Freeport’s boys’ soccer team won a regional title last fall for the first time in 40 years. The Falcons hope to do it again and win one more game this year. File photos. More photos below.
FOOTBALL
Coach: Paul St. Pierre (fifth year, 14-21 overall record)
2018 record: 9-1 (Beat Dirigo, 28-13, to win Class E Developmental League title)
Top returning players: Conor Fox (Senior), Tre Morris (Senior), Treyvon Murhammer (Senior), Adam Ulrickson (Senior), Caden Benedict (Junior), Justin Cogswell (Junior), John Doyle (Junior), Nate Hinds (Junior), Aidan Michaud (Junior), Anthony Panciocco (Junior), Miles Panenka (Junior), Noah Larrabee (Sophomore)
Senior Adam Ulrickson will be a big part of the offense for Freeport’s football team this season.
Pivotal games: Sept. 6 MORSE, Oct. 11 DIRIGO, Oct. 18 POLAND, Oct. 26 @ Camden Hills
Coach’s comment: “Last year was good, but we’re focusing on this year and we’re back in Class C. We have to have a short memory and get ready for a new challenge. We have dedicated players who have come up through our feeder system. We want to be competitive in every game and we’re confident we can do that. We want to win enough to get back to the playoffs.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport had a dream season last year, winning the Class E title. This fall, the Falcons return to Class C, where they resided for many seasons, and with a strong core returning, should remain in contention.
Panciocco returns under center and will direct the offense. Expect Ulrickson, a league all-star in 2018, to carry the ball regularly. Benedict (a 2018 all-star), Michaud (another returning all-star) and Morris will also be key members of the running game. Panciocco will look for Cogswell and Morris, as well as new junior tight end Joe Coleman, through the air. The line features Doyle, Hinds and Larrabee. A diverse attack should cause the opposition nightmares.
On defense, the line includes Murhammer (who had 13 tackles in the state game last year), Doyle, Fox, Larrabee and Morris. Coleman, Panenka and Ulrickson are top linebackers. Benedict, Cogswell and Michaud will be in the secondary, looking to stymie opposing passing attacks.
Freeport has some tough tests on the schedule, as well as some games it figures to do well. Eight teams make the playoffs in Class C South and the Falcons should be one of them. Look for another strong season and for Freeport to also set the stage for future success.
BOYS’ SOCCER
Coach: Bob Strong (second year)
2018 record: 12-4-2 (Lost, 3-2, in double overtime, to Presque Isle in Class B state final)
Top returning players: Jesse Bennell (Senior), Damon Butler (Senior), Sam Larochelle (Senior), Gabe Wagner (Senior), Ethan Prescott (Junior), Cam Strong (Junior), Will Winter (Junior), Owen Howarth (Sophomore)
Senior Jesse Bennell was a regional all-star in 2018 and will be a force to be reckoned with for the Falcons this year.
Pivotal games: Sept. 10 @ Greely, Sept. 17 YARMOUTH, Sept. 20 @ York, Sept. 24 @ Cape Elizabeth, Oct. 4 GREELY, Oct. 8 YORK, Oct. 10 @ Yarmouth, Oct. 19 CAPE ELIZABETH
Coach’s comment: “We lost 13 seniors, but we return some strong juniors. We had such depth last year, but this year we’ll play 12 or 13 guys. We have some early tests and we hope to get better as the season goes on. If we can defend, we’ll have opportunities to score. After going where we went last year, we want to get back.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport had a dream season a year ago, right up until the moment it ended in nightmarish fashion. The Falcons couldn’t hold a two-goal lead in the state final and suffered an agonizing overtime setback. While graduation hit hard, this program has arrived and expects to be right there with Cape Elizabeth, Greely, Yarmouth and York on an annual basis.
