BOYS’ BASKETBALL

Coach: Phil Conley (seventh year, 50-56 overall record)

2021-22 record: 4-15 (Lost, 60-37, to Thornton Academy in Class AA South quarterfinals

Top returning players: Ethan Blanche (Senior), Brayden Couture (Junior), Liam Garriepy (Junior), Nate Glidden (Junior), Blake Harris (Junior), Liam Jefferds (Junior),

Pivotal games: Dec. 13 THORNTON ACADEMY, Dec. 16 BONNY EAGLE, Dec. 22 GORHAM, Dec. 28 @ Bonny Eagle, Jan. 3 CHEVERUS, Jan. 5 @ Thornton Academy, Jan. 7 SOUTH PORTLAND, Jan. 16 @ Gorham, Jan. 24 @ South Portland, Jan. 27 EDWARD LITTLE, Feb. 9 @ Deering

Coach’s comment: “We’re a little inexperienced, but I love this group. They work so hard and they’re tight-knit. We have four freshmen on varsity this year. We have good size. We’re in a very tough region. Our goal is to get to the Civic Center. I believe we can do that because we have good players and because of their work ethic. I think we’ll just get better as we get more experience.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Scarborough could be the dark horse in a deep and talented Class A South. The Red Storm just need some seasoning and they’ll receive trial by fire in the weeks to come. If this group develops as expected, look out.

Garriepy, a captain, made the SMAA All-Rookie team a year ago after averaging 10.9 points per game. He stands 6-foot-5 and will be a force in the post. In fact, Scarborough has a very imposing collection of big men, which also includes a 6-foot-6 center in Couture, a 6-foot-8 freshman center in Spencer Booth and a 6-foot-5 senior forward in D.J. Alston, the football quarterback. Blanche and Jeffereds are the other captains. Blanche is a 6-1 shooting guard, while Jefferds runs the point and makes the offense go. Glidden and Harris will also be heard from in the backcourt, as will senior Nick Ouellette (the goalkeeper on the state runner-up boys’ soccer team) and freshman Carter Blanche, who could emerge as a scorer as the season progresses.

The Red Storm are an unknown quantity in many respects, certainly outside of Scarborough. They’ll have to get up to speed quickly as the early schedule doesn’t offer many breathers, but the belief is that will happen. This group might be a year away from truly going deep in the tournament, but rest assured that none of the favorites will want to face the Red Storm this February.

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

Coach: Mike Giordano (10th year, 104-62 overall record)

2021-22 record: 16-5 (Lost, 49-26, to Gorham in Class AA South Final)

Top returning players: Daisy Stone (Senior), Caroline Hartley (Junior), Emerson Flaker (Sophomore), Ellie Rumelhart (Sophomore), Megan Rumelhart (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Dec. 13 @ Thornton Academy, Dec. 22 GORHAM, Jan. 3 @ Cheverus, Jan. 5 THORNTON ACADEMY, Jan. 7 @ South Portand, Jan. 16 @ Gorham, Jan. 24 SOUTH PORTLAND

Coach’s comment: “We’re very young. We have just two seniors and one junior. The rest are sophomores and freshmen. I love these kids. They play hard and want to compete and take coaching. I think we over-achieved last year, then we lost three senior starters who were huge contributors. We’re farther ahead on defense. We have a lot of kids who can shoot, but they have to define their roles. These girls like to compete. I wouldn’t sleep on us.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Scarborough made a spirited run all the way to the regional final a year ago, but has to build back up to that level this winter. The Red Storm don’t have a lot of experience, but the athletes and the hunger are there, so don’t write them off so fast.

Hartley leads the way. She made the SMAA All-Rookie team as a sophomore, averaging 10.2 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, can play everywhere from the perimeter to the paint and will be a top scoring threat. Flaker is the point guard. She made the All-Rookie team, as well as the SMAA All-Defensive team last winter. She’ll set up her teammates on offense and will stymie the opposition when they have the ball. Stone is the veteran captain. She’ll see time in the post. Ellie Rumelhart and Megan Rumelhart are both guards who will help the cause. Sophomore Isabel Freedman is a new player to keep an eye on.

