Winter sports season passes midway point- Southern edition

(Ed. Note: For the complete South Portland-Cheverus girls’ basketball game story, see pressherald.com/forecaster-sports/)

The winter sports season has passed the midway point and is making the turn for home and all signs suggest that the best is yet to come.

Here’s a look back at the week that was, as well as a glimpse ahead:

Boys’ basketball

South Portland’s boys’ basketball team is off to its best start this century at 12-0 after recent victories at Bonny Eagle (43-34), at home over Scarborough (57-37) and at home over Cheverus (61-47). Cade Carr had 10 points in the win at the Scots.

“We hadn’t been down at halftime this year,” Carr said. “It was good for us.”

“Bonny Eagle is such a tough team,” said Red Riots’ coach Kevin Millington. “They are the most competitive team we’ve played. They’re grinders. They’re fighters. There’s a reason we didn’t make any 3s, because they were defending the heck out of us.”

Against the Red Storm, Geremi Baez had a team-high 16 points and Hunter Owen added 13. In the win over the Stags, Baez again led the way with 24 points. South Portland (first in the Class AA South Heal Points standings) was at Massabesic Thursday, then is idle until Friday of next week when it hosts Noble.

Scarborough was 7-5 and sixth in Class AA South following a 68-56 home win over Noble, a loss at South Portland (57-37) and a victory at Oxford Hills (59-44). Against the Knights, Brian Austin had 27 points. In the win over the Red Riots, Austin had a team-high 16 points. The Red Storm host Gorham Friday (see our website for game story).

Defending Class B South champion Cape Elizabeth was 4-7 and fourth in the Heals following a 54-44 win at Old Orchard Beach and home losses to York (69-43) and Wells (52-47). In the victory, Liam Concannon led the way with 14 points and Nate Mullen added 10. Will Bowe scored 15 points and Nolan Smith added 11 against the Wildcats. In the loss to the Warriors, Mullen had a team-high 18 points, Bowe added 11 and Jack Bassett finished with 10. The Capers go to Gray-New Gloucester Friday and host three-time defending Class A champion Greely Monday (see our website for game story).

In Class D South, Greater Portland Christian School fell to 0-8 and 11th after losses at Forest Hills (87-37) and at home to Buckfield (51-14). The Lions are at Seacoast Christian Friday and welcome Forest Hills Monday.

Girls’ basketball

South Portland’s Maria Degifico drives on a Cheverus defender during the Red Riots’ 56-37 victory Tuesday night. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald

On the girls’ side, South Portland momentarily fell from the top spot in the Class AA South Heals, but was back in first at press time after sandwiching a 66-26 home win over Bonny Eagle and a 56-37 victory at Cheverus around a 46-44 home loss to Scarborough. Against the Scots, Ashlee Aceto had 19 points and Cora Boothby-Akilo added 10. In the setback, Maggie Whitmore scored 20 points, but the Red Riots lost on a late 3-pointer. In the win over the Stags, Hylah Owen had 12 first quarter points and finished with 12 points, while Whitmore added 12, Aceto 10 and Boothby-Akilo and Kaleisha Towle eight apiece.

“Coach always tells me to shoot it when I’m open,” Owen said. “I took the shots and they fell. I’ve only played in this gym once. I guess I was just feeling it.”

“I can’t say last week was my favorite week, but we learned some good lessons from it and it will help us down the road,” said Towle. “We always talk about coming out hard in the first quarter and especially the third quarter. It’s important to come out and get momentum going.”

“Last week was really tough,” added Red Riots’ coach Lynne Hasson. “We made some mistakes. Key plays made the difference. We just didn’t take care of business. We talked a lot yesterday before practice about just playing and having fun. There are times we’re playing not to lose and we can’t do that. If we’re going to lose, we’ll lose, so be it. The sun will still come up the next day. It’s just a game.”

South Portland was at Massabesic Thursday, then is idle until Friday of next week when it goes to Noble.

Defending Class AA South champion Scarborough enjoyed wins last week at Noble (54-47) and South Portland (46-44), then fell to 7-5 and second in the region after a 64-23 home loss to Oxford Hills in a state game rematch Tuesday. Madison Blanche scored 24 points and Bella Dickinson added 13 in the win over the Knights. Against the Red Riots, Lindsay Fiorillo’s late 3-pointer was the difference. Fiorillo had a team-high 16 points and Blanche added a dozen. In the setback, Elisabeth LeFebvre paced the Red Storm with eight points. Scarborough hosts Gorham Friday (see our website for game story).

