Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland junior Abby Ekedahl handles the puck during Saturday’s 3-2 loss to Portland/Deering in a South Region semifinal.

Cape Elizbaeth’s Matt Concannon takes part in the open triple jump at the WMC indoor track meet last weekend. Concannon was second in the event.

Scarborough’s Jeremy Sendrowski takes part in the Class A South regional last weekend. Sendrowski got to the final at 145 pounds before finally meeting his match.

(Ed. Note: For the complete Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland-Portland/Deering girls’ hockey game story, with photos, see theforecaster.net)

Be it on ice or snow, in the pool or on the track or on the mat, the postseason has gone very well so far for athletes from Forecaster Country.

While the basketball tournament will soon get the lion’s share off attention (see story), the girls’ hockey tournament is just days away from crowning a state champion and the indoor track, swimming, skiing and wrestling state meets will be held in a matter of days.

Here’s an overview of the action so far and a look at what’s to come:

Girls’ hockey

The girls’ hockey season has come to a close for local teams, as both Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland and Scarborough were ousted in the semifinal round of the South Region tournament.

Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/SP, ranked third, built a 4-0 lead, then held off sixth-ranked Falmouth, 4-3, in the quarterfinals, as Sophia Venditti led the way with two goals. Saturday, in the semifinals at No. 2 Portland/Deering, Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/SP built a quick 2-0 lead behind goals from Venditti and Abby Ekedahl, but Portland/Deering rallied to prevail, 3-2.

Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland finished the year 10-9-1.

“It’s a tough way to end, but it was a fantastic game,” Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland coach Bob Mills said. “That’s how you want to see a playoff game. I told the girls not to hang their heads, it was probably our best game of the season.” 

Scarborough, the No. 4 seed, eliminated fifth-ranked Biddeford/Thornton Academy, 2-0, in the quarterfinals, then lost at top-ranked Cheverus/Kennebunk, 4-0, in the semifinals to finish 9-10-1.

Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland goalie Abby Joy (9-8-1, 3.30 goals-against-average in the regular season) was named a finalist for the inaugural Becky Schaffer Award, presented by the Maine High School Girls’ Hockey Association, to the state’s top senior player. The winner will be announced Feb. 28.

Swimming

Cape Elizabeth’s girls’ swim team won the North Division Southwesterns last weekend in its home pool. The Capers tallied 304 points, 30 better than Greely. Scarborough (189) placed third and South Portland (95 came in sixth).

Cape Elizabeth got wins from Caroline Mahoney, who set a new record in the 100 backstroke (56.40 seconds), as well as in the 200 freestyle (1 minute, 56.28 seconds), Olivia Tighe in the 200 individual medley (2:09.35) and 100 butterfly (57.65), Alicia Lawrence in the 50 free (24.81) and 100 free (54.44) and its 200 medley (Mahoney, Maddie McCormick, Emma Frothingham and Hope Campbell, 1:55.66) and 400 free (Tighe, Casey Concannon, Corinne Wight and Lawrence, 3:45.97) relay teams.

In the boys’ meet, won by Cheverus with 303 points, Cape Elizabeth (270) was runner-up, Scarborough (181) finished third and South Portland (136) was fifth.

The Capers got wins from Rohan Freedman in the 50 free (22.70) and 100 free (50.07), Oliver Kraft in the 100 backstroke (56.69), Sam Loring in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.17) and their medley relay team (Jacob Membrino, Loring, Kraft and Freedman, 1:45.07).

The Class A boys’ state meet is Saturday, Feb. 17 in Orono. The Class A girls’ state meet is Monday, Feb. 19 in Orono. That same day, the Class B girls’ state meet will be contested at Bowdoin College in Brunswick. The Class B boys’ state meet is Tuesday, Feb. 20 in Brunswick.

Indoor track

Scarborough swept the Southwestern Maine Activities Association championship meet titles. 

The boys tallied 176 points to hold off Deering (149). The Red Storm got wins from Jarret Flaker in the senior 55 (6.55 seconds), senior 200 (22.57) and senior 400 (50.57), Anthony Clavette in the senior high jump (6 feet) and their 4×200 relay team (1 minute, 39.61 seconds).

South Portland (24 points) finished 12th. Nathaniel Ellington took the junior shot put (44-7.75).

In the girls’ meet, Scarborough’s 100 points edged Cheverus and Thornton Academy (98 apiece) and Noble (96). First-place finishers included Emily Labbe in the junior 55 hurdles (8.75), Molly Murnane in the senior 55 (7.27), senior 200 (26.27) and senior 400 (1:00.35)

South Portland (48) came in ninth. Juliana Selser won the senior 800 (2:21.67).

Cape Elizabeth took part in the Western Maine Conference championship meet. The girls came in fourth (Greely was first) and the boys placed fifth (York was first).

The girls got wins from Jaya McClure in the junior 400 (1:03.32), Darcy Cochran in the senior 200 (26.97) and senior 55 hurdles (8.73), Kristen Penley in the open long jump (16-1.5) and their open 4×200 relay team (1:52.66).

The boys got a first-place showing from Matthew Concannon in the senior 200 (23.86), 

The Class B state meet will be contested Saturday at Bates College in Lewiston. The Class A state meet is Monday in Gorham.

Skiing

At the Western Maine Conference Nordic championships, Cape Elizabeth’s boys and girls both came in sixth. Peter DiNinno was second in the boys’ skate (15:24.9) and seventh in the classic (18:37.6). Helen Vaughan was 27th in both the girls’ classic (27:22.5) and the freestyle (27:27).

On the Alpine side, Cape Elizabeth’s boys were first at a conference slalom meet Monday at Shawnee Peak, as Killian Lathrop was the top individual with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 40.39 seconds. The Capers girls were fifth and were led by Adeline McGrath (13th, 2:23.91).

The state skiing meets begin Monday.

Wrestling

The Class A South regional wrestling meet was held Saturday in South Berwick.

Noble was first with 200.5 points. The Portland/South Portland co-op team (92) placed sixth and Scarborough (82.5) finished seventh. 

South Portland’s Anthony Napolitano got to the final at 106 pounds, but was pinned in 1 minute, 13 seconds by Colby Frost of Bonny Eagle. 

Scarborough’s Jeremy Sendrowski got to the final at 145 pounds and was pinned by Noble’s Jonathan Grenier in 3:26. Elijah Holbrook lost in the final at 160 pounds, 4-3, to Hil Keisker of Noble. Lincoln Andrews got to the final in the heavyweight division, but lost to Cheverus’ Zeb Leavitt, 4-3, in triple overtime. David Filatov was third at 182 pounds.

The state championship meet is Saturday in Sanford.

Boys’ hockey

The boys’ hockey regular season comes to a close next week.

Cape Elizabeth was 12-2-2 and first in the Class B South Heal Points standings at press time following Saturday’s 6-3 home win over Kennebunk. Gavin Simopoulos led the way with two goals. The Capers welcome Yarmouth in a pivotal contest Saturday and close the campaign at home against Gorham Thursday of next week.

In Class A South, the South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op team began the week 8-7-1, holding on to the sixth and final playoff spot after Saturday’s 3-3 home tie against Windham/Westbrook. Mitchell Adams, Andrew Burns and Gus Lappin all scored. South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport hosts Massabesic Saturday and closes at Windham/Westbrook Monday.

Scarborough was 3-13 and seventh following Saturday’s 5-1 loss at Thornton Academy and Tuesday’s 3-0 setback at Greely. The Red Storm host Thornton Academy Saturday and close at home versus Cheverus Wednesday of next week.

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

Copy the Story Link