NORTH YARMOUTH — Mitch Loeman scored a gamehigh 18 points as the Freeport High School boys basketball team won its Western Maine Conference season-opener, 61- 39 over North Yarmouth Academy on Friday.

“After not winning last year, it was good for the kids to get that monkey off their backs,” said Freeport firstyear coach Matt Cook, whose team is slated to host Cape Elizabeth on Tuesday.

The Falcons (1-0) jumped out to a 17-9 lead after a quarter, and a 22-6 scoring advantage in the second quarter made it a 39- 15 lead at the break.

“We knew they had a really good player in Asad Dahia, and we were able to keep him off the board in the first quarter,” said Cook.

Freeport led 52- 25 after three quarters. Spencer Bernier added 13 points and seven rebounds for the Falcons, while Josh Weirich chipped in 11 points and a team-high eight caroms. Landon Easler dished out four assists, and the Falcons were nine of 19 from the foul line.

Dahia led the Panthers (0-1) with 16 points, with Ryan Hemenway and Paxton Burke scoring eight points each.

EDWARD		LITTLE	64
MT.	ARARAT		39

Omar Haji-Hersi scored a game- high 22 points as the Eddies defeated the Eagles at Topsham on Friday night in Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference season-opening play.

“Edward Little (1-0) figured out the Mt. Ararat defense in the third quarter and opened up a 16-point lead to cruise to the win,” said Mt. Ararat (0-1) coach Aaron Watson, whose team is slated to visit Oxford Hills on Tuesday (7 p.m.). “EL was just too strong and was able to rebound some of their own misses and convert.”

The Eddies jumped out to a 15-8 lead after a quarter, led 28- 18 at the half and 46- 30 after three.

Quin Leary added 19 points for EL, while Sean Ford had six points.

Josh Wright paced Mt. Ararat with 14 points, with five points coming from Alex Lapierre, and four each from Mason Griffin and Tyler Roberts.

The Eagles finished sevenof 12 from the charity stripe, while the Eddies were four-of- 11.

HYDE		SCHOOL	55
A.	R.	GOULD	27

On Friday, the Phoenix played their first league contest of the season in Portland.

Jonah Alexander ( 17 points) and Warsame Mohamed (11) were offensive contributors, and a halfcourt buzzer-beater by Tyquan Ekejiuba (10) put the Phoenix up 17 at halftime, 33-16.

The fourth quarter saw strong, composed play from Wilson MacMillan and Evander Lenardson.

RICHMOND		36
SEACOAST	CHR.	41

In an East-West Conference opener for both teams, the visiting Bobcats were outscored 11-4 in the second period and 11- 7 down the stretch.

Richmond led 11-5 after one period, trailed 16-15 at the half and 30-29 going into the final eight minutes.

Ben Carver led the way with nine points, while Sean Bernier had eight, Randy Moody seven and Kade Strout six. Nate Tribbett also picked off six rebounds.

Logan Archer led Seacoast with 14 points, while Isaac LaCroix chipped in with eight.

At the foul line, Richmond was one of two and Seacoast 11 of 20.

Richmond is scheduled to host Buckfield on Tuesday.

LISBON	32
MONMOUTH	51

The Mustang defense forced several turnovers as Lisbon dropped its MVC opener on Saturday night at Monmouth.

“ We had at least 30 turnovers, and I thought Monmouth did a good job taking away the passing lanes,” said Lisbon (0-1) coach Eric Hall, whose team is scheduled to host Spruce Mountain on Tuesday (7 p.m.). “We were undisciplined (two technical fouls), which is unacceptable.”

Brandon Goff led the Mustangs ( 1- 0) with 19 points, while teammate Drew McFarren added nine.

For Lisbon, which trailed 8- 5, 22-18 and 31-23 at the quarter breaks, Mason Smith led the way with nine points and three assists. Bradley Groh added five points, while Mason Haley pulled down five caroms.

Lisbon was seven of 11 from the foul line, while Monmouth was nine of 19.

MTN.	VALLEY	65
WISCASSET		36

Jacob Theriault scored a game-high 19 points as Mountain Valley ruined the coaching debut of Wiscasset’s Dana Lawrence on Saturday in Mountain Valley Conference play.

The Falcons led 18-9 after a quarter, 32-19 at the half and 48-26 after 24 minutes.

“Mountain Valley was a little bit stronger than I thought,” said Lawrence, whose team is 0-1 and slated to visit Boothbay on Tuesday at 7 p. m. “ The kids played hard, but didn’t execute. We had just too many turnovers.”

Jordan Jones led the Wolverines with 10 points, with Caleb Bryant adding nine points and nine rebounds. Travis Padilla chipped in five points, Austin Haskell three assists and Devin Grover two steals.

Wiscasset finished 14 of 18 from the foul line, while Mountain Valley (1-0) was 15 of 23.