Falmouth Navigators Fall Sports Preview – Portland Press Herald – Press Herald

FOOTBALL

Coach: John Fitzsimmons (14th year, 75-56 overall record)

2021 record: 3-4 (Lost, 42-0, to Skowhegan in Class B North quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Finn Caxton-Smith (Senior), Lucas Dilworth (Senior), Taylor Evers (Senior), Miles Gay (Senior), Rocco Mancini (Senior), Will Gale (Junior), Indi Backman (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 2 CHEVERUS, Sept. 16 @ Cape Elizabeth, Sept. 30 @ Windham, Oct. 21 @ Cony

Coach’s comment: “I’m excited for this team and for what we can become. We don’t have big numbers, but there’s a high level of talent. We have good speed. We’ve never had speed like we do now. We also have a terrific line. We can dominate running or passing. We’re playoff-bound and if we can stay healthy, I think we’ll be a team that people will dread playing in the playoffs.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth is once again a stand-alone program after a couple years as a co-op with Greely. The Navigators have no shortage of great athletes and could be in for a quantum leap up the standings.

The quarterback position will be manned this fall by senior Peyton Mitchell, who transferred from reigning eight-man large division champion Cheverus. Mitchell is a former wide receiver, but he was tutored in the offseason by former Falmouth standout Jack Bryant and is now poised to be a threat as a passer and runner. Freshman Trey Walker will also see time under center. The quarterbacks have plenty of weapons at their disposal, in the form of the speedy Caxton-Smith (who holds the school record in the 100-meter dash, was named a second-team all-star a year ago and this fall will see time as a wildcat QB, running back and wide receiver), Backman (running back), Dilworth (wide receiver), Evers (tight end), Gay (wide receiver), sophomore Gio Guerrette (running back) and freshman Ali Carter (slotback). On the line, a slimmed down Mancini (who was a first-team league all-star in 2021) and the 6-foot-4, 295-pound Gale return to punish the opposition. The Navigators will produce some highlight reel plays and score a lot of points in the weeks to come.

On the defensive side, the line includes Gale and Mancini. Backman and Mitchell are top linebackers. The secondary features Caxton-Smith (who will be matched up against the opponent’s top receiver), Carter, Dilworth, Evers, Gay and Guerrette.

If there’s any expectation that Falmouth might struggle on its own with smaller numbers, it figures to be quickly dispelled by the Navigators’ ability to run the opposition ragged. Falmouth has a daunting schedule, including two games in the first three weeks against reigning state champions, but the Navigators will hold their own and could be a very dangerous squad by the time the postseason arrives.

BOYS’ SOCCER

Coach: Dave Halligan (36th year, 415-107-49 overall record, 12 state championships)

2021 record: 11-3-2 (Lost, 3-2, to eventual state champion Marshwood in Class A South quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Jackson Boyd (Senior), Ben Pausman (Senior), Mason Quiet (Senior), Griffin Parr (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Sept. 20 GORHAM, Sept. 26 @ Scarborough, Sept. 27 @ Windham, Oct. 6 DEERING, Oct. 12 PORTLAND, Oct. 15 MARSHWOOD

Coach’s comment: “We’re good, but we’re very young. We graduated 90 percent of our scoring from last season. We’ll have a lot of close games, not many blowouts this year. Our defense is back and they will keep us in games and allow our younger guys to get going. We’ll get better as the season goes along and hope to be our best at playoff time. There’s a lot of good teams in the league and we hope to be competitive every game.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth has long been a model of boys’ soccer excellence and the hallmark of Halligan-coached teams has been strong defense combined with prolific offense. That formula will look a little different this fall, as the Navigators likely won’t be tickling the twine with abandon. They’ll look to win low-scoring games and hope the offense comes along as the season progresses. Whatever the recipe, expect to hear from Falmouth by the time the playoffs arrive.

Boyd and Pausman were SMAA second-team all-stars in 2021 and they return to anchor the defense, along with Farr. Senior Finn Cameron and junior Alex Bezanson will also be in the defensive mix in front of senior goalkeeper Justin Mayo. Quiet, an honorable mention selection last autumn, will lead the midfield. Top scoring threats will likely be juniors Caden Barnard and Michael Christman.

Class A South gets deeper and stronger every year, but the Navigators will still be in the hunt. If some consistent scoring develops, no one will want to see this team with their season hanging in the balance.

