CAPE ELIZABETH – The smile was unmistakable and the obvious sign of a job well done.

Tim Lavallee was grinning ear to ear Saturday night after scoring three second-half goals to lead Cape Elizabeth to an 8-6 victory against Falmouth in a schoolboy lacrosse game.

“This was a big game because we knew that it might decide home-field advantage (in the playoffs),” said Lavallee. “We were ready, and the biggest part of the game was always keeping the lead. That was big because one problem we have is we kind of get down on ourselves when we get behind. We kept it up the entire game.”

As surprising as it sounds, most of the postgame chatter surrounded the implications the early-season result would have on the postseason. It was a rematch of last year’s Western Class B final won by Falmouth, 11-9.

“I was looking at this game as pivotal,” said Falmouth Coach Mike LeBel. “This game decides home-field advantage. If we’re able to beat them at our field (May 16) and we both have one loss, I think their Heal points in the end are going to be higher. I think they play better crossover games with the SMAA.”

The Capers (2-0) scored the first two goals, leading to the first of two two-goal leads they enjoyed in the second quarter.

Thomas Bottomley and Alex Bornick scored in a 1:07 span.

It didn’t take long for the Yachtsmen (0-1) to answer. Just over a minute later, Falmouth scored twice in 34 seconds, by Will Sipperly and Jack Cooleen.

Bornick scored again and Forest Hewitt followed 48 seconds later to put Cape ahead 4-2.

Falmouth came back again late in the second quarter: Mitch Tapley and Charlie Fay scored to make it 4-4 at halftime.

The teams traded goals in the opening minutes of the third quarter before Griffin Thoreck connected on a long bouncer to put the Capers ahead 6-5. The goal, which came moments after Thoreck ripped a shot off the post, swung the momentum in Cape’s favor.

“I think our defense played very well throughout the game and offensively we scored big goals when we needed them,” said Cape Coach Ben Raymond. “I think we got a lot of good opportunities on goal, so hopefully that means our offense was working well.”

Lavallee gave the Capers some breathing room in the fourth. He scored a pair of goals on similar individual efforts to put Cape up 8-5 with just under two minutes left.

Hunter LaFond scored the other goal for Falmouth, who played without starting goalie Cam Bell. A one-game Maine Principals’ Association suspension that carried over from the end of hockey season left Bell watching a solid performance by backup Connor Jordan from the sidelines. LeBel said Falmouth added a second game to the suspension, meaning Bell won’t be available Monday when the Yachtsmen play Greely.