AUBURN – St. Dom’s might not have reaped any immediate gratification from stepping up a class-and-a-half to confront Western Class B boys’ basketball co-favorite Falmouth.

What Friday night’s 51-38 loss at Callahan Family Gym did for the Saints, however, was eliminate the February fear factor.

If St. Dom’s is fortunate enough to board a bus for the Augusta Civic Center during vacation week, there’s no earthly reason to shy away from Dirigo, Wiscasset, Boothbay, Winthrop or anyone else it might meet in the Class C regional quarterfinals.

“We played arguably the best team in (Western) Class B, and we competed,” said St. Dom’s coach Ryan Deschenes. “We made them work hard. We were within striking distance.”

St. Dom’s (8-6) led early and kept the game tied until midway through the second quarter, when Falmouth (12-1) hit the gas pedal and used a 12-2 surge to snag a 26-16 halftime lead.

Five different players scored for the Yachtsmen in the second-period push. Jack Wyman knocked down two 3-pointers and Sam Horning swished another to fuel a look-alike run to an 18-point lead at the end of three.

“We’ve had a long week of exams. We’re a little rusty,” said Falmouth coach David Halligan. “We play much better when we have a rhythm and a routine. We started off slow, then started to put some things together.”

Junior Stefano Mancini scored 14 points to lead the Yachtsmen, who feature only one senior in the seven-man rotation that played most of the game.

Wyman coupled 10 points with four assists. John Roberts added eight points and seven rebounds. Horning chipped in seven points and 12 boards – five courtesy of the offensive glass – and six steals.

“We’re proud of how proud we competed defensively. Our defense kept us in this game,” Deschenes said. “They can spread the floor for Mancini, and then if we double him, he’ll create for others. They have a lot of options.”

Freshman Peter Keaney led the Saints with 12 points. Aaron Allen chalked up 11 points and seven rebounds. D.J. St. Pierre registered eight points and six caroms.

Roberts’ back-to-back inside buckets broke a 14-14 deadlock. Mancini’s drive and Rogers’ swipe to set up a Horning hoop maintained the momentum while the Saints began a cold snap of more than seven minutes without a field goal.

By the time Keaney connected with 5:29 remaining in the third, Horning’s tip-in and Wyman’s first trey already had inflated Falmouth’s lead to 15.

“Our big guys started to play big. We started to share the ball,” Halligan said. “We started to make the extra pass and find the open man. That’s why they call it a team sport.”

St. Dom’s shot 8-for-27 from the field through the first three periods, committing 13 of their 15 turnovers in that time.

Seven straight points, punctuated by Chris Bryant’s 3-pointer, brought the Saints within 11 at 47-36 with 4:06 to play. Keaney’s two free throws with 3:10 left represented St. Dom’s final offensive stand.

“We have to come back (Saturday) night against NYA. That’s a good way to get back in it,” Deschenes said. “We’re pleased to be where we’re at right now. The goal is to be above .500 and get a home preliminary game. We need those Heal Points. Tonight would have been huge, but tomorrow’s the one we need to get.”