Even though it’s still early October, we’ll get an early taste of the fall sports postseason this weekend, as the golf state championships will be held.

For football, soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country, the regular season continues and the best is yet to come.

Here’s a look back at the week that was and a glimpse at what’s to come:

Football

The good times roll on for Falmouth’s football team, which improved to 5-0 last Friday night after an emphatic 55-9 win at Mt. Blue. Quarterback Tres Walker had himself a night, going 10-of-14 for 325 yards and five touchdown passes, two to Gio Guerrette, two more to Logan McVeigh and one to Abram Wintersteen. Owen Ross had a pair of rushing touchdowns. The defense, for the third time this season, didn’t give up a point, as the Cougars’ points came on a kickoff return for a touchdown and a safety.  The Navigators, who have outscored the opposition this fall, 151-30, look to stay perfect when they go to 3-2 Gardiner Friday night. Falmouth lost, 20-0, at the Tigers last season.

Freeport also found itself in the win column last weekend, improving to 2-3 and snapping a three-game skid with a 31-0 home victory over Maranacook. Liam Emmons’ 25-yard field goal was the only scoring in the first quarter. Teddy Peters then hit Hunter Richards with a 16-yard touchdown pass and Emmons added a 19-yard field goal for a 12-0 lead at halftime. The Falcons put it away in the third period, as Peters scored on rushes of 3- and 4-yards and added the two-point conversion rush each time. Emmons’ third field goal, from 41-yards away, capped the scoring in the fourth quarter. Freeport is scheduled to play at 2-3 Lisbon Friday. The Falcons beat the visiting Greyhounds, 28-16, a year ago.

In eight-man action, Greely improved to 4-1 with its fourth straight win, a revenge-is-sweet 28-0 home triumph over Mt. Desert Island in a rematch of last year’s state final, which the Trojans won by the same score. This time around, the Rangers took an 8-0 lead with 4:40 left in the first quarter when Benjamin Kyles caught a 17-yard pass from Luke Piper. Andrew Padgett ran in the 2-point conversion. Padgett scored on a 5-yard run with 9:52 left in the second quarter for a 14-0 lead and Piper’s 10-yard run with 2:06 left in the first half pushed the lead to 22-0. Piper added a 19-yard TD in the fourth quarter. Padgett ran for 78 yards, while Luke Piper ran for 69. The pair combined to throw for 177 yards. Kyles had four catches for 75 yards.

“If you have two quarterbacks, you might as well use them, right?” said Greely coach Caleb King. “We like that set. It gives us the opportunity to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers. Both Luke and Andrew do a fantastic job. If you’ve got ’em, use ’em.”

The Rangers welcome 3-2 Gray-New Gloucester Thursday night. Last year, Greely won at the Patriots, 22-16.

Yarmouth fell to 0-5 with a 68-12 loss at powerhouse Old Orchard Beach. Iggy McGrath threw a pair of touchdown passes to Wyatt Gawtry, from 51- and 13-yards out. The Clippers go to 0-5 Waterville Friday. The teams didn’t meet a year ago.

Boys’ soccer

Falmouth’s boys’ soccer team enjoyed a shockingly decisive 6-1 home win over Gorham last week, then improved to 9-2 with an 8-0 home victory over Noble to move into the top spot in the Class A South Heal Points standings. Against the Rams, two days after hitting the post a half dozen times in an overtime loss at Kennebunk, Falmouth needed roughly 13 minutes to get a gift against visiting Gorham, as a cross from Charlie Creswell ricocheted off a Rams’ defender and in to put the Navigators in front to stay. That opened the floodgates, as in a 13-minute span, Ali Carter, Wyatt Braun and Wyatt Carlson added goals for a commanding 4-0 halftime advantage. Falmouth didn’t relent in the second half as Carlson and Simon Wissink added goals.

“Kennebunk was a rough loss and our mentality coming into this game was to come back and beat these guys and that’s what we did,” said captain Evan Mayo, who had a pair of assists. “We played our system really well and benefited from it.”

“I think the Kennebunk loss was definitely needed,” said defensive stalwart and captain Griffin Parr. “It shook us back to where we should be. We were being complacent thinking we were the best. Losing like that got us going.”

“We know Gorham is a good team and we’re not 6-1 better than them,” added longtime Navigators coach Dave Halligan. “We talked about what we didn’t do well against Kennebunk and I thought we got better from that game to this game.”

