While much attention has been focused on the high school basketball tournament in recent days (see story), local athletes have done their share of stealing headlines in the other winter sports.

Here’s a recap of the best of championship week, a week which saw plenty of triumph for Forecaster Country athletes:

Skiing

While this wasn’t the winter that snow aficionados were hoping for, there were still plenty of local skiers who excelled at the state meet.

Falmouth’s boys and girls swept the Class A Alpine state titles.

The Navigators girls repeated by beating runner-up Freeport by 46 points. Falmouth was led by Bridget Jacobsen, who was runner-up in both the slalom (a two-run combined time of 1:42.28) and the giant slalom (1:28.5),

“I just skied it like I wanted to help the team,” Jacobsen said. “I’m not looking to be No. 1. It’s not my top priority.”

Riley Davis placed third in the GS (1:29.46) and seventh in the slalom (1:49.35).

“Stressful, but I knew we could do it,” said Davis. “We have a great team. I’m very proud of them.”

Ella Morse was sixth in the slalom (1:47.99). Caitylnn Bateman was 14th in the GS (1:35.16) and 21st in the slalom (2:02.02).

“I was more cautious than I would have skied it normally,” Bateman said. “I watched all my teammates go and I knew they all did so well. They gave me wiggle room, so I could go as slow as I wanted.”

Kate Swallow placed 27th in the GS (1:38.68).

The Falcons were led by Rosie St. Cyr, who was third in the slalom (1:45.08) and fourth in the GS (1:30.91), and Luci Bourgeois, who came in seventh in the GS (1:33.63) and 14th in the slalom (1:55.83).

Falmouth’s boys held off Edward Little by nine points to capture the crown. Ian Christie was third in the GS (1:24.4) and 23rd in the slalom (1:51.85).

“It was nerve-wracking knowing you can’t make any mistakes,” Christie said. “I think we were all feeling it.”

Liam Keefer placed sixth in the GS (1:28.51). Hayden Davis finished fifth in the slalom (1:41.54) and was seventh in the GS (1:28.57). Blake Kingsley came in 11th in the slalom (1:44.39) and was 12th in the GS (1:30.31). Zach Small placed 15th in the slalom (1:46.77).

Freeport finished third. Ansel Goode led the way with a third-placed finish in the slalom (1:38.6) and a fifth-place showing in the GS (1:26.46). Ben Barrett was fourth in the slalom (1:41.06). Elias Burrill finished eighth in the slalom (1:42.15).

In the Class B Alpine meet, Yarmouth’s girls were second to Fort Kent, but produced individual champion Brooke Boone in both the giant slalom (1:40.22) slalom (1:26.64).

“I’m super excited since it’s my senior year, so I just wanted to leave it all out there,” Boone said. “I really like the team this year, we’re super close, we spend the weekends together, and we were undefeated all season.”

Logan MacLeod placed 10th in the slalom (1:38.14).

Greely placed 11th. Whitney Bond was fourth in the slalom (1:32.9) and came in eighth in the GS (1:48.42).

On the boys’ side, Fort Kent was first in Class B. Greely came in seventh. Ben McCarron led the way, coming in 16th in the GS (1:48.0) and 19th in the slalom (1:36.38).

Yarmouth finished ninth. Tyler Moore finished third in the slalom (1:24.29) and placed 11th in the GS (1:44.3).

There were champions on the Nordic side as well.

Freeport’s boys held off Yarmouth for the Class B crown to go back-to-back.

Teo Steverlynck-Horne led the way by winning the classic (14 minutes, 27.9 seconds) and the freestyle (12:30.7) and came in first in the pursuit standings.

“I think I held my own on uphills pretty well, like, I wasn’t slipping too much and I trusted the wax,” Steverlynck-Horne said. “I wasn’t super happy with my downhills; I took a tumble at one point and I hurt myself a little bit, but it happens.”

