FOOTBALL (CO-OP TEAM WITH GREELY)

Coach: John Fitzsimmons (13th year, 69-46 overall record)

2018 record: 6-4 (Lost, 49-24, to Marshwood in Class B South semifinals)

Top returning players: Shane Allen (Senior), Naveen Caron (Senior), Brady Douglas (Senior), C.J. Jones (Senior), Nick Mancini (Senior), Sam Pausman (Senior), Braden Bickford (Junior), Brady Nolin (Junior), Matt Probert (Junior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 13 LAWRENCE, Sept. 20 @ Oxford Hills, Oct. 11 BRUNSWICK, Oct. 25 @ Windham

Coach’s comment: “It’s a terrific group of kids. I’d say that the assimilation has been fabulous. These kids love football more than they hated their rival. We need to avoid injuries, show steady improvement and come along. We’re loaded with athletes. There’s no doubt in my mind we’re a playoff team.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: There’s been a truce called in the Battle of Route 9, as one-time fierce rivals Falmouth and Greely are combining this fall. After producing some thrilling games over the past 15 years, Yachtsmen and Rangers alike are now working toward the same goal, winning a state title, and you can bet this squad will make some noise in the weeks to come.

Falmouth returns eight offensive starters and the addition of three top players from Greely will make this unit tough to stop. Manicni returns under center. Sophomore Cooper Bush, widely touted as the quarterback of the future, will see some time as well. The running game will have a Greely feel, as Rangers Caron and Nolin will follow the blocking of Falmouth fullback Allen (a league all-star in 2018) to matriculate the ball down the field. Through the air, Mancini and Bush can look for Douglas, senior tight end Max Orestis, junior receiver Jake Rand and freshman receiver Finn Caxton-Smith. The offensive line feaures some big boys, as Jones and Probert return for Falmouth and are joined by Bickford, from Greely. Junior Marc Libby and freshmen Rocco Mancini and Matt Phillips will also help pass protect and open holes in the run game. Pausman is one of the top kickers around.

Falmouth/Greely will be tough on defense as well. Bickford, Bush, Libby and Probert will see time on the line. The linebacking corps is formidable with Allen, Jones and Nolin. Good luck moving the ball through the air against this defense, as the secondary features Caron, Douglas and Rand.

By all accounts, Falmouth and Greely are combining nicely and players from both schools are buying in. With all the talent on the field, success is sure to follow. Falmouth/Greely is in Class B North this year, which doesn’t project to being as challenging as B South. That gives Falmouth/Greely a great opportunity to advance deep in the postseason. What a story that would make.

BOYS’ SOCCER

Coach: Dave Halligan (33rd year, 381-101-45 overall record, 11 state championships)

2018 record: 11-3-1 (Lost, 2-1, to Marshwood in Class A South quarterfinals) 

Top returning players: Joe Dye (Senior), Adrian Friedman (Senior), Josh Lefevre (Senior), Macklin Williams (Senior), Gus Ford (Junior), Sam Gearan (Junior), Charlie Adams (Sophomore) 

Pivotal games: Sept. 14 GORHAM, Sept. 19 @ Deering, Sept. 27 @ Cheverus, Oct. 8 @ Thornton Academy, Oct. 15 SCARBOROUGH, Oct. 18 @ South Portland, Oct. 22 PORTLAND

Coach’s comment: “We’re a young team. We lost nine seniors and three other all-stars. We have a lot of untested younger kids. Goals will have to come from a lot of different players. It’s a balanced league and we’ll be competitive. We’ll need to withstand the physical challenge. We’ll get better as we go along. We want to get in the playoffs and anything can happen.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth completely put the clamps on the opposition last season until being upset in the quarterfinals. Graduation hit hard and last year’s leading scorer, Tom Fitzgerald, hurt his knee playing lacrosse last spring and is out for the season, Ben Greene left to run cross country and standout goalkeeper Alvaro Fuentes-Cantillana moved back to Spain. Weep not for the Yachtsmen, however, plenty of firepower returns and they’ll still be one of the last teams standing.

Ford, an SMAA honorable mention in 2018, returns to pace the offense. Adams and Lefevre will also do their share of goal-scoring. In the midfield, Friedman and Gearan lead the way. Falmouth is always strong on defense and while dominant all-star Nik Hester has graduated, Dye and Williams are ready to fill his void. Senior Jackson Quinn will replace Fuentes-Cantillana in goal. Some younger kids will quickly make a name for themselves as well.