In the win over the Knights, Creswell had two goals and Carlson, Mayo, Wissink, Jake Hazar, Clayton Hickey and Kian Long scored one apiece.

Falmouth has a home showdown versus Windham Wednesday.

“Our motto this year is grit,” said Mayo. “We just have to put our heads down and grind. We’re looking forward to playing Windham. We had them at home last year and got a good result (a 1-1 tie). We want to beat them this time.”

“I think if we play our system, we can be the top team,” Parr said. “Our mentality this year is that we’re taking every game as if it’s the biggest one. Last year, we had some trouble with that, but this year we’re really doing a good job stepping it up.”

“We’re looking forward to the playoffs,” Halligan added. “We can still get a lot better in three, four weeks. Give these kids credit. They never hang their heads and they just want to get better. And they do.”

In Class B South, Greely is atop the standings at 8-0-1 after Monday’s scheduled game at York was postponed by bad weather. The Rangers have a key test at Cape Elizabeth Wednesday, go to York for a makeup game Monday, then return home next Tuesday to face Gray-New Gloucester.

Four-time reigning state champion Yarmouth was second to Greely in Class B South after improving to 6-1-2 with a 2-0 win at Freeport last week. Luis Cardoso and Gideon Ahrens had the Clippers’ goals. Yarmouth was at North Yarmouth Academy Tuesday, welcomes Mt. Ararat in an interclass battle Thursday and hosts Freeport Monday of next week.

Freeport was 3-7 and ninth in Class B South following a 2-0 home loss to Yarmouth and wins at Wells (2-0) and at home over Lincoln Academy (2-1). Goalkeeper Mason Vitinner stopped 11 shots against the Clippers. Against the Warriors, Ben Albertini and Dylan Meinert each scored once. In the win over the Eagles, Meinert and Noah Dugan had a goal apiece. The Falcons welcomed Waynflete Tuesday, host York Thursday, then go to Yarmouth Monday of next week.

In Class C South, NYA was 6-2-1 and second to Hall-Dale in the standings after a 2-1 home win over Fryeburg Academy and a 1-0 loss at Monmouth Academy. In the victory, Jacob Colaluca scored both goals. Gavin Thomas made 14 saves in the setback. After hosting Yarmouth Tuesday, the Panthers welcome Morse Thursday and have a home game next Tuesday versus Wells.

Girls’ soccer

On the girls’ side, Greely improved to 8-0-2 and first in Class B South after holding off visiting NYA (2-1) and blanking visiting York (4-0). Against the Panthers, Abby Lennox and Molly Partridge scored the goals. In the win over the Wildcats, Avery Bush scored twice and Kacie Lord and Sami Santerre had one goal apiece. The Rangers host Cape Elizabeth in a pivotal showdown Wednesday (see our website for game story), then travel to Gray-New Gloucester Tuesday of next week.

Two-time reigning state champion Yarmouth settled for a scoreless tie with Freeport last Tuesday, then beat visiting NYA Monday (1-0) to improve to 5-2-3 and third in Class B South. In the draw, the Clippers mustered just three shots on frame and got three saves from goalkeeper Marian Pitney.

“This was a good test for us,” Yarmouth coach Andy Higgins said. “An opportunity to play a solid team and see where we stack up. Games with Freeport are always fun and competitive. We limited the number of dangerous chances they had and were able to get a little bit more going forward. They’re hard to break down and score on. It was just a good, solid Western Maine Conference game.”

In the win, Taylor Oranellas set up Abby Noble for a goal with eight minutes remaining and that was the difference. Pitney made three saves. The Clippers go to Mt. Ararat Thursday and visit Freeport Tuesday of next week.

“We didn’t get a break with our schedule,” Higgins said. “Hopefully it pays off in the long run.”

Freeport was 5-3-1 and fifth in Class B South after a 0-0 tie at Yarmouth, a 2-0 win at Lincoln Academy and a 3-1 home victory over Gray-New Gloucester. In the draw, goalkeeper Karleigh Costello made three saves.

“It was a great game,” said Falcons coach Dave Intraversato. “Two good teams playing. It’s a good result, a confidence boost for the girls. We have 10 seniors and it’s the first time they didn’t lose here, so they’re pretty happy about that. They saw me smiling too.”

In the win over the Eagles, Braelynn Coons and Claire Nadeau scored the goals, Lucy Riggs and Ella Tracy had assists and goalie Nora Eames made four saves. Against the Patriots, Tracy, Kenzie Cochran and Keely Furtney all scored once. Freeport went to Waynflete Tuesday (see our website for game story), visits York Thursday, then returns home next Tuesday to face Yarmouth.

