(Ed. Note: For the complete Scarborough-Cheverus and South Portland-Portland boys’ basketball, South Portland-Maine Girls’ Academy and South Portland-Deering girls’ basketball and Scarborough-Falmouth boys’ hockey game stories, with photos, see theforecaster.net)

The basketball and ice hockey seasons are well underway and there have been some positive signs in the early going for local teams.

Here’s an overview:

Boys’ basketball

Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ basketball team had to play its first two games on the road due to its floor not being ready. The Capers managed to split them, losing at powerhouse Greely (62-44) and winning at Morse (62-22). Finn Bowe had 17 points against the Rangers. Cape Elizabeth finally got to play at home Tuesday and lost to Biddeford, 59-36 (Marshall Peterson had 11 points and Bowe added 10). The Capers were at Westbrook Thursday (see theforecaster.net for game story) and close the 2016 portion of their schedule Thursday of next week when they meet defending Class A champion Falmouth in a “home game” played at the Portland Exposition Building.

Defending Class AA South champion South Portland lost at home to state champion Portland, 61-54, in its opener, then won at Westbrook (59-50), beat visiting Gorham (56-42) and prevailed at Noble (75-35). In the loss, Noah Malone had a game-high 22 points and Ruay Bol added 14, but it wasn’t enough.

“I thought we probably played better than they did last time (in the state final), but tonight, they played a lot better than we did,” Red Riots coach Kevin Millington lamented. “We left a lot of points out there. A lot of free throws and layups.”

Against the Blue Blazes, Bol led the way with 16 points. Malone and Deandre White both had 12 points and Moses Oreste added 10 in the win over the Rams. Against the Knights, Connor Buckley and Kamden Mallory both had 11 points and Ansel Stilley finished with 10.

South Portland was home with Scarborough Thursday and goes to Bonny Eagle in the 2016 finale on Dec. 30.

Scarborough lost its first four games: 57-51 at Cheverus, 85-56 at Thornton Academy, 77-56 to visiting Sanford and 61-57 to visiting Bonny Eagle.

Morgan Pratt had 16 points against the Stags.

“Our kids don’t give up,” said Red Storm first-year coach Phil Conley. “They played really hard and I’m proud of them. As a coach, all you can ask is that they left it all on the floor.”

Nick Fiorillo had 15 points and Emmett Peoples 12 in the loss to the Spartans. Against the Scots, Fiorillo had 13 points and Jaquan Seme 12. Scarborough was at South Portland Thursday and welcomes Westbrook Dec. 30.

Greater Portland Christian School beat host Highview Christian, 63-43, in its opener, then lost at Seacoast Christian, 43-40, and at Pine Tree Academy (51-43). The Lions fell to 1-3 after a 56-26 loss to visiting Seacoast Christian Tuesday. GPCS closed the old year Thursday at A.R. Gould.

Girls’ basketball

South Portland’s girls’ team opened with impressive wins over visiting Maine Girls’ Academy, formerly McAuley (58-29), and at Deering (57-46). Meghan Graff had 20 points and Jena Leckie 10 (with ) in the victory over the Lions.

“It was nice to score points early,” Graff said. “I wanted to set people up too since they were in a zone. Our ball movement was phenomenal.”

“The big crowd was really awesome,” Leckie said. “It was great that they were cheering and they were there for us.”

“I was pleased with how the starters played, but even more how the end of the bench played,” Red Riots coach Lynne Hasson added. “I like how we played defensively. The communication was great.”

In the win over the Rams, Eva Mazur drained five 3-pointers and had 21 points. Graff added 15 as South Portland led almost the whole way.

“I’ve been doing a long of form work on my shot,” Mazur said. “Deering’s usually good and it’s really fun to compete with good teams. A fast start was really important.”

“We’ve seen Eva shoot like that in practice,” Hasson said. “All I can say is, ‘Wow!’ That adds to her arsenal. I want her to be confident and take her shot. She’s a great player and she’s a huge benefit to us when she shoots like that.”

The Red Riots suffered their first loss, 44-31, at Gorham, then improved to 3-1 Tuesday with a 60-39 home victory over Massabesic behind 19 points from Graff. South Portland was at Sanford Thursday in its 2016 finale.

Scarborough didn’t play its opener until Thursday of last week, when it won at Sanford, 55-44. Josie Couture had 18 points and Sophie Glidden added 15. The Red Storm then held off visiting Windham, 44-40 (Glidden and Jordyn Cowan both had 12 points and Lindsey Kelley added 10) and Tuesday improved to 3-0 after a 56-30 win at Noble. Glidden led the way with 14 points and Brooke Malone added 11. Scarborough was at Maine Girls’ Academy Thursday and is home with defending Class AA champion Gorham Dec. 30.

Cape Elizabeth lost its first four games: 78-45 at Greely, 56-31 at Falmouth, 47-37 to visiting Morse and 47-35 at Biddeford. Erin O’Rourke had 20 points against the Rangers and 12 in the loss to the Yachtsmen. Brooke Harvey scored 12 points against the Shipbuilders. The Capers hosted Westbrook Thursday in their 2016 finale.

GPCS started with losses at Highview Christian (48-28), Seacoast Christian (38-35) and Pine Tree Academy (39-19) and at home to Seacoast Christian (28-22). The Lions return to action Jan. 3 at Temple Academy.

Boys’ hockey

Scarborough’s defending Class A South champion boys’ hockey team rallied to tie host Falmouth, 3-3, in a memorable season opener last week. The Red Storm took a 2-0 lead on goals from Spencer Pettingill and Anthony Burnham, then fell behind, 3-2, before tying the game in the final minute of regulation when Cam Smith scored.

“They’re my favorite team to play,” Smith said. “It’s probably the best game we’ll play all year, Falmouth-Scarborough. It’s always fun.”

“It was a typical Falmouth-Scarborough match,” said Red Storm coach Norm Gagne. “It wasn’t pretty at times, but it was a heck of a game. We’ll meet them again and we’ll probably meet them again in the playoffs too.”

Monday, Scarborough lost a 3-2 home decision to Greely in a makeup game despite goals from Eric Murray and Eric Quirk. The Red Storm were at Lewiston Wednesday, host Biddeford Friday and welcome Cheverus Tuesday of next week.

South Portland (which also has players from Freeport and Waynflete) opened with a 2-0 loss at Kennebunk, then knocked off visiting Brunswick, 4-1, behind two goals from Aidan Schifano. The Red Riots were at Gray-New Gloucester Wednesday, visit Thornton Academy Friday and host Noble Dec. 29.

Cape Elizabeth started with a 4-1 loss at Gorham. The Capers’ home game versus Kennebunk Saturday was postponed to Feb. 18 by bad weather. Cape Elizabeth hosted Falmouth Thursday and welcomes Maranacook Wednesday of next week.

Girls’ hockey

Scarborough’s girls’ hockey team was 4-1-1 at press time after a 1-0 home loss to Greely Monday and a 1-0 win at Biddeford/Thornton Academy Tuesday. The Red Storm are back in action Jan. 2 at Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland.

Speaking of the Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/SP co-op team, it ended the 2016 portion of its schedule 4-3 after a 3-2 home win over York and a 7-6 loss at Yarmouth/Freeport/Gray-NG. Sophia Vendetti had two goals and Hannah Bosworth scored the other in the victory. Vendetti had two more in the setback. Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/SP returns to action Jan. 2 when it hosts Scarborough.

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

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Scarborough goalie Brandon Wasser makes a save during last week’s 3-3 tie at rival Falmouth.