If Scarborough can consistently generate 40-plus points per game, it will go toe-to-toe with everyone. The defense will be there. This group is still a work in progress, but the finished product could be more successful than anyone can envision at this early juncture.

BOYS’ HOCKEY

Coach: Eric Wirsing (second year)

2021-22 record: 13-8-1 (Beat Thornton Academy, 2-1, in 2-OTs, to win Class A state title)

Top returning players: Daemon Bobbin (Senior), Thomas Hassett (Senior), Billy Mahoney (Senior), Jordan Sheppard (Senior), Keegan Weed (Senior), Wyatt Grondin (Sophomore)

Pivotal games: Dec. 10 @ Falmouth, Dec. 23 FALMOUTH, Dec. 30 @ Lewiston, Jan. 4 @ Thornton Academy, Jan. 7 @ Edward Little, Jan. 12 @ Cheverus/Yarmouth, Jan. 19 @ South Portland, Jan. 21 LEWISTON, Feb. 18 THORNTON ACADEMY, Feb. 21 SOUTH PORTLAND

Coach’s comment: “We have some solid team speed and some depth at forward. We would like to put ourselves in the top third of the league by the end of the season.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Scarborough wound up the best team in the league a year ago, improbably rising from the No. 7 seed to champion, thanks in large part to the overtime goal-scoring heroics of then-freshman Wyatt Grondin. It won’t come any easier this season, but the Red Storm have that look again and they have to be on the short list of Class A favorites.

Grondin is going to have a tough time producing an encore this season when it comes to his flair for the dramatic, but his goal-scoring abilities aren’t in question and he’ll likely build on his 10 goals, 11 assists stat line of last year. Other forwards to watch include Mahoney (3 goals, 8 assists) and Sheppard (7 goals), along with juniors Tyler Kenney and William Marcotte. The defense is in good hands with Bobbin and Hassett, in front of Weed, who has proved to be an elite big-game goalie.

The Red Storm are the hunted this time around and regardless of their playoff seed, everyone will take them seriously. That brings some pressure, but Scarborough will embrace it. Look for another solid regular season and a postseason surge wouldn’t shock anyone this time around.

INDOOR TRACK

Boys’ coach: Derek Veilleux (18th year, 11 state championships)

Girls’ coach: Denise Curry (first year)

2021-22 results: Boys’ Class A state champion; Girls’ 6th @ Class A state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Adam Bendetson (Senior), Nate Driscoll (Senior), Parker Killiard (Senior), John Read (Junior), Nate Murray (Sophomore)

(Girls) Julia Black (Senior), Caroline Fallona (Senior), Maezy Gleason (Junior), Kyleigh Record (Junior)

Coach Veilleux’s comment: “We have a young, inexperienced team this winter, so early on teaching the basics will be important. Our goal will be to get better each day and compete at the highest level in the championship meets. Based on our first meet, we have the talent and ability to compete for conference and state titles.”

Coach Curry’s comment: “We’re a young team with lots of promising talent looking to have an awesome season.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Scarborough’s boys are looking for more of the same, while the girls start anew this winter and both squads have some talented athletes to watch.

The boys won their 10th Class A title since 2011 last winter and while standouts Zach Barry, Nicholas Connolly, Jayden Flaker and Toby Martin have graduated, there’s enough coming back to think the Red Storm will remain the gold standard. Killiard, who just spearheaded the boys’ soccer team’s run all the way to the state final, returns from a state champion 4×200 relay team and will be a top sprinter. He’s joined by seniors Tim Crockett, Charlie Murray and Joel Nji, sophomore Kevin Collins and freshman Lucas-James Renaud. Bendetson, who just committed to running at the University of Maine, joins Driscoll as top distance threats. Read will be heard from in the hurdles. Freshman Caedan Humpage hopes to be a factor as well. On the field side, Nate Murray is a veteran in the shot put. Sophomore Wyatt Martin will be a pole vaulter to watch. Humpage competes in the jumps. Scarborough will be pushed by the likes of Falmouth, Portland, South Portland and Thornton Academy, but don’t be surprised if the Red Storm manage to finish atop the heap once more.