“We’re putting it together,” said Intraversato. “I think we can play with anybody. We’ll finish strong and be there in the end.”

In Class A South, Falmouth was fifth at 6-3-1 following a 2-0 loss at Gorham and a 1-0 win at Sanford. Afton Mick had the goal in the victory. The Navigators welcomed two-time reigning Class A champion Scarborough Tuesday and visit Massabesic Monday of next week.

In Class C South, NYA was 8-3 and fourth in the standings after a 2-1 loss at Greely and an 8-0 home win over Monmouth Academy last week and Monday’s 1-0 loss at Yarmouth. Del Daniel had the goal in the setback to the Rangers. In the victory, Daniel scored twice and Lyla Casey, Alicia Fontana, Ella Giguere, Natasha Godfrey, Caroline Matusovich and Sadie Swenson each added one goal. Goalkeeper Sadie Morgan stopped four shots against the Clippers. The Panthers go to Morse Thursday.

Field hockey

Freeport’s field hockey team, the reigning Class B state champion, remained undefeated at 9-0 heading into Wednesday’s game at Greely after blanking visiting Poland (9-0) last week and winning at Class A Mt. Ararat Monday (5-0). In the win over the Knights, Sophie Bradford and Emily Groves had two goals apiece and Callie Bourgoin, Sydney Gelhar, Lilianna Larochelle, Lydia Porter and Reed Proscia added one each. Against the Eagles, Liza Flower had two goals and Bradford, Groves and Proscia added one apiece.

“We’re just feeling really good as a team right now,” Proscia said.

“Our biggest goal this game was just to come out strong and keep up the intensity,” Flower said.

“We’ve had so many games that are not super-exciting, so to be able to play against a team that’s talented, I think the girls just rise to the occasion with that,” added Freeport coach Marcia Wood, whose Falcons have now outscored their opponents 43-2. “They knew this week, we were going to have three pretty challenging games, and they needed to step up.”

The Falcons, who have won 17 straight games, have a huge home test Saturday versus undefeated Leavitt (see our website for game story).

Yarmouth improved to 9-1 and second in Class B South following wins over visiting Gray-New Gloucester/North Yarmouth Academy (6-1), at Class A North contender Brunswick (2-1) and at Cape Elizabeth (7-0). In the first victory, Madison Wiles had three goals and Maya Nasveschuk, Erica O’Connor and Celia Zinman (two assists) finished with one apiece. Against the Dragons, Zinman scored early and O’Connor produced the winner in the fourth quarter. In the win over the Capers, O’Connor and Wiles each had two goals, while Nasveschuk, Sally McGrath and Zoe Sammon added one apiece. The Clippers host York Wednesday and welcome Edward Little, another Class A North contender, Saturday (see our website for game story).

The GNG/NYA co-op squad was 9-1 and third in Class B South after bouncing back from its first loss at Yarmouth (6-1) by beating Oak Hill (2-0) and Fryeburg Academy (4-0). Emma Bowden had the lone goal in the setback, in a game that was tied, 1-1, at halftime and the Patriots trailed only by one goal, 2-1, heading to the fourth quarter. Against Oak Hill, Greta Tod and Lydia Trytek each scored once. In the win over Fryeburg Academy, Kenlie Nadeau had a hat trick and Trytek also rattled the cage. GNG/NYA is at Edward Little Thursday.

Greely improved to 4-5 and sixth in Class B South after last Friday’s 4-3 home win over Lake Region. Maya Tracey scored twice and Maya Douglas and Helen Zimmerman added a goal apiece. The Rangers are home versus Freeport Wednesday (see our website for game story) and welcome Poland Tuesday of next week.

In Class A South, Falmouth was 6-3 and sixth after last week’s 4-0 win at Kennebunk. Allie Sweetser scored two goals and Siobhan Nielsen and Lily Young added one apiece. The Navigators have a showdown at powerhouse Biddeford Thursday and welcome Scarborough Monday of next week.

Volleyball

Yarmouth’s volleyball team, the five-time reigning Class B champion, extended its win streak to eight last Wednesday with a three set (25-16, 25-10, 25-9) home win over Deering before falling to 8-2 Saturday by losing 3-0 at Washington Academy, which also handed the Clippers their first loss. After playing at Gorham Tuesday, Yarmouth (currently third in the Class B statewide Heal Points standings) visits Greely Tuesday of next week.

