(Ed. Note: For the complete Greely-Yarmouth boys’ basketball, Greely-Yarmouth girls’ basketball and Greely-St. Dom’s girls’ hockey game stories, with photos, see theforecaster.net)

If there was ever a week to be a high school sports fan, this would be the week and last week wasn’t too shabby either.

There have been or will be seismic battles on the hardwood and ice and those games will go a long way toward determining who will make the playoffs and where teams will be seeded.

Here’s an overview of all the winter sports action:

Boys’ hockey

Falmouth’s boys’ hockey team took an eight-game win streak into Tuesday’s highly anticipated showdown/playoff rematch against visiting defending Class A champion Scarborough (see theforecaster.net for game story). Last week, the Yachtsmen rallied to down visiting Lewiston, 5-2, behind two goals from Henry Norris, one apiece from Chris Camelio, Brendan Hickey and Josh Noyes and 31 saves from goalie Spencer Pierce. Falmouth (second behind Scarborough in Class A South Heal Points standings) next takes the ice Thursday, Jan. 21, at home against defending Eastern A champion St. Dom’s.

Yarmouth stretched its season-opening win streak to seven games with a 4-1 victory at Thornton Academy last Wednesday, then met its match Saturday, falling at home to Waterville, 3-2, in a game which saw the Clippers give away a 2-0 lead. In the win, Anders Newberg, Walter Conrad, Chris Romano and Noah Grondin all scored. Conrad and Patrick Grant had goals against the Purple Panthers. Yarmouth (7-1 and first in Class B South) was at Brunswick Wednesday (see theforecaster.net for game story), visits Greely Saturday and plays at Gorham in a playoff rematch Monday.

The Clippers also had three players named December Players of the Month by the Class B South Hockey Coaches’ Association. Patrick Grant was named Forward of the Month after scoring four goals and adding seven assists in the month. Walter Conrad was named Defenseman of the Month after scoring five goals, adding five assists and registering a plus-11. Rookie goalie Dan Latham was named Rookie of the Month after going 5-0 in net with a 1.20 goals against average and a save percentage of .959.

Greely fell to 2-7 and eighth in Class B South after losses last week to visiting Biddeford (4-2) and at Kennebunk (4-1). Adam Rost and Jack Saffian scored against the Tigers. Colby Williams had the goal in the loss to the Rams. The Rangers were at Gorham Wednesday and host Yarmouth Saturday.

Girls’ hockey

On the girls’ side, Greely passed a serious test last Wednesday, holding off visiting St. Dom’s, 2-1, in a battle of unbeatens. Maura Verrill scored an early goal for the Rangers, but the Saints tied things up. Bridget Roberts then produced the winner with 11:15 to play and goalie Nica Todd made 25 saves to preserve the lead.

“This was a fun kind of game,” Roberts said. “We were really excited for this game. It’s the first game that’s been that close and tested us as a team.”

“It was the whole team,” said Todd. “Communication is key. My defense did a great job and helped me a lot. I have to give credit to them. I just tried to stay focused on the next shot. Games like this are way more fun for me, having the action. I knew it would be close. I tried to think it was 0-0 the whole game.”

“We’re lucky to be on the winning side,” added Greely coach Nate Guerin. “They’re a very strong team. Young, but they have got some hockey players. They’re fast and skilled. They made it fun. They’re the best team we’ve seen.”

The Rangers improved to 13-0 and first in the North Region after a 5-1 home win over Yarmouth/Freeport/GNG Saturday and a 6-3 victory at Brunswick Monday. Against the Clippers, Roberts, Molly Horton, Erin Molloy, Kylie Rogers and Courtney Sullivan all scored. In the win over the Dragons, Roberts and Ellie Schad both scored twice, while Rogers and Danita Storey had one goal apiece. Greely goes to Mt. Ararat/Morse Saturday and hosts defending state champion Lewiston Monday.

