Winter sports season’s closing stretch begins- Southern edition

February is just over the horizon and each game and event takes on extra importance for local teams.

Last week brought some interesting results and this week figures to be more of the same.

Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ basketball

South Portland’s boys’ basketball team remained undefeated at press time at 13-0 following Friday’s 58-36 win at Massabesic. Cade Carr led the way with 17 points, Gerik Bialorucki added 13 and Pamba Pamba finished with 11. The Red Riots (first in the Class AA South Heal Points standings) look to stay perfect Friday when Noble pays a visit. South Portland then has a pivotal showdown at Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.

Scarborough fell to 7-6 and sixth in Class AA South after last Friday’s 70-46 home loss to Gorham, which made 13 3-point shots. The Red Storm got 12 points from Adam Lewis, 11 from Brian Austin and 10 from Zander Haskell, but it wasn’t enough.

“Gorham’s a very good team with some veterans and they deserved to win tonight,” said Scarborough coach Phil Conley. “They were picked to be one of the top teams in the South.”

The Red Storm are back in action Friday at Thornton Academy, then return home Tuesday of next week to face Sanford.

Defending Class B South champion Cape Elizabeth fell to 4-9 and fourth in the region after its skid hit four games with losses at Gray-New Gloucester (55-44) and at home to Greely (42-38). Nolan Smith had 16 points and Nate Mullen 15 against the Patriots. In the loss to the three-time defending Class A state champion Rangers, the Capers led much of the way and got 17 points from Mullen and 11 from Will Bowe, but a late Greely rally proved to be the difference.

“The guys were prepared and locked in,” Cape Elizabeth coach Jim Ray said. “We had some good possessions and made shots at times. Our offense was better and our defense kept us in the game, but turnovers kills us at the end. We had our chances. Their pressure forced us into turnovers. Credit to them.”

The Capers are at Fryeburg Academy Friday and host Yarmouth Tuesday of next week

Greater Portland Christian School fell to 0-10 and 11th in Class D South (where just eight teams make the playoffs) following recent losses at Seacoast Christian (38-27) and at home to Forest Hills (74-18). The Lions were at A.R. Gould Wednesday, go to Rangeley Friday and travel to Vinalhaven Wednesday of next week.

Girls’ basketball

Scarborough’s Madison Blanche drives to the basket during last week’s home loss against Gorham. Brianna Soukup / Portland Press Herald

On the girls’ side, South Portland improved to 10-3 and first in the Class AA South Heals following Friday’s 52-30 win at Massabesic. Cora Boothby-Akilo led the way with 11 points. The Red Riots go to Noble Friday and welcome Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.

Reigning Class AA South champion Scarborough fell to 7-6 and second in the region after Friday’s 42-31 home loss to Gorham. Kayla Conley had nine points, but the Red Storm were no match for the Rams.

“We had no defensive intensity tonight,” lamented Scarborough coach Mike Giordano. “We’ll go as far as our defense takes us. Gorham did a nice job. They played hard and took it to us. They really dictated what they wanted to do and we didn’t match their intensity.”

The Red Storm welcome Thornton Academy Friday, then host Sanford Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth was 6-7 and ninth (only eight teams make the playoffs) following a 36-35 overtime home loss to defending Class B champion Gray-New Gloucester and a 57-45 setback at two-time reigning Class A champion Greely. The Capers nearly upset the Patriots, but lost on a last-second shot. Isabel Berman had a team-high 14 points. Against the Rangers, Alison Gerety had 15 points and Berman added a dozen. After hosting Fryeburg Academy Friday, Cape Elizabeth goes to Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.

Boys’ hockey

Scarborough’s boys’ hockey team began the week 6-1-1 and second behind Lewiston in the Class A Heals. The Red Storm host Thornton Academy Saturday and welcome reigning Class A champion St. Dom’s Wednesday of next week.

The South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op team was 5-3-1 and third in Class A after a 3-0 victory at St. Dom’s and a 2-0 home loss to Lewiston last week. Gus Lappin scored twice and Liam McGibbon made 20 saves in the victory over the defending state champion Saints. McGibbon then stopped a whopping 39 shots in the loss to the Blue Devils. SP/Waynflete/Freeport was at Biddeford Thursday, goes to Bangor Saturday, then travels to Windham Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth was 2-8 and eighth (seven teams make the playoffs in the region) following Monday’s 3-2 setback at Yarmouth. The Capers got goals from Matt Laughlin and Jonas Moon, but it wasn’t enough.

“The whole game, I thought we had the better of play, like a lot of games this year, but we couldn’t get shots to go in,” Cape Elizabeth coach Jake Rutt lamented. “We just have to finish a couple more plays. That’s all it comes down to. With a young team, we have to learn hard lessons. We’re learning the hard way.”

The Capers were at Portland/Deering Thursday.

Girls’ hockey

Scarborough’s Kathleen Murphy plays defense during the Red Storm’s overtime loss at St. Dom’s last week. Andree Kehn / Sun Journal

On the girls’ side, Scarborough has all but clinched the top spot for the playoffs in the South Region. Last Wednesday, the Red Storm beat host St. Dom’s in overtime, 2-1, to improve to 14-1-1. Ali Mokriski had the winning goal. Scarborough has a showdown at the Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete co-op squad Saturday.

Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete was 10-3-1 and third in the South Region after a 4-2 win at Edward Little and a 4-2 home loss to defending state champion Cheverus. Nicoletta Coupe had three goals in the victory. Home games versus Scarborough Saturday and Lewiston Monday await.

Indoor track

Cape Elizabeth’s Keegan O’Grady competes in the senior 400 at last weekend’s WMC league meet. John Jensenius / For The Forecaster

Scarborough’s boys’ indoor track team beat seven others in an SMAA meet last weekend. South Portland placed third.

In the girls’ competition, Scarborough was fifth and South Portland sixth (Gorham came in first).

In WMC action, the Cape Elizabeth girls were third in an eight-team meet (which was won by Poland) and the boys finished sixth (Wells placed first).

Swimming

In the pool, Cape Elizabeth’s defending Class B state champion girls’ swim team handled Sanford last weekend, 112-39, while the Capers’ boys were also victorious over the Spartans, 117-28.

Scarborough split with Yarmouth, as the boys dominated, 130-14, and the girls lost to the Clippers, 91-79.

South Portland swept Falmouth, as the girls eked out an 89-83 victory and the boys won, 96-79.