On the girls’ side, Ron Kelly’s long tenure as coach has come to an end, as Curry takes over. She served as an assistant in Scarborough for seven years prior to being the Windham head coach the past five seasons. Fallona, who will run at Fordham University in New York City next year, was the runner-up in the 55 and fourth in the 200 a year ago. She’ll aim for the top spot this season. Black (fifth in the 200) is another top sprinter. Record will be strong in the longer races. Gleason is a top thrower.

SWIMMING

Coach: Morgan Royle (first year)

2021-22 results: Boys’ Class A state champions; Girls’ 9th @ Class A state meet

Top returners:

(Boys) Brendan Amann (Senior), Tanner Johnson (Senior), Ethan Schulz (Senior), Evan Wardrop (Senior), Owen Kasper (Junior), Ryan Vigue (Junior), Stephen Ranger (Sophomore)

(Girls) Emerson Johnson (Sophomore)

Coach’s comment: “The part I love most about Scarborough’s team is the amount of sportsmanship and support these kids have towards each other. I’ve always been proud to be a part of that and look to uphold that tradition moving forward.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Scarborough is coming off a fine season, as the boys captured the championship and the girls were competitive as well. After turning the Red Storm into a power, Eric French stepped down as coach and has been replaced by Royle, who once swam for Scarborough.

The boys’ squad returns the dynamic Schulz, who won the Class A state title in both the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle a year ago. Wardrop came in second in both the 100 backstroke and the 500 free a year ago and hopes to take the top spot this time around. Kasper (third in the 100 breaststroke and eighth in the individual medley) also scored last year at states. Amann, Johnson, Ranger and Vigue are other veterans who will help keep the Red Storm near the top of the heap.

On the girls’ side, Johnson is coming off a freshman campaign which saw her place sixth in the breaststroke. She’ll lead the way this time around. The Red Storm should show steady improvement over the course of the season and will be a factor in February.

WRESTLING (co-op with Gorham)

Coaches: Ben Watson (second year)

2021-22 results: tie-18th @ Class A state meet

Top returners: Luke Burns (Junior), Bryce Jackson-Parise (Junior), Miguel Torres (Junior)

Coach’s comment: “The primary goal is to continue to revive our program. We believe in the culture we’re creating and we truly think we have something special. We know it will take time to teach wrestling to a large number of first time wrestlers, but our kids are attentive and give the effort. We’ve got a large number of freshmen and sophomores and if they stick with it, good things will happen. Next, we want to compete. We’re looking to stay healthy and put some of our top athletes on the podium. We don’t talk a lot about winning matches. We talk about winning the position and scoring the next point, however, I think it’s a safe assumption and fair to say that we all want to compete. Lastly, we want to groom young adults. The truest tell of the success of a program is the adults they create. It’ll be some years from now before we can truly assess how we’ve done, but using the skills and lessons from wrestling like mental toughness, hard work and accountability and teaching these young people how to apply them to life beyond the mat will ultimately define (our program). The only expectations we set with the athletes is to give us 100 percent effort all the time and to keep a positive attitude. Those two components will foster success on their own.”

The Forecaster’s forecast: Scarborough, which is a co-op team with Gorham, is a program on the rise.

The Red Storm return Burns (182-pounds), who competed at states last season, Torres (145), an alternate at states, and Jackson-Parise (220), who went undefeated during the regular season. Junior DJ Hopper, sophomore Cole Tomuschat and freshman Lucas Graham are top newcomers to keep an eye on. All three are heavyweights. Scarborough could have several wrestlers make an impact come championship season.

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

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