Owen Dawson was runner-up to Steverlynck-Horne in the freestyle (12:56.8), placed fourth in the classic (15:45.1) and was third in the pursuit standings. Porter Towne finished fifth in the classic (15:59.8), 10th in the freestyle (14:16.9) and eighth in the pursuit standings. Walter Nadeau was 26th in the freestyle (15:45.8), 27th in the classic (19:19.9) and 25th in the pursuit standings.

The Clippers’ effort was paced by Aksel Moon, who was eighth in the freestyle (13:57.3), 12th in the classic (17:04.2) and ninth in the pursuit standings. Mateo Coury, who placed ninth in the freestyle (14:07.3), 11th in the classic (16:59.0) and was 10th in the pursuit standings.

Greely was seventh. Tait Harvey was fifth in the freestyle (13:31.5), seventh in the classic (16:13.0) and sixth in the pursuit standings. Ben Wall came in sixth in the classic (16:02.4), seventh in the freestyle (13:43.4) and seventh in the pursuit standings.

In the girls’ competition, Greely won the title for the first time since 2008, outlasting runner-up Yarmouth and third-place Freeport.

After coming in second a year ago, the Rangers had no peer this time around, as Sylvia Harvey won the classic (18:46.3) and the freestyle (15:47.8) and was first in the pursuit standings as well.

“I pulled it together, and the race was really great,” said Harvey. “All the way up the back, there was like no kick, but you know, you’ve got to keep it going, no matter what happens.”

Rowan Barry was runner-up in the classic (18:48.8), third in the freestyle (16:17.6) and third in the pursuit standings. Evelyn LaCasse finished ninth in the freestyle (16:50.0), was 14th in the classic (20:38.6) and 10th in the pursuit standings. Alina Schueman finished 13th in the freestyle (17:06.3), 21st in the classic (21:36.1) and 18th in the pursuit standings.

The Clippers were led by Sonja Bell, who was seventh in the classic (19:45.5), seventh in the freestyle (16:41.0) and eighth in the pursuit standings, and Paige Brewer, who was eighth in the freestyle (16:44.0), ninth in the classic (19:51.4) and ninth in the pursuit standings.

The Falcons’ top finishers were Reed Proscia, who came in fifth in the classic (19:11.0), 10th in the freestyle (16:52.9) and fifth in the pursuit standings, and Lucy Huggett, who placed fifth in the freestyle (16:20.2) and 11th in the pursuit standings. Laurel Wight was 10th in the classic (20:18.2) and 12th in the pursuit standings.

In Class A, Falmouth’s girls finished second behind Mt. Blue. Zora DeSilva placed eighth in the freestyle (16:59.5), 10th in the classic (21:28.3) and ninth in the pursuit standings. Eli Tardiff came in 10th in the freestyle (17:23.3) and 11th in the pursuit standings.

Falmouth’s boys came in eighth (Mt. Blue was first). The Navigators were led by Finn Gray, who was 24th in the classic (18:36.6), 29th in the freestyle (15:56.3) and 26th in the pursuit standings.

In Class C, Maine Coast Waldorf’s girls finished fifth (Fort Kent took top honors).

Soren Stark-Chessa was third in the classic (19:17.1), third in the freestyle (15:41.3) and third in the pursuit standings. Lydia Sharp placed sixth in the classic (21:43.0), sixth in the freestyle (17:41.0) and sixth in the pursuit standings.

North Yarmouth Academy came in ninth. Greta Tod was eighth in the freestyle (18:29.5), ninth in the classic (22:45.4) and eighth in the pursuit standings.

In the Class C boys’ meet, also won by Fort Kent, MCW came in 10th. Leighton Doyle came in 12th in the classic (18:46.0) and 16th in the pursuit standings. Fionn Matson was 16th in the freestyle (16:19.5) and 15th in the pursuit standings.

