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A perfectly fine finish for Waynflete

By JENN MENENDEZ, Staff Writer Saturday, June 20, 2009

PORTLAND — The Waynflete girls´ lacrosse team just keeps figuring it out.

Faced with their most threatening opponent of the season, the Flyers captured the Class B state championship Saturday with a 9-5 victory against North Yarmouth Academy at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

The Flyers emerged from a 3-3 tie at halftime with critical scores and key saves that quelled a gutsy Panther offense.

The title is the Flyers´ second straight and a remarkable eighth since the sport was sanctioned in Maine in 1998.

"It never gets old," said Waynflete senior Mariah Monks. "Winning state championships is one of the happiest moments of your life. And this intense game? I loved to play."

Waynflete never led by more than two goals until there was less than four minutes to play.

Midfielder Morgan Woodhouse broke the 3-3 tie 14 seconds into the second half, eluding a defender.

Ellie Cole struck with 23:25 left to make it 5-3 before Courtney Dumont of NYA blazed down the field after winning the draw to make it a one-goal game 9 seconds later.

Woodhouse scored through traffic after a long possession to make it 6-4 with 11:24 to play.

Dumont struck again off the draw and it was 6-5 with 11:10 to play.

Waynflete first year goalie Sasha Timpson, a tennis convert, made the save of the game a minute and a half later with a stop on a free possession by Lucy Gerrity.

Instead of dealing with a 6-6 tie, Waynflete (15-0) went the other way and got a goal from Anna Libby off a fast break to make it 7-5 with 9:20 to play.

"That save was so motivating," said Woodhouse.

"In the state championship (game), everyone wants to give their life."

From there the Flyers got some breathing room, and settled in to score two more, one by Monks with 3:28 to play and one by Libby on an empty net with 7.7 seconds to play.

"It was really nerve-racking to see them fly down the field," said Flyers Coach Cathie Connors. "We needed to really keep possession and slow them down."

Both goalies -- Abigail Moss of NYA and Timpson -- had exceptional games. Moss had eight saves, Timpson seven.

NYA´s offense, led by Dumont (three goals), pressured constantly.

"I´ve never seen them play their hearts out so much," said NYA Coach Julia Littlefield. "Their biggest competition was us today. Three-three at the half? Who´d a thunk that. We wanted to give them a run for their money and we did."

Moss said her team came into the game trying to think of Waynflete as any other team.

"Waynflete has a good reputation but we don´t want anyone´s image to take over," said Moss. "We just tried to calm down and do our best. It was really intense."

In all, the Flyers got three goals from Woodhouse, two from Monks and Libby, and one each from Cole and Amy Allen.

NYA (12-3) got three from Dumont, and one each from Gerrity and Bugsy Clemetson.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:
jmenendez@pressherald.com