Staff Writer

Scarborough High School Girls’ Lacrosse Coach Marcia Wood said she’s tired of losing in the Class A Western Maine Final

“I hope [the team] is tired of it, because I am,” Wood said.

Last season, Wood said the team beat Kennebunk for the first time in her five-year tenure that led them to a Southwestern Maine Activities Association (SMAA) championship. However, the team eventually lost to Kennebunk again in overtime in the Class A Western Maine Final, after putting together a 12-3 regular season record.

Wood said the year before, the Red Storm lost by one point to the Massabesic Mustangs, also in the Western Maine Final. 

According to the school Web site, the team last won the state championship in 2006.

Wood said she will be looking at a “good mix” of veterans and newcomers for the 2009 season.  

Wood said she has team captain and senior Erin McElwain returning, along with senior Chelsea Barrett and junior Megan Cowie as midfielders. She said she is also looking for junior attackers Elie Morin and Lindsay Hagerman, as well as junior defender Jackie Morin to help provide veteran leadership. Jackie Morin is the only returning defender, and Wood said it will add some pressure for her to perform as new players adjust to the varsity level. 

Wood said she is also looking forward to the return of junior midfielder Brittney Ross, who missed last season due to an injury, and will look for newcomer Akashia Gergeler to contribute as well.

“From what I’ve seen, [Gergeler] is a very aggressive player,” Wood said.

Wood said this season will be the first year under the “tiering” system, which divides schools within Class A. She said some of the teams the Red Storm will be facing this year under the new system will be North Yarmouth Academy and Wayneflete, but they will also still face some of the usual teams they play, such as Kennebunk.

Wood said the system is “exciting,” as it will keep the scores of games close, as teams in divided tiers will be close to the same performance level.

“I think we’ll hold our own,” Wood said.

A problem hit Scarborough High School over Christmas vacation, as a pipe froze and burst in the Plummer Gymnasium, which created curling on the floor. Athletic Director Gary Groves said the gym, which will be closed until late April, forced the move of the softball team practices to the Wentworth Intermediate School.

Wood said the current Plummer Gym problem will have no affect on the girls’ lacrosse team, as they will practice outdoors on the football field, which is currently clear of snow, and uses FieldTurf, a synthetic playing surface.

She said she will use the pre-season to prepare the team for stricter views by officials on checking. Wood said if a player makes a rough check, or hard body contact, with another player, they will be penalized and the team will continue with one player down, or off the field, for three minutes.

Wood said there has been no change to the rule, but she said officials have been lenient in the past.

According to the United States Lacrosse Web site, which Wood said are the rules high schools follow, rough checks, and contact to the body with a player’s crosse (the player’s stick) or the body is not allowed. A legal check is defined as controlled tapping of a player’s crosse from the crosse of another player to knock the ball free. 

It is also implied in the rules that legal checks must be made away from a 7-inch “bubble” zone around the head of a player.

The first game of the SHS Girls’ Lacrosse team will be against Greeley High School April 28 at home