Southern: February arrives and it’s time to think playoffs

The trophies lie in wait and the memories are waiting to be made, but before we can move on to the winter sports postseason, there remains some unfinished regular season business.

The end of the girls’ hockey regular season is just days away and boys’ and girls’ basketball wrap up their campaigns next Thursday, so much is yet to be determined.

Here’s a glimpse at where local teams stand with just days remaining to do something about it:

Girls’ basketball

The South Portland girls extended their win streak to 12 games, its longest since the 2018-19 squad captured 17 straight, and improved to 13-3 on the season after recent victories over visiting Sanford (44-39), host Thornton Academy (50-41) and visiting Noble (45-14). Against the Spartans, the Red Riots erased a nine-point fourth quarter deficit and got 18 points from Nyeerah Padgett and 10 from Destiny Peter. In the win at the Golden Trojans, Emma Travis had 16 points, Padgett added 12 and Annie Whitmore finished with 11. Against the Knights, Travis set the pace with 17 points. South Portland (ranked second behind Gorham in the Class AA South Heal Points standings) has a pivotal home showdown against Gorham Friday (see our website for game story), then wraps up the regular season Thursday of next week, at Sanford.

Scarborough was 11-5 and third in Class AA South following wins at Bonny Eagle (60-21) and Massabesic (59-34) last week. Against the Scots, Helena Bukarac had a career high 20 points, while Caroline Hartley added 16. In the win over the Mustangs, Hartley scored 17 points, Bukarac had 15 and Ellie Rumelhart added 13. After visiting Noble Friday, the Red Storm finish the regular season at home versus Thornton Academy Monday.

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth fell to 0-15 and 14th in the standings after Saturday’s 39-23 home loss to Lake Region and Tuesday’s 45-17 setback at York. Grace Callahan had nine points against the Lakers. The Capers welcome Wells Friday and host Poland Tuesday of next week in the finale.

Boys’ basketball

South Portland’s Gabe Galarraga hits a 3-point shot during Saturday’s come-from-behind home win over Thornton Academy. Derek Davis / Portland Press Herald

On the boys’ side, Scarborough was 12-3 and second behind Gorham in the Class AA South Heals following last week’s 57-48 double-overtime home win over Bonny Eagle. Liam Garriepy scored 19 points, Carter Blanche added 14 and Nate Glidden finished with 11. The Red Storm were at Deering Thursday (see our website for game story), host Westbrook Monday and close at home versus Gorham Thursday of next week.

South Portland was 7-8 and fourth in Class AA South after a 70-62 home victory over Thornton Academy and Tuesday’s 68-48 win at Deering. Against the Golden Trojans, the Red Riots erased a nine-point halftime deficit and got 24 points from Manny Hidalgo and 22 from Gabe Galarraga.

“We started making shots,” Galarraga said. “I had a really slow start to the game. Manny got our offense going and we played more as a team and made the easy ones.”

“It was frustrating early, but speeding them up in the second half helped because they were out of control,” said Hidalgo.

“We’re not a pressing team that can generate a lot of steals, but we wanted to speed the game up to get Manny and Gabe in space so they could score some points,” South Portland coach Kevin Millington added. “They’re two experienced guys, especially Gabe. Five-on-five, we were struggling getting them easy looks and we missed the easy looks we had.”

Against the Rams, Galarraga had 21 points, Hidalgo added 18 and Darius Johnson grabbed 20 rebounds, including 11 on the offensive end. The Red Riots have a key home test against top-ranked Gorham Friday (see our website for game story), then host Bonny Eagle next Tuesday before finishing at home versus Sanford Thursday of next week.

“We’re starting to click as a team,” said Hidalgo. “We just need to be more confident, have less turnovers as a team and if we do, we’ll be fine because we have a good defense.”

“Coach always tells us the most important thing is how we play in the tournament,” Galarraga said. “If we can keep it rolling, I think we can beat some teams.”

“We’re just trying to get ourselves in a favorable position to get the right matchups,” Millington added. “This league is funny. The top teams are pretty good, but they’re beatable, and even the teams at the bottom can beat anybody.

“I think we’re close. I think we can make some noise if breaks go our way. We just have to take care of the ball. We like it (at the Cross Insurance Arena), but we have to get there first.”

In Class B South, Cape Elizabeth fell to 3-12 and 10th after a 66-61 loss at Lake Region and a 62-38 home setback to York. Against the Lakers, Eli Smith had 17 points, JJ Schultzel finished with 16 and Alex Van Huystee added 14. The Capers go to Wells Friday, have a makeup home game versus Mountain Valley Saturday (see our website for game story), then close at home versus Poland Tuesday of next week..

Hockey

Cape Elizabeth’s Alex Mainville’s looks to create a scoring chance during a recent loss to Cheverus/Yarmouth. Gregory Rec / Portland Press Herald

On the ice, in Class A, the Portland/South Portland Beacons boys’ co-op team was 6-5 and sixth in the Heals after last Thursday’s 4-1 home win over Biddeford. The squad played at Thornton Academy Wednesday and hosts Old Town/Orono Saturday.

Scarborough fell to 2-8 and 11th in Class A following a 3-1 loss at Windham Monday. After hosting York Thursday, the Red Storm travel to Bangor Saturday, then welcome reigning Class A champion Thornton Academy Tuesday of next week.

In Class B South, reigning state champion Cape Elizabeth fell to 1-10 and ninth after a 6-2 loss at Greely last week. Brady Hanisko and Alex Mainville scored goals and Nathan Hanisko stopped 44 shots. The Capers hosted Windham Thursday and go to York Saturday.

On the girls’ side, the Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Portland/Waynflete Beacons co-op team was and third in the South Region after a 5-2 loss at Cheverus, a 3-2 loss at Gorham and a 5-4 win at Falmouth/Scarborough. The Beacons hosted Brunswick Thursday, then finish at home versus Yarmouth/Freeport Saturday.

Falmouth/Scarborough was 7-9 and fifth in the South after a 7-2 home loss to Brunswick and a 6-3 setback at Gorham and a 5-4 home loss to the Beacons. Falmouth/Scarborough welcomes Biddeford Friday and closes at Lewiston Saturday.

The girls’ hockey playoffs begin Wednesday on the ice of the higher seeded teams.

Indoor track

In Western Maine Conference indoor track action last weekend, Cape Elizabeth’s boys and girls each came in fourth in an eight-team meet. The boys’ meet was won by Greely, while Yarmouth was first on the girls’ side.

Swimming

In recent swimming action, reigning Class B state champion Cape Elizabeth swept rival Greely in a meet, with the boys prevailing, 120-63, and the girls winning, 116-50.

Scarborough swept Freeport, as the boys won, 115-44, and the girls prevailed, 105-45.

South Portland split with Portland/Deering, as the boys won, 78-63, and the girls lost, 97-71.