BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Senior Davis Mann is a top returner for Falmouth’s boys’ basketball team. File photos.

Coach: Dave Halligan (38th year, 598-151 overall record, six state championships)

2023-24 record: 15-4 (Lost, 50-43, to Westbrook in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Billy Birks (Senior), Davis Mann (Senior)

Coach’s comment: “We had a good preseason. The guys are hungry. It’s a different group. We might not have star power, but it’s a balanced team. A versatile group. Twelve seniors and one sophomore. We have to get better as the season goes on. We had a tough opener, but we got battle-tested. The kids are working hard and they’re really good kids. We’re inexperienced, but we’ll see what happens.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth was stunned in the tournament a year ago, but you can expect this edition to make a much deeper run. While there will be a learning curve with a lot of players new to varsity, the talent is undeniable and a veteran coaching staff will bring this group along to the point where they’re a top contender come February.

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Birks and Mann have varsity experience. Birks averaged 9.9 points per contest and was a first-team all-star. He’ll be a top scoring threat from his guard position. Birks had a team-high 16 points in a hard-fought, 54-52 setback at highly-touted Noble in Tuesday’s season opener. Mann (7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.7 assists per game in 2024-25) is another guard who can light it up (he had 10 points against the Knights). Senior guard Jaxon Cameron will make life difficult for the opposition as well. Down low, look for senior Tyler Simmons to be a force (he also scored 10 points in the opener). Seniors David Gravier (eight points against Noble), Ezra Hamlin and Declan O’Brien help round out a top-notch frontline. Senior twins Nick Roediger and Luka Roediger will make their presence felt as well.

The Navigators will welcome every tough test they face during the regular season and are more concerned with improving than posting a glowing record. Falmouth will be one of the top seeds in Class A South and this time, it won’t be caught off-guard. Halligan is two wins away from becoming just the third coach in Maine basketball history to hit the 600-win plateau (Dick Barstow and IJ Pinkham are the others) and there will be many victories to follow after he hits that landmark. Falmouth is now nine years removed from its last Gold Ball. That drought could come to an end next March.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Coach: Katie Stannard (first year)

2023-24 record: 4-14 (no postseason)

Top returning player: Maggie Young (Senior)

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Coach’s comment: “We have 18 kids between the JV and varsity teams and 15 of them are freshmen and sophomores. I think all of our games will be top competition as we work to rebuild the program, but our goals this season are to have 100 percent retention next year, have enough players for a first team and work hard to build a culture of learning and positivity. We have already had great involvement with the youth programs and we love seeing them at our games and hosting skills-and-drills sessions. We are in an exciting rebuilding year and enjoying watching the girls learn and encourage each other on the floor. The future is bright.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth is starting almost from scratch this winter, but will exhibit plenty of growth and improvement in the weeks to come. The Navigators are coached this winter by Stannard, who has an extensive playing and coaching resume. As Katie Bergeron, she played at Bowdoin College and professionally in England and in Denmark, then she coached at Emmanuel College and at South Portland High School, then was the women’s coach at Southern Maine Community College for eight seasons. She inherits a group with a lot of promise.

Young returns and will be a captain. She’s the lone senior on the roster. Sophomores Elle Foley, Gaby Herszkopf, Siobhan Nielsen and Estella Regnier are poised to step in and make an impact.

The Navigators lost their opener to reigning Class AA South champion Gorham, 70-15, but Herszkof had eight points and Foley added seven. Falmouth then edged Noble, 37-35, to give Stannard her first victory with the program. Nielsen led the way with 19 points, while Herszkof added eight. There will be more wins to come as this group gets accustomed to varsity play and earns confidence. It might take a couple years, but the seeds are in place for the Navigators to return to contention.

BOYS’ HOCKEY

Senior Isaac Laliberte is a top returner for Falmouth’s talented boys’ hockey team.