GIRLS’ SOCCER

Coach: Ben Johnson (first year)

2021 record: 14-2-1 (Lost, 1-0, 4-3 on PKs, to Gorham in Class A South semifinals)

Top returning players: Abbie Ford (Senior), Elise Gearan (Senior), Audrey Murray (Senior), Eva Gallagher (Junior), Mallory Kerr (Junior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 20 @ Gorham, Sept. 24 SCARBOROUGH, Sept. 29 @ Cheverus, Oct. 18 WINDHAM

Coach’s comment: “We hope to chase the (top teams) and make the playoffs this year. It’ll take time and a lot of hard work.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth is coming off arguably its best season in the near-decade since it moved up to Class A, but after the graduation of goalkeeper extraordinaire Jordan Wolf and the departure of Coach Andrew Pelletier (now the athletic director at St. Dom’s), the program has some holes to fill. Johnson replaces Pelletier. He played at Kennebunk High School and the University of New England and coached premier soccer with Seacoast United. He inherits a team with a few question marks, but one that should remain a top contender in the region.

Gearan and Kerr each made the Class A South regional all-star team in 2021 and along with Ford, a league all-star, are top returners. Gearan will make noise up top, while Kerr anchors the defense. Ford and Murray will create big things in the midfield. Gallagher helps out on defense. The big shoes of Wolf will be filled by junior Eve Chace.

The Navigators might need some time to get used to new faces in new places, but there is ample talent on this roster, suggesting good things will happen. Falmouth will be a much stronger team at the end of the year than at the start and that could spell bad news for the top teams in Class A South.

FIELD HOCKEY

Coach: Robin Haley (28th year, 237-155-20 overall record)

2021 record: 11-5 (Lost, 7-0, to eventual state champion Cheverus in Class A South semifinals)

Top returning players: Charlize Kelly (Senior), Emerson Roy (Senior), Anna Turgeon (Senior), Macy Bush (Junior), Jenna Nunley (Junior), Valerie Rand (Junior)

Pivotal games: Sept. 9 @ Biddeford, Sept. 13 CHEVERUS, Sept. 15 @ Gorham, Sept. 19 MASSABESIC, Oct. 5 SCARBOROUGH

Coach’s comment: “We graduated quite a few players, but I’m looking forward to this group and what we can do. I’m excited about our younger kids. We’re very versatile. We have girls who can play a lot of different positions. We’re still learning some things. We have to work on finishing our scoring opportunities. We hope to put it together later in the season and make the postseason.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth enjoyed a deep playoff run a year ago, but graduation hit hard, as several key contributors, most notably top scorer and All-State selection Chloe Bush, departed. This year’s team will need to score more by committee, but the Navigators have enough talent in place to suggest that it will be another successful campaign.

Macy Bush was an SMAA second-team all-star in 2021. She’ll be heard from on defense and in the midfield. Roy will also be a force on the defensive end. The scoring punch figures to come from Kelly (an honorable mention selection last season), Rand and Turgeon, as well as sophomore Alliston Sweetser, who figures to play a bigger role this fall. Nunley returns in goal.

Falmouth, like everyone else, is chasing the Cheverus juggernaut, which is the clear favorite to repeat as state champion. The Navigators will see the Stags early and regardless of what happens there, they’ll have plenty of time to improve by the time the postseason arrives. Falmouth has been a playoff regular under Haley, only missing out twice in 27 seasons (with the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign being one them), so it’s a safe bet to say that the Navigators will be a tough out for someone in late-October.

VOLLEYBALL

Coach: Larry Nichols (fourth year, 39-11 overall record, two state championships)

2021 record: 6-10 (Lost, 3-0, to Biddeford in Class A state quarterfinals)

Top returning players: Victoria Abbott (Senior), Kylee Armer (Senior), Gabby Bardwell (Senior), Amelia Graffam (Senior)

Pivotal matches: Sept. 2 YARMOUTH, Sept. 13 @ Greely, Sept. 20 @ Biddeford, Sept. 24 SCARBOROUGH, Sept. 27 CAPE ELIZABETH, Oct. 1 GORHAM, Oct. 3 @ Yarmouth, Oct. 5 SCARBOROUGH, Oct. 13 @ Cape Elizabeth

Coach’s comment: “Post-Covid, we’ve changed many parts of the program and with change comes difficulty. I think that we will be an evolving entity as the players begin to familiarize themselves and become more comfortable and confident in what is being asked of them. Our hope would be that we challenge every team that we face and that we start to come together as we enter the playoffs.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth’s reign as Class A champion came to an end last season, but don’t expect the Navigators to be down for long.

