Basketball and track aren’t the only winter sports heating up (please see stories). The rest of the winter sports landscape has featured plenty of action in recent days. Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ hockey

Falmouth’s boys hockey team is starting to hit its stride. The Yachtsmen, who went 1-3-2 in their first six outings, have now won two in a row, 4-0 over visiting Scarborough and 2-1 (in come from behind fashion) over visiting South Portland. In the win over the Red Storm, senior Zach Alexander, junior Brandon Tuttle, sophomore Billy Mullen and freshman Ben Freeman all scored. Mullen and Tuttle (game-winner) helped the Yachtsmen rally past the Red Riots. Falmouth (sixth in the latest Western Class A Heal Points standings) is at Portland Saturday and visits St. Dom’s next Wednesday.

In Western B, the Greely Rangers continue to run roughshod on the region. Greely dispatched a pair of Aroostook County foes over the weekend, defeating Houlton (9-1) and Presque Isle (4-1) to improve to 8-0-1. Freshman Ted Hart scored three times and senior Justin Murphy added a pair of goals in the win over Houlton. Against Presque Isle, senior Devyn Rogers scored two goals. The Rangers (first in the Heals) host Camden Saturday.

Yarmouth is holding on to the fourth and final playoff spot with a 6-4 mark after splitting a pair of games last week and starting this week off with a victory. The Clippers lost at Portland (6-3, despite two goals from junior Alex Kurtz) Thursday, then bounced back Saturday and crushed visiting Lake Region (13-2, as Kurtz and senior Joey King each had a hat trick). Monday, they defeated visiting Gardiner (3-2, as junior Marshall Brunelle scored twice, including the game winner). Yarmouth hosts Leavitt Saturday.

Girls’ hockey

On the girls’ side, Greely has played a couple of heartstoppers in succession. The Rangers rallied from a four-goal deficit to tie visiting Winslow (5-5) Saturday. Down 4-0, Greely got goals from junior Meaghan Labbe, senior Michaela Finnegan, junior CeCi Hodgkins and sophomore Etta Copenhagen to draw even, then, after Winslow went back on top, sophomore Monica Howland scored to force the tie.

Monday, they eked out a 1-0 overtime win (on Howland’s goal) over host Falmouth to improve to 8-2-1, third behind St. Dom’s and Winslow in the East region Heals. Greely plays at talented Scarborough Saturday, then hosts St. Dom’s next Wednesday.

Yarmouth is 3-9 and sixth in the East. The Clippers lost, 4-2, to host Falmouth (despite goals from Courtney Barker and Ariel Potter) and 11-1 at home to Brunswick (Barker scored the lone goal) last week, but bounced back Monday with a 12-5 home victory over Gorham, as Barker scored four times and Potter added three goals. Yarmouth is idle until Monday when it hosts York.

In the West region, Falmouth is 6-7 and is clinging to the fourth and final playoff spot. The Yachtsmen downed visiting Yarmouth (4-2, behind two goals from sophomore Gabby St. Angelo) and host Cape Elizabeth (6-3, as six different players scored) last week to extend their win streak to five, but Monday’s 1-0 overtime loss to Greely (despite 32 saves from senior Jen Greene) ended that run. Falmouth goes to Winslow Saturday.

Swimming

Greely’s defending Class B state champion swim teams are coming off a sweep of Scarborough last Tuesday. The Rangers boys eked out a 93-92 decision, while the girls triumphed, 104-72. Greely is home against South Portland Thursday.

Falmouth swam against the Red Riots last week. The girls won, 123-61, but the boys fell, 105-70. The Yachtsmen play host to Cheverus Friday.

Yarmouth competed against Massabesic Friday. Results were unavailable. The Clippers go to Windham Saturday.

NYA swims against Kennebunk and Waynflete Saturday.

Skiing

With plenty of snow to be found, the Alpine and Nordic ski seasons have picked up.

Last Thursday, at Pineland, Falmouth, Freeport, Merriconeag and NYA all took part in a Western Maine Conference classic race.

In the boys’ meet, Fryeburg was first with 31 points. NYA (35) came in second, Falmouth (37) was third, Freeport (50) fourth and Merriconeag (88) placed fifth.

Individually, Falmouth’s Jackson Bloch was the top local finisher, coming in second in 15 minutes, 50 seconds. NYA was led by Cam Regan (fourth, 16:30). Freeport’s Spencer Egan was ninth (17:15). Jack Pierce led Merriconeag with a 15th-place showing (17:42).

On the girls’ side, Falmouth won with 14 points and Freeport was third behind Fryeburg with 61. Falmouth’s Sarah Abramson had the fastest time of the day (18:30). Merriconeag didn’t score as a team, but Teagan Wu placed third individually (20:47). Freeport was paced by Emily Martin (10th, 22:40).

Saturday, at the Hornet Classic, Yarmouth’s boys came in first, NYA was second and Greely finished ninth. Greely’s Connor Regan had the second-fastest individual time (15:27.5). NYA’s Cam Regan was fourth (16:16). Yarmouth was paced by Thomas Sullivan (fifth, 16:25.2).

Yarmouth also took the girls’ meet, while Greely placed 13th. Clippers senior Becca Bell was first overall (18:19.2). Audrey Parolin led the Rangers with a 45th-place finish (23:06.9).

On the Alpine side, Monday, Freeport took on Fryeburg, Gray-New Gloucester and Lake Region in a giant slalom race. The Falcons girls were first. Elly Bengtsson was first individually (a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 5.4 seconds). The boys came in second to Lake Region and were led by Ryan Collet (second, 1:04.83).

Also Monday, in a slalom showdown at Shawnee Peak, local powers Falmouth, Greely and Yarmouth did battle, along with Cape Elizabeth. The Yachtsmen won the boys’ meet with 26 points, two better than the Clippers, as the Rangers came in fourth (104). Individually, Yarmouth was led by Drew Grout (second, 1:28.24). Falmouth’s Luke Andrews placed fifth (1:31.21). Greely’s top finisher was Shane DelBianco (14th, 1:40.16).

Greely was the girls’ meet winner with 16 points. Yarmouth (37) was runner-up, Falmouth (40) placed third. The Clippers Claudia Lockwood was the top individual (1:32.00). The Rangers Elyse Dinan was runner-up (1:32.96). The Yachtsmen featured fifth-place finisher Leika Scott (1:39.95).

Cheering

Greely High School was the host of the Western Maine Conference cheerleading championships Saturday.

The Rangers wound up third behind Wells and Poland. Greely’s team consists of seniors Courtney Andrews, Chelsea Eagen, Allison Farr and Kelly Rowan, juniors Nicole Cochran, Emily Fisher, Rachael Kurland and Jaclyn Wheeler, sophomores Liz Bolduc, Emily Buchholz, Leanna Chaimowitz, Sammi Joy and Allyse LeBlanc and freshman Erin Perry. The team is coached by Farrah Emerson.

Freeport also took part. The Falcons are coached by Candida Poore. The team features senior Micelle Huang, sophomore Kandance Thibeault and freshmen Gabrielle Durant, Brooke Gamache, Kelsey Grant, Sydney Harnden, Samantha Hart and Danielle Morency.

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

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Falmouth junior Brandon Tuttle prepares a shot during the Yachtsmen’s 4-0 home win over Scarborough Saturday.

Falmouth sophomore Kris Samaras sheds a Scarborough defender. The Yachtsmen snapped a three-game skid with the victory.

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