Yarmouth/Freeport/GNG fell to 4-8 and sixth in the North Region after Saturday’s 5-1 loss to Greely. Katie Clemmer had the lone goal. A trip to Winslow looms Saturday, followed by a visit to Mt. Ararat/Morse Monday.

In the South Region, Falmouth bounced back from its lone loss by downing hosts Biddeford (4-0) and Portland/Deering (8-0). Camden Carrier had two goals, while Evie Clement and Devon Sarazin each had one against the Tigers. The Yachtsmen (8-1-2 and second to Scarborough in the Heals) welcomed Gorham/Bonny Eagle Wednesday, play host to Biddeford Saturday and welcome Cape Elizabeth Monday.

Boys’ basketball

Greely’s boys’ basketball team passed a big test last Tuesday at rival Yarmouth, earning a 60-48 victory. Ryan Twitchell helped the Rangers overcome a sluggish start, then put the win on ice with 10 points in the fourth quarter en route to a 20-point, nine-rebound performance. Jordan Bagshaw added 12 points, while Matt McDevitt and Caleb Normandeau had 11 points apiece.

“We’re so deep in our lineup,” Twitchell said. “Anyone off the bench can play. That makes us so good.”

“We knew it was a rivalry game and it meant a lot to us,” said senior Calvin Soule, who had six assists. “We’re well seasoned. We have a lot of starters back and we’re deep. More than anything, we trust each other and we know our role and that shows up late in games.”

“Yarmouth played great and at times, they made us feel uncomfortable, but at the end of the day, I have to give our kids a lot of credit,” added Greely coach Travis Seaver. “As well as Yarmouth did, I thought we had composure down the stretch and made plays.”

The Rangers then improved to 9-1, made it five straight victories and solidified their hold on the top ranking in the Class A South Heals with a 67-39 home win over Biddeford Saturday. Greely went to Fryeburg Academy Tuesday, hosts York Friday and visits Gray-New Gloucester Monday.

“I think we’re in a great spot,” Seaver added. “The nice thing is we show up every day at practice and get better. We have to keep grinding. As long as we continue to do that, we’ll see where we go.”

Falmouth remains hot on Greely’s heels in Class A South, even though the Yachtsmen suffered an agonizing 56-55 home loss to Lake Region last Tuesday, as they let a 16-point fourth quarter lead slip away before losing on a buzzer-beater. Colin Coyne and John Coyne both had 16 points in defeat. Falmouth got back on track Friday with a 43-32 win at Marshwood, behind 19 points from Colin Coyne. The Yachtsmen (7-2 and second in the Heals) were home with Kennebunk Tuesday, go to Waynflete Friday (see theforecaster.net for game story) and host South Portland Monday in a playoff rematch (see theforecaster.net for game story).

Yarmouth got 17 points from Aleksander Medenica and 10 from Bailey Darling in the loss to Greely.

“I thought we competed tonight better through four quarters than we have all season,” said Clippers coach Adam Smith. “We’re not where we want to be execution-wise on the offensive end, but we can look at it and see what we can improve on.”

Yarmouth improved to 8-2 and first in Class B South with an 81-54 home win over Freeport Friday. Medenica led the way with 23 points and Jonny Torres added 10. The Clippers hosted Wells Tuesday, visit Poland Friday and play at Traip Academy Tuesday.

Freeport fell to 2-8 and ninth in Class B South after recent losses at Waynflete (63-54), Lake Region (70-47) and Yarmouth (81-54). Jack Davenport had 20 points and Nate Pelletier added 14 in the loss to the Flyers. Against the Lakers, Davenport had 17 points and Pelletier 11. Elijah Fox and Caleb Rice both had nine points in the loss to the Clippers. The Falcons were at Old Orchard Beach Tuesday, host Fryeburg Academy Friday and visit defending Class B champion Cape Elizabeth Tuesday.

