FOOTBALL

Coach: Jim Hartman (first year)

2018 results: 3-6 (Lost, 38-6, to Fryeburg Academy in Class C South quarterfinal)

Top returning players: Jack Buthy (Senior), Sam Mason (Junior), Jack McGrath (Junior), David Riddle (Junior), Turner Schnee (Junior), Blake Venden (Junior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 14 @ Traip, Sept. 27 MT. ARARAT, Oct. 4 GRAY-NG

Coach’s comment: “We have good players. We just have to learn how to play eight-man. I’m pleased with our numbers. We have a talented receiving corps, but we’ll still be run-heavy. We want the Gold Ball and hopefully we can do that.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: It’s a new look for Yarmouth this year, as the Clippers take part in eight-man football, which has been instituted this fall by the Maine Principals’ Association to help schools that have struggled with numbers maintain their program. Yarmouth welcomes back Hartman as coach, who helped start the program and led the Clippers to state championships in 2010 and 2011 before spending the past seven years as the coach at Portland High. He takes over a squad that should be very competitive.

McGrath will be the quarterback and he’s dangerous running or throwing. Riddle is a big running back who will get his share of carries. Mason will also be featured. Through the air, Venden, along with juniors A.J. Michalski and Peter Russo, will be targets. Buthy and Schnee are top linemen. Michalski will do the placekicking.

Defensively, Buthy and Schnee are on the line, Mason and Riddle lead the linebacking unit and the secondary features McGrath.

Yarmouth will have a learning curve, but its athleticism and coaching will put it in position to make a run at a championship. Don’t be surprised if the Clippers find a way to make the most of their first year at the eight-man level.

BOYS’ SOCCER

Coach: Mike Hagerty (23rd year, 275-57-40 overall record, nine state championships)

2018 results: 13-1-2 (Lost, 2-1, to Cape Elizabeth in Class B South semifinals)

Top returning players: John Clinton (Senior), John D’Appolonia (Senior), Aidan Hickey (Senior), Liam Ireland (Senior), Jason Lainey (Senior), Will Dickinson (Junior), Ian LaBrie (Junior), Baden McLaughlin (Junior), Evan Van Lonkhuysen (Junior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 5 YORK, Sept. 10 @ Cape Elizabeth, Sept. 14 GREELY, Sept. 17 @ Freeport, Sept. 20 NYA, Oct. 1 @ York, Oct. 4 CAPE ELIZABETH, Oct. 10 FREEPORT, Oct. 12 @ Greely, Oct. 17 @ Waynflete

Coach’s comment: “It’s a very mature team. A lot of juniors and seniors, which reminds me a lot of 2017. We’ve looked spectacular so far. We lost some good players and about 70 percent of our goal scoring, but everyone coming back is a year older. We move the ball well and our defense is back. We have a lot of talented underclassmen returning, a fabulous new addition and some motivated kids after losing last year. I expect us to be one of the best teams in the state, regardless of class, and certainly top three in Class B. I’m fired up.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth’s four-year championship reign, 26-game win streak and 45-game unbeaten streak all came to a close a year ago, but don’t think for a minute that the Golden Age of Yarmouth Soccer is over. The Clippers might go about things a little differently this fall, but they still have the looks of a team capable of being the last one standing in Class B.

D’Appolonia made the conference and regional all-star teams in 2018 and is back to anchor what should be a smothering defense. A unit which also includes veterans Dickinson, Hickey and Van Lonkhuysen. Senior Isaac Owen appears primed to seize the goalkeeping position. Senior Spencer King and sophomore Charles Henry Watson will also see time between the pipes. The midfield will feature some standouts. Lainey was a league all-star a year ago. Ireland could be on the brink of becoming a breakout star. McLaughlin also has experience. Then, you mix in Alejandro Coury, a senior who returns to the program after playing with the New England Revolution Academy and the Seacoast Academy, and it’s almost an embarrassment of riches. Sophomore Steven Fulton will be a key contributor as well. Replacing Eric LaBrie’s 20-plus goals won’t happen from one source. Yarmouth will score goals by committee this season with Coury, Ireland, Clinton, Ian LaBrie, senior Will Nicholas (who was injured last year) and junior Will Cox (another player poised for a big leap) being leading candidates to finish.

