It remains frigid outside, but our winter sports – basketball, ice hockey, indoor track, Nordic and alpine skiing – have nevertheless come to a close. Spring sports will kick in soon enough, but until then, how about a quick look back on Freeport’s and Merriconeag’s cold-weather successes this year?

The Falcons’ boys basketball team struggled this year – but picked up heartening victories against Traip (4-13 in C West) and Kennebunk (6-12 in A West). The girls fared better, finishing 8-10 and earning especially big wins against Kennebunk (twice), Poland and Falmouth. Perennial star Nina Davenport broke 1,000 points midway through the season.

The girls ice hockey team – a combo squad with neighboring Yarmouth – performed superbly, finishing fourth in the East with a record of 13-4-1 and advancing all the way to the tournament semifinals.

Freeport’s biggest wins came on the track and in the snow, though. The girls track team placed fourth at WMCs (held at USM) and the boys sixth; similarly, at Class B States (Bates College, Lewiston), the girls again took fourth, and the boys 10th.

The girls succeeded on strong performances by a core group of runners. The 4×800-meter relay team of Chloe Hight, Hayley Steckler, Sydney Ambrose and Bethanie Knighton took second in a time of 10:13.00; the 4×200-meter team, comprised of Steckler, Knighton, Lexi Dietrich and Meredith Broderick took first in 1:51.42. Knighton finished third in the 400-meter dash (1:02.35), Hight fifth in the 800-meter (2:35.49) and Dietrich third in the 200-meter (27.37).

In the snow, the boys Nordic team took third at States, and the girls second. The alpine boys finished second at their own States, and the girls seventh. Combining Nordic and Alpine performances yields an overall result of second for the boys and third for the girls.

Tiny Merriconeag once again skied as though they were much, much bigger. Their dedication to the sport led them to repeat in first place, their boys and girls both finishing first in Class C at Nordic States.

The Freeport boys basketball team during a timeout at home against Greely on Dec. 11.Nina Davenport carries the ball on the attack at Cape Elizabeth on Dec. 16.Emily Johnson of Freeport skates for the combined Yarmouth/Freeport girls hockey team in a matchup against Greely on Jan. 18.