In Class C South, North Yarmouth Academy fell to 0-8 and 17th after a 41-36 home loss to Buckfield and an 85-38 setback at Traip Academy. Matt Malcom had a team-high 10 points against Buckfield and Haven Cutko had 21 in the loss to the Rangers. The Panthers were home with Waynflete Tuesday, welcome Pine Tree Academy Thursday, visit Sacopee Valley Saturday and play host to A.R. Gould Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, Greely, the defending Class B state champion, extended its win streak to five and improved to 8-2 with wins at Yarmouth (50-41) and Biddeford (53-32) last week. Against the Clippers, Anna DeWolfe had 18 points, Isabel Porter came off the bench and added 15 and Moira Train finished with 10.

“The last time we played them, they kept it close,” Porter said. “You can never count Yarmouth out. They’re scrappy and aggressive. They don’t give up.”

“It was fun,” DeWolfe said. “I like close games. The biggest difference was our defense. We stepped it up in the second half.”

“Our 3s weren’t working, but we made quality plays in the second half to win,” Greely coach Joel Rogers added. “It was a team contribution.”

The Rangers (third in Class A South) hosted Fryeburg Academy Tuesday, look to avenge a loss when they go to undefeated, top-ranked York Friday and play at Gray-New Gloucester in a playoff rematch Monday.

“I expect us to finish very strong,” Rogers said. “We just want to keep getting better, then we’ll make our mark in the tournament.”

Falmouth started the new year with losses at Lake Region (36-25) and at home against Marshwood (54-41) to fall to 3-6 and 12th in Class A South. Adelaide Cooke had 10 points in the loss to the Lakers. Against the Hawks, Cooke had 12 points and Alaina Birkel added 11. The Yachtsmen went to Kennebunk Tuesday, host Waynflete Friday and travel to Class AA South power South Portland Monday.

In Class B South, Yarmouth continued its resurgence and was ranked fifth in the Heals at press time after a hard-fought 50-41 home loss to Greely and a 51-47 victory at Freeport last week gave the Clippers a 5-5 mark. Against the Rangers, Alison Clark had 13 points and Cory Langenbach added 12.

“We wanted to try and slow the game down and take care of the ball,” said Yarmouth coach Chris Strong. “This was our best offensive effort against a very good team. It’s very encouraging.”

In the victory, Langenbach had 20 points, Jessica Kirk added 12 and Clark finished with 11. The Clippers went to Wells Tuesday, host Poland Friday and play host to Traip Academy Tuesday of next week.

“We have to recognize we can compete with the best,” Strong said. “I can see confidence building in individual play and in team play. I feel the offensive execution is a weak spot, but we’ll continue to work on it. Defense has been steady. We have to play great defense all the time. We’re having fun.”

Freeport started the week 6-4 and seventh in Class B South after edging visiting Waynflete, 43-42, falling at Lake Region (42-37) and losing at home to Yarmouth (51-47). Jessica Driscoll had 11 points against the Lakers. In the loss to the Clippers, Taylor Rinaldi had 17 points and Kayla Belanger added 10. The Falcons looked to get back on track Tuesday when they hosted Old Orchard Beach. Freeport goes to Fryeburg Academy Friday and welcomes Cape Elizabeth Monday.

In Class C South, NYA fell to 1-7 and 19th after a 37-36 win at Hyde and losses to visiting Buckfield (39-31) and host Traip Academy (59-20). The Panthers hosted Waynflete Tuesday, welcome Pine Tree Academy Thursday, go to Sacopee Valley Saturday and play host to Hyde Tuesday of next week.

Indoor track

Western Maine Conference indoor track league action resumed last weekend.

Falmouth swept six other teams, including Yarmouth, in its meet. In the boys’ competition, the Yachtsmen were paced by Josh Simensky, who won the open 800 (2 minutes, 4.97 seconds) and the open two-mile (10:23.62), and Tony St. Angelo, who took the senior high jump (6 feet) and open long jump (19-5).

The Clippers girls placed fourth and the boys came in sixth. Anneka Murrin won the girls’ 800 and set a new school record with a time of 2:20.83.