Coach: Hogan Tracy (first year)

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2023-24 record: 11-7-1 (Lost, 4-3, in four overtimes, to Thornton Academy in Class A state quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Thomas Healey (Senior), Isaac Laliberte (Senior), Jack Turgeon (Senior), Brandon White (Senior), Henry Whiting (Senior), Jacoby Porter (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “At the end of the day, there’s only one goal for every high school season and that’s to win the championship. We’re a senior-laden team with tons of experience in the playoffs that is trying to get over the hump this season. Along with the championship aspirations, the young players on the team are expected to take a large step forward with expanded opportunities.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth suffered another agonizing playoff setback a year ago in Deron Barton’s swan song as coach and now, the program turns to a former star player to keep it at or near the top in Class A. Tracy, Class of 2016, played for two championship teams at Falmouth and served as an assistant with the program for three years. He inherits a squad with a lot of promise that can go toe-to-toe with anyone.

Senior Brandon White is one of the state’s top goalies. He’s got big-game experience.

Offensively, Healey (2 goals, 5 assists last year) and Whiting (7 goals, 10 assists) return to lead the way. Whiting made the All-State team last year. Freshman MJ Geoghan will also be heard from. The Navigators will get offense from their blue-liners as well, as second-teamer Laliberte (2 goals, 3 assists) and first-teamers Porter (7 goals, 10 assists) and Turgeon (4 goals, 5 assists) will stymie the opposition and help put the puck in the net. Look for freshmen Anders Hesson and Brendon Welch to also contribute. White (11-7-1 last year with a 1.66 goals-against-average and a .932 save percentage) returns in goal. He was an All-State selection last season and is one of the most clutch goalies around. One who has played in his share of big games. Senior Dan Rawding and freshman Harrison Rana will also have an opportunity to see time between the pipes.

Senior Henry Whiting will be a top scoring threat for Falmouth this winter.

Falmouth is on the short list of favorites this winter, battling the likes of Bangor, Lewiston, Thornton Academy and a new-to-MPA-play Kents Hill squad. The Navigators, who started fast with a 7-1 win over Bangor, are only going to get better in the weeks to come. This squad will be potent on offense, will limit opportunities on defense and have White as the last line of defense. If Falmouth can get some puck-luck, which has escaped it in recent seasons, the sky’s the limit and a return to the pinnacle could be the end result.

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GIRLS’ HOCKEY (Co-op w/Scarborough)

Coach: Rob Carrier (15th year, 157–112-11 overall record)

2023-24 record: 10-10 (Lost, 8-2, to eventual champion Cheverus in South Region semifinals)

Top returning players: Amelia Brann (Senior), Audrey Farnham (Senior), Hope Melevsky (Junior), Lexie Bellrose (Sophomore), Avery Larson (Sophomore), Alex Serbin (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “Consistency will determine how this season goes for us. If we have too many lulls in our play, we’ll struggle to put up wins. We got off to a slow start, but we’ve been playing well recently. I believe we can string together enough wins to get into the playoffs and maybe win a game or two.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth/Scarborough has been a playoff regular throughout Carrier’s time as coach and another postseason trip is likely this winter. Falmouth/Scarborough lost its first two games to the Beacons and two-time reigning champion Cheverus, but turned around and won two of three since, including a surprising overtime victory over the highly-touted Gorham co-op. More victories are in store for this promising group.

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Senior Audrey Farnham will be in the middle of the action this winter for the Falmouth/Scarborough girls’ hockey squad.

The Falmouth/Scarborough offense features Farnham (11 goals, 8 assists last year and a hat trick in the win over Gorham) and Melevsky (11 goals, 11 assists in 2023-24), who both made the All-South Region team last season. Larson (9 goals, 6 assists), Bellerose (4 goals, 11 assists) and freshman Maya Fongemie will also do their share of goal scoring. Defensively, the squad will be led by Brann (3 goals, 5 assists last year) and Serbin. Sophomore Tessa Woodbury and freshmen Juliet Carle and Kali Namer are the team’s goalies.

Senior Amelia Brann is another top returner for Falmouth/Scarborough.

With Cheverus again the favorite in the region, Falmouth/Scarborough believes it can be as good as anyone else and possibly make a deep playoff run if it shows steady improvement.