Indoor track

Greely’s boys’ indoor track team won the Class B state title last Monday in Lewiston. The Rangers, who placed first for the first time since 2018, tallied 72 points, eight better than runner-up York.

Greely’s 4×200 relay team (Gaelan Lucey, Charles Palmlund, Jonah Guibord and Samuel Kim) came in first with a time of 1 minute, 35.25 seconds. The Rangers’ 4×800 relay team (Connor Skillin, Hayden Pierce, Charles Anania and William Coull) was runner-up to Winslow in 8:50.36. Guibord was second in the 55 hurdles (7.91 seconds) and placed fifth in the 400 (53.97). Liam Magoon was third in the pole vault (12 feet-6 inches). Alexander Mendoza finished third in the high jump (6-0), third in the triple jump (41-5.25) and was seventh in the long jump (19-11.5).  Samuel Anania finished fourth in the pole vault (12-6). Coull finished fifth in the mile (4:39.29). Lucey was fifth in the triple jump (40-10.25). Skillin placed sixth in the 800 (2:08.25). Charles Anania tied for sixth in the high jump (5-6). Palmlund was seventh in the 400 (54.54). Kim placed seventh in the 200 (24.1).

Freeport (25 points) came in eighth. Reece Perry captured the pole vault (13-6).

“I didn’t want to waste any attempts on a jump that would have been an inch below at 14 (feet),” Perry said. “I was like, go an inch below my PR, go to 14-3, and give it a shot. I wasn’t expecting to make it, I wasn’t not expecting to make it. I was just trying for it.”

Will Spaulding was runner-up in the two-mile (10:08.24). Andrew Oshetski finished fourth in the shot put (44-5.5). Brady Webber tied for sixth in the high jump (5-6).

Yarmouth (13) tied Morse for 15th-place. Ethan Hoffman was third in the shot put (45-7.75). Colby Ting finished sixth in the pole vault (11-6) and was seventh in the 55 hurdles (8.62). Caleb Farrell finished eighth in the 55 (6.98). Abd Muayad was eighth in the shot put (41-6).

NYA didn’t score.

In the girls’ meet, won by York with 63 points, Greely was runner-up with 53. The Rangers were runners-up in both the 4×800 relay (Samantha Santerre, Emma Stein, Abigail Lennox and Jacqueline Franklin, 10:34.37) and 4×200 relay (Franklin, Danica Pleau, Lilian Pierce and Abigail Jacobson, 1:52.93). Franklin was second in the 400 (1:02.61). Victoria Zandan was second in the long jump (17-00.50) and finished fourth in the triple jump (33-5.75) and in the 55 hurdles (9.12). Jacobson was sixth in the 55 (7.76). Santerre finished sixth in the 800 (2:29.86). Marinna Emery came in sixth in the pole vault (8-6). Pierce placed seventh in the 200 (27.88).

Freeport (41) was fourth. The Falcons’ 4×800 relay team (Esther Penney, Josie Spaulding, Ella Oshetski and Lilah Hall) was first in 10:23.27. Kesse Benner was runner-up in the pole vault (10-0). Emma Graham was fourth in the 200 (27.34). Lucy Riggs finished fourth in the 400 (1:03.61). Caroline Carter finished fifth in the two-mile (12:26.2). Hall came in fifth in the 800 (2:24.09). Spaulding was seventh in the mile (5:51.4). Freeport’s 4×800 relay team (Graham, Celia Cobb, Riggs and Ruby Smith) placed seventh (1:56.69). Claire Ramus finished eighth in the 55 hurdles (9.55).

Yarmouth (36.25) finished fifth. Abby Noble won the 55 (7.53) and was runner-up in the 200 (26.8). Olivia Wentworth placed fifth in the mile (5:34.87). Taylor Oranellas finished seventh in the 400 (1:04.74). Tessa Dougherty tied for eighth in the pole vault (4-8). The Clippers came in third in both the 4×200 relay (Lilah Pernal, Dougherty, Oranellas and Noble, 1:53.12) and the 4×800 relay (Tess LeBreque, Oranellas, Lilah Connor and Wentworth, 10:37.49).