Freeport returns Bennell, a first-team league and regional all-star a year ago, who should be one of the top players in Class B this fall. Bennell can do a little of everything, play on the defensive end, in the midfield or up top and he’ll score his share of goals. Larochelle also made the regional all-star team in 2018. He’ll anchor the defensive unit. Butler will also see time in the back helping break in Wagner, who replaces all-star Atticus Patrick in goal. Sophomore Colin Cronin will also see time between the pipes. The midfield features Prescott, Strong and promising freshman Alex Graiver. Howarth and Winter are forwards to watch.
Class B South remains a very tough region and Freeport won’t have many easy games. While the new-look Falcons might have a hard time matching last year’s record, they have a chance to be at their best at the end of the season, when it matters most, and if all goes well, perhaps this squad can finish the job that the 2018 squad started.
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Coach: David Intraversato (second year)
2018 record: 8-5-2 (Lost, 3-2, to Yarmouth in Class B South quarterfinals)
Top returning players: Abby Brier (Senior), Catriona Gould (Senior), Sarah Gray (Senior), Tara Migliaccio (Senior), Tia Peterson (Senior), Annika Thomas (Senior), Carly Intraversato (Junior), Leah Rusiecki (Junior), Rachel Wall (Junior)
Senior Catriona Gould is a prolific scorer for Freeport’s girls’ soccer team.
Pivotal games: Sept. 10 GREELY, Sept. 17 @ Yarmouth, Sept. 20 @ York, Sept. 24 @ Cape Elizabeth, Oct. 4 @ Greely, Oct. 8 YORK, Oct. 10 YARMOUTH, Oct. 19 CAPE ELIZABETH
Coach’s comment: “We return 17 varsity players and added a few. I think we’ll be right there all year. I think we can beat anyone on a given day. If we play our game, hopefully we can accomplish even more than last year.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport did very well a year ago in Intraversato’s first season and even enjoyed a rare win over Yarmouth, but in the rematch in the playoffs, the Falcons fell a goal short. This year’s team is looking to make a deeper playoff run and the pieces are in place to do so.
The offense will be led by the prolific Gould, who scored 31 goals in 2018 and was named a league and regional all-star. Migliaccio is another reigning regional all-star, who will be a standout in the midfield. Wall, who was second on the team in goals scored last year with nine, Intraversato and Peterson are other offensive players to watch. The defensive unit is led by Brier, Gray and Thomas. Rusiecki returns in goal.
Junior Carly Intraversato is another top returner for Freeport.
Freeport is right in the mix this season with defending champion Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth and York. The Falcons will have their hands full getting the best of those squads, but if they enjoy some regular season success, they’ll be in position to go on a long playoff run.
FIELD HOCKEY
Coach: Marcia Wood (seventh year, 48-42-4 overall record)
2018 record: 13-3-1 (Lost, 1-0, to York in Class B South Final)
Top returning players: Rachel Harmon (Senior), Aynslie Decker (Junior), Amelia Farrin (Junior), Autumn Golding (Junior), Hannah Groves (Junior), Ally Randall (Junior), Sydney Silva (Junior), Rianna Tomm (Junior)
Junior Ally Randall will be a top scorer for Freeport’s field hockey team this season.
Pivotal games: Sept. 5 GREELY, Sept. 9 @ Fryeburg, Sept. 17 @ York, Sept. 19 FRYEBURG, Sept. 21 @ Yarmouth, Sept. 25 YORK, Oct. 1 @ Greely, Oct. 7 @ St. Dom’s, Oct. 16 YARMOUTH
Coach’s comment: “We might not have a dynamic player this year, but we still look good. It will be an adjustment. We scored a lot of goals last year. We may not score as many this year, but we’ll have to find a way to pull out wins. We need to work on being aggressive and unselfish. I want us to stay competitive and see what happens at the end.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport is coming off its best season in two decades, one that nearly resulted in a trip to the state final, but graduation hit hard, as Miss Maine Field Hockey finalist Alexa Koenig, All-State selection Kerry Lefebvre, scoring machine Natalie Anderson and league all-star Brooke Toothaker, among several others, have moved on to college. While there are a lot of new faces in new places, the Falcons should remain a top contender in Class B South.
