The indoor track, swimming and skiing state meets have come and gone and local athletes once again turned heads.
Here’s a recap:
Swimming
Cape Elizabeth’s Cookie Mahoney competes in the breaststroke portion of the 200 individual medley en route to victory at last week’s Class B state meet. Rich Abrahamson / Morning Sentinel
Cape Elizabeth’s boys’ and girls’ swim teams repeated as Class B state champions, while the Scarborough boys went back-to-back in Class A as well during memorable performances last week.
The Capers boys tallied 355 points and held off Mt. Desert Island (319) for their second title in a row and ninth dating to 1980. David Steinbrick won the 200 freestyle (1 minute, 44.53 seconds) and the 100 free (48.24 seconds). Graham Plourde took the 200 individual medley (2:03.60). Cormac McKenney was first in the 100 butterfly (52.16) and won the 100 breaststroke (59.77). Cape Elizabeth also won the 200 medley relay (Jack McCormick, McKenney, Plourde and Steinbrick, 1:38.87) and the 400 free relay (McCormick, Plourde, McKenney and Steinbrick, 3:19.45).
McCormick was also runner-up in the 50 free (22.42) and second in the 100 backstroke (54.75). Plourde finished fourth in the 100 fly (54.03). Ian Plourde came in fifth in the 500 free (5:16.74). Rohan Yadav was sixth in the 200 IM (2:12.06) and sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.4). Weston Lowe placed eighth in the 200 free (1:57.26). Ian Connolly was eighth in the 500 free (5:33.88). The Capers were fourth in the 200 free relay (Yadav, Max Hemeon, Ian Plourde and Lowe, 1:38.86).
The Capers trailed MDI after nine of the 12 events, but were able to rally.
“We made them aware of how close it was,” longtime Cape Elizabeth coach Ben Raymond said. “I don’t want them to focus on the score if we’re ahead, but when things get tight, I needed to remind them a little bit of ‘Hey, we are in a swim meet here.’ Things are happening.”
The Capers girls had a little easier time of it, tallying 356 points and defeating runner-up Ellsworth by 83. Cape Elizabeth won its 21st championship since 1973 and its fifth in seven years.
Cookie Mahoney was first in both the 200 IM (2:06.74) and the 100 free (53.17).
“Big day for Cape,” said Mahoney. “Our coach pushes us all a lot and we have practice with the boys, so we all try to race each other. We really motivate each other. We do a lot of sprints off the blocks to work on racing. We love racing each other. We have a really good group of girls that pushes each other.”
Lucy Shaw won the 200 free (1:56.16).
“I felt really good,” said Shaw. “We had three really good swimmers in that race. It went really well and I’m happy with my time. You never know if someone is going to come out of nowhere, so just keep pushing and drive to the wall.”
Hope Taylor captured the 500 free (5:17.94). Cape Elizabeth also won the 200 free relay (Cookie Mahoney, Hadley Mahoney, Audrey Alberts and Shaw, 1:40.89) and the 400 free relay (Shaw, Taylor, Hadley Mahoney and Cookie Mahoney, 3:38.17).
Hadley Mahoney was runner-up in the 200 free (2:02.07) and third in the 50 free (55.47). Taylor was second in the IM (2:12.94). Shaw came in runner-up in the 50 free (53.56). Grace Taylor finished third in the 500 free (5:43.41). Alberts came in fourth in the 100 fly (1:01.14) and sixth in the IM (2:19.45). Sally Bakke finished sixth in the 200 free (2:09.56). The Capers’ 200 medley relay team of Hope Taylor, Hannah Frothingham, Alberts and Mimi Esch placed fifth (1:58.69).
Scarborough’s boys leap into the pool after winning the Class A state championship last week. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald
Prior to last winter, Scarborough’s boys had never won a Class A state title. Last week, the Red Storm made it two in a row, producing a whopping 369.5 points to leave runner-up Edward Little (231) in their wake.
Scarborough was led by standout Ethan Schulz, who won the 200 free (1:41.90) and the 100 free (46.74).