Falmouth will be led this year by its captains. Abbott plays opposite and is a defensive specialist. A four-year veteran, Abbott was a league all-star in 2021 and will play a key role in the Navigators’ success. Armer (an opposite, who is a top server), Bardwell (a middle hitter and top blocker, who can also play setter) and Graffam (outside hitter) are the other veterans. Senior Miranda Birks will be a defensive specialist. Senior Allison Dow, an opposite and strong server, is new to varsity. Junior Kani Gutter, can hit, serve and play solid defense. In fact, Falmouth has a very strong junior class. Erin Andrews, a middle blocker, Annika Asbjornsen (middle blocker/opposite), Olivia Dickhaut (defense), Rhyse Sholl (setter) and Ava Walker (defense) all look to factor into the mix, along with sophomores Jillian James (defense) and Hannah Roche (setter).

The Navigators’ win-loss mark will be skewed by a very challenging schedule, which includes the best teams in Class A and Class B. Regardless of where Falmouth stands at the end of the regular season, you can’t bet it will be battle-tested and ready to make a tournament run. Anyone overlooking the Navigators will come to regret it.

CROSS COUNTRY

Coaches: Jorma Kurry and Danny Paul (19th year, three state championships)

2021 results: 
(Boys) 12th @ Class A state meet
(Girls) 5th @ Class A state meet 

Top returners:
(Boys) Declan Frueh (Senior), Isaac Seeker (Senior), Miles Woodbury (Senior), Daniel Kim (Junior), Chris Jaynes (Sophomore)
(Girls) Teagan Barry (Senior), Fiona Hanrahan (Senior), Abby Murdick (Senior), Keira Alcock (Sophomore), Zora DeSilva (Sophomore), Maeve Ginevan (Sophomore), Eli Tardiff (Sophomore)

Coach Kurry’s comment: “The girls have a large roster and a lot of strong returners. With a year of experience, this still very young team should be competitive. The seniors have set the tone with hard work and good leadership.
The boys are rebuilding but have some good runners in place. Miles, in particular, has put in a strong summer of training. We’ll need some young kids to step up to give us some depth, but there are some promising young athletes who could fill those spots.”

Coach Paul’s comment: “Great group of kids who hopefully will just get better with experience.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth’s boys and girls have qualified for states in every season under Kurry and Paul and that trend figures to continue this season.

The girls are coming off a strong campaign and return several veterans from last year’s state meet. Hanrahan was 18th in Class A a year ago and will set the tone, along with Barry (24th) and Tardiff (30th). DeSilva (52nd), Ginevan (57th) and Murdick will also be heard from. Alcock will factor into the pack and junior Bella Koepsell, sophomores Haley Barrett and Maisy Clement and freshmen Hannah Martin and Sara Tennent provide depth. The Navigators have finished in the top five at the state meet every year since 2012 and this year’s group has what it takes to do the same.

On the boys’ side, the loss of Logan Ross (sixth at states a year ago) will be felt, but Falmouth returns Woodbury (54th) and Seeker (68th) from last year’s top five. Frueh (77th last season) also has experience, while Jaynes and Kim look to step up and play a bigger role. Sophomores Finn Gray and Olin Johnson and freshmen Connor Lund and Wyatt Sholl are new to the program and eager to make a mark as well. This group should show steady growth and will be poised to turn heads in the postseason.

GOLF

Coach: A.J. Simokaitis (fourth year, one state title)

2021 results: Class A state champions

Top returning players: Paul Dilworth (Senior), Mitch Ham (Senior), Boden Joyce (Senior), Johnny Hwang (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “With the number of returning players from our state championship team, coupled with several who are making the jump to varsity, we should be very competitive again this season. We obviously have a target on our backs as state champs and I believe we have the talent and depth to make another run. This, coupled with the experience of our seniors, should make for a fun fall of golf. Our goal is always to hit our stride in late-September as we head into qualifiers and ultimately the states. ”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Falmouth is always among the last teams standing and last season, the Navigators broke through and won their first state title in eight years. This fall, Falmouth is poised to make a run at a repeat crown.

Hwang will be in the number one slot. He shot a 78 at last year’s team state match. Dilworth (77 at states), Ham (82) and Joyce (89) also took part on the big stage a year ago and all will contribute to this season’s success. Junior Brennan Rumpf and sophomore Carley Iannetta will look to play bigger roles. Freshman Clayton Casey could quickly become a household name.

The Navigators will benefit from being in a tough division and will be battle-tested in the weeks to come. The season will be defined by what happens on the final Saturday, however, and it isn’t at all far-fetched to suggest that another shiny trophy could be the end result.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.

Comments are not available on this story.

« Previous

Next »

Favorite