Northern: Winter sports season passes midway point

The fun is just beginning in the winter sports season.

Girls’ hockey has just a couple weeks left, while basketball has passed the midway point and boys’ hockey nears it. The biggest events for indoor track, swimming and skiing aren’t far off either.

Everything will be magnified going forward and here’s a glimpse at where local teams stand:

Girls’ basketball

Falmouth’s Maddy Christman takes part in the opening tip during Friday’s overtime win at Deering. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

Falmouth’s girls’ basketball team got a much needed victory Friday. The Navigators, who had lost four straight and who were playing shorthanded, went to Deering for a first-ever meeting and thanks to a monster game from forward Maddy Christman stayed close throughout. Falmouth trailed by three points late before freshman Siobhan Nielsen made the biggest shot of her young life, a 3-pointer, to force overtime. There, Christman’s free throw with 5.1 seconds to go put the Navigators in front and they held on for a 42-41 victory to improve to 2-6 on the season. Christman led the way with 18 points and a whopping 21 rebounds.

“It feels so good,” said Christman. “I think we just stayed composed. We’ve worked a lot in practice on our press break and we really executed today. We were confident in ourselves and knew we had the skills to win.”

“It feels awesome,” said Navigators coach Dawn Armandi. “It feels like it’s been forever since we won. We’ve been in a lot of games, but we hurt ourselves and turn the ball over. It was nice tonight to see us finally capitalize and finish a game off.”

Falmouth, ranked ninth in the Class A South Heal Points standings at press time, is idle until next Tuesday when it goes to Marshwood,.

“We just need to give our all every game and just play how we can play,” said Christman.

Greely fell to 5-7 and fifth in Class A South after losses to visiting Sanford (40-26), host Mt. Ararat (54-12) and host Cheverus (66-41). Against the Spartans, Avery Bush and Asja Kelman both scored seven points. Kelman had 10 points in the loss to the Eagles. Against the Stags, Kelman had 12 points and Zada Smith added 11. The Rangers host Cape Elizabeth Friday, then go to reigning regional champion Brunswick Tuesday of next week.

Freeport was 6-6 and sixth in the region following a 50-33 loss at York and a 50-47 home loss to Marshwood last week. Against the Hawks, Maddie Cormier had 23 points and Abby Giroux added 14. The Falcons welcome Lake Region Friday, then go to Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.

Speaking of Yarmouth, the Clippers were 6-6 and eighth in Class B South after sandwiching home losses to Gray-New Gloucester (47-37) and Biddeford (29-28) around a 60-30 win at Cape Elizabeth. Lauren Keaney had 13 points against the Patriots. In the victory, Cate King led the way with 14 points, while Maya Hagerty and Aine Powers both added 10. Against the Tigers, King had 12 points but couldn’t convert a shot at the horn as Yarmouth nearly erased a 12-point deficit before falling just short due to several missed chances down the stretch.

“It was really frustrating,” said Clippers coach Tom Panozzo. “When you miss easy ones, that’s going to haunt you.”

Yarmouth is at Fryeburg Academy Saturday and returns home next Tuesday to face Freeport.

“We’re finally getting healthy and that was a problem at the beginning of the season,” Panozzo said. “Now, we just need more composure. I think we have one of the tougher schedules around. Hopefully that will help us out. We just have to focus on being our best at the end.”

In Class C South, North Yarmouth Academy stayed undefeated and is first in the standings after holding on for a 45-42 win at rival Waynflete and downing visiting Traip Academy (49-19) last week to improve to 10-0. Against the Flyers, the Panthers built a 14-point fourth quarter lead then had to survive down the stretch as a last-ditch 3-pointer was off the mark. NYA was led by Graca Bila, who had 15 points, eight steals and eight rebounds, and Ella Giguere, who finished with 11 points.

“It was pretty nervewracking, but I knew as a captain, I had to stay calm and keep the team calm and that’s the only way we could win,” Bila said.

“Waynflete’s legit,” said NYA coach Tom Robinson. “Give them a lot of credit. They can do some damage. They’re athletic, they have good guards. This was a good learning experience. We needed it for bigger games down the road.”

In the win over the Rangers, Athena Gee led the way with 21 points and Bila added 15 points and 12 steals. The Panthers return to action Friday at home versus reigning Class C state champion Old Orchard Beach, in a rematch of last year’s overtime regional final. NYA is home versus Waynflete Tuesday of next week.