“Everything I had, everything these boys (on deck) had, everything those boys (across the pool) had, I was just proud of everyone, of all the work they put in,” said Schulz, the Swimmer of the Meet.
Evan Wardrop took the 100 backstroke (52.94) and the Red Storm swept all three relays, as the 200 medley team (Wardrop, Owen Kasper, Brendan Amann and Stephen Ranger) was first in 1:42.67, the 200 free squad (Ranger, Ryan Vigue, Kasper and Schulz) had a time of 1:34.88 and the 400 free team (Vigue, Amann, Wardrop and Schulz) posted a time of 3:22.15.
Wardrop was also runner-up in the 100 fly (54.48). Kasper placed third in the 200 IM (2:06.67) and third in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.92). Amann was third in the 100 fly (55.71) and placed fourth in the 200 IM (2:10.71). Vigue was third in the 500 free (5:16.82) and finished fifth in the 200 free (1:57.55). Tanner Johnson came in sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.64). Joel Pillsbury finished seventh in the 500 free (5:58.62). Noah Mowry was seventh in the 200 free (2:02.52) and seventh in the 100 free (54.01). Ranger finished eighth in the 100 free (55.29).
Morgan Royle, Scarborough’s first-year head coach, delivered a message before leaving the bus before the meet.
“We may be way out in front of everybody, but I want us to walk into this meet not thinking we deserve it, but making sure we earn it.” Royle said.
South Portland (168.5 points) placed fourth. Nick Reid was runner-up in the 200 free (1:51.08) and the 100 free (49.86). Josh Lamour placed third in diving (216.55 points). The Red Riots were fifth in the 200 medley relay (Gavin Olsen, Lamour, Reid and Will Alvarez, 1:52.82), sixth in the 200 free relay (Lucas Inman, Alvarez, Logan Rall and Lamour, 1:45.18) and sixth in the 400 free relay (Olsen, Inman, Alvarez and Reid, 3:53.68).
In the Class A girls’ meet, won by Camden Hills with 285 points, South Portland (123) finished seventh. The Red Riots featured the second- (Emilie Way, 308.65 points) and third-best (Ana McDonald, 268.75) divers. Amelia Hughes finished fourth in the 500 free (5:42.94) and seventh in the 200 free (2:08.24).
Scarborough (108) was 10th. Emerson Johnson placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.75). Lyla Pobrisio finished eighth in the 50 free (1:01.02). The Red Storm’s 200 free relay team (Nadia Grinyuk, Pobrisio, Johnson and Iman Ghosheh) was fourth (1:51.73).
Indoor track
South Portland’s Kyle Hartford takes the baton from Jack Smart during the 4×800 relay at last week’s Class A boys’ indoor track state meet. Carl D. Walsh / Portland Press Herald
Scarborough’s boys’ indoor track team captured another Class A crown, while the girls’ squad nearly joined it atop the podium.
The Red Storm boys finished with 69 points and won the title for the seventh straight postseason and the 11th time in the last 12 seasons a state meet was held.
Parker Killiard won the 200 (22.58 seconds). Nate Murray was first in the shot put (47 feet, 11 inches). Adam Bendetson took the two-mile (9 minutes, 31.52 seconds).
“The two-mile is my best event, so I was happy to come back and win it,” Bendetson said. “We knew we had top athletes that could score well at the end of the meet. It feels amazing to defend the title, and to be part of a tradition like the one at Scarborough.”
Wyatt Martin finished runner-up in the pole vault (12-0). Bendetson placed fourth in the mile (4:25.0). Ethan Keller finished fourth in the two-mile (10:21.83). Killiard was fifth in the 55 (6.68). John Read placed fifth in the 55 hurdles (8.10). Nate Driscoll finished sixth in the two-mile (10:25.36). Scarborough’s 4×200 relay team (Joel Nji, Read, Charlie Murray and Killiard) was fourth (1:35.94). The Red Storm’s 4×800 relay squad (Gavin Cote, Landen Springer, Baxter Merriam and Joseph Cotta) was also fourth (8:34.17).
