North Yarmouth Academy’s Haven Cutko goes up for a shot during the Panthers’ recent home loss to defending C South champion Waynflete.

Falmouth’s Alaina Birkel goes up for a 3-point shot during the Yachtsmen’s 49-48 overtime loss to York Saturday.

(Ed. Note: For the complete Falmouth-Westbrook, Falmouth-Cape Elizabeth and NYA-Waynflete boys’ basketball and Falmouth-York and NYA-Waynflete girls’ basketball game stories, with photos, see theforecaster.net)

Out with the old, in with the new and the winter sports season rolls on.

Just about every local team has now seen action of some sort and early results are encouraging.

Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ basketball

The defending Class A boys’ basketball champion Falmouth Yachtsmen had an eventful stretch, playing five games in 12 days and going 4-1 in the process.

Prior to Christmas, Falmouth beat visiting Brunswick, 54-36, in a regional final rematch and won at Mt. Ararat, 50-33. Against the Dragons, Colin Coyne had 19 points and Nikko DePatsy added 16.

The Yachtsmen then played twice last week at the Red Claws Christmas Showcase at the Portland Exposition Building, beating Westbrook, 53-42, and losing on a buzzer-beater to rival Cape Elizabeth, 40-37.

Coyne had 18 points and Sean Walsh added 16 in the win over the Blue Blazes, as Falmouth pulled away late, closing on a 19-5 run.

“Westbrook came out with a matchup zone and we didn’t adjust to that in the first half,” Coyne said. “Our defense kept us in it and in the second half, we turned it up a notch. Being down was a good learning experience. It helps us to face that now instead of in the playoffs. It’s a good win for us.”

“I knew as a senior I had to step up and I started taking good shots,” Walsh said. “Ball movement is huge. When someone finds an open man for two easy points down low, it’s really big.”

“(Westbrook) came out and controlled the tempo in the first half and we didn’t execute our stuff and we missed some easy shots and made it more difficult, but we played great defense in the second half,” added longtime Falmouth coach Dave Halligan. “That’s always been our bread and butter.”

Against the Capers, the Yachtsmen got 22 points from Walsh, including a late 3 to tie it, but Finn Bowe hit a 3 at the horn to hand Falmouth its first loss.

“It was a typical Falmouth-Cape game,” Halligan said. “We just let the game get away from us. We were up and we made some uncharacteristic mistakes to keep them in the game and they never quit. Neither did we.”

The Yachtsmen got back on track Saturday with a 65-55 win at York behind 28 points from Coyne and 15 from Walsh. Falmouth (6-1) had a home showdown versus Greely Tuesday (see theforecaster.net for game story) and goes to defending Class B champion Lake Region Friday.

Greely entered the week 6-0 after closing 2016 with home wins over Gorham (64-53) and Morse (96-50). Matt McDevitt had 19 points and Jordan Bagshaw 16 in the win over the Rams. Against the Shipbuilders, Ryan Twitchell scored 25 points, while Bagshaw and McDevitt added 14 apiece. The Rangers were at Falmouth Tuesday, host Poland Friday and visit Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.

Yarmouth bounced back from its lone loss by winning at home over Maranacook (65-45) and at Sacopee Valley (56-31) to end the 2016 portion of its schedule at 5-1. Jon Torres had 15 points and Nolan Hagerty added 14 in the win over the Black Bears. Gibson Harnett led the way with 11 points against the Hawks. The Clippers were at Poland Tuesday, visit Lincoln Academy Friday and welcome Greely Tuesday of next week.

Freeport lost its first three games, then defeated host Sacopee Valley (48-44) and Traip Academy (53-39) to end the old year. Connor Dostie and Toby Holt both had nine points in the win over the Hawks. In the win over the Rangers, Ethan Sclar had 17 points and six rebounds, while Holt added 10 points and six boards. After hosting Gray-New Gloucester Tuesday, the Falcons play at Maranacook Friday and welcome Sacopee Valley Tuesday of next week.