Class A South is very balanced this fall and the Yachtsmen will have an opportunity to measure themselves against all of the top teams. Falmouth has an uphill climb considering all it has lost, but the Yachtsmen have an all-time great coach, a winning tradition and they don’t have the burden of expectations. This will be a team that will get better and better in the weeks to come and could be capable of stealing headlines when the postseason begins.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Coach: Andrew Pelletier (seventh year, 53-32-9 overall record)

2018 record: 9-4-3 (Lost, 6-0, to Cheverus in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Gabby Esmond (Senior), Aimee Muscadin (Senior), Kelly Yoon (Senior), Lexi Bugbee (Junior), C.C. Cohen (Junior), Izzy Dyer (Junior), Devin Quinn (Junior), Jordan Wolf (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 13 @ Gorham, Sept. 25 @ Bonny Eagle, Sept. 28 CHEVERUS, Oct. 1 @ Windham, Oct. 15 @ Scarborough

Coach’s comment: “So far, so good this summer. We have great numbers. We’ll be very good on defense. We have a couple new players to help with scoring. This is the closest I think the league has ever been. We should be right there. If we show maturity, we’ll hopefully have a deep run. Our goal is to take the next step. We’re excited.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth had a strong season a year ago and won a playoff game, but was no match for Cheverus in the quarterfinals. This season, the Yachtsmen feel like they can compete with everyone and make a deep postseason run.

Wolf was an honorable mention selection in goal as a freshman and will be one of the best keepers around again. She’ll be aided by a strong defensive unit, which includes Cohen, Dyer and Esmond. Falmouth figures to be solid in the midfield as well, led by Bugbee (a second-team all-star in 2018), Muscadin, Quinn, Yoon and junior Maria Neuhauser, who was limited by injury last season. Look for the scoring to come from Bugbee, freshmen Abbie Ford and Elise Gearan, as well as others who hope to capitalize on opportunities.

The Yachtsmen might be in line for their best season since moving up to Class A. A win or two over traditional powers would help toward securing homefield advantage. Wherever they play, the Yachtsmen will be a difficult out when the playoffs begin.

FIELD HOCKEY

Coach: Robin Haley (23rd year, 201-138-19 overall record)

2018 record: 10-4-2 (Lost, 1-0, to eventual state champion Biddeford in Class A South semifinal)

Top returning players: Mary Kate Bayer (Senior), Veronica Grobe (Senior), Sammy Means (Senior), Ellie Nash (Senior), Izzy Roy (Senior), Parker Spence (Senior), Sarah Wentworth (Senior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 4 SCARBOROUGH, Sept. 10 WESTBROOK, Sept. 20 GORHAM, Oct. 10 BIDDEFORD

Coach’s comment: “We graduated some phenomenal players. The girls coming back want to be successful. We’re young at the varsity level and have some things to put together. We hope to have scoring balance. We’ve made the playoffs a lot and we’re hoping to do that again then go from there.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth played eventual champion Biddeford as tough as anyone a year ago, but couldn’t find a way to rattle the cage in the semifinals. The Yachtsmen then lost All-State standouts Emma Cohen and Liberty Ladd, among others, to graduation. This year’s squad has some work to do to get back to last year’s level, but Falmouth will be strong by the end of the year.

Wentworth was an SMAA honorable mention all-star a year ago and will be a top midfielder, along with Grobe and Means. Up top, look for Bayer, Roy and sophomore Chloe Bush to be in the scoring mix. The defense features Nash and Spence. Senior Lila Rouhana hopes to join them, but begins the season hindered by injury. Replacing all-star Caitlyn Bull in goal will be either senior Sarah Greenlaw or junior Stella Del Tergo.

Falmouth has a tough start to the season with games against traditional powers Scarborough and Westbrook, but that will give the Yachtsmen an idea where they stand and what they need to work on. This group will steadily improve and should make it 23 straight playoff appearances. Once there, Falmouth will be a team no one will want to face.

VOLLEYBALL

Coach: Larry Nichols (second year)

2018 results: 16-1 (Beat Gorham, 3-0, to win Class A state title)

Top returning players: Gretchen Barney (Senior), Holly Barney (Senior), Rose Riversmith (Senior), Hillary Bouchard (Junior), Annika Hester (Junior), Katie Phillips (Junior)

Pivotal matches: Sept. 6 YARMOUTH, Oct. 1 @ Biddeford, Oct. 3 @ Scarborough, Oct. 8 GORHAM, Oct. 12 @ Cape Elizabeth, Oct. 15 @ Windham

Coach’s comment: “The kids did everything I asked of them last year and got better every week. It was a treat. We’re plugging in new players this year. We’ll score points, but we have to worry about defense and not giving points up. We’ll take nobody for granted and we understand that everyone will bring their best when they play us.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth enjoyed a dream season a year ago, rising to the occasion time and again before dominating Gorham to win the Class A championship. The Yachtsmen return several top players and are viewed by most as the clear favorite to repeat.

