FALMOUTH – For the past several years, Yarmouth has been the standard most boys’ lacrosse programs use to measure themselves.

That hasn’t changed.

Turning back a challenge from Falmouth, the Clippers played tough defense to eke out a 7-4 win Friday in a Western Maine Conference game.

Yarmouth, the two-time defending Class B state champions, limited the Yachtsmen to one goal over the final 30 minutes to run their record to 3-0.

“They’re the best team in the state right now, and you’ve got to knock them off in order to get real respect,” Falmouth Coach Mike LeBel said. “Until that happens, you just got to keep working.”

In 10 years of varsity competition, the Yachtsmen (2-1) have never beaten the Clippers.

Falmouth had a difficult time moving the ball through Yarmouth’s defense.

“They play a high-intensity, man-to-man pressure defense that caught us off guard,” LeBel said. “They were on us, and we just didn’t handle that appropriately.”

Josh Britten, a Yarmouth defender, said, “We just got in on their hands and forced them to make bad passes, make them drop the ball and just picked up the ball and (went).”

Still, it was a very close game.

“It was a great early season test,” Yarmouth Coach Craig Curry said. “They’ve obviously a very good team. It was a 50-50 game.”

The Clippers held a narrow 21-17 edge in shots.

The score was tied 3-3 at halftime. Yarmouth took the lead for good 7:38 into the third quarter when Stephen Petrovek put in a low rocket from 15 yards.

About two minutes later, the Yachtsmen managed to apply some pressure at the end of the field, but goalie Cam Woodworth, who had 13 saves, made back-to-back stops on Mitchell Tapley and Nick Bachman.

With 1:04 left in the third quarter, A.J. Oliver, a long-stick defender, stole the ball to set up Petrovek with a fast-break goal.

Petrovek, who also had an assist, and Evan Henry led Clippers with three goals each. Mike Johnson stuck in a fast-break goal with 20 seconds left to complete the scoring for Yarmouth.

Mike Kane scored two goals for Falmouth. Zach Alexander and Will Sippery each added a goal. Cam Bell made 14 saves.

“Even though we lost, it’s a great confidence builder,” LeBel said. “The great thing about this is we’re going to be able to identify early in the season what our strengths are, what our weaknesses are and then we can devote our practices to strengthening those weaknesses.”

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at:

pbetit@pressherald.com