(Ed. Note: For the complete Falmouth-Cape Elizabeth boys’ lacrosse and  NYA-Waynflete and Falmouth-Yarmouth girls’ lacrosse game stories, including photos and detailed box scores, please visit theforecaster.net)

The 2012 spring sports season has started and virtually every local club will have participated in at least one game or meet by the end of the week.

Here’s a glimpse at what you might have missed on the diamonds and lacrosse fields over the April vacation week (track and tennis began this week).

Girls’ lacrosse-Here comes Falmouth

Falmouth’s girls’ lacrosse team received plenty of preseason buzz as a top contender and lived up to billing in its opener, a 12-2 win at defending Class B state champion Yarmouth, the Yachtsmen’s first ever triumph over the Clippers.

Falmouth got three goals each from juniors Molly Ryan and Alex Bernier.

“It’s so exciting,” Ryan said. “It’s amazing. It’s a great way to start the season.”

“We came in to play our hardest, since Yarmouth’s always a tough game,” said Bernier.

“I’m happy,” Yachtsmen coach Robin Haley added. “I thought we started out pretty strong. We had some sloppiness, but that’s to be expected in a first game. What’s good about this team is we kept our composure.”

Falmouth was back in action Tuesday at North Yarmouth Academy. After visiting Marshwood Thursday, the Yachtsmen will have home games versus Yarmouth and longtime nemesis Waynflete next week.

“I consider us a top team,” Bernier said. “We have a lot of work to do. This is a great way to start the season, but it’s a long way to go.”

Yarmouth got goals from seniors Mo McNaboe and Ricki Pierce against the Yachtsmen as it dropped a season opener for the first time since 2004.

“I feel like we came really far tonight,” said Clippers coach Dorothy Holt. “Falmouth’s had a lot of time together. We haven’t. I’d rather start with a tough team.”

Yarmouth had a chance to get in the win column Wednesday when it went to Waynflete in a state final rematch (see theforecaster.net for game story). The Clippers are home against defending Class A state champion Scarborough and go to Falmouth Monday.

NYA also fell in its opener, 15-5, at Waynflete. The Panthers trailed, 14-1, at halftime, but had a much better second half. Senior Katie Cawley scored twice.

“We’re young,” NYA first-year coach Lynn Sullivan said. “We’re new. We lost a lot from last year. We have a lot of kids who haven’t played before or have limited experience. It’s a learning curve. We’re not surprised. We knew it would be a real challenge.”

The Panthers hosted Falmouth Tuesday, go to Freeport Saturday and visit Cheverus Monday.

Freeport began the season with a 12-11 loss to York. Sophomore Meredith Broderick had four goals, while senior Alex Mitch added three. The Falcons were home with Cape Elizabeth Tuesday, welcome NYA Thursday and Windham Saturday.

Greely opened with a 19-8 loss at Cape Elizabeth (despite two goals apiece from senior Audrey Parolin, junior Julia Mitiguy and sophomore Cameron Keefe). The Rangers hoped to get in the win column Tuesday when they hosted York. Greely plays at Massabesic Friday and welcomes Freeport Tuesday of next week.

Boys’ lacrosse-Clippers edge Panthers

Yarmouth is hoping to bounce back from last year’s rare sub-.500 campaign and opened with a thrilling 11-9 win over crosstown rival NYA Saturday night. The game was tight throughout, but the Clippers prevailed behind two goals each from seniors Bart Gallagher, Anders Overhaug and Max Watson and junior Ethan Cyr.

Yarmouth was at defending Class B state champion Falmouth Wednesday and hosts South Portland Saturday.

NYA got five goals from senior Jacob Scamman in the loss to Yarmouth. The Panthers had opened with a 10-4 victory over Wells (junior T.J. Daigler had three goals in that one). NYA s at Cape Elizabeth Wednesday, hosts Scarborough Saturday at 11 a.m., in a benefit for the Wounded Warriors Project, and plays host to Fryeburg Tuesday.

Falmouth’s title defense opened with a hard-fought 8-6 loss at Cape Elizabeth Saturday night. The Yachtsmen got two goals from junior Charlie Fay and a dozen saves from senior fill-in goalie Connor Jordan, but it wasn’t enough.