NYA did not score.

In Class A, Falmouth’s boys tallied 38 points and came in sixth (South Portland was first with 53 points). The Navigators’ 4×200 relay team (Gio Guerrette, Ali Carter, Jason Hargesheimer and Max Shapiro) placed first in 1:32.94. Shapiro was runner-up in the 55 (6.53) and the 200 (22.91). Carter was fourth in the 200 (23.29). Hargesheimer finished fifth in the 400 (53.13) and was seventh in the triple jump (40-3). George Klatsky placed eighth in the shot put (46-11).

In the girls’ meet, won by Scarborough with 63.5 points, Falmouth finished eighth with 33.5. The Navigators won the 4×800 relay, as Sara Tennent, Maeve Ginevan, Georgia Moon and Bella Koepsell had a time of 9:56.49. Ruby Prentiss took first in the shot put (38-8.5). Hadley Perry was fourth in the 400 (1:02.99). The 4×200 relay team (Keira Kelly, Koepsell, Skylar Bush and Perry) finished fourth (1:52.2). Koepsell placed seventh in the 800 (2:30.44). Brynn Fortier tied for seventh in the high jump (4-10).

Swimming

In the pool, Falmouth’s girls just missed out on their first championship in 15 years, as their 216 points were six shy of Deering/Portland at the Class A state meet. Jillian James repeated as diving champion with 488.05 points. The Navigators won the 200 freestyle relay, as Emily Chace, Jordan Green, Sofia Pride and Calla Hehmeyer had a time of 1 minute, 47.37 seconds. The 400 free relay squad (Kate Gorsuch, Chace, Napolitano and Hehmeyer) was runner-up to Thornton Academy in 3:52.36. Gorsuch finished third in the 50 freestyle (25.6) and fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:02.88). Hehmeyer was third in the 100 free (56.68) and seventh in the 50 free (26.11). Napolitano had the sixth-best time in the 100 butterfly (1:04.66).

In the Class A boys’ meet, won again by Scarborough with 275 points, Falmouth (206) was third behind Edward Little/Leavitt/Poland (257.5). The Navigators’ 400 free relay team (Malcolm Sprague, Boi Boi Varada, Sean Lowery and Cole Gorsuch) was runner-up to Scarborough in 3:29.69. The 200 free relay squad (Gorsuch, Varada, Lowery and Sprague) finished third (1:33.88). Gorsuch won the 50 free (21.13) and the 100 free (47.08). Sprague finished second in the 100 butterfly (55.37) and second in the 100 backstroke (56.81). Varada was eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:19.23) and eighth in the 100 free (54.7). Miles Mannion finished eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:09.53).

In Class B, Cape Elizabeth’s boys dominated and won the title with 436 points. Greely (263) was fifth. Ike Barr was third in the 200 IM (2:08.05) and third in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.5). Thomas Leggat-Barr finished third in the 100 backstroke (56.11) and seventh in the 200 IM (2:10.36). Asa Giffune came in fifth in the 500 free (5:13.2) and seventh in the 200 free (1:53.62). Brady Hale was seventh in the 500 free (5:17.0). Mason Rodgers placed eighth in the 50 free (24.08). Alex Wall was eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:00.9). Aaron Park finished eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:08.42). The Rangers’ 200 medley relay team (Leggat-Barr, Barr, Hale and Rodgers) was fourth (1:43.52). Their 400 free relay squad (Leggat-Barr, Giffune, Wall and Hale) was fifth (3:32.05). Greely’s 200 free relay team (Hayden Petrie, Reid Petrie, Rodgers and Giffune) placed sixth (1:38.8).

