Although two days of games were lost to snow, there was plenty of drama in the last week. As we draw nearer to the playoffs, locals are making noise in several sports. Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ basketball

While Yarmouth and Freeport’s boys’ basketball teams did battle Friday (please see story), Greely has hit its stride and lived up to its preseason billing as one of the teams to beat in Western Class B and is now first in the Heal Points standings despite not playing a game last week. The Rangers (10-1) were supposed to host Lake Region Friday, but that game was postponed due to snow and moved to Saturday, First, Greely went to nemesis Cape Elizabeth (the lone team to beat the Rangers this year) for a showdown Tuesday (see theforecaster.net for the game story) and plays at rival Falmouth Friday. Next Tuesday, Greely goes to Fryeburg.

Defending state champion Falmouth wouldn’t be in the playoffs if they began today. The Yachtsmen started the week 6-5 and 11th in the region, but just nine teams qualify for the postseason. Falmouth snapped a stretch of four losses in five games Saturday with a 58-35 home win over Fryeburg Saturday. Junior Jack Cooleen led the way with 17 points. Junior Matt Packard added nine. The Yachtsmen were home against Yarmouth Tuesday, host Greely Friday, go to Poland Tuesday of next week and York the night after.

In Western C, North Yarmouth Academy split a pair of games last week and is now 4-7 (16th in the Heals). The Panthers downed visiting Hyde, 60-17, last Wednesday (junior Asad Dahia scored 19 points and senior Mohamed Dahia added 10), then lost, 38-36, at Gould Saturday (senior Andrew Esancy had a team-high 12 points, while Asad Dahia finished with 11). NYA hosted Freeport Tuesday, welcomes Waynflete Friday and goes to Old Orchard Beach Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, Yarmouth and Freeport also squared off Friday night (please see story).

Elsewhere, Greely is now 9-2 and fourth in the Western B Heals. The Rangers entered Tuesday’s game at Cape Elizabeth having been idle for eight days. They visit Falmouth Friday, have a makeup game at Lake Region Saturday, then host Fryeburg Tuesday of next week.

Falmouth, at 6-4, is in a battle for a playoff spot. The Yachtsmen began the week in the 10th spot, but only nine teams qualify. Saturday, Falmouth snapped a two-game skid with a 45-23 triumph at Fryeburg. Junior Jackie Doyle had 11 points and classmate Jenna Serunian added 10. The Yachtsmen hosted Yarmouth Tuesday, welcome Greely Friday, Poland Tuesday and York Wednesday.

In Western C, NYA was 5-6 and 16th in the Heals when the week started. The Panthers lost at Hyde (50-44) and beat host Kents Hill (48-33) in recent action. Against the Phoenix, senior Blair Haggett led the way with 16 points and junior Morgan Scully added 10. In the victory, Haggett had 12 points and senior Eliza Gendron and sophomore Mallory Ianno nine each. NYA went to Freeport Tuesday, plays at Waynflete Friday and Hebron Saturday, then hosts Old Orchard Beach Tuesday of next week.

Boys’ hockey

Greely’s boys’ hockey team remains the class of Western Class B, but the Rangers’ schedule is about to get much tougher. Greely dispatched Camden, 5-1, Saturday night to improve to 9-0-1, rallying from an early 1-0 deficit behind goals from junior Nester Taylor, sophomore Erik Rost, senior John Downey, freshman Ted Hart and senior Justin Murphy. The Rangers (first in the Heals) hosts longtime rival York, the defending regional champion, Thursday, then welcomes defending Class A champion Biddeford Saturday. Tuesday, Greely visits another top regional rival, Cape Elizabeth.

Yarmouth has now won four in a row to improve to 8-4, good for the fourth spot in the Heals, which would give the Clippers the last spot if the playoffs began today. The most recent wins were 7-4 over visiting Leavitt Saturday (junior Alex Kurtz scored four times, junior Eamon Costello, freshman Max Watson and Nick Madrid all had one goal) and 7-0 over visiting Westbrook Monday (Kurtz scored twice as Yarmouth raced to a 6-0 lead after one period).

“Two weeks ago, we called this our ‘microseason,'” said Yarmouth coach Marc Halsted. “Four home games we believed we should win. We didn’t think it would be easy, but we went out and took care of Lake Region/Fryeburg, Gardiner, which was playing for its playoff life, Leavitt and Westbrook. We did it the right way. We jumped out 6-1 on Leavitt, 6-0 here. It’s the way we’ve played I’m most happy about.”

The Clippers have a game at Camden, then the schedule gets really tough, featuring two games with Greely, a visit to York and a trip to Leavitt.

“Now we go to Camden, which we love, but they’ll be tough since they just got their best player back,” Halsted said. “In a good world, we’ll get ourselves to nine or 10 wins. If we really want to get to third place, we have to beat Greely or York and make a statement. Right now, we’re still the little brother. We need to prove we can play with the big boys.”

In Western A, Falmouth has now won three straight, capped by a 5-2 victory at Portland Saturday. Senior Matt MacDowell and sophomore Kris Samaras both scored twice. The Yachtsmen improved to 4-3-2 (eighth in the Heals). They were at St. Dom’s Wednesday and host Portland Saturday.