INDOOR TRACK

Coach: Jorma Kurry (25th year, six state championships)

2023-24 results:
(Boys) 
6th @ Class A state meet
(Girls)
8th @ Class A state meet

Top returners:

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(Boys) Christopher Jaynes (Senior), George Klatsky (Senior), Avery Park-Morong (Senior), Max Shapiro (Senior), Frederick Brill (Junior), Ali Carter (Junior), Abram Wintersteen (Junior)
(Girls) Haley Barrett (Senior), Skylar Bush (Senior), Caroline Davis (Senior), Maeve Ginevan (Senior), Brynn Fortier (Junior), Sara Tennent (Junior), Georgia Moon (Sophomore), Hadley Perry (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment “We have great turnout for the team this winter. We should be deep, particularly on the girls’ team. The boys have some holes to fill, but we have a good young group and some strong returners. The focus will be on developing young talent to become regular scorers.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth has an abundance of top athletes again this winter and has top-10, if not top-five potential.

The boys return state meet scorers Shapiro (who was second in the 55 and the 200 a year ago) and Carter (fourth in the 200). They’ll be top sprinters again, along with Wintersteen and freshmen Gabriel Glisic and Patrick McCrann. Brill and Jaynes are veterans in the distance events. They’re joined by junior Eli Sidhu. Klatsky (eighth in the shot put last February) is a thrower to watch. Park-Morong also has experience in the throws. Freshman Jake St. Pierre is a newcomer of note. McCrann, sophomore William Davis and freshman Cole Engle look to score in the jumps.

On the girls’ side, Perry (fourth in the 400) and Fortier (who tied for seventh in the high jump) are the returning individual scorers from last year’s state meet. Perry (who is also a hurdler) is joined in the sprints this winter by Bush, Davis, juniors Reese Harder and Isabela Kidric and freshman Isabel Camp. The distance contingent is strong as well, featuring Barrett, Ginevan, Moon and Tennent, along with freshmen May Austin, Phoebe Reilly and Emory Westburg. Junior Regan Swallow will be competitive in the middle distance, as well as the jumps. Fortier also looks to score in the jumps.

SWIMMING

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Senior diver Jillian James is back for Falmouth, looking to capture one last state title. 

Coach: Patrick McArdle (first year)

2023-24 results:
(Boys)
3rd @ Class A state meet
(Girls) tie-2nd @ Class A state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Sean Lowery (Senior), Elliott Resnick (Senior), Malcolm Sprague (Junior), Varada Nguyen (Sophomore), Ben Zaslavsky (Sophomore)
(Girls)
Jillian James (Senior), Sofia Pride (Senior), Kate Gorsuch (Junior), Vanessa Napolitano (Junior), Emily Chace (Sophomore), Calla Hehmeyer (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “Our team has vastly grown to 46 kids and as a coach, it’s exciting to see. Goals for the season would be to have all the kids qualify for states. We hope to have all of our swimmers well-rounded and efficient in the water.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth welcomes a new coach and is poised to make a run at greatness this winter.

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The girls’ squad features James, who has won the Class A state diving title in each of her three seasons and is the favorite to do it once more. Gorsuch (third in the 50 freestyle and fourth in the 100 backstroke a year ago) will be a top sprint freestyler and backstroker again. Hehmeyer (third in the 100 free and seventh in the 50 free last season) is another top returner in the sprint freestyle. Pride (a captain) will also compete in the freestyle. Napolitano (sixth in the 100 butterfly last February) will vie for the top spot in that event, as well as in the backstroke, freestyle and 200 individual medley. Chace can score in the freestyle and IM.

On the boys’ side, Sprague is the top returner after placing runner-up in both the fly and the backstroke a year ago. He can also compete in the freestyle and IM. Captains Lowery (IM, backstroke, sprint freestyle) and Resnick (fly) are other veterans. Nguyen (IM, breaststroke) and Zaslavsky (distance freestyle and backstroke) are younger swimmers to watch. Senior Logan McVeigh, who transferred from Cape Elizabeth and helped the Navigators football team to a state title last month, will be a top diver. Freshman Carter VerLee is poised to be a force in the freestyle and breaststroke.

ALPINE SKIING (co-op w/Cheverus)

Now a junior, Ian Christie will again be a top Alpine skier for Falmouth’s reigning Class A state champion boys’ squad.

