The fall sports season begins next week and there will be no shortage of exciting matchups from start to finish.

On the gridiron, local teams will meet familiar foes and some new ones.

Falmouth is coming off its best season and opens at home versus York Sept. 4 in a playoff rematch. The Yachtsmen also go to Westbrook Sept. 11, meet storied power Biddeford for the first time ever Sept. 18 in Falmouth, host reigning Western C champion Leavitt Oct. 2, go to defending Class B champion Marshwood Oct. 16 and close with the annual “Battle of Route Nine” rivalry game versus Greely, in Cumberland, Oct. 23.

Freeport plays at Poland in its opener Sept. 4. The Falcons host Wells Sept. 12, Cape Elizabeth Sept. 26 and close at home versus rival Yarmouth in the “Battle of the Bay” Oct. 24.

Greely is at Kennebunk in its first game, Sept. 4. Marshwood visits Sept. 11. Gorham comes to town Sept. 25 for Veterans Appreciation Night. The Rangers are also home with Leavitt Oct. 9.

Yarmouth, one of the Southern Class C favorites, hosts Lake Region in the opener Sept. 4. The second half of the season features home tests against Wells Oct. 2 and Cape Elizabeth Oct. 16.

As always, there will be an abundance of great soccer matchups.

The Falmouth-Yarmouth boys’ games are always gems and the teams meet twice this fall: Oct. 3 in Yarmouth and Oct. 20 in Falmouth. The Yachtsmen will also be tested by two games with Greely (Sept. 10 in Cumberland and Sept. 29 in Falmouth), two more with Cape Elizabeth (Sept. 17 at home and Oct. 6 in Cape Elizabeth) and a visit from perennial contender Waynflete Sept. 15.

Yarmouth, the defending Class B state champion, is at Greely Sept. 8 and hosts the Rangers Oct. 17. The Clippers host Cape Elizabeth Sept. 12 and play at the Capers Sept. 29. Yarmouth goes to Waynflete Sept. 25 and hosts Gray-New Gloucester in a playoff rematch Oct. 13.

Greely, a regional finalist last season, goes to Cape Elizabeth Sept. 21 and hosts the Capers Oct. 10. 

Freeport opens at Cape Elizabeth Sept. 5. The Falcons are home with Yarmouth Sept. 15, visit Greely Sept. 24, play at NYA in the McDougal Cup Oct. 2, host Falmouth Oct. 13 and visit Waynflete in the regular season finale, Oct. 20.

NYA, which returns Martyn Keen as coach this fall, opens at Traip Academy Sept. 4. The Panthers will have a chance to avenge last year’s playoff ouster when they host Sacopee Valley Sept. 12. NYA is home with rival Waynflete Sept. 21 and plays the Flyers in Portland Oct. 10. Trips to Sacopee Valley Sept. 29 and Richmond Oct. 13 also loom.

On the girls’ side, Falmouth plays host to Greely Sept. 11, then visits Waynflete Sept. 15 and Cape Elizabeth three days later. The Yachtsmen are also home with York Sept. 22, Cape Elizabeth Oct. 6 and Yarmouth Oct. 20 and go to Greely Sept. 29, Yarmouth Oct. 3 and York Oct. 8.

Freeport has the daunting task of hosting two-time defending regional champion Cape Elizabeth in the opener Sept. 4. The Falcons are home with defending Class C champion Sacopee Valley Sept. 9, go to Yarmouth Sept. 15, host Greely Sept. 25, NYA Oct. 2 and Waynflete Oct. 20 and play at Falmouth Oct. 13.

Greely, which has lost in the regional final two years running, hosts Yarmouth Sept. 8, goes to Falmouth three days later, plays host to Cape Elizabeth in a regional final rematch Sept. 21, welcomes York Oct. 2, goes to Cape Elizabeth Oct. 9 and closes with games at Yarmouth Oct. 17 and York Oct. 20.

NYA is home versus Traip Academy in the opener Sept. 4. The Panthers go to Sacopee Valley Sept. 11, visit Waynflete Sept. 22, host Sacopee Valley Sept. 29 and host Waynflete Oct. 10.

Yarmouth hosts Cape Elizabeth Sept. 12, goes to York Sept. 18, visits Cape Elizabeth Sept. 29 and welcomes York Oct. 6.

Julia Sterling returns to NYA’s field hockey program this fall and the Panthers open with a home game versus Old Orchard Beach Sept. 2. The Panthers have a home test against York Sept. 12, go to Falmouth Sept. 16, host Cape Elizabeth Oct. 7 and close at Greely Oct. 10.

Falmouth opens at Cape Elizabeth Sept. 3, then goes to York Sept. 8. The Yachtsmen are home with Greely Sept. 10, Yarmouth Sept. 26 and Cape Elizabeth Sept. 30. The Yachtsmen close at Yarmouth Oct. 9

Freeport is home with Cape Elizabeth in the opener Sept. 4. The Falcons go to Yarmouth Sept. 12, visit York Sept. 28 and play host to Greely Sept. 30.

Greely has a playoff rematch at Fryeburg Academy in its opener, Sept. 2. The Rangers also visit Cape Elizabeth Sept. 12 and York Sept. 18 and play host to Yarmouth Sept. 8.

Yarmouth is back in Class B this fall and opens at home against Lake Region Sept. 2. The Clippers are at Cape Elizabeth Sept. 22, host the Capers six days later and welcome York Oct. 2. 

Volleyball continues to produce great action and that will be the case again in 2015.

Greely visits Falmouth in the opener, Sept. 4. The teams meet again Oct. 1 in Cumberland. The Yachtsmen will also be tested by visiting Cape Elizabeth in a state match rematch Sept. 17, Yarmouth Oct. 8 and Scarborough Oct. 15 and at Scarborough Sept. 22 and Cape Elizabeth Oct. 13.

Greely is home with Scarborough Sept. 8, at Cape Elizabeth two days later, visits Yarmouth Sept. 21, welcomes Cape Elizabeth Sept. 29 and goes to Scarborough Oct. 6.

After winning three of the past four Class B titles, Yarmouth is in Class A this autumn and opens at home against Gorham Sept. 4. The Clippers also welcome Scarborough Sept. 12 and Cape Elizabeth Oct. 17. Yarmouth visits Scarborough Sept. 29 and Gorham Oct. 1.

NYA hosts Wells in the opener Sept. 8. The Panthers meet new varsity programs Deering and Portland Sept. 15 and 17, respectively.

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