Greely swept its meet against seven other schools. The girls were led by Lizzie Brown, who won the junior high jump (5-8) and junior shot put (31-9), and Carolyn Todd, who took the open 800 (2:29.29) and open two-mile (11:30.80).

Freeport’s boys were fourth and the girls came in fifth. The boys’ 4×800 relay team (Erik Brobst, Henry Jaques, Liam Gallagher and Joe Ashby) won its race in 9:09.18. The Falcons girls’ 4×800 relay team (Maddie Squibb, Hannah Schnyder, Laura Pierce and Chloe Hight) came in first in 12:01.48.

NYA’s boys and girls both placed seventh. Henry Quesada took the boys’ open mile (4:45.82). Linnea Hull won the girls’ pole vault (8-0).

Friday, Freeport, Greely and Yarmouth join Cape Elizabeth, Gray-New Gloucester, Lake Region and Lisbon in the early meet, while Falmouth and NYA compete with Fryeburg Academy, Poland, Sacopee Valley, St. Dom’s, Traip Academy, Wells and York in the later meet.

Swimming

Falmouth’s boys’ swim team beat Deering last weekend, 108-52, while the girls downed the Rams in a close decision, 90-86. The Yachtsmen swim at Westbrook Friday.

Greely’s boys lost to Scarborough, 57-36, while the girls beat the Red Storm, 55-39. The Rangers go to Cape Elizabeth Friday.

Yarmouth’s girls lost to Thornton Academy (89-83), while the boys fell to the Golden Trojans, 86-72. The Clippers host Massabesic Thursday.

Skiing

Falmouth, Freeport, Maine Coast Waldorf School and Yarmouth kicked off the Nordic ski season last week with a freestyle meet at Pineland.

In the boys’ meet, the Falcons came in first, the Yachtsmen placed second, the Clippers were third and Maine Coast Waldorf finished fourth. Tucker Pierce of MC Waldorf was the top individual with a time of 13 minutes, 50 seconds. Yarmouth’s John Lane was the runner-up (14:17). Falmouth’s Simon Pratico placed third (14:52). Freeport’s top finisher was Kyle Dorsey (fourth, 15:11).

On the girls’ side, Yarmouth came in first, MC Waldorf was second, Freeport third and Falmouth fourth. The Clippers had the top individual in Lucy Alexander (15:59). Fiona Ahearne of MC Waldorf placed second in 16:02 and teammate Olivia Skillings finished third in 16:03. Lily Johnston was the top Falcon (fifth, 16:22). London Bernier was 11th (18:06) for the Yachtsmen’s best showing.

Greely took part in a seven-team skate meet at Stark’s Hill last week. The girls placed seventh and the boys came in seventh. The boys’ effort was sparked by Evan Goettel, who finished 12th in 14:59.8. Tara Ford paced the girls with a 19th place finish (18:35.6).

Saturday, Freeport’s boys won the Leavitt Hornet Classic in Turner, beating 18 other teams. Falmouth was seventh and MC Waldorf placed 14th. Pierce (third, 12:49.7) was the fastest local individual, while Bennett Hight (eighth, 14:05.4) paced the Falcons and Pratico (17th, 15:00.1) was the top Yachtsmen.

In the girls’ meet, MC Waldorf was fifth, Freeport seventh and Falmouth 11th (Gould Academy placed first). Johnston was the girls’ individual winner in 15:14.0. Bernier (16:33) came in fourth to pace the Yachtsmen and MC Waldorf was led by Ahearne (18th, 17:46.2).

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

Sidebar Elements

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Freeport’s Jack Davenport goes up for a shot during the Falcons’ 63-54 loss at Waynflete last week.

North Yarmouth Academy’s Keeley Bartolini handles the puck during last week’s game against Kents Hill.

Falmouth’s Josh Simensky, front, Sean Soucy and Jeremiah Sands compete in the two-mile at last weekend’s league meet. Simensky wound up first, Sands second and Soucy third as the Yachtsmen went on to a team victory.