Coach: Evan Keefer (second year, two state championships)

2023-24 results:
(Boys)
Class A state champions
(Girls) Class A state champions

Top returners:

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(Boys) Nolan Browne, Ian Christie, Hayden Davis, Liam Keefer, Blake Kingsley, Zach Small
(Girls) Caitlynn Bateman, Bridget Jacobsen, Sadie Kramer, Ella Morse, Kate Swallow

Coach’s comment: ““There are several strong teams in Class A, but we tend to focus more on what we’re doing than the teams around us. Ski racing is a sport where you can’t play defense, so we build our season around how we are executing our targets and goals. We can’t stop someone else from having a great race and there are several fantastic racers we’ll come across through the course of the season. We’ll go into the season the same way we did last year. We’ll focus on improving our skiing looking for each athlete to hit technical and tactical targets  through the course of the season. If we do that, have fun, which is the real goal), and enjoy and support our teammates, we’ll be competitive. We have almost the same team as last year and they were a joy to coach on and off the hill.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth swept the Class A state titles a year ago and it will be a force again this winter.

Junior Hayden Davis is another elite returner this winter for the Falmouth boys.

The boys are again led by Christie, who was third in the giant slalom at last year’s state meet. He’ll make a run at the top spot in both disciplines this season. Davis (fifth in the slalom and seventh in the GS) and Keefer (sixth in the GS) will be top threats as well. Kingsley (11th in the slalom, 12th in the GS), Small (15th in the slalom) and Browne will be in the mix and TJ Saulter is new to the team and will also be heard from.

On the girls’ side, Jacobsen is coming off a stellar season which saw her come in second in both the slalom and giant slalom. Morse (sixth in the slalom) and Bateman (14th in the GS and 21st in the slalom) also scored a year ago. Kramer and Swallow are the other veterans on the squad. Margo Hesson is back after being sidelined last winter by a knee injury. Lauren Cushman is a newcomer to watch.

NORDIC SKIING

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Senior Zora DeSilva will be near the front of the pack again this winter as she looks to lead Falmouth’s girls’ Nordic ski team to great things.

Coach: Luke Bartol (first year)

2023-24 results:
(Boys) 8th @ Class A state meet
(Girls) 2nd @ Class A state meet

Top returners:

(Girls) Maisie Clement (Senior), Zora DeSilva (Senior), Eli Tardiff (Senior)

Coach’s comment: “Really looking forward to the season here and just waiting for a little more snow. We’re excited to have back all of our girls’ team that came in second at states last year. On the boys’ side, we’ve got a strong group of freshmen coming in. There are a lot of strong teams around and we’re hoping to have more chances to race them with good winter conditions forecasted for this year and see what we can do.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth has some holes to fill this season, but by February, expect the Navigators to be one of the top teams in Class A yet again.

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Last season, DeSilva placed eighth in the freestyle, 10th in the classic and ninth in the pursuit standings, while Tardiff came in 10th in the freestyle and 11th in the pursuit standings. They’ll lead the way this season. Clement is another veteran who will be heard from.

The boys’ squad will turn to freshmen Clayton Hickey, Asa Keeler, Alden Record and Owen Tardiff to quickly come of age and keep the good times rolling.

WRESTLING (Co-op with Cheverus)

Coach: Jason Barriault (12th year)

2023-24 results: 9th @ Class A state meet

Top returners: Indi Backman (Senior), Jack Verville (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “We are setting the bar high for our program this year. We have a strong senior class who not only provides experience, but leads by example to set the tone for a culture of hard work and constant improvement. Class A South is very competitive with a lot of talented teams, but we believe if we can stay healthy and get everyone on weight, our lineup can compete with the top teams in the region. We always put an emphasis on winning duals and qualifying for the state duals championship throughout the regular season. That won’t change this year. When the individual postseason begins, our plan is to make a run with a handful of medals and hope to find our team right there with the top finishers in the Class A state tournament.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Cheverus/Falmouth will be a force on the mat this winter, as both schools feature state title threats.

Top Navigators to watch include Backman, who, in the past six months, has won state titles in lacrosse and football. He’ll be a top contender at 190 pounds. Verville (120/126) is another veteran who will be heard from. Freshman Riser Backman will compete at 157 pounds.

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

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