(Ed Note: For the full Scarborough-Deering boys’ basketball story, please visit theforecaster.net)

The 2010-11 winter sports season has begun and there has already been plenty of excitement in our midst.

Here’s a glimpse as we near the holiday hiatus.

Boys’ basketball

Don’t look now, but the unheralded Scarborough boys’ basketball team might be one of the best in the region.

The Red Storm took a 3-0 mark into Tuesday’s home game versus Marshwood. They won at Gorham in the opener, 42-23, downed visiting Massabesic (61-36), then, Friday, beating highly touted Deering for the first time ever, 42-28. Scarborough led virtually the whole way, played poised down the stretch and got 10 points from senior Zach Bean (who also scored 20 against the Mustangs).

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“It’s a good win for our program,” Bean said. “It’s a great team win. We played good defense and shut down their good players. Our defense is our offense. Everyone just played well. We just kept our heads in it and really focused on protecting the ball, getting to the line and making our free throws. We were confident.”

“We’ll show up every night,” added Red Storm third-year coach Joe Johnson. “People will have to prepare for us. We won’t sneak up on anyone. People will have to come out and check out the Red Storm.”

Scarborough played at Noble Thursday in their final game before the holiday break.

“We’ve come a long way, but we still have a ton of work to do,” Bean said. “We’ll work hard in practice and keep getting better. The sky’s the limit.”

South Portland and Cape Elizabeth also won their opening games.

The new-look Red Riots opened with a 53-41 home win over Biddeford, then rolled at Windham (47-31) and at Massabesic (73-56). Senor Vukasin Vignjevic had 17 points and sophomore Tanner Hyland added 14 against the Eagles. Vignjevic had 21 points against the Mustangs. Junior Logan Gaddar added 10. South Portland was home against Sanford in its 2010 finale Tuesday.

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The Capers rolled at Wells, 60-41, in their first game. Last week, Cape Elizabeth defeated host Poland (56-52), visiting Lake Region (71-36) and host Fryeburg (55-41). Against the Knights, senior Theo Bowe went off for 26 points, while classmate Cam Brown added 17. Bowe was even more impressive against the Lakers, scoring 15 of his 28 points during a 30-7 third quarter run which allowed the Capers to go from nine points up to a 59-27 advantage. Bowe had 27 more at the Raiders, while Brown added 14.

“,” said Cape Elizabeth coach Jim Ray.

The Capers hosted Yarmouth Tuesday.

Greater Portland Christian School is 1-3 to date. After opening with a 51-45 (overtime) triumph over host Pine Tree, the Lions lost to Rangeley (47-36), A.R. Gould (64-49) and Seacoast (42-27). Ben Hammond had 14 points versus Pine Tree and 21 points and 16 rebounds against A.R. Gould. Hammond added 13 points and 12 rebounds, while Jacob Rudolph scored nine points and added 13 boards against Seacoast.

“It was a closely played game,” said GPCS coach Len MacPhee, on the Seacoast loss. “We battled them on the boards and did well inside. We played my defense and forced them to win with someone besides their main star.”

The Lions are at Sacopee Jan. 5.

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Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, despite having an abundance of new players, Cape Elizabeth is off to a surprising 3-1 start. The Capers opened with a 39-26 home win over Wells, then beat visiting Poland, 33-30 (junior Kayla Raftice scored 10 points and added 14 rebounds). After a 48-20 loss at Lake Region (Raftice had eight points), Cape Elizabeth held off visiting Fryeburg, 36-30. Senior Emily Donovan had 11 points and Raftice added 10. The Capers went to Yarmouth in their 2010 finale Tuesday.

Defending Class A champion Scarborough has yet to win in 2010-11. The Red Storm have lost to Gorham (59-42), Massabesic (49-41) and Deering (68-33), in a rematch of last year’s thrilling regional final. Sophomore Maria Philbrick had 10 points against the Mustangs. Junior Mo Hannan had 10 points versus the Rams. Scarborough hoped to get in the win column Tuesday at Marshwood or Thursday at home versus Biddeford.

South Portland is 2-1 to date. After winning, 72-55, at Biddeford in the opener, the Red Riots fell, 42-35, to visiting Windham (senior Abby Hasson had nine points in defeat). Friday, South Portland was a 59-35 home winner over Massabesic (Hasson led the way with 14 points, sophomore Danica Gleason added 11). The Red Riots went to Sanford Tuesday and Deering Thursday.

GPCS, which beat Pine Tree, 43-10, in its opener, dropped to 1-2 after losses to Rangeley (41-35) and Seacoast (42-39). Robyn Waugh had 14 points against Rangeley. Against Seacoast, Liz Garland and Suzie Gonzalez each had 10 points. The Lions are back in action Jan. 5 at Sacopee.

Boys’ hockey

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South Portland’s boys’ hockey team has started 1-2 against its difficult schedule. After falling, 5-3, at home to Falmouth in the opener, the Red Riots bounced back and blanked Yarmouth, 7-0 (senior Zach Griffin had three goals and a pair of assists and senior Robert Hannigan added two goals and three asssits). South Portland dropped a hard-fought 3-1 decision at Bangor Saturday. The Red Riots went to York Monday and Thornton Academy Wednesday.

Scarborough won its opener, 8-1, at Bonny Eagle, then lost to powerhouses Thornton Academy (5-2) and Biddeford (5-0). The Red Storm looked to even their record Thursday when they hosted Noble.

Cape Elizabeth lost its first three outings, 5-2 to Greely, 1-0 at York and 6-5 (in overtime) at Cheverus. Against the Stags, the Capers wasted a hat trick from junior Nick Breed and saw the game tied on a penalty shot as time expired. Cape Elizabeth was home with Yarmouth Tuesday and visits Gardiner Thursday.

Girls’ hockey

Scarborough’s highly touted girls’ hockey squad is among the best teams in the state. The Red Storm improved to 5-1-1 and extended its unbeaten streak to six after winning recent games at Falmouth (3-0) and at home over Portland (7-1). Junior standout Abby Rutt had a goal and two assists versus the Yachtsmen. Rutt scored three times and sophomore Sarah Martens added two in the win over the Bulldogs. Scarborough is idle until Jan. 5 when it hosts Gorham.

Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete fell to 2-5 after a 4-2 loss to Cheverus Saturday. The team had won two straight, 6-4 at Lewiston and 4-2 at Gorham. Cape Elizabeth hosted Leavitt Thursday.

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Indoor track

Scarborough’s boys’ indoor track team tied Mt. Ararat for first at Saturday’s Bowdoin Relays. The girls came in third behind Mt. Ararat and Greely.

The regular season for track and field begins the first weekend of January.

Swimming

Local swim powerhouses Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth met up in a thrilling meet at Cape Elizabeth Friday. The Red Storm won the boys’ competition by a 105-80 score and rallied to win the girls’ meet, 83-79. The girls previously downed McAuley, 116-62.

The Capers previously swept South Portland (boys, 102-77, girls, 121-60).

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The Red Riots boys split their meet last week, beating Deering, 51-43 and losing to Cheverus, 57-51. The girls fell, 92-67, to Cheverus.

South Portland hosted Scarborough Thursday.

Wrestling

Scarborough’s wrestling team lost, 46-30, at Portland Saturday.

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

Sidebar Elements


Scarborough senior Zach Bean elevates to release a jump shot over Deering senior Riko Augustino during Friday night’s game at Scarborough High School, which the Red Storm won, 42-28.

South Portland senior D.J. Conley and Yarmouth sophomore Mark Brown battle for control of the puck during the Red Riots’ 7-0 home win last Thursday.


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