There’s a lot of scoring to replace and Groves, Randall and new sophomore Kyla Havey will look to rattle the cage. Decker, Golding and Silva will also be heard from. Ferrin and Tomm are top midfielders. On defense, look for Harmon and junior Meredith Feller to set the tone in front of new goalie, senior Piper Sherbert, who is also the goalie in lacrosse. She replaces Katelyn Rouleau.
Freeport won’t have an easy time of it, thanks to a tough schedule, and the wins might not come as easily this year, but if the Falcons put it together as hoped, they’ll be one of the last teams standing yet again.
CROSS COUNTRY
Coach: Brian Berkemeyer (13th year, two state championships)
2018 results:
(Boys) 5th @ Class B state meet
(Girls) 7th @ Class B state meet
Top returners:
(Boys) Jeremy Brogan (Senior), Heath Cockburn (Senior), Nate Davis (Junior), Martin Horne (Junior), Raveen Panosian (Junior), Sam Robinson (Sophomore)
(Girls) Emma Abbott (Senior), Elsa Blease (Junior), Jane Dawson (Junior), Allison Brown (Sophomore)
Coach’s comment: “As always, the goal for both teams is to return to states. We have the talent to do that on both squads. Even though we lost Lily Horne, we have a solid core of girls and look to possibly surprise other teams. Martin Horne is one of the best boys’ runners in the state. We lost 12 seniors, but we have a strong freshman class. It will be interesting to see how we progress.”
The Forecaster’s forecast: Freeport has consistently been one of the top programs in Class B and that should continue this fall.
Junior Martin Horne will be one of the state’s top runners and will lead Freeport’s boys’ cross country team to big things.
The boys’ squad is led by Horne, who was the individual runner-up at last year’s state meet. He’ll be a New England-caliber runner again who will lead the way. Cockburn (36th) also scored a year ago and looks to move up. Brogan, Davis, Panosian and Robinson are veterans who will look to play a bigger role this autumn. Newcomers to watch include freshmen Alexander Dawson, Jack DiRusso, Henry Horne and Ian Moore. Expect big things from Martin Horne and if a solid pack forms behind him, big things from the rest of the Falcons as well. A seventh straight top five state meet finish could be the end result.
On the girls’ side, the loss to graduation of standout Lily Horne, last year’s individual runner-up, will be felt, but there’s talent in reserve. Brown (23rd), Blease (33rd), Dawson (34th) and Abbott (56th) all scored at last year’s state meet and will be the nucleus of this year’s squad. Senior Caitlin Keliher and freshman Jillian Wright are new to the team and add depth. If all goes well, Freeport could move up the standings when all is said and done.
Junior Elsa Blease is a top returner for Freeport’s girls’ cross country team.
GOLF
Coach: Jason Ouellette (first year)
2018 results: 8-1-1 (3rd @ Class B state match)
Top returners: Tom Robinson (Senior), Molly Whelan (Senior), TJ Whelan (Junior), Finn Sharpe (Sophomore)
The Forecaster’s forecast: The Freeport program is been an inspirational success story the past couple of seasons, not just becoming a contender, but posting a sparkling record and best-ever state match finish a year ago. This fall, the Falcons welcome a new coach and return several top players who figure to keep the program near the top.
TJ Whelan made the WMC all-star team and shot an 86 at the team state match last fall. Robinson (83 at states) also returns. Molly Whelan will be one of the state’s top female players. Sharpe also has varsity experience. The veterans are joined by senior Ian Capen and juniors Evan Avasti and Matt Kempf.
Freeport will have its hands full with the likes of Cape Elizabeth, Yarmouth and York in the league, but the Falcons have what it takes to keep the good times going. Another winning campaign and trip to states should be the end result.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
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