Hester was named SMAA Player of the Year and a first-team all-star a year ago. An absolutely devastating hitter, Hester will be the focus of every foe, but no one is very well equipped to slow her down. Phillips was also an all-star in 2018 and she returns as the setter, who will do her best to get the ball to Hester, as well as captain Holly Barney and others in optimal positions. Riversmith (a second-teamer in 2018 and captain this autumn) is a blocker extraordinaire. Bouchard is a terrific server and will also be a defensive specialist and setter on occasion. Gretchen Barney, the other captain, is the libero. Those are the proven commodities and Falmouth has plenty more talent in reserve. Seniors Brooke Douglas (setter) and Sophie Goldberg (setter/defensive specialist), junior Mia McHugh (blocker), sophomores Emily Charest (setter) and Mackenzie Nichols (blocker) and freshman Victoria Abbott (defensive specialist) will make their mark as the season goes on.

Falmouth is wearing a big-time bulls-eye this fall, but the Yachtsmen welcome the challenge. If they stay healthy and hungry, it’s hard to imagine a scenario where a repeat title isn’t the end result.

CROSS COUNTRY

Coaches: Jorma Kurry and Danny Paul (16th year, three state championships)

2018 results:
(Boys) 6th @ Class A state meet
(Girls) 2nd @ Class A state meet 

Top returners:
(Boys) Nolan Anderson (Senior), Ben Potter (Senior), Michael Smoluk (Senior), Faran Igani (Junior), Logan Ross (Sophomore)
(Girls) Molly McDermott (Senior), Eva Clement (Junior), Sofie Matson (Junior), Karley Piers (Junior), Viviana Griffin (Sophomore)

Coach Kurry’s comment: “Both teams are blessed with strong talent at the front. The big goals for the season will be focused on developing depth at the back end of the varsity lineup. There’s talent to work with and the kids have been putting in a great effort. A good group of kids are transitioning from other track events to cross country and will work to provide the depth we are seeking. Our success will rely on teamwork and strong attitudes, but there’s a great group to work with.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Both Falmouth teams will make legitimate runs at the state title this fall.

The girls’ squad was runner-up to Bonny Eagle last season and will be led by Matson and Piers. Matson was the Class A individual champion and last month, was the top Maine female at the Beach to Beacon. She’ll set the pace again. Piers placed seventh a year ago and hopes to move up. Clement (29th) also returns. McDermott and Griffin are experienced and the team is bolstered by the addition of freshmen Teagan Barry and Abby Murdick. The Yachtsmen have finished in the top five at states every year since moving up to Class A and will be in line to do so again.

On the boys’ side, one year after finishing outside the top five at states for the first time in over a decade, look for Falmouth to again be among the last teams standing. The loss of John Auer (third last year) to graduation hurts, but the Yachtsmen bring back state meet scorers Potter (12th) and Igani (27th). Anderson and Smoluk are senior leaders and Ross also has experience. Junior Ben Greene and freshmen Dylan Sweetser and Miles Woodbury add depth. Look for steady growth from this squad, which should be at its best at the championship meets.

GOLF

Coach: A.J. Simokaitis (first year)

2018 results: 7-2 (5th @ Class A state match)

Top returning players: Tyler Baker (Senior), Brady Pierson (Senior), Charlie Pochepan (Senior), Jack Stowell (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “This should be an interesting year, as many teams are going through a bit of a rebuild after graduating a number of strong players. I feel as if we were a bit lucky at Falmouth to have three strong returners, as well as other returning players. Each season, I look for the team to be playing their best golf going into qualifiers and states. I think we have a great shot at being a strong competitor within our league. Everyone is going to have to play their role on the team throughout the season. Hopefully, we can be trending at the right time and make a good run at states.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth had its typically strong season in 2018 and this fall welcomes a new coach in Simokaitis, who spent the past four years as Cheverus’ coach. He takes over a team that’s again loaded for bear and ready to make a run at a Class A state title.

Baker was a league all-star a year ago and is a top returner. He shot a 78 at the individual state match to come in eighth and had a round of 77 at the team state match. Also back are Stowell (88 at states) and Pierson (91). Pochepan also has experience. They’re the proven commodities and if a few other kids can step up and fill spots, the Yachtsmen will be tough to beat in the regular season.

Falmouth measures itself by what it does in the postseason, however, and the Yachtsmen should have a shot to make noise as a team and as individuals come October.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

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