Girls’ hockey

On the girls’ side, Greely is 8-3-1 and third in the East region after a gutwrenching 1-0 overtime loss at Scarborough Saturday. Junior goalie Emma Seymour made 16 saves. The Rangers hosted top-ranked St. Dom’s in a pivotal affair Wednesday, go to Leavitt Saturday and welcome Brunswick next Wednesday.

Yarmouth fell to 3-10 and seventh in the East after Monday’s 7-0 home loss to York. The Clippers are at Portland Wednesday and play host to Lewiston Saturday.

In the West, Falmouth began the week 6-8 and clinging to the No. 4 spot in the Heals (four teams make the playoffs). The Yachtsmen suffered their second consecutive 1-0 loss Saturday at Winslow, despite 23 saves from senior goalie Jen Greene. Falmouth is home against Cape Elizabeth Thursday and goes to defending state champion Cheverus Saturday.

In NYA’s lone reported action last week, the Panthers downed visiting Hebron, 2-0, behind goals from Megan Fortier and Molly Strabley. Caroline Bowne added an assist. Mariah Farrell stopped 21 shots. NYA is home against New Hampton School Saturday at 4 p.m.

Track

Falmouth, Greely, NYA and Yarmouth’s indoor track teams met up with Cape Elizabeth, Fryeburg and Lake Region Saturday.

The boys’ meet was won by Falmouth with 178 points. Greely (153) came in second, Yarmouth (39) was fifth and NYA (37) sixth.

Individually, the Yachtsmen got wins from Jacob Buhelt in the junior 55 (6.96 seconds) and the junior 400 (57.67), Will Wegener in the senior 55 (6.86) and the senior 400 (54.27), Henry Briggs in the mile (4 minutes, 47.94 seconds), Thomas Edmunds in the 800 (2:07.46) and their senior relay team (1:38.59).

The Rangers featured event winners Michael Burgess in the senior shot put (53 feet, 3 inches), Matt Davis in the pole vault (10-9), Sam Mason in the long jump (19-6.5), Ben Giffard in the triple jump (37-3.75), Austin Spencer in the senior 55 hurdles (9.21), Jacob Isaacson in the junior 200 (26.06), Sam Mason in the senior 200 (24.22) and its junior relay (1:45.67).

The Clippers had Nik Pelletier win the junior shot put (36-7.75) and Lucas Davis take the senior high jump (5-8).

For the Panthers, Jake Burns took the junior 55 hurdles (9.72).

Greely was tops on the girls’ side, tallying 204 points. Falmouth (126) placed second, NYA (43) sixth and Yarmouth (19) seventh

Individually, for the Rangers, Cassidy Storey won the junior shot put (32-6),Molly Fitzpatrick was first in the long jump (15-7.75) and junior 200 (28.73), Meaghan Crowley took the triple jump (32-6.5), Kaley Sawyer won the junior 55 hurdles (10.07), Kirstin Sandreuter was first in the mile (5:32.72) and Jessica Wilson took the junior 400 (1:03.05). Greely also captured the junior relay (1:56.68).

For the Yachtsmen, Kate Sparks won the senior shot put (36-1.75) and the senior relay squad was first in 1:54.66.

The Clippers got a win from Jocelyn Davies in the senior high jump (4-6).

The Panthers top finishers were Moira Lachance, runner-up in the senior high jump (4-4), and Sasha McLean, second in the senior 400 (1:08.97).

Freeport faced Gray-New Gloucester, Poland, Traip, Wells and York. The Falcons boys had 58 points to come in third behind York (329.5) and Gray-New Gloucester (134). Zach Greene won the senior 400 (55.59). The girls had 22 points and were sixth (York was first with 167).

Friday, at USM, Falmouth and Freeport meet up with Fryeburg, Lake Region, Poland, Traip and  York, while Greely, NYA and Yarmouth do battle against Cape Elizabeth, Gray-New Gloucester and Wells.

Swimming

Friday’s scheduled swim meets (Cheverus at Falmouth, South Portland at Greely and Yarmouth at Windham were postponed).

NYA joined Waynflete at Kennebunk Saturday. The Panthers girls lost 61-24 to Waynflete.

Greely hosted South Portland in a rescheduled meet Wednesday, NYA goes to Yarmouth Thursday and Falmouth is at Cape Elizabeth Friday.

At Saturday’s Falmouth Diving Invitational, Falmouth’s Nicola Mancini won the girls’ title with an 11-dive score of 375.35. Teammates Evie Perry and Bri Esposito came in third (288.80) and sixth (258.40) respectively. In the boys’ competition, won by Thornton Academy’s Tyler Goulden (299.70), Falmouth’s Ryan Conley placed third (266.25) and Greely’s Isaak Emery came in 12th (158.60).

Skiing

Several local teams took part in the Nordic ski Maranacook Wave race Saturday. Yarmouth won the boys’ meet with 42 points. NYA (62) was third, Freeport (64) fourth and Greely (171) eighth out of 23 scoring teams. Individually, NYA’s Cam Regan had the best finish, placing fifth in 14 minutes, 59 seconds. Greely’s Connor Regan was sixth (15:12), Yarmouth’s Jack Elder seventh (15:27) and Freeport’s Scott Ross 10th (15:42).

On the girls’ side, Yarmouth’s 30 points left it second to Gould Academy (21). Freeport (200) came in 10th, Greely (259) finished 16th out of 20 scoring teams. Individually, the top local finisher was Yarmouth’s Tara Humphries (fifth, 17:57).

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net