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 Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ basketball team was battling Greely and South Portland was busy stealing headlines (please see stories), Scarborough has struggled and its playoff quest is at a crossroads.

The Red Storm started 5-0 and 6-1 this year, but have lost five of six to drop to 7-6 (sixth in the Western Class A Heal Points). Only eight teams qualify in the region and several squads are right on its heels, so Scarborough still has plenty of work to do. The Red Storm beat visiting Sanford, 52-36, Saturday (senior Zach Bean had 16 points, classmate Kyle Kelley 15 and senior Jack Adams 11), but lost at Windham Tuesday, 71-59, despite 23 points from sophomore Dillon Russo. Scarborough visits Bonny Eagle Friday and plays host to Kennebunk Tuesday.

In Western D, Greater Portland Christian School was 1-10 and 14th in the Heals after recent losses at A.R. Gould (77-17) and visiting Islesboro (79-24). In the latter game, Ben Hammond had two-thirds of his team’s points (18). The Lions hosted Pine Tree Academy Wednesday, welcome Calvary Christian Saturday, go to Islesboro Monday and Buckfield Wednesday.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, while Cape Elizabeth was coming up just short versus Greely (please see story), Scarborough took a big step toward getting back in the playoff mix Tuesday with a 60-49 home win over Windham (junior Mo Hannan had 21 points, classmate Brittany Bona 16). That victory came on the heels of a 49-41 loss at Sanford Saturday. The Red Storm (3-9 and 10th in Western A, just fractions of a point out of the No. 9 spot, which would mean a playoff berth) host Bonny Eagle Friday and go to Kennebunk Tuesday.

“We’re competing,” said Scarborough coach Jim Seavey. “We need to learn how to win. It was the same way with last year’s senior class. When that happens, we’ll take off again. I like to think a year from now, we’ll be right back in the thick of things. Knock on wood, we’ll get (injured Carly Rogers) back 100 percent. Not to make excuses, if we had her this year, we’d probably be 9-3 and not 3-9. I think 8-10 will get us in. Maybe 7-11, depending. We have to grab two out of three of those. I have a good feeling.”

South Portland continues to impress. The Red Riots are now 9-4 and seventh in the standings after holding off visiting Portland (63-54) last Wednesday, rolling at Kennebunk (51-23) Monday and downing talented host Gorham (53-47) Tuesday. Against the Bulldogs, senior Abby Hasson erupted for 31 points. Hasson had 14 points and junior Haley McCracken 10 versus Kennebunk. Senior Danielle DiBiase had 14 points and Hasson and sophomore Danica Gleason 11 apiece against Gorham. South Portland goes to Cheverus for a pivotal game Friday and welcomes Bonny Eagle Tuesday.

In Western D, GPCS is 6-4 and fifth in the standings. The Lions defeated visiting Islesboro, 38-17, Monday (Liz Garland had 11 points), then lost, 52-39, at Waynflete Tuesday, despite dominating early. Suzanne Gonzalez had 20 points in defeat. GPCS hosted Pine Tree Academy Wednesday, welcomes Calvary Christian Saturday, goes to Islesboro Monday, Hebron Tuesday and Buckfield Wednesday.

Boys’ hockey

Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ hockey team continues to soar. The Capers lost their first three games this season, but since have gone 8-1, capped by a pair of overtime wins. Saturday, Cape Elizabeth rallied from a 2-0 deficit, blew a 3-2 lead, then pulled out a 4-3 victory against Kennebunk when sophomore Chris Grennon scored with five seconds left in OT. Grennon knocked home senior Vinny Dell’Aquila’s rebound. Juniors Nick Breed and Donald Clark and sophomore Brandon Negele also scored.

“I just poked it in,” Grennon said, of his game winner. “It was really Vinny that did all the work. I just put it away.”

“We weren’t very happy after the first period,” added Capers’ first-year coach Bill Leblond. “I left it up to the captains to get the team ready (for the second period). They did come through a bit.”

Cape Elizabeth  improved to 8-4 (and third in the Western B Heals) Monday with a 5-4 overtime home win over Winslow. Dell’Aquila delivered the winner after the Capers erased a three-goal deficit in the third period. Breed tied the game with just over three minutes to play. The Capers hosted Leavitt Thursday and welcome top-ranked Greely Tuesday.

In Western A, South Portland is up to second behind defending state champion Biddeford in the Heals. The Red Riots won, 4-1, at Portland last Thursday to even their mark at 4-4-1.

South Portland led, 1-0, after two periods, but its coach wasn’t impressed.

“I went (into the locker room) and I said the first half hour of the game is the worst half hour I’ve seen you guys play in a long time,” coach Joe Robinson said. “I went in there and yelled at them a little bit.”

Josh Cobb, Tommy Ellis and Zach Griffin had goals to put the game away.

“In all honesty, that third period is the best period we’ve played all season,” Robinson said. “We went from the two worst periods to the best.”

The Red Riots were at Scarborough Thursday (see theforecaster.net for game story) and host Kennebunk Saturday.

The Red Storm have some work to do to make the playoffs. They were 10th in Western A (where just eight teams qualify) at the middle of the week with a 2-6 mark following a 5-0 loss at Thornton Academy Saturday. Scarborough was at Kennebunk for a makeup game Wednesday, hosted South Portland Thursday and welcomes Edward Little Saturday.

Girls’ hockey

On the girls’ side, Scarborough is closing in on the top seed for the upcoming playoffs. The Red Storm eked out a 1-0 home win over Greely Saturday on junior standout Abby Rutt’s overtime goal. Monday, Scarborough lost to visiting St. Dom’s, 3-2, in a possible preview of the state final (despite goals from Rutt and freshman Rachel Wallace), to drop to 11-2-2 (but still first in the West region Heals). The Red Storm visited Edward Little/Leavitt Thursday, host York Tuesday, then close the regular season at St. Dom’s Feb. 5.

