The 2019 fall sports season once again was one of triumph and making memories.

Forecaster Country teams impressed across the board.

The soccer pitch saw high drama and great accomplishment, as every local squad made the playoffs and four advanced to the state final. Falmouth’s boys won a Class A title for the first time. Yarmouth’s boys captured Class B yet again. In Class D, the North Yarmouth Academy girls managed to repeat as champion, while the Panthers boys lost by a goal in the state final.

Volleyball produced a pair of repeat champions, as Falmouth dominated Class A and Yarmouth went back-to-back in Class B.

Field hockey saw four teams make the playoffs and Freeport get to the semifinals.

On the gridiron, Freeport moved from the Developmental League to Class C South and made the playoffs, while the Falmouth/Greely co-op squad and Yarmouth’s eight-man team also got to the postseason.

Cross country featured a pair of Greely championships, a title for Maine Coast Waldorf School’s boys’ squad and an absolutely dominant individual performance from a Falmouth girl.

The golf season was highlighted by strong individual and team performances on the big stage.

Before we move indoors to winter sports, here’s one last look at the biggest achievers and top stories of the autumn:

Northern edition state champions
Falmouth Yachtsmen boys’ soccer, Class A
Falmouth Yachtsmen volleyball, Class A
Greely Rangers boys’ cross country, Class B
Greely Rangers girls’ cross country, Class B
Maine Coast Waldorf girls cross country, Class C
North Yarmouth Academy Panthers girls’ soccer, Class D
Yarmouth Clippers boys’ soccer, Class B
Yarmouth Clippers volleyball, Class B

Northern edition regional champions
North Yarmouth Academy Panthers boys’ soccer, Class D South

Northern edition individual state champions
Sofie Matson, Falmouth, Class A, girls’ cross country
Olivia Reynolds, MCW, Class C, girls’ cross country

Michael’s top five stories

5) Another strong season for Freeport field hockey
Freeport reached the regional final in 2018, then graduated some top-notch, college-caliber talent, but the Falcons hardly missed a beat in 2019, winning nine regular season games (and tying two others). As the No. 2 seed in Class B South, Freeport blanked Leavitt in the quarterfinals, then took an early lead over Fryeburg Academy in the semifinals, but the Falcons couldn’t hold on and lost a tough one in double-overtime to squash hopes of a return trip to the regional final.

4) Freeport football returns to Class C, enjoys success
Freeport’s football program got re-energized in 2018, playing in the Class E Developmental League and winning the title. This fall, the Falcons moved back to Class C South and made quite an impact. Freeport won six of seven regular season games, losing only by a point at Cape Elizabeth. The Falcons then took a return trip to Hannaford Field for the quarterfinal round of the playoffs and the teams produced an instant classic. The Capers led late in regulation before Freeport tied the score. After the teams traded touchdowns in overtime, the game went to a second OT, where the Falcons scored a TD, then, after Cape Elizabeth answered, Freeport’s defense denied the Capers’ two-point conversion attempt and the Falcons advanced in scintillating fashion, 42-41. Freeport’s run ended at eventual regional champion Leavitt in the semifinals, but it appears this program is here to stay.

3) Greely, MCW teams, Falmouth individual dominate cross country
Forecaster Country again dominated the cross country state championships. In Class A, Falmouth’s Sofie Matson left the girls’ field in her wake (she would go on to capture the New England title as well). Class B was a Greely coronation, as the Rangers boys and girls each won the championship. In Class C, Maine Coast Waldorf’s boys’ squad finished first and in the girls’ race, MCW’s Olivia Reynolds was the individual champion. Quite a showing.

2) Falmouth, Yarmouth repeat as volleyball champs
For the second year in a row, Falmouth and Yarmouth dominated the volleyball scene. The Yachtsmen were the preseason favorites in Class A and didn’t disappoint, winning every match, then capping the best season in program history with a 3-1 victory over Scarborough in the state final. In Class B, Yarmouth opened with a loss to Falmouth, then didn’t stumble again, as it went back-to-back by beating Cape Elizabeth on the big stage for the second year in a row, this time in just three sets.

1) A trio of soccer champs
The soccer pitch was the scene of much triumph as well. Falmouth’s boys’ squad, which had long been dominant at the Class B and C levels, won its first Class A title earlier this month, beating Lewiston, 5-2, to give longtime coach Dave Halligan his 12th Gold Ball. In Class B, the Yarmouth boys, who won crowns every year from 2014-17, but fell short last fall, went undefeated and handled Caribou, 3-1, to win the program’s 13th championship and give coach Mike Hagerty his 10th. In Class D, North Yarmouth Academy’s girls repeated as the best team, thanks to a late goal from Serena Mower, which gave the Panthers a 1-0 victory over Penobscot Valley. NYA’s boys hoped to repeat as well, but the Panthers couldn’t hold a late lead and lost to Central Aroostook, 2-1.

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

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