Dave Halligan. File photo.

BOYS’ TEAM

DAVE HALLIGAN–FALMOUTH SOCCER

Entering the season, Halligan had accomplished everything a coach could dream of during his illustrious career.

With one exception.

And now, after leading Falmouth to its first Class A state championship and 12th Gold Ball, he truly has accomplished it all and with that in mind, The Forecaster is naming Dave Halligan our Northern edition boys’ team Fall Coach of the Year.

Halligan also was recognized in 2003, 2006 and 2012 for soccer and in 2016 for basketball.

Halligan grew up in Falmouth, played soccer, basketball and baseball at Falmouth High and after attending the University of Southern Maine and the University of Maine and coaching in Cape Elizabeth and Portland, he came home in 1987 to coach and the rest has been triumphant history.

Halligan turned the Yachtsmen into the state’s premier power, winning a whopping 11 titles (two in Class C and nine in Class B) between 1996-2012. Falmouth then made the move to Class A and while consistently competitive, the Yachtsmen hadn’t been able to advance beyond the semifinal round.

This season, Falmouth wasn’t viewed as the favorite, but as the season progressed, the Yachtsmen proved they could play with everybody, losing only to South Portland and Portland by one goal apiece and tying Kennebunk, while winning every other game.

As the No. 2 seed in Class A South, Falmouth handled Kennebunk in the quarterfinals and blanked Scarborough in the semifinals. The Yachtsmen then held off defending regional champion Gorham to get to the state final, where they shocked defending champion Lewiston with surprising ease, 5-2.

“We’d been competitive transitioning to Class A, but every team is good,” Halligan said. “The kids were persistent all year. They kept working.”

Halligan, who has now won 396 games as the Yachtsmen’s soccer coach, will look for his seventh basketball championship this winter (he has 522 victories in that sport) and will soon eclipse the 1,000-victory mark combined.

If you take into consideration his longevity and resume, it’s clear that Dave Halligan, our Northern edition boys’ team Fall Coach of the Year, simply has no peer.

Prior winners:

2018 Martyn Keen (NYA soccer)

2017 Mike Hagerty (Yarmouth soccer)

2016 Paul St. Pierre (Freeport football)

2015 David Higgins (Greely football)

2014 Brian Berkemeyer (Freeport cross country)

2013 Mike Andreasen (Greely soccer)

2012 Dave Halligan (Falmouth soccer)

2011 Spike Herrick (Falmouth golf)

2010 David Higgins (Greely football)

2009 Jim Hartman (Yarmouth football)

2008 Mike Hagerty (Yarmouth soccer)

2007 Mike Andreasen (Greely soccer)

2006 Dave Halligan (Falmouth soccer)

2005 Joe Heathco (Freeport soccer)

2004 Mike Hagerty (Yarmouth soccer)

2003 Dave Halligan (Falmouth soccer)

2002 Bob Gilman (Falmouth cross country)

2001 Mark Luthe (Falmouth golf)

Jim Senecal. File photo.

GIRLS’ TEAM

JIM SENECAL-YARMOUTH VOLLEYBALL

Yarmouth’s volleyball team remained atop the Class B heap this fall and it doesn’t appear there’s any end in sight for the Clippers’ dominance, as the program has established itself as consistent and excellent as any around.

A big reason for that is the man at the helm, who has created and perpetuated a powerhouse and for doing that very thing, Jim Senecal is The Forecaster’s selection for our Northern edition Fall Coach of the Year, of a girls’ team.

Senecal was also selected in 2011.

When Senecal inherited the Clippers’ volleyball program in 2007, there were eight kids on the roster, but undaunted, Senecal (who had to learn the sport on the fly), with the help of assistant coach Mike Reutty, grew the team and the Clippers became a playoff regular.

Yarmouth won Class B championships in 2011, 2013, 2014 and again in 2018 in a five-set thriller over Cape Elizabeth. The Clippers wore the bulls-eye this autumn, but other than an Opening Night loss to eventual Class A champion Falmouth, they didn’t miss a beat. Yarmouth was at its best in the playoffs, winning all three matches by 3-0 scores and the Clippers capped their run by surprisingly blanking Cape Elizabeth to capture the Gold Ball.

“This one is sweet,” Senecal said. “Most of our starters are back, so we should be strong next year as well.”

And that is bad news for the rest of the state. Indeed, as long as Jim Senecal, our Northern edition girls’ team Fall Coach of the Year, is leading the Yarmouth program, expect triumphant endings to result.

Prior winners:

2018 Marcia Wood (Freeport field hockey)

2017 Chris Coleman (Yarmouth soccer)

2016 Nora Krainis (NYA volleyball)

2015 Bob Morse (Yarmouth cross country)

2014 Tracy Quimby (NYA field hockey)

2013 Gary Powers (Falmouth volleyball)

2012 Kelvin Hasch (Greely volleyball)

2011 Jim Senecal (Yarmouth volleyball)

2010 Rich Smith (Yarmouth soccer)

2009 Gary Powers (Falmouth volleyball)

2008 Julia Littlefield (NYA field hockey)

2007 Jeff Thoreck (NYA soccer)

2006 Kelvin Hasch (Greely volleyball)

2005 Cathy McGuire (Freeport cross country)

2004 Robin Haley (Falmouth field hockey)

2003 Robyn Thayer (Greely field hockey)

2002 Bob Morse (Yarmouth cross country)

2001 Melissa Anderson (Falmouth soccer)

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