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth improved to 6-5 and seventh after sandwiching wins over visiting Old Orchard Beach (54-38) and host Wells (36-32) around a 65-30 setback at York. In the victory over the Seagulls, Alison Gerety had 19 points, Isabel Berman a dozen and Emily Goulding 10. Against the Warriors, Gerety again led the way with 19 points. The Capers, who have won four of five, welcome defending Class B champion Gray-New Gloucester Friday and visit two-time defending Class A champion Greely Monday.

Boys’ hockey

Scarborough’s boys’ hockey team was 6-1-1 and second to Lewiston in the Class A Heals after a 7-4 victory at Thornton Academy Saturday. Zach Chaisson had a hat trick and Cam Budway added a pair of goals. After going to Cape Elizabeth Thursday (see our website for game story), the Red Storm host Biddeford Saturday.

The South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op squad was 4-2-1 and sixth in Class A South following last Thursday’s 3-2 overtime home victory over Cape Elizabeth. Gus Lappin scored two goals, including the winner. The team was at St. Dom’s Wednesday and welcomes Lewiston Saturday.

Cape Elizabeth was 2-7 and eighth in Class B South at press time following a 3-2 overtime loss at South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete and a 3-1 setback at Kennebunk. Nick Laughlin and Gavin Simpoulos had the goals against SP/Freeport/Waynflete. The Capers hosted Scarborough Thursday, go to Yarmouth Monday (see our website for game story) and visit Portland/Deering Thursday of next week.

Girls’ hockey

Scarborough’s girls’ hockey team was atop the South Region Heals at 13-1-1 following a 4-0 victory at Falmouth and a scoreless tie at Edward Little last week. Ali Mokriski scored twice in the victory. Goalie Ariella Swett stopped nine shots in the tie. The Red Storm were at St. Dom’s Wednesday.

The Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/SP co-op team improved to 9-2-1 and second in the South Region after home wins last week over St. Dom’s (3-0) and Yarmouth/Freeport (9-0). Bella Schifano had all three goals against the Saints. In the victory over Yarmouth/Freeport, Schifano scored five times. Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/SP visited Edward Little Wednesday, hosted Lewiston Thursday, goes to St. Dom’s Saturday and visits Cheverus Monday.

Indoor track

Cape Elizabeth’s Oscar Gustafson places second in the long jump at last weekend’s league meet. John Jensenius / For The Forecaster

Last weekend brought another round of indoor track meets in Gorham.

Scarborough’s boys’ team won a six-team SMAA meet, with South Portland placing fourth.

In the girls’ competition, the Red Riots were first and the Red Storm second.

Cape Elizabeth took part in an eight-team WMC meet. The Capers were third in the girls’ meet and fourth in the boys’ meet (York was first in both).

Swimming

Cape Elizabeth hosted Scarborough, Westbrook and Waynflete in a swim meet last weekend.

The defending Class B champion Capers girls tallied 549.5 points, while the Red Storm finished with 524 to finish second.

In the boys’ meet, won by Scarborough with 603 points, Cape Elizabeth (511) was runner-up.

South Portland was swept by Kennebunk, with the boys falling, 111-69, and the girls losing to the Rams, 109-76.

Skiing

In Alpine skiing action last week, Cape Elizabeth’s girls were second to Fryeburg Academy and the boys placed sixth in a six-team WMC giant slalom meet at Shawnee Peak. Anya Monson was the top female with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 8.08 seconds.

Wrestling

The Portland/South Portand co-op wrestling team was 8-9 following losses to Cheverus (41-30), Kennebunk (41-36) and Biddeford/Thornton Academy (48-36) and victories over Scarborough (42-34) and Cheverus (42-28) last week. After hosting Marshwood Wednesday, Portland/SP goes to Massabesic Monday.

Scarborough fell to 0-12 after losses last week to Fryeburg Academy (33-24), Massabesic (54-18), Portland/SP (42-34) and Biddeford/TA (60-18). The Red Storm go to Westbrook Monday.