Newsletter #47...Postseason off to rousing start
If you like late-inning rallies, upsets or overtime thrillers, the 2026 spring sports playoffs have lived up to billing in the early going.
Baseball has seen a top seed saved by rain, another top seed upset by a 10-seed, a last-ditch effort and a resounding victory and that's all in Class A South. The reigning Class B champions are still alive and an upstart in Class C South is still playing.
On the softball diamond, the heavy favorite is three wins away from capping a perfect season, but obstacles still loom.
Boys' lacrosse has set the stage for an epic final week in Class A, while in Class B, the top seed barely survived its first test. The reigning Class C champs like their chance to repeat.
On the girls' side, there's Kennebunk, then there's several local teams who have what it takes to bring home the hardware. Greely in Class B and North Yarmouth Academy in Class C are looking good in their title quests.
Read on for links to stories and stay tuned for blanket coverage of the biggest games as the postseason continues...
Yarmouth coach departs for college opportunity
Yarmouth girls' basketball coach Hope Olson, who led the Clippers to the Class B South playoffs last season in her one year as head coach, was named this week as a women's basketball coach at Colorado Christian University.
Olson, who is a Yarmouth High graduate, said it was a difficult decision to leave, but she couldn't pass up the opportunity.
Gatorade times three
Cheverus junior ace Addison DeRoche was recently named Maine's Gatorade Softball Player of the Year for the third consecutive season.
DeRoche, who has verbally committed to Florida State University, went 12-0 in the circle with 181 strikeouts and only seven walks in 77 innings during the regular season. She also batted .485 with four homers and 18 walks.
DeRoche and her teammates are 17-0 and will host the Class A South semifinals Saturday.
Milestones
Another week, more milestones...
Deering's boys' lacrosse team has a standout senior goalie in Vinny Cavallaro, who recently reached the 600 career save plateau.
The Rams have another senior standout in Joey Foley, who recently eclipsed the 200 career point plateau.
Cavallaro, Foley and their teammates are ranked fourth in Class A and host Bonny Eagle in a state quarterfinal Friday night.
Scarborough junior girls' lacrosse standout Lily Howes reached the 100 career goal plateau in the regular season finale versus Windham.
Red Storm junior goalie Cora Furr also reached a milestone in the regular season finale versus Windham, making her 200th career save.
In case you missed it
Game stories from the past week...
Greely handles Yarmouth in softball prelim
Yarmouth baseball edges Poland in prelim
Cape girls spring another postseason upset, knock off Scarborough
Scarborough boys survive Windham in OT in preliminary round
No resolution in a rainy Gorham-Falmouth quarterfinal
Westbrook earns a historic quarterfinal win over Scarborough
And a feature on Greely's boys' lacrosse team, which surprisingly wound up first in Class B and barely passed its first playoff test...
Michael Hoffer
Media
Last Friday's spot on Middays with Mannix and Mannix:
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Features
Hoffer's High School Sports, in conjunction with cPort Credit Union, named Windham senior girls' lacrosse standout and state record-holding scorer Abby Trainor our Athlete of the Week.
Michael Hoffer
Tuesday brought the final regular season polls for baseball, softball and lacrosse:
Michael Hoffer
There was no podcast this week due to the non-stop playoff action I was covering. The Hoffer's High School Sports podcast will return next week.
What's on tap
Playoff action continues Friday with several boys' and girls' lacrosse state quarterfinal round showdowns. Highlighting the slate on the girls' side is Falmouth at Cheverus (the teams played a one-goal thriller in the regular season) and Yarmouth at Thornton Academy. Cape Elizabeth and Falmouth renew postseason acquaintances on the boys' side, while Scarborough at Yarmouth could be a great one.
Saturday brings semifinals for baseball and softball.
We then take a breather until next Tuesday, when the Class A South baseball and softball finals will be held at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham and the Class B South baseball final will be contested at St. Joseph's College in Standish. Class B boys' and girls' lacrosse will hold their state semifinals as well.
Wednesday brings lacrosse back to the big stage, as Class A and C hold their boys' and girls' state semifinals.
And then, it's on to states...
Play of the week
Let's wrap this up with the play of the week...Scarborough senior Wes Merrill scores in the first minute of overtime and the Red Storm advance to the state quarterfinals with a thrilling victory over Windham Wednesday night.
I'll be back with another newsletter next Friday.
Have a great weekend everyone!
Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffersports@yahoo.com
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