Cross Country
Sept. 1 Greely, OOB, Sacopee Valley, York 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 9 @ St. Dom (Cape Elizabeth) 4:30 p.m.
Sept. 16 Falmouth, Lake Region, Wells 4 p.m.
Sept. 24 Manchester Invitational TBD
Sept. 30 @ York (Traip, Wells) 4:30 p.m.
Oct. 7 @ Greely (G-NG, Waynflete, Falmouth; at Twin Brook) 4 p.m.
Oct. 14 WMCs (at St. Joe’s) 3 p.m.
Oct. 22 Regionals (at Twin Brook) 11 a.m.
Oct. 29 States (at Troy Howard Middle School in Belfast) 11 a.m

Coach: Brian Berkemeyer
Last year’s record: Boys first at Regionals, first at States; girls fifth at Regionals, sixth at States
Key athletes: Henry Jaques (sr.), Evan Donald (sr.), Bennett Hight (sr.), John Smail (sr.), Yacob Olins (sr.), Laura Pierce (sr.), Olivia Botting (sr.), Tom Doyle (jr.), Caroline Stairs (jr.), Maggie Murray (jr.), Alex Les (so.), Paul Biberstein (so.), Lily Horne (so.), Katie Morrissey (so.), Jeremy Brogan (fr.), Heath Cockburn (fr.), Emily Sclar (fr.)
Key matchups: Yarmouth, Falmouth, York
Outlook: The Gentlemen Falcons again look to be in the mix. Jaques was last year’s State No. 2, while Les was among the field’s best ninth-graders. Of course, two runners don’t a championship squad make: “As we all know, it takes five quality runners and sometimes seven,” Berkemeyer says. “We have a strong freshman group of boys this year. With 24 boys on the team, it will be interesting to see who steps up. We hope to contend at the State meet.” The Lady Falcons, meanwhile, are young. The 17-strong roster features just two seniors. Still, Berkemeyer is optimistic: “We look to return to the State meet and improve on last year’s performance,” he says.

Field Hockey
Aug. 31 G-NG 4 p.m.
Sept. 6 @ Cape Elizabeth 5 p.m.
Sept. 10 @ NYA 10 a.m.
Sept. 12 Kennebunk 4 p.m.
Sept. 14 Lake Region 4 p.m.
Sept. 17 Poland 11 a.m.
Sept. 20 @ G-NG 4 p.m.
Sept. 22 Yarmouth 4 p.m.
Sept. 24 @ York 11 a.m.
Sept. 28 @ Yarmouth 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 30 Falmouth 4 p.m.
Oct. 4 Cape Elizabeth 4 p.m.
Oct. 6 @ Fryeburg 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 8 @ Greely 10 a.m.

Coach: Marcia Wood
Last year’s record: 6-9, fell to G-NG in postseason prelim
Key players: Megan Seymour (sr., G); Maya Bradbury (jr., F); Lauren Schenker (jr., F); Izzy Masison (jr., D); Alexa Koenig (so., F)
Key games: York, Yarmouth, Kennebunk
Outlook: “This year, we’re looking for more,” says Wood. “We had a lot of one-goal games last year that didn’t go in our favor, and this year they need to. I think the girls are motivated enough to do this.” Among those narrow losses was the Falcons’ defeat at G-NG in the first round of the playoffs, a 3-2 heartbreaker in double-OT. The memory of that result will no doubt continue to haunt the team’s returners, of whom there are many. “We only graduated four,” says Wood, “and we have our entire forward line back.” Koenig was the team’s second-leading scorer, and she, Bradbury and Schenker should threaten effectively in the circle. Masison will anchor the defense, while Seymour takes to the cage for her first full season at keeper.

Football
Sept. 3 Poland 1:30 p.m.
Sept. 9 @ Wells 7 p.m.
Sept. 17 G-NG 2:30 p.m.
Sept. 23 @ Cape Elizabeth 7 p.m.
Sept. 30 @ Fryeburg 4 p.m.
Oct. 8 Mountain Valley 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 15 Lake Region 1:30 p.m.
Oct. 21 @ Yarmouth 7 p.m.

Coach: Paul St. Pierre
Last year’s record: 0-8
Key players: Josh Burke (QB/LB), TJ Morrill (WB/SS), Max Doughty (RB/DB), Cody Vachon (RB/DB), Tucker Ginn (T/DT), Connor Dostie (TE/LB)
Outlook: St. Pierre, in his second year, is optimistic. “Outlook is positive,” he says. “We have 12 seniors on a 30-man roster. The team had a successful  seven-on-seven summer season and look to build on the experience. Our goal is to be competitive in every game and look to improve on a weekly basis. We look forward to showing our improvement on Sept. 3, at home vs. Poland at 1:30 PM.” Expect the unexpected with this squad, who looked very much on the upswing at times last fall, and who will surely be sharper this go-round.