“We just have to continue to play the way we play,” said Bila. “We’ve just found our own way of playing as a team. A lot of people have stepped up and we support each other always.”

“The league’s different every year,” Robinson said. “We’re not a deep team. We just have to hang in there.”

Boys’ basketball

With teammate Brayden Kloza setting a screen, NYA’s Jesse Mutagoma drives to the basket during the Panthers loss to Traip Academy last week. Michael Hoffer / The Forecaster

On the boys’ side, Falmouth, the two-time reigning Class A South champion, suffered a 59-41 loss at undefeated Class AA North power Windham last Tuesday, then improved to 8-2 and third in the Heal Points standings with a 66-58 victory at Thornton Academy Friday. Chris Simonds had a team-high 12 points in the setback, then had 21 points against the Golden Trojans. Charlie Wolak added 15, Jace Meader had 13 and Billy Birks finished with 10. The Navigators were at Brunswick Tuesday, host Noble in a pivotal contest Friday (see our website for game story), then welcome Marshwood Tuesday of next week.

Freeport was 9-2 and first in Class A South following a 44-43 home loss to York and a 48-36 victory at Marshwood. In the setback, which snapped a six-game win streak, Connor Smith had a team-high 15 points and JT Pound added 11. In the victory, Pound scored 16 points, Connor Slocum added 11 and Will Maneikis finished with 10. The Falcons host Biddeford Wednesday, welcome Lake Region Friday, then play host to Massabesic Tuesday of next week.

Greely were 4-6 and fifth in the region after Friday’s 47-44 home loss to Mt. Ararat and Monday’s 76-36 home victory over Massabesic. In the setback, Jackson Leding scored 14 points, Kade Ippolito added 13 and Ethan Michaud finished with 11. The Rangers go to Cape Elizabeth Friday and welcome Brunswick Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, Yarmouth dropped an 81-53 decision at Gray-New Gloucester last Tuesday, then improved to 5-6 and sixth in the standings with a 52-46 victory at Spruce Mountain last Thursday and a 69-50 home win over Cape Elizabeth Saturday. Against the Patriots, Evan Hamm had 24 points in a losing effort. In the win over the Phoenix, Hamm scored 24 points again and Justin Dawes added nine. Against the Capers, Hamm went off for 34 points. The Clippers go to Fryeburg Academy Saturday and visit Poland Tuesday of next week.

In Class C South, NYA was 3-6 and 11th after losses last week at Waynflete (49-28) and at home to Traip Academy (52-46). Against the Flyers, Brayden Kloza finished with 12 points and Nate Oney added 11. In the loss to the Rangers, Oney had 23 points and Kloza finished with 10, but the Panthers were doomed by fouls and turnovers.

“The boys never quit,” said longtime Panthers coach Jason Knight. “That’s a hallmark of the program. We gave ourselves a chance, but we’re not a team that has a large margin for error. It was two competitive teams. We just weren’t as disciplined as we needed to be. Both emotionally and executing at certain points. They didn’t make as many mistakes as we did. We’ve won some close games. We just came up short tonight.”

NYA hopes to get back in the win column Friday at home versus Old Orchard Beach. After hosting Monmouth Academy Saturday, the Panthers welcome Waynflete Tuesday of next week.

“We’re a work in progress,” Knight said. “We’re young. We have two seniors and everyone else is still learning how to play and react. I think we’re where I thought we might be. In fact, in some ways, I think we’re ahead of where I thought we might be. We’re putting it together and need to play a full 32 minutes. We have to play with more urgency. We have to learn and move forward.”

Boys’ hockey

Greely’s boys’ hockey team was 7-2 and first in the Class B South Heals after sandwiching wins at Brunswick (4-3) and Kennebunk (2-1) around a 3-2 overtime home loss to Portland/South Portland. Lucas Martin and Cullin Rafford had the goals in the loss. Against the Rams, Martin and Charlie Moore scored the goals while Will Klein made 17 saves. The Rangers are at reigning Class B state champion Cape Elizabeth Saturday.

Greely’s Sean Allen was chosen Class B South December Defender of the Month by the league’s coaches after scoring twice and adding four assists.

