Cheverus’ Victoria Bossong sets a new Maine record in the 300, finishing in 40.16 seconds at last weekend’s Dartmouth Relays.

Portland’s Simon Chadbourne shoots a 3-pointer during the Bulldogs’ 59-40 win over Scarborough Saturday.

Cheverus’ Akera Oryem soars for two points during the Stags’ 68-64 home win over Gorham last week.

(Ed. Note: For the complete Cheverus-Gorham, Portland-South Portland and Portland-Scarborough boys’ basketball and Portland-Noble girls’ basketball game stories, see theforecaster.net)

The month of January and the winter sports regular season are halfway done and good times continue for local squads.

With the midway pole in the rearview mirror, here’s a look at where things stand:

Boys’ basketball

Deering, Cheverus and Portland’s boys’ basketball teams are all in the thick of the Class AA North mix.

The Rams were 6-4 and fourth in the Heal Points standings at press time after sandwiching tough losses at Scarborough (52-51) and Bangor (47-42) around a 65-52 home win over Cheverus. Deering lost to the Red Storm in agonizing fashion, as a controversial foul was called as time expired and Scarborough made the decisive free throws. Darryl Germain had 14 points and Ben Onek added 10. Against the Stags, Germain and Onek had 19 points apiece and Max Morrione added a dozen. In the loss to Bangor, Onek scored 14 points and Loki Anda added nine. The Rams traveled to defending Class AA champion Edward Little Tuesday, visit South Portland Friday and host Massabesic Monday.

Cheverus began the week 6-5 and fifth in the region following a 68-64 home win over Gorham, a 65-52 loss at Deering and a 66-17 victory at Massabesic. Against Gorham, Nick Galli led the way with 21 points, Matt Duchaine added 14 and Owen Burke and Akera Oryem each contributed 11.

“We’ve come together as a team and we’re getting good looks on the offensive end,” said Galli. “We got inside and we knew shots would fall eventually.”

“We’ve been working hard and I think it all starts in practice,” Oryem said. “It’s really big because (Gorham’s) a good team. This will help us out for a playoff spot.”

“I credit the kids,” added Cheverus coach Ryan Soucie. “It’s all them. The kids are playing for and with each other. They’re going hard and executing what we want. We have a synergy and toughness about us right now that I really love.”

In the loss to Deering, Oryem had 13 points and Duchaine and Galli each added 10. Galli scored 13 points and Burke added 10 in the win over the Mustangs. The Stags host Portland Friday and go to Oxford Hills Monday.

Portland was 7-4 and sixth in Class AA North at press time following a 49-47 home win over Sanford, a 58-48 loss at South Portland and a 59-40 home victory over Scarborough. Against the Spartans, Jeremiah Alado had the winning basket just before the horn. Simon Chadbourne led the way with 14 points and Trey Bellew added 10. In the setback, the Bulldogs fell behind, 19-4, after one quarter and couldn’t catch up despite 23 points from Bellew.

“That was legitimately our first loss,” Portland coach Joe Russo said. “The other three losses could have gone either way. We dug ourselves an early hole and the kids showed heart and came back with plenty of time and got it to two possessions, but then we turned it over and that killed us.”

Against the Red Storm, Pedro Fonseca had 15 points, Chadbourne added a dozen and Stillman Mahan scored 11.

“We’re a team and we pick each other up,” Fonseca said. “We moved forward from (South Portland). We played great defense.”

“We talked before the game and said that in all fairness, we should be 9-1,” said Russo. “We were a 6-4 team. I said that we can start to play like a 6-4 team or a 9-1 team. We started out today like a 6-4 team and we finished up like a 9-1 team. We’ll see how we do going forward.”

Portland hosted Lewiston Tuesday and goes to Cheverus Friday.

In Class C South, Waynflete was atop the Heal Points at press time at 7-2 following an 82-28 win at Old Orchard Beach and a 61-50 setback at Gray-New Gloucester. In the victory, Finn Scott scored 20 points, Dominick Campbell added 16, Alex Saade had 12 and Diraige Dahia contributed 11. Against the Patriots, Campbell had 14 point and Dahia added 10. The Flyers host Yarmouth Wednesday (see theforecaster.net for game story), visit Traip Academy Friday and welcome Freeport next Tuesday.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, Portland was 5-6 and fifth in Class AA North following a 45-40 home loss to Sanford, a 57-35 setback at South Portland and a 51-50 home victory over Noble. Amanda Kabantu and Gemima Motema each had 10 points in the loss to the Spartans. Against the Red Riots, Kabantu had a team-high 13 points. Kabantu then scored 12 points, including the winning basket, in the come-from-behind win over the Knights. Jill Joyce also had 12 points.

“It was an exciting game,” said Kabantu. “We felt confident when we were behind. We trust each other and that’s why we were successful as a team.” 