Falmouth was 5-5 and sixth in Class B after 3-2 wins last week over visiting Scarborough (17-25, 21-25, 25-13, 25-23, 17-15) and Thornton Academy (25-23, 16-25, 25-21, 19-25, 15-10). Against the Red Storm, Sofie Asbjornsen produced 12 kills and fives aces, Hannah Roche finished with 20 assists, Avery Bakke had 12 digs and Abby Shaw added 15 assists. In the win over the Golden Trojans, Oliva Clark led the way with 14 kills and six aces, Roche added 21 assists and Asbojrnsen finished with 10 kills and six aces. The Navigators were at Scarborough Tuesday, host Cheverus Thursday and welcome reigning Class A champion Gorham Tuesday of next week.

Greely was 6-4, riding a five-match win streak, heading into Tuesday’s contest at Gray-New Gloucester. Last week, the Rangers downed visiting Bonny Eagle in four sets (25-11, 25-13, 17-25, 26-24), then blanked host Lake Region. Against the Scots, Maddi Croteau had eight kills, three aces, two digs and nine assists, Annabelle Talley added nine kills, two digs and an ace, Riley Bonner Combs finished with five kills, six digs and two aces and Maggie Wilder had three aces and seven digs. The Rangers (11th in Class B) host Wells Thursday and welcome Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.

NYA was 1-8 and ninth following a four set (25-21, 7-25, 14-25, 11-25) loss at Westbrook, a 3-2 home win over Gray-New Gloucester and a 3-0 home loss to Edward Little. The Panthers were at Maranacook Tuesday, play at Bucksport Monday and welcome Lake Region Tuesday of next week.

Cross country

Falmouth’s girls came in fourth in a 61-team field at the Festival of Champions Saturday in Belfast. Mt. Desert Island placed first. The Navigators were led by Georgia Moon, who was 14th individually in 19 minutes, 15.44 seconds. Greely finished 12th and featured Rowan Barry (eighth, 18:52.98). Yarmouth was 17th and was led by Madeline Jones (34th, 20:07.89). Maine Coast Waldorf came in 30th and featured fourth-place individual finisher Soren Stark-Chessa (18:31.31). NYA placed 47th. Hadley Smith was 80th individually (21:24.59).

In the boys’ meet, a 74-team competition won by Portland, Falmouth placed 16th and was led by Sean Lowery (79th, 17:39.18). Greely placed 18th and featured William Coull (28th, 16:44.8). Yarmouth finished 20th and was led by Cameron Pernal (68th, 17:25.45). NYA placed 58th and was paced by Leif McCarthy (206th, 18:57.97). MCW was 61st. Leighton Doyle (229th, 19:17.32) led the team.

Freeport hosted Fryeburg Academy, Gray-New Gloucester and York in a meet last week. The Falcons boys were first, as Alex Gilbert had the top individual time (15:50.77). Freeport’s girls also came in first, claiming the top five spots. Lucy Huggett was first in 18:45.3.

Golf

The golf state meet is this weekend at Natanis Golf Course in Vassalboro, as Class A will be held Friday and Class B and Class C Saturday.

At Monday’s SMAA state qualifier, Falmouth, the reigning Class A champion, made the cut, while Greely did not.

The Navigators finished first as a team (with a score of 320). Dante Iannetta and Greely’s Joe Hansen were co-medalists with an 18-hole round of 76.

The Rangers (355) tied Biddeford for eighth as a team.

Falmouth ended its regular season 9-1 with nine straight victories, including wins last week over Portland (11.5-1.5), Scarborough (10-3) and South Portland (11-2). Isaac Laliberte was the medalist versus the Bulldogs with a nine-hole round of 40. In the win over the Red Storm, which avenged the Navigators’ only loss this fall, Iannetta had a score of 37. Iannetta then shot a 36 against the Red Riots.

Greely finished 6-4 after a 13-0 loss to Thornton Academy and a 10-1 win over Westbrook. Hansen shot a 35 versus the Golden Trojans and George Klein was the medalist versus the Blue Blazes with a score of 41.

At last week’s Western Maine Conference state qualifier, Yarmouth and Freeport each made the cut for states, as the Clippers tied Fryeburg Academy for second and the Falcons finished fourth.

Press Herald staff writers Drew Bonifant and Travis Lazarczyk contributed to this story.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. 

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