North Yarmouth Academy ended the old year 1-4 after losses to visiting Waynflete (53-44) and at Richmond (54-34). The Panthers gave the defending C South champion Flyers a scare and got 14 points from Jake Malcom and 11 from Haven Cutko, but lost to Waynflete for the 15th straight time.

“It was a great basketball game,” NYA coach Jason Knight said. “We played with poise most of the game. We didn’t panic when they went on a run early in the second half. We were down 10, but the experience factor played into it.”

Malcom had 11 points and 11 rebounds and Cutko added 10 points and six assists in the loss to Richmond. The Panthers hosted St. Dom’s Wednesday, go to Seacoast Christian School Friday and visit Buckfield Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ basketball

Greely’s girls’ team has been as good as advertised thus far. The Rangers won their first four games, then lost a 67-64 thriller at defending AA champion Gorham. Anna DeWolfe had 23 points and Molly Chapin added 22, but it wasn’t quite enough. Greely then improved to 4-1 with a 71-45 win at Morse three days before Christmas. DeWolfe had 21 points, Isabel Porter added 16 and freshman Brooke Obar finished with a dozen. The Rangers were at Falmouth Tuesday (see theforecaster.net for game story), go to Poland Friday and visit Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.

Falmouth has been very competitive under new coach Dawn Armandi. In the week before Christmas, the Yachtsmen lost at Brunswick (54-30) and beat visiting Mt. Ararat (46-39). Alaina Birkel and Hadley Wiggin each had six points in the setback. Against the Eagles, Adelaide Cooke led the way with 17 points. Falmouth then downed host Westbrook, 43-27 (Grace Soucy had a team-high 12 points) and Saturday, let a late seven-point lead slip away in a painful 49-48 overtime home loss to defending Class A South champion York. Cooke had 20 points, but the Yachtsmen were doomed by 27 turnovers.

“We basically handed them the game,” Armandi lamented. “We couldn’t handle pressure the way we needed to, we turned the ball over and we missed free throws. It didn’t go our way at the end.”

Falmouth (4-3) looked to get back on track Tuesday when Greely paid a visit. Lake Region comes to town Thursday.

In Class B South, Freeport was 4-1 at press time after ending 2016 on a four-game win streak, capped by victories over visiting Sacopee Valley (42-34) and Traip Academy (41-23). Regan Lynch had 12 points and Taylor Rinaldi added 10 against the Hawks. In the win over the Rangers, Rinaldi led the way with 13 points. The Falcons were at defending regional champion Gray-New Gloucester in a playoff rematch Tuesday, host Maranacook Friday and visit Sacopee Valley Tuesday of next week.

Yarmouth ended 2016 with a 4-2 mark after beating host Maranacook (51-15) and visiting Sacopee Valley (42-16). Sara D’Appolonia had 14 points in the win over the Black Bears. Alison Clark led the way against the Hawks with 12 points. The Clippers were home with Poland Tuesday, welcome Lincoln Academy Friday and play host to Greely Tuesday of next week.

In Class C South, NYA finished 2016 at 1-4 after a 55-34 home loss to Waynflete and a 44-33 setback at Richmond. Against the Flyers, Katie Larson had 15 points, but the Panthers lost for the 23rd straight time in the series.

“We don’t have much depth,” said NYA coach Seth Farrington. “We turned the ball over and turnovers for layups really hurt.”

The Panthers hosted St. Dom’s Wednesday, go to Seacoast Christian Friday and visit Buckfield Tuesday of next week.

Boys’ hockey

Falmouth’s boys hockey team closed the old year with wins at Yarmouth (9-1) and Cape Elizabeth (3-1). Reece Armitage had a hat trick and Alex Grade added two goals in the victory over the Clippers. Monday, the Yachtsmen improved to 4-0-1 by staying perfect against Greely in the teams’ annual “Dudley Cup” with a 6-2 triumph. Reece and Robbie Armitage scored goals, as did David Hawkes, Brendan Hickey, Jack Kidder and Louis Mainella. Falmouth returns to action Wednesday of next week at Bangor.

