Southern: Winter sports season just heating up

It finally looks and feels like winter and local sports teams are enjoying the season so far.

As we approach the midway point of the campaign, here’s a glimpse at where teams stand and a look at what’s to come:

Boys’ basketball

Scarborough’s Liam Jefferds races up the floor while being pressured by an Edward Little defender during Tuesday’s victory. Russ Dillingham / Sun Journal

Scarborough’s boys’ basketball team continues to set the tone. The Red Storm were 8-2 after sandwiching wins over visiting Thornton Academy (62-37) and host Edward Little (56-44) around a 58-51 setback at Gorham. Against the Golden Trojans, Carter Blanche and Nate Glidden both scored 12 points and Spencer Booth added 11. At the Rams, in a playoff rematch, Scarborough led much of the way but fell just short as its six-game win streak came to a close. Liam Jefferds scored 17 points, including four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter, and Booth added 10 points and eight rebounds, but it wasn’t enough.

“I thought it was a really good high school basketball game with two really good teams,” Red Storm coach Phil Conley said. “They made a couple shots late, so credit Gorham for that. I’m proud of the way my kids battled. Gorham was picked to win the whole thing and this was a good test. We’re getting better and better every game. This is a confidence-builder. I thought our bigs did a really good job and Liam Jefferds hit some really big shots late for us.”

In the win over the Red Eddies, Booth led the way with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while both Liam Garriepy and Liam Jefferds added 14 points.

“We talked together in the locker room, ‘We need to come out together and with energy and not come out with a slow start,’ and we definitely did that,” Booth said. “We went up — I think we were up like 16 points at one point. Just coming out with a lot of energy and just getting it done and being in that mindset.”

“We lost a tough game at Gorham with about two minutes to go on Saturday, so I wanted to see how this group responded,” Conley said. “I’m very pleased with our performance. We have great senior leadership and they responded with a victory today against a very good team, very well-coached team.”

Scarborough hosts Sanford Friday and goes to two-time reigning Class AA champion South Portland Monday.

“I really like this team.,” said Conley. “They’re close on and off the court and come to practice every day and work hard. We’ll keep moving forward.”

South Portland, meanwhile, which began the season with five straight losses, has won three of four since and improved to 3-6 after following up a 57-47 home loss to Deering with victories at Thornton Academy (52-44) and Sanford (69-65, in overtime). In the setback, Gabe Jackson had 14 points and Gabe Galarraga added 11. In the victory over the Golden Trojans, Galarraga had 20 points and Manny Hidalgo added 19. Against the Spartans, the Red Riots erased a nine-point fourth quarter deficit and won in overtime, thanks to 19 points from Galarraga, 18 points from Jackson, 15 from Hidalgo and 11 from Darius Johnson. South Portland goes to Bonny Eagle Friday and host Scarborough Monday.

Cape Elizabeth dropped its first six games, capped by a 55-32 loss at York last Tuesday, then defeated visiting Waynflete, 46-41, to improve to 1-6. After Tuesday’s scheduled home game versus Mountain Valley was postponed, the Capers went to Poland Thursday, visit Yarmouth Saturday and welcome Fryeburg Academy Monday.

Girls’ basketball

Cape Elizabeth freshman Finley DiGiovanni plays defense during last week’s loss at Waynflete. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

On the girls’ side, South Portland, which started the year 1-3, extended its win streak to three and improved to 6-3 after downing host Bonny Eagle (64-17) and visiting Thornton Academy (55-53). Against the Scots, Destiny Peter had 18 points and Nyeerah Padgett and Emma Travis each added 14. In the win over the Golden Trojans, the Red Riots erased a nine-point deficit and prevailed behind 17 points from Travis, 13 from Annie Whitmore and 10 from Caleigh Corcoran. South Portland was at Noble Wednesday and has a key showdown at Scarborough Monday.

Speaking of Scarborough, it was 8-2 after sandwiching wins at Thornton Academy (59-40) and at home over Edward Little (55-42) around a 43-32 setback at Gorham. Against the Golden Trojans, Emerson Flaker led a balanced attack with 16 points, Helena Bukarac, Isabel Freedman and Caroline Hartley had nine points apiece and Ellie Rumelhart and Megan Rumelhart added eight each. The Red Storm’s offense went cold at the Rams, as they didn’t score in the first quarter and trailed, 19-5, at halftime. Scarborough never got closer than seven points down the stretch.

