The calendar has flipped from 2019 to 2020 and local teams and athletes are primed to turn it up a notch as the games and events take on more meaning.

With the February postseason frenzy just a little over a month away, here’s a glimpse at where things stand:

Boys’ basketball

South Portland’s boys’ basketball team has gotten off to a dazzling start against a daunting schedule. The Red Riots closed the first half of the season at 9-0 after outlasting visiting Thornton Academy in overtime (68-65), downing visiting Sanford (65-39) and winning at Portland Tuesday (48-31). Against the Golden Trojans, Cade Carr hit a late 3-pointer to send the game to overtime, where Pamba Pamba scored eight points to help South Portland complete a dramatic rally. Pamba had 15 points, Carr 10 and Geremi Baez led the way with 17.

“My mindset at the end of the game was to keep going,” said Pamba. “Even though my shots weren’t falling, to keep attacking.”

“It was exciting,” Carr said. “It was the seniors (who made the difference). It’s huge to have seven of us who play. When we get down, there are no worries. We know we can pull it out.”

“It was two pretty darned-good teams fighting through a really challenging game in so many ways,” added Red Riots’ coach Kevin Millington. “It wasn’t the best game for either team. Part of that was who we were playing.”

In the win over the Spartans, Baez had 12 points and Carr and Pamba each finished with 10. Against the Bulldogs, Hunter Owen had a team-high 13 points and Baez added 10. South Portland was at defending Class AA South champion Bonny Eagle Thursday, hosts Scarborough Saturday, welcomes Cheverus Tuesday and goes to Massabesic Thursday of next week.

Scarborough eked out a 56-52 double-overtime home win over Massabesic Saturday. Brian Austin led the way with 25 points, Adam Lewis added 14 and Zander Haskell had 10. Tuesday, the Red Storm fell to 5-4 after a 61-47 setback at Deering. Austin had a team-high 17 points. Scarborough hosted Noble Thursday, goes to South Portland Saturday and visits Oxford Hills Tuesday of next week.

Cape Elizabeth lost at York (57-41) and downed visiting Fryeburg Academy (47-32) last week, then improved to 3-5 Tuesday after a 59-51 home win over previously undefeated Waynflete. Against the Wildcats, Nolan Smith led the way with 13 points and Dylan Swift added 10. In the victory over the Raiders, Nate Mullen had a game-high 19 points. Against the Flyers, Mullen went off for 24 points, Will Bowe added 14 and Nolan Smith had a dozen. The Capers were at Old Orchard Beach Thursday, welcome York Saturday and play host to Wells Tuesday of next week.

Greater Portland Christian School fell to 0-6 Monday after a 53-33 loss at A.R. Gould. The Lions return to action Saturday at Forest Hills and host Buckfield Monday of next week.

Girls’ basketball

On the girls’ side, South Portland was 7-2 at press time after a 67-31 victory at Thornton Academy last Thursday and a 50-42 home loss to Portland Tuesday. In the loss, Maggie Whitmore had 14 points, including the 1,000th of her illustrious career, and Hylah Owen added 13. The Red Riots hosted Bonny Eagle Thursday, welcome Scarborough Saturday, go to Cheverus Tuesday (see our website for game story) and play at Massabesic Thursday of next week.

Defending Class AA South champion Scarborough let a 16-point lead slip away in a 51-42 home loss to Massabesic last Saturday. Kayla Conley had 12 points and Lindsay Fiorillo added 10, but the Red Storm managed just two field goals after halftime.

“Credit to (Massabesic),” said Red Storm coach Mike Giordano. “They wanted it way more than we did today. They made us play faster than we wanted and took it to us in the second half. We rushed shots. That’s what their tempo forced us to do.”

Tuesday, Scarborough improved to 5-4 after a 68-40 home victory over Deering. Fiorillo led the way with 20 points, Conley added 17 and Bella Dickinson finished with 13. The Red Storm were at Noble Thursday, go to South Portland Saturday, then welcome defending champion Oxford Hills Tuesday of next week in a rematch of last year’s Class AA state championship game.