“(Cape’s defense was) far better than I expected,” said Falmouth coach Mike LeBel. “They were prepared to be successful in this game. They knew exactly what we had on offense and knew exactly what they had to do and how to cover any of their weaknesses. All the credit goes to them.

“It really is a devastating loss. No one’s going to beat (Cape Elizabeth) this year. They’ll go undefeated unless we can beat them. If it comes down to Heal Points, I think their Heal Points will be higher than ours. It was a very meaningful game. In my eyes, we just lost homefield advantage for the playoffs.”

The Yachtsmen balanced their record at 1-1 with a 15-7 home win over Greely Monday night in the rain.  Senior Mitch Tapley had five goals and three assists. Fay added three goals and three assists. After hosting Yarmouth Wednesday, Falmouth goes to Portland Monday.

Greely had captured its opener, 9-2, over Freeport, as senior Paul Witte scored four times. Junior Brendan Trelegan had four goals against Falmouth. The Rangers visited Waynflete Wednesday and welcome Massabesic Saturday.

Freeport returned to action Wednesday at York. The Falcons host Gorham Saturday.

Baseball-Falcons start with a win

Freeport’s baseball team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2004, but the Falcons got off to a great start with an 11-1 (five inning) win over two-time regional finalist Yarmouth. Seniors Sawyer Williams and Josh Weirich combined to throw a no-hitter. Senior Kaleb Farmer had three hits and senior Luke LaMagna two, including a bases loaded double. Freeport was scheduled to play at Cape Elizabeth Monday, but rain pushed that game to Saturday at 1:30 p.m. First, the Falcons hosted York Wednesday and go to Falmouth Friday.

The Yachtsmen also began with a win, downing host York, 8-2, behind a two-hitter from sophomore Addison Foltmer and a pair of hits each from senior Grayson Beressi and junior Drew Proctor. Falmouth was home against Cape Elizabeth Wednesday, welcomes Freeport Friday and visits Fryeburg Monday.

Yarmouth played much better in its second game, but suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 loss at Wells when the Warriors pushed across two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Junior Chester Jacobs pitched very well and classmate Thomas Sullivan sparked the offense with a double. The Clippers were home with Lake Region Wednesday, visit Old Orchard Beach Friday and host Gray-New Gloucester Monday.

Defending Western Class B champion Greely didn’t open its season until Wednesday against visiting Sacopee Valley. The Rangers’ scheduled opener Monday at Fryeburg was postponed until Thursday. Greely is at Lake Region Saturday and hosts rival Cape Elizabeth Monday.

Softball-Clippers pass first test

Yarmouth’s softball team, which won 14 games last spring, took its opener in 2012 with a 4-3 decision at Freeport. Junior McKenzie Gray earned the win and drove in two runs. The Clippers’ scheduled game at Wells Monday was moved to Tuesday due to rain. After hosting Lake Region Wednesday, Yarmouth is idle until Monday when it welcomes Gray-New Gloucester.

Freeport got a double, triple and strong effort on the mound from junior Leigh Wyman in the opening loss to Yarmouth. The Falcons hoped to earn their first win Monday at Cape Elizabeth, but rain postponed that game to Saturday at 1:30 p.m. Freeport hosted York Wednesday, visits Falmouth Friday and welcomes York Monday of next week.

Falmouth had a simply perfect opener, blanking host York, 15-0, in five innings. In that one, sophomore Amanda Carver debuted with a perfect game. The Yachtsmen welcomed Cape Elizabeth Wednesday, play host to Freeport Friday and visit powerhouse Fryeburg Monday.

Highly touted Greely was scheduled to open the Sarah Jamo Era Monday with a much anticipated showdown at Fryeburg, but rain pushed that contest to Thursday. The Rangers were at Lake Region Tuesday and hosted Sacopee Wednesday. They host Cape Elizabeth Monday of next week.

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

Sidebar Elements

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Falmouth junior Will Sipperly prepares to unleash a shot during the Yachtsmen’s 8-6 loss at rival Cape Elizabeth in the season opener Saturday night.

Falmouth senior All-American defender Will Ryan tries to keep Cape Elizabeth’s explosive Timmy Lavallee in check. Ryan and Lavallee will be teammates next year at Providence College.