Northern edition Winter Coaches of the Year

Boys’ team

DAVE HALLIGAN, Falmouth basketball

Press Herald file photo

Dave Halligan has enjoyed a lot of memorable seasons in his lengthy, legendary coaching career.

But it’s safe to say he’ll never forget the 2024-25 basketball campaign.

Not only did Halligan reach the rarefied air of 600 career victories, he led Falmouth’s boys the pinnacle for the seventh time in his 37-year tenure, thanks to back-to-back victories that will be talked about for generations.

Great coaching makes all the difference when games and seasons are on the line and luckily for the Navigators, they have one of the greatest to do ever do it and in light of what Falmouth was able to overcome and accomplish this year, The Forecaster is naming Dave Halligan our Winter Coach of the Year, of a boys’ team.

Halligan, who is also the longtime boys soccer coach at Falmouth, was also named our Winter Coach of the Year in 2016 and 2023 and Fall Coach of the Year in 2003, 2006, 2012 and 2019.

On the hardwood, Falmouth had been knocking on the championship door for several seasons, but lost in the Class A state final to Cooper Flagg and Nokomis in 2022 and by a point to Brewer in 2023. Last winter, the Navigators were stunned by Westbrook in the quarterfinals.

With a senior-laden roster, it was now-or-never for Falmouth and despite a few stumbles, the Navigators wouldn’t be denied.

Falmouth lost its opener by three points at highly-touted Noble, then won seven straight, including a 68-42 victory at Deering, which gave Halligan his milestone win. The Navigators also lost at Scarborough and at home to eventual repeat Class AA champion Windham, but won every other contest and entered the Class A South tournament as the No. 2 seed.

After ousting Gray-New Gloucester in the quarterfinals and Fryeburg Academy in the semifinals, Falmouth met up with Noble again and got pushed to the brink, trailing by seven points at one juncture in the second half, but Halligan called timeout, the Navigators rallied and a clutch late 3-pointer from senior Ezra Hamlin, who was thrust into the starting lineup due to an injury to senior big man Tyler Simmons, proved to be the difference in a palpitating 56-53 victory.

Messalonskee was all that stood between Falmouth and a Gold Ball and for much of the state game, the Eagles appeared to be too much, leading by as many as 13 points, but the Navigators, who were sparked by a 43-point tour de force from senior standout Davis Mann battled back, tied the score late on a layup from surprise hero David Gravier, then pulled away in overtime for a 70-60 victory.

“This is one of the best wins I’ve had,” said Halligan, after the 615th over his illustrious career. “We’ve won some close games and played good teams before, but to win after being down by that much that late, it’s special. There’s no quit in these kids. They played every single second until the end and that’s how we pulled it out.”

Halligan, 73, shows no signs of slowing down or stepping down anytime soon and that means the good times will continue.

Dave Halligan, our Northern edition boys’ team Winter Coach of the Year, has a resume that is second to none and what he and his charges pulled off this past season will long be celebrated.

Previous winners:

• 2023-24 Tyler Tracy (Freeport basketball)
* 2022-23 Dave Halligan (Falmouth basketball)
* 2021-22 Jonas Allen (Yarmouth basketball)
* 2020-21 Jonas Allen (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2019-20 Tip Kimball (Falmouth skiing)
• 2018-19 Barry Mothes (Greely hockey)
• 2017-18 Bill Ridge (Freeport basketball)
• 2016-17 Travis Seaver (Greely basketball)
• 2015-16 Dave Halligan (Falmouth basketball)
• 2014-15 Dave St. Pierre (Yarmouth hockey)
• 2013-14 Rob Hale (Greely swimming)
• 2012-13 Deron Barton (Falmouth hockey)
• 2011-12 Adam Smith (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2010-11 Adam Smith (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2009-10 Marc Halsted (Yarmouth hockey)
• 2008-09 Barry Mothes (Greely hockey)
• 2007-08 Craig Sickels (Freeport basketball)
• 2006-07 Adam Smith (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2005-06 Jorma Kurry (Falmouth track)
• 2004-05 Scott Rousseau (Falmouth hockey)
• 2003-04 Barry Mothes (Greely hockey)
• 2002-03 John Maloney (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2001-02 Scott Matusovich (Yarmouth hockey)

Girls’ team

MATT POULIN, North Yarmouth Academy hockey

Press Herald file photo

North Yarmouth Academy’s girls’ hockey team had a season to remember, for multiple reasons.

Not only did the Panthers produce one of the best records in program history, they also managed to repeat as conference champions.

Getting the absolute most of his roster was Matt Poulin and in light of NYA’s accomplishments, Poulin is The Forecaster’s choice for our Northern edition Winter Coach of the Year, of a girls’ team.

Poulin came to NYA in 2021 after serving as an assistant with the Lewiston boys’ program, helping the Blue Devils win three Class A state titles. Poulin led the Panthers to Travis Roy Maine Prep Cup in his second season.

In Poulin’s third year, the Vaillancourt Conference was established, giving NYA an opportunity for postseason play and the Panthers took immediate advantage, winning the title, going 24-7-1 overall while repeating as Maine Prep Cup champions.

This winter, NYA was even better, posting a sparkling record of 21-4-2. After winning the Maine Prep Cup for a third successive season, the Panthers repeated as Vaillancourt Conference champions, blanking Pomfret School of Connecticut (2-0) in the semifinals before blanking Austin Prep School from Massachusetts, 3-0, in the championship contest behind goals from Lyla Casey, Caroline Matusovich and Toree St. Hilaire.

“I am incredibly proud of every member of our program,” said Poulin, in an NYA press release. “We demand a lot from our players and set high expectations and standards and to get to watch them celebrate at the end of the year with their teammates and families is something I will always cherish. I am very lucky to be a part of what we do every day here.”

Poulin, who is also NYA’s Associate Director of Athletics, has done a great job getting top athletes from the area to commit to the program and excel once they pull on a Panthers sweater.

The bar is set high and success figures to continue as long as Matt Poulin, our Northern edition girls’ team Winter Coach of the Year, is pushing the buttons.

Previous winners:

• 2023-24 Tom Robinson (NYA basketball)
* 2022-23 Dave Intraversato (Yarmouth/Freeport hockey)
* 2021-22 Todd Flaherty (Greely basketball)
* 2020-21 Todd Flaherty (Greely basketball)
• 2019-20 Dawn Armandi (Falmouth basketball)
• 2018-19 Seth Farrington (Freeport basketball)
• 2017-18 Mike Hart (Freeport basketball)
• 2016-17 John Folan (Greely track)
• 2015-16 Christina Strong (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2014-15 Joel Rogers (Greely basketball)
• 2013-14 Jeff Haley (Yarmouth/Freeport hockey)
• 2012-13 Nate Guerin (Greely hockey)
• 2011-12 Jay Lowery (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2010-11 Mark Ouellette (Greely Alpine skiing)
• 2009-10 Rob Hale (Greely swimming)
• 2008-09 Billy Goodman (Greely basketball)
• 2007-08 Nick Nash (Yarmouth basketball)
• 2006-07 George Conant (Falmouth basketball)
• 2005-06 John Keyes (Falmouth swimming)
• 2004-05 John Folan (Greely track)
• 2003-04 Jim Seavey (Greely basketball)
• 2002-03 Jim Seavey (Greely basketball)
• 2001-02 Eric Austin (NYA basketball)