“It’s a tremendous win,” said Portland coach Gerry Corcoran. “It’s huge. We needed a win. Period. Injuries have been killing us and we weren’t playing good basketball. Our timing and conditioning were off. The good news is we fought back against a good team.” 

The Bulldogs played at Lewiston Tuesday and visit Cheverus Friday.

Cheverus fell to 2-8 after a 55-39 loss at defending Class AA South champion Gorham last Monday (Lauren Jordan had 13 points and Margaret Kelly scored 12), but the Stags bounced back and won at Deering (45-39) and at home over Massabesic (48-37) to improve to 4-8 and sixth in the region. In the win over Deering, Jordan led the way with 20 points. Jordan had 10 points in the victory over the Mustangs. Cheverus is home with Portland Friday and welcomes Oxford Hills Tuesday.

Deering fell to 1-8 and eighth in Class AA North after losses last week at home to Scarborough (68-48) and Cheverus (45-39) and at Bangor (49-38). Mandy Mastropasqua’s nine points paced the Rams against the Red Storm. Mastropasqua had 12 points in the loss to the Stags. Deering was home versus defending Class AA champion Edward Little Tuesday, welcomes South Portland Friday and plays at Massabesic Monday.

In Class C South, Waynflete fell to 0-9 and 18th in the region after home losses to Old Orchard Beach (38-29) and Gray-New Gloucester (59-16). Against the Seagulls, Sophie Aronson had 11 points and Emi Boedeker added nine. Margaret Ojut had half of the Flyers’ points in the loss to the Patriots. Waynflete hopes to get in the win column Friday night at home versus Traip Academy. The Flyers visit Sacopee Valley Monday and go to Freeport Tuesday.

Girls’ hockey

On the ice, the Cheverus/Kennebunk girls’ hockey team remains atop the South Region Heals after improving to 12-2 by beating visiting Gorham/Bonny Eagle (9-2) and Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland (7-2). Maddie Courtois and Abby Lamontagne each had hat tricks in the first victory. In the second win, Lamontage had four goals, giving her 100 for her career. Cheverus/Kennebunk welcomes Portland/Deering Saturday and is home with Greely/Gray-NG in a state game rematch Monday.

The Cape/Waynflete/SP co-op was fourth at 5-6 following a 7-2 loss at Cheverus/Kennebunk. After going to Scarborough Tuesday, Cape/Waynflete/SP hosts Biddeford/Thornton Academy Thursday and plays host to Winslow/Gardiner Monday.

Portland/Deering fell to 3-9 and seventh in the South Region after a 7-1 home loss to St. Dom’s last Monday. Portland/Deering hosts Lewiston Wednesday and is at Cheverus/Kennebunk Saturday.

Boys’ hockey

On the boys’ side, Portland/Deering was third behind Scarborough and Biddeford at press time in the Class A South Heals at 4-3 after a 4-0 home loss to two-time defending Class A champion Lewiston. After going to defending Class A South champion Biddeford Tuesday, Portland/Deering is home with Falmouth Saturday.

Cheverus was 2-6 and eighth after a 6-4 home loss to Cape Elizabeth. After visiting Bangor Friday, the Stags go to Lake Region Monday.

The South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op squad was 4-4 and fourth in the region following an 8-2 home win over Windham/Westbrook. The team is at Cape Elizabeth Thursday and hosts Thornton Academy Saturday.

Indoor track

Cheverus girls’ standout Victoria Bossong broke the all-time Maine record in the 300 with a time of 40.16 seconds at Saturday’s Dartmouth Relays.

In team action, the Deering boys were second to Scarborough while the girls placed fifth. both Cheverus squads were fourth in a seven-team meet and Portland’s boys were first and the girls second in a five-team meet.

Swimming

In the pool, Cheverus swept Deering Friday, as the boys prevailed, 88-58, and the girls won, 90-69.

Portland’s boys beat Yarmouth, 97-70, while the girls lost to the Clippers, 111-53.

Waynflete was swept by Scarborough, as the boys lost, 134-33, and the girls were beaten, 134-32.

Skiing

Cheverus’ Annesley Black won a league slalom meet last week. The Stags didn’t score as a team.

Cheverus’ boys came in fourth.

Portland’s girls’ Nordic team finished runner-up to Gould at Saturday’s Hornet Classic. Waynflete placed 12th. 

In the boys’ meet, Portland was fourth and Waynflete ninth. 

Wrestling

Portland’s wrestling team was 10-4 at press time following a 37-23 win over Scarborough, a 66-15 loss to Kennebunk and a 40-24 win over Sanford Saturday.

Cheverus had a mark of 11-6 after beating Westbrook/Gorham (49-24) and Biddeford (42-36) and losing to Marshwood (50-24). 

Deering was 3-9 at press time.

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