Newsletter #60...Championship Saturday will be special
This week's field hockey and soccer regional finals produced some of the most breathtaking action we've seen in years (see story links, below).
Saturday's state finals could be just as memorable.
Perhaps even more so?
Cheverus and Freeport, as they did a year ago, are the final two field hockey teams from the coverage area still standing.
Yarmouth's boys' soccer team finds itself in yet another Class B state final, while Thornton Academy will appear in the Class A state game for the first time in program history.
On the girls' side, Scarborough is off to the Class A state game for the fifth year in a row, while Cape Elizabeth is hoping to repeat as Class B champion.
The football playoffs continue to chug along as well and we'll know the eight-man state game matchups by the end of the weekend.
Oh yeah, in case you missed it, the volleyball state matches were a sight to behold.
Hoffer's High School Sports had it all covered...
Game stories
Links to game stories you might have missed since last week:
Scarborough girls beat South Portland in OT in semifinals
Falmouth boys continue magical run with PK victory over Scarborough
Gorham volleyball squeaks past Scarborough to four-peat
Greely volleyball wins first title in a decade
Thornton Academy ends Falmouth's run, wins first regional crown
Scarborough girls capture another regional title
Freeport dashes Yarmouth's hopes in regional final once again
Yarmouth boys win in PKs for first time, beat Cape in Class B South Final
Cape girls beat rival Yarmouth to repeat as regional champs
Cheverus keeps finding a way, beats TA on penalty stroke in regional final
Features
Every Monday, Hoffer's High School Sports, in conjunction with partner cPort Credit Union, will name a "Player of the Week."
This week's selection is Gorham senior volleyball standout Liana Edwards, who led the Rams to their fourth consecutive Class A championship.
Michael Hoffer
Each Tuesday, HHSS releases Super-Six polls for football, field hockey, boys' soccer, girls' soccer and volleyball. Here's this week's final volleyball poll.
Michael Hoffer
Media
This Tuesday's WGAN spot:
https://wgan.com/morning-news/hoffers-high-school-sports-40/
Last Friday's Middays with Mannix and Mannix spot:
https://thebigjab.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/MMM-10-30-26-Michael-Hoffer.mp3
Predictions
This week's popular, prescient Patriots pick (7-1 to date):
Patriots 23 Packers 20
There's not much separation to be found in this showdown between my two favorite teams. I think ultimately that the Patriots being in Foxboro, combined with the Packers' penchant for foolishness in waning moments of games, will bring smiles to fans of the home team.
Closer to home, here are my picks for this week's high school football games (7-2 last week, 77-23 to date):
Marshwood over Falmouth
Freeport over Dirigo
Greely over Oceanside
Portland over Windham
Thornton Academy over South Portland
Yarmouth over Spruce Mountain
On a heater
The following teams have won at least five games in a row at press time:
Cape Elizabeth girls' soccer 6
Cheverus field hockey 17 (34 dating back to last year)
Freeport field hockey 6
Greely football 7
Scarborough girls' soccer 12
Thornton Academy football 9 (18 dating back to last year)
Yarmouth football 9
Yarmouth boys' soccer 13
Upcoming
Friday's playoff football slate includes a Windham at Portland showdown for the right to play in the Class A North Final, Thornton Academy looking to send South Portland packing in Class A South, Falmouth hoping to upset top-ranked Marshwood in Class B South, Greely looking to take its first step toward another crown in the Class C state quarterfinals, Freeport hoping to reach the Class D South Final when it battles Dirigo and Yarmouth looking to continue its high-scoring ways when it hosts Spruce Mountain in the eight-man large school South Final.
Saturday, field hockey champions will be crowned in Auburn, while Class A takes its soccer state games to Kennebunk and the Class B contests will be contested in Bangor.
Enjoy the weekend, everyone.
See you right back here, next Friday.
Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffersports@yahoo.com
Member discussion