The Clippers face their usual daunting schedule and there will be some potholes, but this is a proud program that expects nothing but the best. After being denied a year ago, Yarmouth is poised to return to the pinnacle. Good luck depriving the Clippers the hardware two years in a row.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Coach: Andy Higgins (first year)

2018 results: 10-6 (Lost, 2-1, to eventual state champion Cape Elizabeth in Class B South semifinals)

Top returning players: Ella Caruso (Senior), Hannah Dwyer (Senior), Ashlyn Feeley (Senior), Audrey Goessling (Senior), Ehryn Groothoff (Senior), Abi Hincks (Senior), Hope Olson (Senior), Adriana Whitlock (Senior), Parker Harnett (Junior), Katelyn D’Appolonia (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 5 YORK, Sept. 10 CAPE ELIZABETH, Sept. 14 GREELY, Sept. 17 FREEPORT, Oct. 1 @ York, Oct. 5 @ Cape Elizabeth, Oct. 10 @ Freeport, Oct. 12 @ Greely

Coach’s comment: “It’s been great. The girls have exceeded my expectations. They’re a fantastic group of kids. A lot of very talented players and high-character kids. They’re very driven to do well and carry on the tradition. The league is very tough top to bottom. We’re focusing on one step at a time and staying in the moment. We’ll need to be sharp all the time. The seniors want to be the last team standing. They’ll have to work hard to make that happen.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth’s two-year title reign came to a close last fall, but not without a fight, as the Clippers gave eventual champion Cape Elizabeth a mighty scare in the semifinals. It appears Yarmouth has that championship look again as the program welcomes a new coach in Higgins, who played at Ellsworth High School and the University of Southern Maine and spent the past eight seasons coaching the Gray-New Gloucester boys’ squad. He’s excited about what he has to work with.

Groothoff scored three goals in the state final as a sophomore and was a league all-star in 2018 as a junior. As a senior, she’ll make things happen in the midfield and near the goal. Harnett also made the all-star team last autumn. She has a great finishing touch as well. Other potential scorers to watch include Feeley, Hincks, Whitlock and freshman addition Ava Feeley. The midfield will be a position of strength, as the Clippers boast Groothoff, Ashlyn Feeley, D’Appolonia, Dwyer, Goessling and juniors Emma Moll and Anna Wallace. Olson returns in goal and junior Kate Siegel will also see time. They’re supported by a solid defensive unit, which includes Caruso and senior Gabrielle Thibodeau, along with juniors Noni Lorentzen and Madison Williams.

Yarmouth doesn’t have many breathers on its schedule, but the Clippers can win games at home or away. Once this group gets used to its new coach and system, its skill and athleticism should set it apart. Nothing will come easily, but don’t be surprised if this season ends with another title celebration.

FIELD HOCKEY

Coach: Tracy Quimby (second year)

2018 results: 7-8 (Lost, 2-1, to York in Class B South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Lily McDowell (Senior), Tessa Piker (Senior), Claudia Coolidge (Junior), Lizzie Guertler (Junior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 5 @ Lake Region, Sept. 11 YORK, Sept. 13 @ NYA, Sept. 19 @ Greely, Sept. 21 FREEPORT, Oct. 1 @ Fryeburg, Oct. 7 GREELY, Oct. 11 LAKE REGION, Oct. 16 @ Freeport

Coach’s comment: “We’re hoping to build on the end of last year. Most of those kids are back. We have a bunch of players who are interchangeable. We’re tweaking who can best put the ball in the net. We need to stay healthy. If we do, we can go as far as the girls want to go. We have some tough competition, but the girls want to do well. It’s going to be a fun year.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth was up and down last season in Quimby’s first year as coach, but by the end of the campaign, the Clippers were very dangerous and they nearly took out eventual regional champion York before falling by a goal in the quarterfinals. Graduation took some key players, but Yarmouth is poised to take a step up this season and be a top contender in the region.

Guertler made the league all-star team in 2018 and will be a force in the midfield. Coolidge is another top player at that position. Up top, look for sophomores Ari Rustad and Cassie Walsh to look to lead the scoring parade. Team captains McDowell and Piker will anchor the defense. Sophomore Cassie Walsh replaces Cayte Tillotson in goal.

Class B South certainly features an abundance of strong teams and the Clippers will be tested throughout the season, but there’s reason to believe that Yarmouth will hit its stride earlier this fall and if that happens, a home playoff game could be the result. A longer postseason stay might be the final chapter.