South Portland (24 points) tied Brewer for 10th place. Arnaud Sioho was runner-up in the triple jump (44-2.5) and placed seventh in the long jump (20-1). Enoque De Dieu was fifth in the triple jump (41-7). Tyler Bryant finished sixth in the high jump (6-0). Evan Small was eighth in the two-mile (10:34.62). The Red Riots’ 4×800 relay team (Harrison Jones, Michael Lawlor, Jack Smart and Kyle Hartford) finished third (8:33.34).
In the Class A girls’ meet, won by Bangor with 94 points, Scarborough (89.5) was a close second, its best finish since winning the title five years ago. Caroline Fallona won the 55 (7.21) and was second in the 200 (26.35). Emerson Flaker won the 400 (58.28) and was runner-up to Fallona in the 55 (7.38) and third in the 200 (26.41). The Red Storm’s 4×200 relay team (Amelia Caruso, Bailey Stoddard-Baugham, Julia Black and Fallona) was first (1:49.79).
The 4×800 relay squad Sofia Tierney, Laurel Driscoll, Sabrina Ocampo and Kyleigh Record) placed fifth (10:26.82). Record was runner-up in the 800 (2:26.67) and fifth in the mile (5:39.30). Driscoll was second in the mile (5:29.77) and placed eighth in the 800 (2:31.08). Black was fourth in the 400 (1:02.40) and finished fifth in the 200 (27.17). Ocampo finished seventh in the 800 (2:30.27). Caroline Benson tied for seventh in the pole vault (8-0).
South Portland (4 points) was 19th. Ella Nickerson finished seventh in the long jump (15-5.75). Ava Smart was eighth in the 400 (1:04.72). The Red Riots’ 4×200 relay team (Christie Cole, Samantha Clyde, Nickerson and Smart) placed eighth (1:56.32).
In Class B, the Cape Elizabeth girls had 25 points and were eighth (York won with 62.5). The Capers were led by Grace Gray, who was runner-up in the 200 (27.35) and third in the 55 (7.64), and Emma Young (second in the 800, 2:22.63). The Capers’ 4×800 relay team placed sixth (11:42.22).
Cape Elizabeth’s boys (8 points) tied Fryeburg Academy and Wells for 18th place (St. Dom’s was first with 57 points). The Capers’ points came from Tommy Gray, who was runner-up in the shot put (46-2).
The indoor track New Englands are this weekend in Boston.
Skiing
Cape Elizabeth’s Logan Schwartz excelled at the recent Class B state Alpine ski meet.
Schwartz won both the slalom (with a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 8.37 seconds) and the giant slalom (1:20.77). The Capers placed second to Caribou as a team. Keegan Lathrop (third in the GS, 1:25.82; and fifth in the slalom, 1:12.51) also excelled.
In the girls’ meet, won by Fort Kent, Cape Elizabeth wound up fifth. Anya Monson finished third and in the GS (1:29.30) and was sixth in the slalom (1:23.16).
Boys’ hockey
Scarborough’s boys’ hockey team is gearing up for another title run. The Red Storm finished fourth in Class A and hosts No. 5 South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete in the state quarterfinals Friday night. The teams split this year, each prevailing on the road, with the Red Storm winning in overtime (4-3) and South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete coming out on top (2-0). Scarborough won last year’s semifinal round meeting in double-overtime (5-4).
In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth closed on an 11-game surge, capped by a 4-1 home win over Cheverus/Yarmouth last Wednesday, to wind up 16-2 and second behind reigning state champion Brunswick. The Capers will host a semifinal round contest Saturday against either No. 3 Cheverus/Yarmouth (10-6-2) or No. 6 Gorham (8-9-1). Cape Elizabeth swept Cheverus/Yarmouth this year, including a 6-1 road victory earlier this season, and swept the Rams as well, 4-2 and 5-3.
Looking ahead, the Class B South Final and the Class A state semifinals are Tuesday of next week at the Cross Insurance Arena. The Class A and B state games are Saturday, March 11 at the same location.
Press Herald staff writers Glenn Jordan and Travis Lazarczyk contributed to this story.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
Copy the Story LinkComments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
