N-sportsrecap2-050709.JPGFreeport junior Kyle Moore slid safely into second on this play. The Falcons lost 16-2 to the Capers. (Jason Veilleux photo)

As the surprisingly good weather continues (knock on wood), it’s been a pleasure for fans and athletes alike as all spring sports are underway.

Forecaster Country schools have impressed in the early going. Here’s a glimpse:

Baseball: Here come the Rangers

While much of the preseason attention focused on defending Western B champion Cape Elizabeth and last year’s surprise, Yarmouth, was there really any doubt that the Greely baseball team would have its say this spring?

It hasn’t taken the Rangers long to make their presence felt and it appears they’ll be in the hunt for the long haul yet again.

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Greely improved to 6-0 Monday with a 4-1 home victory over Wells. Junior Jacob Whiting-Kooy didn’t allow an earned run in getting the win. Offensively, senior Pat Copp had a pair of RBI hits.

The Rangers were coming off road romps over Falmouth (9-3) and York (18-8). Against the Yachtsmen, Whiting-Kooy also excelled on the mound, while senior Kevin Hart had a pair of triples. Against the Wildcats, Greely set a school record with six home runs. Senior Nate Martin had a pair of longballs, Hart blasted a grand slam, senior Sam Stauber hit a three-run blast and seniors Ryan Howland and Leo Paquette also went deep.

The Rangers hoped to stay perfect when they hosted up-and-coming Poland Wednesday (too late for print). Greely is home against Falmouth Thursday and has a showdown with visiting Cape Elizabeth Monday.

Falmouth followed up its Greely loss with a 4-2 setback at Fryeburg Friday. Monday, the Yachtsmen improved to 2-3 with an 8-1 home win over Gray-New Gloucester. Sophomore Dillon Dresser excelled on the mound (fanning 10 and allowing just two hits), while junior Mitch Beaulieu paced the offense with four hits. Falmouth visits Greely Thursday.

Yarmouth has found the going challenging in its first year as a top contender. The Clippers sandwiched losses to visiting York (12-3) and host Poland (9-8, on a steal of home in the bottom of the seventh) around a victory over visiting Lake Region (10-5) in recent action. Yarmouth (2-3) was at Wells Wednesday (too late for print) and hosts Freeport Friday.

Freeport is still chasing its elusive first win. Monday, the Falcons fell 16-0 (in five innings) at home to York. Freeport also lost 11-0 (in five innings) at Fryeburg and 16-2 at home to Cape Elizabeth over the past week. The Falcons were home with Old Orchard Beach Wednesday (too late for print), visit Yarmouth Friday and go to Lake Region Monday.

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In Western C, North Yarmouth Academy beat visiting Sacopee 12-2 (in five innings) last Wednesday and fell 9-0 to visiting St. Dom’s Friday. Monday, the Panthers improved to 4-3 with a 6-3 home win over Richmond. Seniors Ian Nichols and Kyle Williams combined to hold the Bobcats to just one hit. NYA was at Waynflete Wednesday (too late for print) and hosts Old Orchard Beach Monday.

Softball: Yarmouth gets first win

Turning to softball, Yarmouth got its first victory in four tries Saturday, 7-5 at Poland. The Clippers scored three times in their final at-bat to improve to 1-3. Yarmouth was at Wells Wednesday (too late for print) and hosts Freeport Friday.

Falmouth fell to 1-4 Monday after a 4-0 home loss to Gray-New Gloucester. The Yachtsmen were coming off back-to-back 9-0 losses to Greely and Fryeburg Academy. Falmouth goes to Greely Thursday.

Speaking of the Rangers, they fell to 3-3 and had their two-game win streak snapped Monday with a 6-4 home loss to Wells. Greely had previously downed Falmouth (9-0) and York (3-0). The Rangers were home with Poland Wednesday (too late for print), host Falmouth Thursday and face visiting Cape Elizabeth Monday.

Freeport fell to 1-4 with its fourth straight loss Monday, an 11-1 home setback to York. The Falcons had previously fallen 12-0 (in five innings) to Fryeburg last Wednesday and 2-0 to Cape Elizabeth Saturday (on a no-hitter by the Capers Trish Thibodeau). Against Cape Elizabeth, senior Olivia Doane sparkled for Freeport, allowing just three hits while striking out six.

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Boys’ lacrosse: Clippers up to old tricks

While the NYA boys’ lacrosse team improved to 2-0 Saturday with a 13-5 win at Cheverus, the Yarmouth boys’ lacrosse team is looking great in its quest to repeat as Class B state champion.

After opening with a hard-fought 8-6 home win over Cape Elizabeth in a rematch of last year’s state game, the Clippers went to Greely Thursday and crushed the Rangers, 15-2, behind four goals from junior Evan Henry. Yarmouth led just 1-0 after one period, but erupted for 10 goals in the second quarter. Yarmouth was back in action Wednesday (too late for print), when it hosted Freeport. Saturday, the Clippers go to Cheverus. Tuesday, Yarmouth is home with defending Class A champion Scarborough.