Golf (Freeport’s home course is Freeport Country Club)
Aug. 30 @ OOB (Cape Elizabeth; at Dunegrass) 3:30 p.m.
Aug. 31 Fryeburg 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 6 @ Yarmouth (York) 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 8 @ Sacopee Valley (Wells) 4 p.m.
Sept. 14 NYA 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 20 St. Dom 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 26 WMC Girls Qualifier (at Willowdale) 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 27 @ Poland (at Poland Springs) 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 28 @ G-NG (Lake Region; at Springs Meadow) 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 8 Team States (at Natanis/Tomahawk) 10 a.m.
Oct. 15 Individual States (at Natanis/Tomahawk) 10 a.m

Coach: Peter Tilton
Last year’s record: 4-9
Key players: Ethan Sclar, Sullivan Smith, Steele Young, Liam Gould
Key matchups: Yarmouth, NYA, Cape Elizabeth
Outlook: “We’re strong at numbers one and two,” says Tilton, “but inexperienced otherwise. We’ll seek to improve with every match.”

Boys Soccer
Sept. 2 NYA 10 a.m.
Sept. 6 Fryeburg 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 10 Wells 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 15 @ Kennebunk 6 p.m.
Sept. 20 G-NG 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 22 @ Fryeburg 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 24 @ Traip 10 a.m.
Sept. 27 Poland 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 @ Falmouth 7 p.m.
Oct. 1 Waynflete 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 @ Poland 4:15 p.m.
Oct. 7 York 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 11 @ Cape Elizabeth 6 p.m.
Oct. 13 @ Yarmouth 6 p.m.

Coach: Joe Heathco
Last year’s record: 4-9-2, fell to Cape Elizabeth in playoffs first round
Key players: Josh Spaulding, Joe Burke, Evan McKittrick, Max Heatcho, Joe Ashby, Eric Pelletier
Key games: NYA, Wells, Fryeburg, Poland, G-NG
Outlook: The Falcons started slow in 2015, but accelerated a bit as the season went on, and finished the fall playing a brilliant match vs. perennial powerhouses Cape Elizabeth. Freeport lost that bout 2-1 in OT, but hope to pick up this year where they left off. “We’re looking to start the season with a faster start,” says Heathco, “hosting NYA in the McDougall Cup and building off some early success with highly organized play.” The team lost some critical players to graduation in June, but Heathco is excited about his returning roster. “We have a very tight-knit unit,” he says. “The five seniors showed terrific leadership this preseason. There are a lot of newcomers to the varsity roster, but lots of athletic ability, speed and endurance. We feel we can be better as a team than as a collection of individuals and hope to parlay that unity into many good results … We intend to compete at a high level in the league this season and enter the tournament playing with energy, enthusiasm and excellence.”

Girls Soccer
Sept. 6 @ Fryeburg 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 10 @ Traip 10 a.m.
Sept. 15 Kennebunk 3:30 p.m.
Sept. 17 Wells 11 a.m.
Sept. 20 @ G-NG 6 p.m.
Sept. 24 @ St. Dom 11 a.m.
Sept. 27 @ Lake Region 6:30 p.m.
Sept. 29 Falmouth 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 1 @ Waynflete 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 4 Poland 3:30 p.m.
Oct. 6 @ York 6 p.m.
Oct. 8 Sacopee Valley 10 a.m.
Oct. 11 Cape Elizabeth 3:30 p.m.
oct. 13 Lake Region 3:30 p.m.

Coach: Elayna Girardin
Last year’s record: 3-9-2
Key players: Emily Latulippe (sr., D); Jessie Gray (sr., M); Jordan Randall (sr., S); Becca Cameron (jr., M)
Key games: Fryeburg, Traip, Kennebunk
Outlook: “The first few games of the season are key,” Girardin says. “If we start the season strong and make a statement early, the team will move forward in a confident manner. I believe this will set us up for success the rest of the season.”

Freeporter Evan McKittrick returns to the field for the Falcons this fall.

Freeport’s Becca Cameron should figure prominently into the team’s midfield this autumn.

Freeport’s Maya Bradbury takes to the field again for the Falcons this autumn.

Henry Jaques will front the Falcons’ attack on the trails this fall.