Cheverus/Yarmouth improved to 5-1 and fourth in Class B South after Saturday’s 7-2 home win over Mt. Ararat. Evan Hankins and Quinn McCoy each scored twice and Sam Bradford, Owen Cheever and Owen Walsh added one goal apiece. Cheverus/Yarmouth goes to York Saturday and plays at reigning Class B champion Cape Elizabeth Monday of next week.

Cheverus/Yarmouth sophomore goalie Ethan Tucker was named the Class B South December Goaltender of the Month after going 3-1 with a .936 save percentage and a 1.25 goals against average.

In Class A, Falmouth was 6-5 and second following a 1-0 home loss to Bangor and a 1-0 win at Lewiston. In the victory, Henry Whiting scored the lone goal. The Navigators welcome Scarborough Saturday and go to Fryeburg Academy Monday.

Girls’ hockey

The Yarmouth/Freeport girls’ hockey team celebrates Saturday’s 2-1 victory over previously undefeated Cheverus. Courtesy Yarmouth Athletics.

On the girls’ side, Yarmouth/Freeport moved into the top spot in the North Region after improving to 9-3 with wins over visiting Cheverus (2-1) and Gorham (6-0). In the victory over the reigning state champion Stags, in a rematch of last year’s state final, Amanda Panciocco and Emma White scored the goals, while Lexi Wiles made 14 saves. Against the Rams, Sophie Smith had two goals, while Avery Buchanan, Rosie Panenka, Isabel Peters and Sophie White added one apiece. Wiles stopped 17 shots. Yarmouth/Freeport welcomes Winslow Saturday.

In the South Region, Falmouth/Scarborough was 4-6 and fifth entering a home game versus Edward Little Monday. The squad hosts Greely Thursday, York Saturday and Cape Elizabeth/Portland/South Portland/Waynflete Monday of next week.

Greely fell to 1-11-1 and sixth in the South Region after a 2-1 overtime home loss to St. Dom’s and a 6-0 home setback to Lewiston. Tacie Dougan had the goal in OT loss. After going to Falmouth/Scarborough Thursday, the Rangers visit Biddeford Saturday.

Indoor track

In Southwestern Maine Activities Association indoor track action last week, Falmouth’s boys defeated Deering, Noble and Thornton Academy. The girls placed second behind Noble.

In the Western Maine Conference, Freeport’s boys and girls swept an eight-team meet.

Yarmouth’s girls won an eight-team meet, with Greely finishing third and NYA tying for seventh. In the boys’ meet, won by York, Greely was runner-up, Yarmouth finished third and NYA placed fourth.

Swimming

In the pool, Greely swept Scarborough last Friday, as the boys prevailed, 107-62, while the girls won, 93-66.

Yarmouth swept Kennebunk, with the boys winning, 42-25, and the girls prevailing, 55-24.

Falmouth’s boys held off Thornton Academy, 99.5-82.5, while the girls lost to the Golden Trojans, 123-87.

Freeport split with Waynflete, with the boys prevailing, 69-46, and the girls losing to the Flyers, 75-54.

Skiing

Yarmouth’s Nordic ski team took part in a meet in Portland last week. The girls were second and the boys placed fifth. Courtesy Dana Hatton.

Greely’s girls won the first local Nordic skiing freestyle race of the season last week at Riverside Golf Course, beating 12 other teams. Yarmouth was runner-up, Freeport finished third, Falmouth placed fourth, Maine Coast Waldorf had the ninth-best score and NYA was 12th.

In the boys’ meet, won by Deering, Freeport was third, Yarmouth fifth, Greely sixth, MCW 10th, Falmouth 11th and NYA 14th.

Freeport’s Teo Steverlynck-Horne wins the Roy Varney Hornet Classic Monday. Daryn Slover / Sun Journal

At Monday’s Roy Varney Hornet Classic, Freeport’s Teo Steverlynck-Horne had the top finish in the boys’ meet. The Falcons were sixth as a team. Yarmouth was second to Leavitt, while Greely was 12th, MCW 23rd and Falmouth 26th.

In the girls’ competition, Yarmouth was second to Mt. Blue, while Freeport finished fourth, Greely was fifth, Falmouth placed ninth and MCW came in 21st.

On the Alpine side, Yarmouth’s boys and girls were both first last week in a slalom meet which also included Lake Region, Traip Academy and York.

Monday, the Clippers swept a seven-team WMC/SMAA giant slalom meet.

Falmouth’s boys and girls swept a nine-team SMAA slalom meet last week.