South Portland junior Eva Mazur goes up for a shot in traffic during the Red Riots’ 51-44 win over Cheverus Saturday.

Cape Elizabeth’s Peyton Weatherbie takes a shot during Saturday’s 5-4 overtime loss to Cheverus.

Scarborough’s Edie Christian competes in the pole vault at last week’s league meet. Christian cleared 9 feet and finished second. The Red Storm came in first as a team.

(Ed. Note: For the complete South Portland-Cheverus girls’ basketball and Cape Elizabeth-Cheverus boys’ hockey game stories, with photos, see theforecaster.net)

The winter sports regular season is winding down and there’s a lot of excitement on the horizon.

It’s never too early to see where teams stand in their playoff/tournament quests.

Here’s a glimpse at what happened last week and what’s to come:

Boys’ basketball

South Portland’s defending Class AA South champion boys’ basketball team improved to 12-3 and first in the Heal Points standings after recent home wins over defending Class A state champion Falmouth (68-60), Massabesic (67-33) and Windham (62-53). Against the Yachtsmen, Moses Oreste had 15 points, Connor Buckley 12 and Noah Malone and Ansel Stilley 11 apiece. Malone had 14 points, Buckley 12 and Stilley 11 in the win over the Mustangs. Against the Eagles, Liam Coyne led the way with 14 points, while Riley Hasson added 12. The Red Riots visit Cheverus Friday, go to defending Class AA state champion Portland Monday (see theforecaster.net for game story), then close the regular season at home against Deering next Thursday.

Scarborough improved to 3-11 Friday with a 73-43 home win over Noble. Nick Fiorillo led the way with 19 points. The Red Storm entered Wednesday’s game at Gorham in seventh place in Class AA South (only six teams make the playoffs). Scarborough hosts Massabesic in its home finale Friday, then closes the regular season next week with games at Deering Tuesday and Bonny Eagle Thursday.

In Class A South, Cape Elizabeth fell to 10-5 and third after a 44-22 win at Freeport and home losses to Yarmouth (56-46) and undefeated Greely (58-41) in recent action. Quinn Hewitt had 13 points in the victory. Against the Clippers, Hewitt had 18 points. In the loss to the Rangers, Hewitt led the way with 17 points. The Capers go to Biddeford Friday, visit Falmouth Tuesday, then close the regular season next Thursday at home versus Fryeburg Academy.

In Class D South, Greater Portland Christian School fell to 2-13 and 11th (nine teams make the playoffs) after recent losses at A.R. Gould (75-26) and at Pine Tree Academy (44-38) and a 54-28 home win over Highview Christian. The Lions close the regular season with games at North Haven Friday and Saturday.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, South Portland improved to 12-2 and extended its win streak to eight games after recent victories at Falmouth (58-39), at home over Cheverus (51-44) and at Windham (49-31). Maggie Whitmore had 15 points and Katie Whitmore added 13 against the Yachtsmen. In the win over the Stags, the Red Riots let a 10-point lead slip away, but Maggie Whitmore scored the final eight points of the game as South Portland prevailed. Whitmore had a game-high 19 points.

“Defense was the difference,” said Whitmore. “We all played team defense and caused turnovers. We’ve really come together and played good defense. That’s won all our games. We’re executing things well.”

“(Cheverus is) a good team,” said Red Riots coach Lynne Hasson. “They’re tough. We were a little shaky at the beginning. We needed to limit their second chances. When we play team defense, we limit teams to one shot. What I was most pleased about down the stretch was composure. There was never panic.”

Against the Eagles, Meghan Graff had 14 points. South Portland (second to Gorham in the Class AA South Heal Points standings) had a makeup game at Cheverus Wednesday (see theforecaster.net for game story), hosts Deering Friday, goes to Bonny Eagle Tuesday and closes the regular season next Thursday at home versus Westbrook.

Scarborough has won six in a row and was third in Class AA South at 12-2 after downing host Bonny Eagle (44-41), host Massabesic (58-55) and visiting Maine Girls’ Academy (56-38). Brooke Malone had 17 points and Josie Couture and Sophie Glidden 12 apiece in the win over the Scots. Against the Mustangs, Glidden went off for 21 points, while Madison Blanche had 11 and Malone 10. In the win over the Lions, Glidden led the way with 23 points and Malone added 10. The Red Storm were at Thornton Academy Thursday, host Cheverus Saturday afternoon (see theforecaster.net for game story), welcome Deering Tuesday and close the regular season next Thursday at home versus Bonny Eagle.