Greely fell to 2-2 with the loss to Falmouth. Jake MacDonald and Andy Moore had the goals. The Rangers host Mt. Ararat Saturday and go to Kennebunk Monday.

Defending B South champion Yarmouth closed the old year with a 9-1 home loss to Falmouth and a 5-0 setback at Waterville in a state game rematch. Bill Jacobs scored against the Yachtsmen. Last Tuesday, the Clippers evened their record at 2-2-1 with a 5-3 win at Gorham. Chris Romano had two goals, Cooper May scored the go-ahead goal and Jacobs clinched it. Yarmouth hosted Gardiner Monday and lost, 5-2, despite goals from Jacobs and May. The Clippers go to Camden Hills Saturday.

The Freeport/South Portland/Waynflete co-op team was 1-3-1 at press time after a 4-2 home loss to Noble last week.

Girls’ hockey

On the girls’ side, Falmouth finished 2016 with wins at Yarmouth/Freeport/Gray-New Gloucester (10-2) and at home over Portland/Deering (11-1). Evie Clement scored six times against Yarmouth/Freeport/GNG. In the win over Portland/Deering, Clement, Stone Carmichael and Abi Lebel all scored three times.. Monday, the Yachtsmen fell to 8-1 after a 2-0 loss to Greely in the “Dudley Cup.” Falmouth was home with Edward Little/Leavitt Wednesday, welcomes Biddeford Saturday and plays host to York Tuesday of next week.

Greely made it seven wins in a row with a 2016-ending 3-1 win at Brunswick (Bridget Roberts scored twice and Kylie Rogers also tickled the twine) and Monday’s 2-0 Dudley Cup victory at Falmouth (Courtney Sullivan scored both goals). The Rangers go to Yarmouth/Freeport/Gray-NG Saturday and host Lewiston Wednesday of next week.

The Yarmouth/Freeport/GNG co-op team was 5-5 at press time after closing 2016 with home losses to Falmouth (10-2) and defending state champion St. Dom’s (10-3). Katie Clemmer had two goals against the Yachtsmen. After playing at St. Dom’s Wednesday, Yarmouth/Freeport/GNG is home with Greely Saturday and welcomes Edward Little/Leavitt Wednesday of next week.

Indoor track

In the first Western Maine Conference indoor track meet, Greely’s girls was tops in an eight-team field. Falmouth came in third, Yarmouth placed fifth and Freeport finished sixth.

In the boys’ meet, won by York, Falmouth placed second, Greely finished third, Freeport came in fifth and Yarmouth was sixth.

NYA competed in an eight-team meet. The Panthers boys were sixth and the girls placed seventh.

League action resumes Friday at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.

Swimming

Greely’s girls’ swim team opened with a 79-72 victory over Cheverus. The Rangers then lost to Yarmouth (53-40) and edged Westbrook, 86-85.

The Greely boys lost to Cheverus, 115-35, to start the season. The Rangers then lost to Yarmouth (47-36) and Westbrook (94-61).

Greely visits Portland Friday.

Falmouth’s boys defeated Deering, 64-48 and Gorham, 96-34, then lost to South Portland, 101-62.

The Falmouth girls downed Gorham (102-67) and Deering (103-60), then lost to South Portland (90-86).

The Yachtsmen host Sanford Thursday.

Yarmouth’s girls preceded their win over Greely with an 82-70 win over Westbrook. Yarmouth’s boys lost to Westbrook, 101-46.

The Clippers swim at Massabesic Friday.

Skiing

The Western Maine Conference Alpine ski season began Tuesday. The Nordic campaign got under way Wednesday.

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