Yarmouth (91.5) finished seventh. Adam Strobel was seventh in the 100 free (53.83). The Clippers’ 400 free relay team (Josh Webber, Matt Dressel, Henry Keepes and Strobel) was seventh (3:49.48). The 200 free relay squad (Jude Landry, Dressel, Keepes and Strobel) also came in seventh (1:40.25).

Freeport (40) came in 12th.

In the Class B girls’ meet, also won by Cape Elizabeth with 372 points, Greely (151) was seventh. Audrey Cohen won the 200 IM in 2:08.37 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:04.06.

Cohen, who plans to swim at Penn State, completed her career undefeated.

“I knew if I won (the 100 breaststroke), I’d be undefeated for my high school career in individual events,” Cohen said. “It wasn’t my fastest time, it wasn’t my record or anything, but it meant a lot more to me.”

Jordan Young was fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:05.21). The Rangers’ 400 free relay team (Cohen, Harper Chapman, Maya Tracey and Young) came in fifth (3:59.16). The 200 free relay squad (Cohen, Charlotte Libby, Chapman and Tracey) was sixth (1:49.15).

Yarmouth (81) came in ninth. Sierra Hunt was seventh in the 50 free (26.3). The Clippers’ 200 free relay team (Lula Davis, Rachel Krah, Bella Landry and Olive Maynard) came in seventh (1:52.92). Yarmouth’s 200 medley relay squad (Kate Tenhoor, Poloma Kitchens, Aaliyah Miller and Hunt) was eighth (2:08.34).

Freeport (32) placed 15th.

Boys’ hockey

The boys’ hockey regular season has come to a close and the playoffs begin this week.

In Class B South, the Cheverus/Yarmouth co-op team put the finishing touches on a 14-2-2 campaign by beating host Brunswick (10-1) and Greely (5-2) last week. Hakon Yeo had a hat trick versus the Dragons. Quinn McCoy scored twice in the win over the Rangers.

Cheverus/Yarmouth is the top seed for the regional tournament and hosts No. 8 Mt. Ararat (1-16-1) in the quarterfinals Wednesday. Cheverus/Yarmouth won both regular season meetings, 7-2 at home and 6-3 on the road.

Greely wound up 12-6 and fourth in Class B South following a 5-2 home loss to Cheverus/Yarmouth in the regular season finale.

The Rangers hosted No. 5 Gorham (9-8-1) in the quarterfinals Tuesday evening (see our website for game story). Greely won both regular season meetings, 4-1 Feb. 10 on the road and 2-1 at home five days later. The Rangers were 2-1 all-time versus the Rams in the tournament, with a 7-1 victory in the 2020 semifinals the most recent.

If Cheverus/Yarmouth and Greely square off in the semifinals, it would be the teams’ third meeting this winter. The Rangers won, 2-1, Dec. 16 on the road, then Cheverus/Yarmouth then won last week’s contest.

The semifinals are Saturday at Troubh Ice Arena in Portland. The Class B South Final is Tuesday of next week at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.

In Class A, Falmouth ended up 11-6-1 and fourth in the state-wide Heals after a 4-0 home loss to Lewiston and a 3-3 home tie versus St. Dom’s last week. Rowen Hagerty had all three goals in the tie and Andrew Belliveau added two assists.

The Navigators host fifth-ranked, defending state champion Thornton Academy (12-6) in the quarterfinals Friday at 6 p.m. (see our website for game story). The teams split in the regular season, with the Golden Trojans prevailing, 2-1, Dec. 21 in Falmouth and the Navigators returning the favor with a 3-1 victory Feb. 17 on the road. The teams have split six prior playoff meetings, with Thornton Academy’s 2-1 win in the 2022 quarterfinals the most recent.

The Class A state semifinals are Tuesday of next week at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.

Portland Press Herald staff writers Glenn Jordan and Travis Lazarczyk and Sun Journal staff writer Haley Jones contributed to this story.

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. For game updates and links to game stories, follow him on Threads: @foresports2023

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