Cape Elizabeth lost, 60-46, at home to York last Thursday, then evened its record at 4-4 after downing host Fryeburg Academy (45-28) and Waynflete (42-17). Against the Wildcats, Karli Chapin and Emily Goulding had 13 points apiece, while Emily Supple added a dozen. In the win over the Raiders, Alison Gerety had a team-high 13 points and Isabel Berman added 12. Gerety had a team-high 15 points against the Flyers. The Capers were home with Old Orchard Beach Thursday, go to York Saturday and visit Wells Tuesday of next week.

Boys’ hockey

On the ice, the Scarborough boys’ squad improved to 5-1-1 after sandwiching wins at Portland/Deering (8-2) and Mt. Ararat/Morse/Lisbon (9-1) around a 1-1 home tie versus defending Class B champion Greely. Zach Chaisson scored twice against Portland/Deering. Cory Shular had the lone goal against the Rangers. The Red Storm go to Thornton Academy Saturday and play at Cape Elizabeth Thursday of next week.

The South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op team took a 3-2-1 mark into Thursday’s home contest versus Cape Elizabeth. The squad is at St. Dom’s Wednesday of next week.

Cape Elizabeth was 2-5 after a loss at Cheverus (6-3) and a win at York (5-2) last week. Against the Stags, Matt Laughlin had two goals and Gavin Simopoulos added the other.

“We have to find ways to win games,” Capers’ coach Jacob Rutt said. “I don’t think our record shows who we are. We’re battling. That’s not easy with a record like this, but it says a lot about their character.”

In the victory, Simopoulos had a hat trick. Cape Elizabeth was at South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport Thursday, travels to Kennebunk Tuesday and hosts Scarborough Thursday of next week.

Girls’ hockey

Scarborough’s girls’ hockey team improved to 12-1 after recent victories at York (1-0), at home over Greely (7-1) and at home over the Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete co-op squad (3-1). Ashley Farrington had the lone goal versus the Wildcats. In the victory over the Rangers, Farrington and Evelyn Boardman scored two goals apiece. Against Cape/SP/Waynflete, Megan Donovan, Lillian Finley and Paige Spooner all found the net. The Red Storm were at Falmouth Wednesday, visit Edward Little Saturday and go to St. Dom’s Wednesday of next week.

Cape/SP/Waynflete started 7-0-1, then lost at Lewiston (6-3) and Scarborough (3-1) in recent action to drop to 7-2-1. Katherine Blackburn, Nicoletta Coupe and Bella Schifano scored in the loss to the Blue Devils.

“The wheels kind of fell off in the third period a little bit,” Capers coach Bob Mills said. “We had a power play at the beginning of the third period that was not very efficient and that sort of set the tone for the rest of the period.”

Koto Yamada had the lone goal against the Red Storm. Cape/SP/Waynflete hosted St. Dom’s Thursday, welcomes Yarmouth/Freeport Saturday and goes to Edward Little Wednesday of next week.

Indoor track

The first WMC and SMAA indoor track meets of the new year were held this weekend in Gorham.

Scarborough’s boys won a six-team meet, while the Red Storm girls placed fourth.

South Portland took part in a five-team meet. The Red Riots’ girls came in second behind Thornton Academy, while the boys finished third.

Cape Elizabeth joined six other teams. The boys finished third and the girls were fourth.

Swimming

In the pool, the defending Class B champion Cape Elizabeth girls’ swim team opened 2020 by beating Cheverus (110-66) and Falmouth (128-54). The Capers boys lost to the defending Class A champion Stags (90-77), then beat the Yachtsmen (89-79).

Scarborough swam with Gorham last weekend, as the boys prevailed, 121-51, and the girls tying the Rams, 89-89.

South Portland swept Bonny Eagle, as the boys prevailed, 92-42, and the girls won, 103-60.

Wrestling

The Portland/South Portland co-op wrestling squad, which placed 15th at the Noble Invitational just before the new year, took a dual meet record of 6-6 into Wednesday’s home meet against Cheverus and Kennebunk. The Bulldogs downed Sanford, 59-18, in their most recent meet.

Scarborough started 0-8 and hosted Fryeburg Academy and Massabesic Wednesday.

Press Herald staff writer Kevin Thomas and Sun Journal staff writer Wil Kramlich contributed to this story.

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

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