast.
SPEAKER_02I know, just for a minute. Just for one like a half an hour. I would run everywhere. But the to watch these kids, the some of those really talented kids that that you know were born with good speed, it's so much fun.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and I mean that that state championship weekend's awesome. Yeah. You know, you got the two games Friday night, this year they're Class B, and then on Saturday you'll have the two class C and the two class A games. Everything's in one venue.
SPEAKER_01Yep.
SPEAKER_00Um, and it's you know, it's right here in Portland, which is great. Yeah. Um it's really that that's kind of turning to the Mecca for you know, not only for teams to try to get to aspire to play to, yeah, get to to play in, uh, but you know, if if you're a fan of the sport, yeah, uh it's a great way to wrap up the school year, the spring sports season. And we're still a couple weeks away from that, and there's a lot to be determined between now and then who's gonna get there, but that that that championship weekend is gonna be awesome.
SPEAKER_02Well, once again, I I appreciate your your ridiculous knowledge when it comes to this stuff and knowing the names of you know, I try. It's it's the only thing I'm good at, Tim. It's so good, Michael. It's so good. Everybody says the same thing, but I I appreciate your coverage. Uh any any uh any parting gifts on the uh uh for this this particular podcast, one that you're really, really looking forward to. I mean, other than watching, you know, tomorrow night Portland is playing at Old Orchard. Yeah, at the ballpark. At the ballpark, yeah, for their last home game.
SPEAKER_00Well, enjoy that. I mean, you know, these seasons are so quick, right? Yeah, they are. And you know, especially if you don't make the playoffs, it's it's it's you know, it's it's extra abbreviated. And you know, you only get to watch your kids play so much. Yeah, it's so much fun. So yeah, I know you've I know you've reveled in it, even though they haven't been that successful on the field. There's been so many other things that have been positive, right, about this season.
SPEAKER_02So it's just fun. It's fun to watch your kids compete, period.
SPEAKER_00And it goes and it goes in the blink of an eye. It's just I mean, kids that I remember being freshmen, it seems like yesterday they've already graduated or about to graduate, and yeah, um, you know, this is the best time of year. Everyone's happy, right? Yeah, this the warmer weather's here, school year is just about done, and and the best uh of the spring sports action is upon us. So I encourage people to get out, support your local teams, uh, communities. Uh, you know, pretty much every town, city in this area has one, if not multiple teams uh that are capable of making deep playoff runs, and it's just gonna be uh a lot of fun for every track of from every parent.
SPEAKER_02Yeah. Uh being being a parent myself, they they appreciate your coverage and it's my pleasure. You know, and I know your your membership is growing as you're growing this thing. And I appreciate all the support. Yeah, you're you've been great. If you if you guys uh are listening to this podcast, make sure you spread the spread the word because I don't know how many names. I was gonna try to keep track of how many names you just mentioned, but uh in his articles, it's the every you know, if you're if the split in the third base and made a big plate, you're gonna get a name about in the article. Thank you. Thank you.
SPEAKER_00Oh, all right. Let's go. Let's buckle up. It's time for time, baby. Here we go.