PORTLAND — For the second time in four years, the Waynflete Flyers are the Class C boys lacrosse state champions.
Paced by Sam Whipple’s five goals, the top-seeded Flyers defeated second-seeded Oak Hill/Monmouth/Lisbon 17-5 at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Saturday.
“We all went out to breakfast this morning and we prepared really well and we were ready for the game,” Whipple said. “We hit the ground running.”
Harry Millspaugh scored twice and added four assists for the Flyers (14-1).
Riley Worth scored once and had an assist for the Raiders (13-1).
Waynflete was excited to face the Raiders’ high-powered offense.
“We put everything into this game,” Waynflete coach Andrew Leach said. “Coming from (facing North Yarmouth Academy), we pride ourselves with our defense. They average about 18 goals a (game). For us to put this together, hold them to what we held them to, play together as a team, it was motivation enough to do this for seniors.”
Both goalies made saves in the opening minute of the game. Waynflete had the first shot on goal, but it was stopped by Oak Hill/Monmouth/Lisbon’s Nick Michaud. The Raiders then ran down the field and unleashed a shot that was saved by Alex Vest.
From that point on, Waynflete took over the first half. Millspaugh set up the game’s opening two goals. Whipple’s first score, which came 90 seconds into the first quarter, put the Flyers up 1-0. About a minute later, Roan Hopkins ripped a shot past Michaud for a two-goal lead.
“I definitely like to assist (on goals),” Millspaugh said. “It makes me happy to see my teammates score goals.”
Whipple added an unassisted goal, Millspaugh scored his first of the game and Nico Kirby put one in to push the Flyers’ lead to 5-0 after one quarter.
The Raiders, meanwhile, had a tough time gaining possession in the first quarter.
“Passing and catching was a little off in the first half,” Raiders coach Joey Hinkley said. “I think it came around in the second half, I think that’s what we struggled (with throughout the game). Again, it’s a big stage, nerves, young team.
“I told the kids to keep their head up and hopefully we will be back next year.”
Whipple opened the scoring in the second quarter for a 6-0 lead nearly at the four-minute mark.
Nils Burton-Johanson had a hand in Waynflete’s next three goals. First, he scored off an assist by Millsaugh. Then he set up Whipple’s second goal of the quarter and a goal by Seth Cloutier to make it 9-0 for the Flyers.
Oak Hill finally broke through at the end of the second quarter when long-stick defenseman Jacob Godbout ran down the field and delivered a bounce shot that beat Vest.
Hinkley had a feeling someone with a long stick could make their presence known.
“Jacob, he had the energy; I had a feeling one of the (long) poles (players) was going to score today, whichever one got the chance to,” Hinkley said. “He has been after it all year trying to score goals.”
Leach took a timeout after Godbout’s goal.
“It was basically to settle us down, refocus, talk about how the game was being officiated, and how we are going to adjust,” Leach said. “We also wanted to keep in mind what they were going to do with Tiger (Hopkins) and where they were going to put Travis (Caron). We wanted to keep our mind on those two players.”
The Raiders carried the momentum into the second half, and Hopkins’ cross-field reached Caron, who fired the ball into the net. Riley Worth then scored the Raiders’ third straight goal to cut the deficit to 9-3.
“I told the kids at halftime, there are 24 minutes left of lacrosse and (seven) goals is nothing,” Hinkley said. “We average 17, 18 goals a game, and in the first quarter of every game, we are usually scoring seven, eight goals. To take a (seven-goal deficit) is nothing in lacrosse.”
The Flyers stopped Oak Hill’s run midway through the third quarter when Ned Lane scored his first goal of the game and Cloutier scored his second.
In the final minute of the third quarter, Owen Anderson scored a man-down goal that reestablished Waynflete’s nine-goal cushion at 12-3.
Leach gave credit to Vest and the Flyers’ defense for stopping Oak Hill’s attack.
“Alex Vest is, I think, the best goalie in the state of Maine,” Leach said. “Ben Ady, Jasper Curtis, Mike Veroneau, we have what I think is the best defense in the state. We are averaging five goals a game that we are giving up. We have the tools to take those great players on, those All-Americans on. They took care of business today.”
The teams traded scores in the fourth quarter, Gabe Samson scoring a man-down goal for the Raiders and Lane responding for the Flyers for a 13-4 lead.
Whipple tallied his fifth goal of the game midway through the fourth, and Millspaugh and Lane added scores for Waynflete.
D’andre Daniels scored the Raiders’ fifth and final goal, and then Waynflete’s Ben Adey capped the scoring.
2021 Maine boys lacrosse state championship results:
Class A — Cape Elizabeth routs Falmouth to capture title
Class B — Yarmouth shakes off Marshwood to win state title
Class C — Waynflete 17, Oak Hill/Monmouth/Lisbon 5
2021 Maine girls lacrosse state championship results:
Class A — Kennebunk holds off Falmouth, wins state crown
Class B — Yarmouth holds off Greely to win state championship
Class C — Waynflete nips Freeport to win Class C final
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