(Editor’s note: For the complete Falmouth-Cape Elizabeth game story, with additional photos and a box score, please visit theforecaster.net)

Mixed results were the theme for local football teams last weekend.

Defending Class C state champion Yarmouth continued running roughshod over the competition, blanking visiting Sacopee, 54-0, to improve to 4-0, but the road is about to get tougher for the Clippers.

Friday, the Clippers got four rushing TDs from Anders Overhaug and a pair of long rushing scores from Dennis Erving. Bart Gallagher returned an interception for a TD and Caleb Uhl caught a TD pass from Brady Neujahr as Yarmouth went up 21-0 after one period, 35-0 at the half and accounted for the final score after three periods.

The Clippers play host to 4-0 Lisbon Friday night (the game can be heard locally on 870–AM or mainesportsradio.com). Last year, Yarmouth eked out two memorable victories over the Greyhounds, 16-14, on a last second field goal in the regular season, and 14-12 in the Western C Final.

Freeport hoped to join Yarmouth at 4-0, but lost at Lisbon, 28-14.

The Falcons struck on the game’s first play as quarterback James Purdy hit Chris Farley for a 65-yard TD pass, but other than a Purdy 4-yard TD run in the fourth quarter, could do nothing else offensively (rushing for only 109 yards) and even a fake punt and on-sides kick backfired as Freeport fell to 3-1.

“We were trying to get the ball away from them,” Falcons coach Rob Grover said. “We tried to catch them off-guard. The fake punt was the same thing. A team like that, you’ve got to take chances here and there. Their defense is a very solid defense. We had a couple of good drives, but we didn’t get any breakaways.”

Freeport hopes to bounce back Saturday when it hosts 0-4 Old Orchard Beach. A year ago, the Falcons beat the host Seagulls, 35-0.

In Western B, Greely continued to turn heads with a 23-14 home victory over York, which improved the Rangers to 3-1.

A pair of 2-yard TD runs from Svenn Jacobson (18 carries, 126 yards, three TDs) gave Greely a 14-0 lead. After the Wildcats got back to within 14-6 at the half, Pat Finnegan’s 26-yard field goal gave the Rangers a 17-6 advantage after three quarters.

“(Pat) does have a good foot,” said Greely coach David Higgins. “He kills it.”

York cut the deficit to 17-14 in the fourth period, but a long Jacobson TD run clinched it.

“It was a fun game to be a part of,” said Higgins. “We were ahead the whole way. The kids played great. They’ve really bought in. We’re having fun. The difference was we were able to execute a few more plays than they did. We took advantage of their mistakes.”

In addition to Jacobson’s heroics, Mike Leeman rushed for 50 yards on nine carries and caught five balls from quarterback Drew Hodge for 48 yards. Nick Maynard had two receptions for 25 yards.

The Rangers seek to avoid a letdown Saturday when they go to dangerous 2-2 Fryeburg. Greely won at the Raiders last year, 43-8.

“We have to take care of business,” Higgins said. “The next two weeks are extremely important (a home game against Gray-New Gloucester follows Fryeburg). We won’t overlook anybody. We have to show up ready to play.

“I’m surprised at our record,” he added. “The kids have exceeded expectations. We hoped to establish being competitive. That was a goal this year.”

Falmouth is also 3-1 after stumbling for the first time, 28-6, at a Cape Elizabth squad which completely dominated possession from start to finish.

The Yachtsmen did strike first, taking the opening kickoff and grabbing a 6-0 lead 25 seconds in when quarterback Matt Kingry found Alex Derhagopian for a 44-yard TD pass. But the Capers would control the clock for over 40 minutes, run 72 plays to just 23 for Falmouth and gradually pull away from a 7-6 halftime lead to triumph.

“We wanted to attack them right away, which we did, but first of all, let me congratulate (Cape Elizabeth),” said Fitzsimmons. “I thought they did a terrific job controlling the game. They kept us off the field. We have nice weapons on the field, but they controlled it. Give them credit. Their ability to pound it was there. They put it to us. We have a very good team, but you can’t be on defense for three quarters of a game and come out with a ‘W.'”

Falmouth has no choice but to quickly shake off this loss as the Yachtsmen remain in the heart of the playoff hunt. Their schedule gets much easier in the short term as they go to winless Lake Region Friday. Falmouth beat the Lakers last year, 47-14.

“The good news is it’s early in the season and we’ll learn from this,” said Fitzsimmons. “We’ll bounce back and break down film. We’ll get better after watching this. We’ll learn what we need to improve on.”

Sun Journal sportswriter Randy Whitehouse contributed to this story.

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

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A host of Falmouth tacklers surround Cape Elizabeth senior Andrew Lavallee during Friday night’s game. Problem was, the Yachtsmen defense couldn’t get off the field and allowed three separate 100-yard rushers, with Lavallee being one of them, in the Capers’ 28-6 win.

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