If it’s June, the Falmouth tennis juggernaut must be closing in on more hardware.

The Yachtsmen girls take a state-record 107-match win streak into Thursday’s Western Class A Final against Portland at Bates College in Lewiston, while the boys also face a tough test against Deering. Both matches begin at 9:15 a.m.

Falmouth won’t be the only local team making the trip to Lewiston, as the Greely girls seek a first-ever Western B crown, when they take on Spruce Mountain at 4:15 p.m., the Yarmouth boys hope to end Cape Elizabeth’s title reign (also at 4:15) and the North Yarmouth Academy boys look to end Waynflete’s Class C championship run at six years (that match begins at 1:45 p.m.).

For everyone else in Forecaster Country, it’s wait until next year.

The favorites

Falmouth’s girls went 12-0 in the regular season and earned the No. 2 seed for the Western A playoffs (the Yachtsmen moved up this spring due to increased enrollment), then had no trouble eliminating No. 7 Sanford and No. 6 Scarborough by 5-0 margins in the quarterfinals and semifinals, respectively. Falmouth will likely be tested by top-ranked Portland (14-0), the defending regional champion, Thursday. The teams have no history.

If the Yachtsmen move on to the state final for the seventh year in a row, they will face either two-time defending Class A champion Brunswick (14-0) or Hampden Academy (12-2) Saturday at 9:15 a.m., at Bates.

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Falmouth’s boys, meanwhile, also had an undefeated regular season and finished second to an unbeaten city power (Deering). The Yachtsmen blanked seventh-ranked Marshwood and No. 3 Scarborough in their first two playoff tests to set up a showdown with the 14-0 Rams Thursday. The teams have no history.

If Falmouth moves on to states, it will face Hampden Academy (12-2) or Mt. Ararat (9-5) Saturday at 9:15 a.m., at Bates.

Hopefuls

Greely’s girls have twice before reached the Western B Final, but they lost to Cape Elizabeth in 1998 and to Falmouth in 2006. This spring, the Rangers are the top seed and are ready to finally take the next step.

Greely went 11-1 in the regular season (losing only to Falmouth), earned the top seed in Western B and eliminated No. 8 Yarmouth (5-0) and No. 5 Cape Elizabeth (3-2) to set up a showdown with No. 6 Spruce Mountain (9-4). The teams did not play this year and have no playoff history.

Yarmouth’s girls wound up 6-8 after losing to Greely in the quarterfinals.

NYA went 7-5 in the regular season to earn the No. 6 seed in Western C, but was ousted by three-time defending Waynflete, 4-1, in the quarterfinals to finish 7-6.

Yarmouth’s boys went 1-11 and missed the playoffs last year, but this season returned to form, going 9-3 in the regular season. The Clippers earned the No. 3 seed in Western B and advanced by downing No. 6 Freeport (3-2) in the quarterfinals and second-ranked Morse (3-2) in the semifinals. Yarmouth will face a tall task in the regional final as No. 1 Cape Elizabeth (10-2) beat the Clippers, 4-1, May 29 in Yarmouth. The Capers have won all 11 previous playoff meetings with the most recent a 5-0 victory in the 2006 quarterfinals.

Freeport’s quarterfinal round loss to Yarmouth ended its season at 4-9.

NYA went 6-6 in the regular season and took the No. 7 seed into the Western C postseason. The Panthers then ousted No. 2 Dirigo (3-2) in the quarterfinals and third-ranked Monmouth (3-2) in the semis. NYA hoped to finally solve Waynflete (11-3), the No. 5 seed, in the regional final. The Flyers beat the Panthers twice this year by 5-0 scores and hold a 4-1 all-time playoff edge, including a 5-0 win in last year’s regional final.

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


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