Falmouth has made its share of noise in recent seasons and it appears 2009 will be no different. The Yachtsmen gave Scarborough all it could handle in the opener last Tuesday. Falmouth led 5-4 in the third period, but couldn’t score in the final quarter-and-a-half and went down to a 7-5 defeat. Friday, however, the Yachtsmen exploded against perennial contender Kennebunk, breaking a 1-1 tie in the second period en route to a stunningly decisive 13-1 triumph. Juniors Dan Hanley and Mike Kane and freshman Jack Cooleen all scored three times.

Falmouth had a chance to register another major victory when it went to Cape Elizabeth Wednesday (too late for print). Saturday, the Yachtsmen visit St. Dom’s.

Greely, last year’s feel-good story, finally got its first win Monday, 8-1, over visiting Fryeburg Academy. Senior Dylan Beckelman had two goals and two assists. The Rangers had previously fallen 14-4 to visiting Portland and 15-2 at home to Yarmouth, then lost 6-3 at Kennebunk Saturday. Greely was at South Portland Wednesday (too late for print).

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Freeport took an 0-3 mark into its game at Yarmouth Wednesday. The Falcons lost 12-2 to NYA, 15-13 at home to St. Dom’s and 14-1 at home to Cape Elizabeth. Freeport hosts Waynflete Saturday.

Girls’ lacrosse: So far, so good for NYA, Yarmouth

On the girls’ side, NYA and Yarmouth are off to strong starts.

The Panthers got a scare in their opener at unheralded Massabesic, but senior Rachel Darby’s late goal (her fourth) broke a deadlock and led NYA to an 11-9 win. Friday, at Marshwood, the Panthers reverted to form, winning 12-1 behind four goals from junior Courtney Dumont. NYA had its home opener against Scarborough Tuesday (too late for print), hosts Kennebunk Thursday, welcomes Cape Elizabeth Monday and visits Deering Tuesday.

The Clippers, meanwhile, appeared to be cruising in their opener at Falmouth, leading 9-1 at halftime, but the Yachtsmen roared back in the second half to make it 12-8. That’s as close as Falmouth would get, however, and Yarmouth held on for a 14-9 triumph behind sophomore Danielle Torres’ five goals. Friday, in their home opener, the Clippers scored at will again, downing Massabesic 16-5 as senior Hannah Coleman had a half-dozen goals and senior Tess Beem added four. Yarmouth was home against Marshwood Tuesday (too late for print), goes to Scarborough Thursday and hosts Kennebunk Tuesday.

Falmouth got four goals from sophomore Laura Fay in its loss to Yarmouth. Friday, the Yachtsmen went to defending Class B champion Waynflete and fell behind 11-1 at the break. Falmouth wound up losing 16-7. The Yachtsmen hoped to get in the win column Tuesday (too late for print) when they hosted York. Thursday, Falmouth goes to Cheverus. Tuesday, the Yachtsmen visit Massabesic.

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Freeport is 1-2 under new coach Karin Kurry. After falling 14-7 at Thornton Academy in the opener, the Falcons beat visiting Noble 10-5 behind junior Emily Drummond’s five goals. Thursday, Freeport lost 9-3 at Westbrook. The Falcons were home with Gorham Tuesday (too late for print), host Portland Friday and travel to South Portland Tuesday.

Greely dropped its first two contests, 15-7 at Scarborough and 15-5 at Kennebunk. The Rangers hoped to right their ship Tuesday (too late for print) when they hosted Deering. Thursday, Greely welcomes Cape Elizabeth. Monday, the Rangers visit longtime nemesis Waynflete.

Tennis: Falmouth girls win showdown

On the hardcourt, the defending Class B state champion Falmouth girls faced arguably their biggest regular season test Friday when they went to Western C power Waynflete. The Yachtsmen eked out a 3-2 victory thanks to wins from both doubles teams and a straight set victory from senior Hallsey Leighton at second singles. Falmouth improved to 5-0 Monday with a 5-0 home win over Yarmouth.

The Yachtsmen boys’ squad lost 3-2 to defending Class C champion Waynflete Friday, then shocked host Yarmouth 3-2 Monday to improve to 2-2 on the year.

The loss dropped the Clippers to 3-1. The Yarmouth girls fell to 3-1 with their loss to Falmouth.

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Greely’s boys beat NYA 5-0 Friday to improve to 3-1. The Rangers girls’ team got in the win column Monday with a 3-2 home victory over Old Orchard Beach.

Freeport’s girls got their first win Monday, 3-2 over visiting York, to improve to 1-3. The Falcons boys’ squad hasn’t been as fortunate. It fell to 0-5 Monday after losing 5-0 at York.

In Western C, defending girls’ state champion NYA continues to shine. The Panthers were 4-1 winners at Fryeburg Monday to go 5-0. NYA’s boys got their first victory since 2007 last Wednesday, 3-2 at Lake Region, before dropping matches to Greely Friday and Fryeburg Monday.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net

 

N-sportsrecap1-050709.JPGFreeport’s freshman knuckleballer Kaleb Farmer delivered a pitch during Saturday’s game against defending Western B champion Cape Elizabeth. (Jason Veilleux photo)


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