Cape Elizabeth’s co-op team with Waynflete was 3-10 and seventh in the West after a 6-3 home win over Brunswick Saturday. Junior Hannah Dineen had five goals. The Capers were home against Cheverus Wednesday and at Falmouth Thursday, host Gorham Saturday and Portland next Wednesday before finishing the season with a home game versus Biddeford Feb. 5.

Track

Indoor track and field action continued Saturday in Gorham and Portland.

At USM, Cape Elizabeth joined Falmouth, Fryeburg, Greely, Lake Region, NYA and Yarmouth. Both teams came in third as the Yachtsmen won the boys’ meet Rangers took the girls’. The lone boys’ event winner was Deven Roberts in the junior high jump (5 feet, 6 inches). For the girls, Hannah Newhall won the pole vault (8 feet) and the junior 55 (7.91 seconds), Rachel Nichols took the 800 (2 minutes, 28.7 seconds), Kelsey Barton was first in the two-mile (12:16.67) and the open relay was first in 10:55.37. Friday, Cape Elizabeth meets up with Gray-New Gloucester, Greely, NYA, Wells and Yarmouth.

At the Expo, Scarborough’s boys continued their surge, tallying 125 points to defeat Cheverus (44) and Thornton Academy (28). Greg Messer won the junior 40 (5 seconds). Merrick Madden was first in the junior 400 (58.8). Robert Hall took the junior 800 (2:25.4). Alec James was the winner of the junior 45 hurdles (6.4). In the senior division, John Gonzalez took the 40 (4.8), Joe Viola the 200 (25.2), Nick Morris the 400 (55.6), Zach Brown the 800 (2:19.7) and Orin James the 45 hurdles (6.3) and open high jump (5-10). Scott Merrill won the open 300 (36.2), Tom Hague the open 600 (1:23.5),   Scarborough also won the junior (1:08.7), senior (2:21.5) and open (1:42.4) relays.

The Red Storm girls had 76 points and were second to Thornton Academy (96), but beat Cheverus (28). Winners included Nicole Kirk in the senior 40 (5.5) and senior 200 (29.5), Emelia Scheemaker in the open 300 (42.6), Emily Tolman in the open 600 (1:32.9) and Morgan Rodway in the junior 40 (5.6). The Red Storm won the junior (2:00.20) and senior (1:57.7) relays.

South Portland’s boys and girls defeated Massabesic, Noble and Windham.

The boys had 163 points to dominate by over 100 points over the runner-up Knights (57).The Red Riots got wins from Joseph Zelasko in the junior shot put (36-7), Matt Welch in the senior shot put (42-1), John Wilkinson in the mile (5:00.7), Joseph Feely in the junior 45 hurdles (7 seconds) and the 600 (1:36.2), Adrian Reid in the senior 40 (4.7) and the 300 (37.3), Daniel Grazewski in the senior 200 (26.3), Daniel Medici in the senior 400 (59.2), Austin Gotts in the junior 800 (2:20.4), Thomas Salamone in the senior 800 (2:14.00) and the senior (2:30.5) and open (1:41.5) relay teams.

The girls finished with 114.5 points. Massabesic (66) was second. Event winners included Ericka Lightner in the junior shot put (25-5) and junior 45 hurdles (6.9), Sophia Desjardins in the junior 40 (5.5) and junior 200 (30.1), Bridget Mulligan in the 600 (1:47.4) and junior 800 (2:56.4), Clara Ellis in the 300 (42.9), Angela Tirabassi in the junior 400 (1:08.4),  Annelise Donahue in the senior 800 (2:44.5) and the junior relay team (2 minutes even).

Saturday, Scarborough faces Noble and Portland, while South Portland meets Bonny Eagle and Gorham.

Swimming

In recent swimming action, Cape Elizabeth’s girls beat McAuley Monday, 106-70. The Capers host Falmouth Friday.

Scarborough hosted Westbrook Tuesday and swept the Blue Blazes, with the boys prevailing, 86-49, and the girls winning, 96-75.

South Portland was at defending Class B champion Greely Tuesday. The boys lost, 60-34. The girls went down to a 59-35 defeat.

At the Falmouth Diving Invitational Saturday, Cape Elizabeth’s Kevin Flathers had an 11-dive score of 284.60 points to finish runner-up to Thornton Academy’s Tyler Goulden (299.70). South Portland’s Keith Carmichael placed sixth (231.35). On the girls’ side, South Portland’s Emma Tremblay came in 11th (197.00) and Cape Elizabeth’s Tara Pinette was 12th (185.35). Falmouth’s Nicola Mancini won the competition with a score of 375.35.

Skiing

Cape Elizabeth’s Nordic ski teams took part in the Maranacook Wave race Saturday.

The girls had 89 points to come in fourth behind Gould (21), Yarmouth (30) and Leavitt (70). Lexi Weatherbie (13th, 18 minutes, 59 seconds) was the fastest Caper.

The boys (194 points) placed 10th. Yarmouth (42) was first. James Yokabaskas (11th, 15:45) was the top individual.

Wrestling

In the latest SMAA wrestling weight class standings, Scarborough’s Mike Cyr (10-1 on the season) is first at 215-pounds.

The Red Storm were at Sanford Wednesday and host Biddeford, Westbrook and Windham Saturday.

Freelance writer Keith Wehmeyer contributed to this story

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

Sidebar Elements

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Cape Elizabeth junior Nick Breed tries to tuck the puck around the Kennebunk goalie to no avail Saturday. The Capers had the last laugh, however, eking out a 4-3 overtime win.

Cape Elizabeth junior Austin Shields races up-ice Saturday during the Capers’ win.