“Gorham’s a really good team,” longtime Red Storm coach Mike Giordano said. “We definitely struggled, but I liked our fight in the second half.”

In the win over the Red Eddies, Flaker had 17 points, Hartley added 16 and Megan Rumelhart finished with 10. Scarborough goes to Sanford Friday, then hosts South Portland Monday.

“You have to know what you have to bring on a nightly basis to compete in our league and I think the girls learned that tonight,” Giordano said. “I still think it’ll come down to consistency on the offensive end. We’re in good shape if we get to 50 (points). It’s a process. We’re still learning about ourselves.”

Cape Elizabeth fell to 0-8 after losses to visiting York (58-38) and at Waynflete (39-25) and Mountain Valley (48-39). Against the Flyers, Grace Callahan scored 17 points but the Capers turned the ball over 29 times.

“We just didn’t handle their pressure the way we needed to,” lamented longtime Cape Elizabeth coach Chris Casterella. “It led to easy baskets for them and not enough opportunities on offense for us. Waynflete was super-aggressive. They’re strong and they’re good with the ball. It was nice to see us compete for a whole game today. It just got away from us at the end.”

Callahan had 16 points and Mei Martinez added 10 in the loss to the Falcons. The Capers tried again for a victory Thursday at Poland, then host Yarmouth Saturday and Fryeburg Academy Monday.

“The girls know it’s an uphill battle,” Casterella said. “We need to have some shots fall and some things to go our way, but they’re battling. We have find more scoring.”

Boys’ hockey

On the ice, reigning Class B state champion Cape Elizabeth fell to 1-6 after an 8-0 home loss to Kennebunk last week. The Capers welcomed Cheverus/Yarmouth Thursday and play host to Windham Saturday.

The South Portland/Portland co-op team was 4-4 at press time following a 4-3 loss at Falmouth and a 2-1 home victory over previously undefeated Lewiston. The squad was at Edward Little Wednesday and visits top-ranked Class B South squad Greely Saturday.

Scarborough was 2-5 following a 4-0 victory at Biddeford last week and Monday’s 4-2 home loss to Marshwood. The Red Storm were home versus Edward Little Thursday and welcome Fryeburg Academy Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ hockey

The Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Portland/Waynflete co-op girls’ hockey team improved to 7-3 after victories last week at York (8-1) and Biddeford (4-1). The squad hosted Gorham Thursday (see our website for game story) and plays at Falmouth Saturday.

The Falmouth/Scarborough co-op squad won its third straight game on New Year’s Day, 6-2, at Greely in the Dudley Cup. Falmouth/Scarborough then lost at Penobscot Saturday, 7-2, and at home to Cheverus Monday, 5-0, to fall to 4-6. Falmouth/Scarborough welcomes Cape Elizabeth/Portland/South Portland/Waynflete Saturday and plays host to Edward Little Monday of next week.

Indoor track

The first regular season Western Maine Conference indoor track meet at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham saw Cape Elizabeth’s boys and girls each come in fourth in an 11-team field (York was first).

In SMAA action, Scarborough’s boys were first and the girls second to Cheverus in the season opener. In the Red Storm’s second meet, the boys and girls both held off four other teams to come in first. Tuesday, Scarborough’s girls were first in a four-team meet, while the boys finished second to Portland.

South Portland’s boys and girls both came in first in the season opener, then placed first again last week.

Swimming

In early season swimming action, Cape Elizabeth’s boys and girls handled Kennebunk, with the boys prevailing, 124-42, and the girls winning, 100-55. The Capers also swept Windham, as the boys won, 106-18, and the girls rolled, 104-42.

Scarborough’s boys defeated Thornton Academy, 90-53. The Red Storm girls were beaten by the Golden Trojans, 101-41. Scarborough then swept Kennebunk, with the boys winning, 106-52, and the girls prevailing, 70-51.

South Portland enjoyed a sweep over Bonny Eagle, with the boys prevailing, 75-48, and the girls winning, 86-54. he Red Riots were then swept by Yarmouth, as the girls lost by a single point, 47-46, and the boys fell, 54-35.