VOLLEYBALL

Coach: Jim Senecal (13th year, 133-57 overall record, four state championships)

2018 results: 15-2 (Beat Cape Elizabeth, 3-2, to win Class B state title)

Top returning players: Caeden Rogers (Senior), Kaitlyn Bennett (Junior), Evelyn Lukis (Junior), Margaret McNeill (Junior), Maggie Murray (Junior)

Pivotal matches: Sept. 6 @ Falmouth, Sept. 9 CAPE ELIZABETH, Sept. 13 @ Greely, Sept. 20 @ York, Oct. 5 SCARBOROUGH, Oct. 9 GREELY, Oct. 18 YORK, Oct. 21 @ Cape Elizabeth

Coach’s comment: “Our program has a lot of sophomores and juniors and as a result, we decided to carry a large team of 21 kids for the regular season. Carrying such a large team is certainly fun, but not without it’s challenges. We have a core group of very talented players and a lot of depth behind them. This game seems to be as much about team chemistry as talent and it is our hope that we have enough of both to be there at the end once again this season.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth enjoyed a special season with a magical ending a year ago, as the Clippers went to a decisive fifth set and held off defending champion Cape Elizabeth to win a stirring Class B state title. Several key members of that squad have graduated, but as always, Yarmouth has ample talent in reserve, ready to write its own memorable chapter in 2019.

A pair of sophomores will step into the all-important setter role. Sophie Dickson was limited by injury as a freshman, but is healthy now and will set the table for her teammates. Tristen Rogers moves up from the junior varsity team and will have her opportunity as well. Lukis led the Clippers in kills last year with 145 and is also very adept from the service line. When she moved from middle to outside hitter, Yarmouth had its final championship piece in place. She’ll dominate at the net again. Murray is outstanding as a hitter and blocker and comes up big on big points. McNeill, a three-sport athlete, can also stymie the opposition as a hitter or blocker. Rogers is a blocker and senior leader. Bennett will be a hitting force as well, but she starts the season on the bench with a knee injury.

The Clippers don’t exactly ease into the schedule, playing reigning Class A champion Falmouth and meeting Cape Elizabeth in a state rematch to start, but that’s typical of a slate that doesn’t feature many breathers. This year’s squad might take some lumps in the early going, but in trademark Yarmouth style, don’t be surprised to see steady and dramatic growth between early September and late October. The Clippers will be on a collision course with Cape Elizabeth again and you can’t write off the likes of Greely and York either, so a repeat crown will have to be earned the hard way. When all is said and done, this group has what it takes to celebrate on the big stage again.

CROSS COUNTRY

Coach: Sarah Carrigan (second year)

2018 results:
(Boys) 8th @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 2nd @ Class B state meet

Top returners:
(Boys) Anders Corey (Senior), Dan LaMourie (Senior), Odeh Rizkallah (Senior), Cade Robison (Senior), Colin Senger (Junior), Lincoln Truesdale (Junior)
(Girls) Sadie Cowles (Senior), Jane Fulton (Senior), Lindsey Smith (Senior), Maddie Marston (Junior), Mary Psyhogeos (Junior), Natalie Teare (Junior), Anna Thornton (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “As runners up last year, the girls’ team has their sights set on the state title. To accomplish this goal, we will need to fill the gaps left by graduated seniors Abi Thornton and Isabel Brennan. The boys are aiming to place top five at states and will also need to fill the gap left by graduating senior Ben Cox-Faxon. Both teams continue to focus on building camaraderie and helping each other reach even more success on the course.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: The Yarmouth cross country program remains one of the strongest in Class B and both squads have much to look forward to as a new season dawns.

The girls’ team has to replace Brennan and Thornton, but returns state meet scorers Marston (seventh in 2018), Cowles (11th) and Teare (38th). That’s a strong nucleus and the Clippers also feature experience from Fulton, Psyhogeos, Smith and Anna Thornton. Mix in junior Addison Hounchell and sophomores Paige Jenkins and Hannah Moore and Yarmouth will make a run at the top spot again, as it seeks its third state title since 2015.

On the boys’ side, Cox-Faxon is a big loss, but Rizkallah (14th in 2018), Corey (35th) and LaMourie (59th) all scored at states a year ago. Robison, Senger and Truesdale are also back and a trio of newcomers, senior Gavin Hamm, sophomore Harrison Pendleton and freshman Askel Yeo, bolster the cause. The Clippers are looking for their fifth straight top 10 finish at the state meet and have the pieces in place to make that happen.

GOLF

Coach: Bradley Youngs (third year)

2018 results: 6-4 (DNQ for Class B state match)

Top returner: Sam O’Donnell (Senior)

Coach’s comment: “We have a roster of talented underclassmen and we’re hoping to gain experience.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Yarmouth has several question marks as a new season begins, but the Clippers should be a pretty strong team by season’s end.

O’Donnell made it to the state match as an individual a year ago and tied for 10th in Class B. He’ll lead the way. Sophomore Jackson McEligott and freshman Quinn Federle are two newcomers to watch.

Yarmouth will be tested by a challenging schedule in the weeks to come, but the Clippers want to be their best at the end of the month when they hope that not just O’Donnell, but the rest of the team as well, can qualify for states.

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

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