Cape Elizabeth fell to 0-15 after recent losses to visiting Freeport (47-42), at Yarmouth (36-28) and at home against Greely (56-35). In the loss to the Falcons, Saylor Wood had a team-high 11 points. Erin O’Rourke led the way with 13 points against the Clippers. In the loss to the Rangers, Brooke Harvey had 12 points and O’Rourke added 10. The Capers (13th in Class A South) host Biddeford Friday, welcome Falmouth Tuesday and close the season next Thursday at Fryeburg Academy.

GPCS was 4-12 and 10th in Class D South (eight teams make the playoffs) after a 36-33 win at Kents Hill and losses at Hebron Academy (50-27) and Pine Tree Academy (46-20) and at home against Highview Christian (38-30). The Lions welcome Gould Friday and close Tuesday at Hebron.

Hockey

Cape Elizabeth boys’ hockey team enjoyed a 3-1 win at St. Dom’s last Wednesday, then had its five-game win streak snapped Saturday when it lost, 5-4, in overtime, to Cheverus. Sean Agrodnia, Jeb Boechenstein and Peyton Weatherbie had the goals in the victory. In the loss, the Capers shot to a 4-1 lead after one period, as Philip Tarling had two goals and Agrodnia and Evan Concannon added one apiece, but they let it slip away.

“(Cheverus is) a top five team in the state and that’s something we aspire to be,” Cape Elizabeth coach Matt Buotte said. “We learned a lesson tonight. We have to play a full 45 minutes. Hockey’s a game of momentum. When we had it, we were unstoppable. Then we made mental mistakes. Getting momentum back is a collective effort. It has to be consistent. By the time we got it back, it was too late. Still, it could have gone either way.”

The Capers improved to 7-4 and fourth in the Class B South Heal Points standings after Tuesday’s 9-0 win over South Portland. Alex Glidden paced a balanced offense with two goals. Cape Elizabeth hosted defending regional champion Yarmouth in a pivotal showdown Thursday (see theforecaster.net for game story) and visits Maranacook Wednesday of next week.

Defending Class A South champion Scarborough lost, 7-1, to Lewiston in a state game rematch last week, then improved to 6-6-1 Saturday with a 4-1 victory at Thornton Academy. The Red Storm (fifth in Class A South) hosted top-ranked Falmouth Wednesday and visit Biddeford Saturday.

The South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op squad was 4-8-1 and was clinging to the seventh and final playoff spot in Class A South at press time after a 3-2 overtime home loss to Mt. Ararat/Morse/Lisbon, a 4-1 home setback to Biddeford and a 9-0 home loss to Cape Elizabeth. The team is idle until going to Marshwood Wednesday of next week.

On the girls’ side, Scarborough saw its skid hit three games last Wednesday with a 3-0 loss at Falmouth. Saturday, the Red Storm improved to 11-4-1 and second in the South Region Heal Points standings with a 6-0 home win over Portland/Deering. Scarborough hosted Falmouth Wednesday and welcomes York Saturday in the regular season finale.

The Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/SP co-op squad was 8-9 and third in the South at press time after a 5-4 home win over Gorham/Bonny Eagle, a 5-4 home setback to Cheverus and a 1-0 home loss to Edward Little/Leavitt Tuesday. The team closes the regular season Saturday at home versus Biddeford. 

The girls’ hockey playoffs start Wednesday of next week with the quarterfinals on the ice of the higher seeds.

Indoor track

The postseason is here for indoor track, as the Southwestern Maine Activities Association championship meet will be held Saturday and the Western Maine Conference meet will be contested Feb. 10.

Scarborough continued its dominance, sweeping a four-team meet in the regular season finale last week.

The boys got wins from Ben Hatch in the junior 55 (6.83 seconds), Jarrett Flaker in the junior 200 (23.39), junior 55 hurdles (8.02) and junior long jump (19 feet, 1.25 inches), Brian Farino in the junior 800 (2 minutes, 8.48 seconds), Anthony Clavette in the junior high jump (5-4) and junior triple jump (38-00.25), Nathan Mars in the junior shot put (38-0), Ben Batoosingh in the senior 55 (23.58), Sam Rusak in the senior 55 hurdles (8.04) and open pole vault (15-5), Sebastian Osborne in the senior shot put (49-1), Harrison Osborne in the open two-mile (10:55.64),  and their senior 4×200 (1:34.13) and open 4×400 (3:45.87) relay teams.

Girls’ first-place finishers included Emily Labbe in the junior 55 (7.56), junior 55 hurdles (8.87) and junior 200 (26.74), Maggie Franz in the junior 400 (1:02.64), Gaby Panagakos in the senior 55 (7.67), senior 200 (28.08) and senior 400 (1:02.93), Ellen Shaw in the senior 55 hurdles (8.89), Brady Stolz in the senior shot put (36-1), Josie Patten in the open 600 (1:50.94), Bethany Sholl in the open mile (5:32.85) and their junior 4×200 (1:50.91) and senior 4×200 (1:52.95) relays.

South Portland’s girls were first in a meet which also included Cheverus, Deering and Portland. The Red Riots got wins from Julia Banks in the junior triple jump (29-8), Juliana Selser in the senior 400 (1:02.04), Callie O’Brien in the senior 55 hurdles (9.33) and senior high jump (4-8), Phoebe Letourneau in the senior long jump (14-9.25) and their senior 4×200 relay team (1:54.04).

South Portland’s boys were second to Deering. The Red Riots got first-place performances from Ethan McCarthy in the junior 55 hurdles (9.52) and junior long jump (16-11), Nathaniel Ellington in the junior shot put (41-3.75), Maxwell Holmes in the senior 55 (6.98), Finn Zechman in the senior 55 hurdles (8.90) and senior long jump (18-6.75), Xavier Mills in the senior shot put (46-3.5) and their junior 4×200 (1:51.80), senior 4×200 (1:42.44) and open 4×400 (3:48.04) relay teams.

Cape Elizabeth’s boys were third and the girls came in fourth in a seven-team league meet. The boys’ open 4×800 relay team (9:51.30) placed first. The girls got wins from Darcy Cochran in the junior 55 (7.75) and Camilla Grosso in the open mile (5:40.24)

Swimming

Cape Elizabeth’s powerhouse swim teams swept Kennebunk last weekend, as the boys prevailed, 117-51, and the girls triumphed, 139-47.

The boys got wins from Rohan Freedman in the 100 freestyle (51.22 seconds) and the 200 free (1 minute, 54.61 seconds), Matt Yim in the 200 individual medley (2;14.23), Dan Howard in the 50 free (25.55), Oliver Kraft in the 100 butterfly (57.59) and 100 backstroke (58.75), Sam Loring in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.57) and their medley (1:45.77), 200 freestyle (1:36.02) and 400 freestyle (3:48.73) relay teams.

Girls’ event winners included Emily Ecker in the 200 free (1:57.90) and 500 free (5:07.19), Olivia Tighe in the 50 free (24.58) and 100 free (52.80), Alicia Lawrence in the fly (1:02.28), Caroline Mahoney in the backstroke (1:00.27), Rose Baillie in the breaststroke (1:16.08) and their medley (2:03.22), 200 free (1:40.05) and 400 free (3:39.31) relay teams.

Scarborough’s girls beat Thornton Academy, 92-72, while the Red Storm boys lost to the Golden Trojans, 95-74.

The girls got wins from Jane Greenberg in the IM (2:30.16) and 100 free (59.63), Mackenzie Charest in the backstroke (1:13.86) and their medley (2:11.11), 200 free (2:04.10) and 400 free (4:18.00) relay teams. Boys’ winners included Sam Curtis in the breaststroke (1:11.96) and the 200 free relay team (1:42.02).

South Portland swept Bonny Eagle, as the boys won, 88-19, and the girls prevailed, 105-59.

The boys got wins from Sam Goodine-Doane in the 200 free (1:59.29) and backstroke (1:02.16), Mitchell Amadei in the IM (2:16.60) and breaststroke (1:16.68), Brayden Gilbert in the 50 free (25.90), Liam Hayes in the fly (1:00.73), Max Jones in the 100 free (1:01.64) and the medley (2:12.31) and 200 free (1:52.36) relay teams.

Girls’ winners included Sofia McNally in the 200 free (2:29.95), Grace Goodwin in the IM (2:44.78), Sophie Chase in the fly (1:04.55) and breaststroke (1:16.60), Kaitlyn Tracy in the 500 free (7:06.87), Lyla Metcalf in the backstroke (1:21.26) and the medley (2:21.81), 200 free (2:14.40) and 400 free (4:52.00) relay teams.

The regular season comes to a close this weekend, as Cape Elizabeth hosts Falmouth, Scarborough goes to Yarmouth and the South Portland girls compete against Maine Girls’ Academy.

Skiing

Saturday, local Nordic skiers traveled to Black Mountain to compete in the Sassi Memorial 5-kilometer classic. Cape Elizabeth’s boys finished 16th. Will Corsello was 50th individually in 17 minutes, 37.8 seconds. South Portland didn’t score as a team, but Rowan Connolly was 53rd (17:43.8). 

On the Alpine side Monday, Cape Elizabeth’s boys beat three other teams. Devon Lathrop was first individually with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 29.35 seconds. The Capers girls were second to Greely, as Caroline Paclat was third individually (1:50.16). 

Wrestling

Scarborough’s wrestling team fell to 1-16 after losses Saturday to Erskine Academy (63-12), Lincoln Academy (36-24), Dirigo (42-18), Wells (61-9) and York/Traip (42-21). The Red Storm went to Cheverus Wednesday and finish the regular season Saturday at Deering.

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