The calendar is about to flip to the month that winter athletes love.
February.
The month that brings tournaments and championships will be full of thrills again for local athletes and teams, but there is regular season business to tend to first.
Every game and meet takes on more magnitude this week and there are some great matchups.
Here’s an overview of the week that was and of what’s to come:
Boys basketball
Yarmouth senior Bobby Wolff drives to the basket for two of his team-high 19 points in Monday’s 53-40 home loss to Gray-New Gloucester. Courtesy Geoffrey Vickers
Falmouth’s boys improved to 13-3 after downing visiting Kennebunk (56-51) and winning at Freeport (68-43). Against the Rams, Davis Mann led the way with 16 points, while Billy Birks and Ezra Hamlin added 11 apiece. Jaxon Cameron also finished in double figures, with 10 points. In the win over the Falcons, Mann had 24 points, Cameron finished with 11 and Tyler Simmons added 10. The Navigators (second to Noble in the Class A South Heal Points standings) closes the regular season with home games next week versus Biddeford and Scarborough.
Greely was 9-6 and third in Class A South following a 38-32 loss at Freeport last Friday. Kade Ippolito had 15 points in the setback. The Rangers go to Brunswick Thursday, visit Gray-New Gloucester Saturday (see our website for game story), then finish the regular season at home versus Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.
Freeport was 4-12 and ninth in Class A South (where nine teams qualify for the playoffs) after a 38-32 home win over Greely and Monday’s 68-43 home loss to Falmouth. Against the Rangers, Drew Pound scored 15 points. In the loss to the Navigators, Conner Smith had a team-high 12 points. The Falcons host Lake Region Thursday, then close the regular season at Mt. Ararat Tuesday of next week.
In Class B South, Yarmouth was 9-6 and fifth following a 46-40 home loss to Lake Region, a 50-47 home victory over Fryeburg Academy and Monday’s 53-40 home loss to Gray-New Gloucester. Against the Lakers, Bobby Wolff had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds and Adam Maxwell added 10 points, but 21 turnovers were too much to overcome.
“We got away from our fundamentals,” Yarmouth coach Ilunga Mutombo lamented. “We didn’t look like ourselves out there. Lake Region is a very well-coached team. Their players play hard. They had a desire to compete today.”
In the win over the Raiders, Wolff had 17 points and Torrey Rogers added 15. Against the Patriots, Wolff scored 19 points and Rogers had eight points and 11 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough.
“The game plan was strong, but we have to play all four quarters,” Mutombo said. “I’m challenging the guys to keep competing. We do have the right guys in this locker room. I believe in them. It’s tough when we don’t execute when we have to. When you have easy shots, free throws and you make those, it’s a whole different atmosphere.”
The Clippers travel to undefeated York Saturday, then close on the road next week at Greely and Wells.
“We have to be ready for anything that comes our way the next three games,” said Mutombo. “We just have to compete in practice. It starts with accountability. We ask the guys to be accountable and the coaches have to be accountable in our role too. We have to keep doing that and competing and being the best version of ourselves. Any night, anything can happen.”
In Class C South, North Yarmouth Academy fell to 0-13 and 16th after a 62-22 home loss to rival Waynflete last week. Gage Kloza led the Panthers with eight points. NYA welcomed Lisbon Tuesday, plays host to St. Dom’s Thursday and Traip Academy Saturday. NYA’s regular season wraps up next week with a home tilt versus Sacopee Valley and a trip to Old Orchard Beach.
Girls basketball
Yarmouth players celebrate after last week’s home win over Lake Region. Hoffer photo.
On the girls’ side, Yarmouth is surging at the right time, extending its win streak to four games, going over the .500 mark at 7-6 and moving up to eighth in the Class B South Heals after wins last week over visiting Lake Region (41-34) and host Fryeburg Academy (38-29). Against the Lakers, Marian Pitney had 11 points, Rory Tomkins added nine points and nine steals and freshman Kate Geary came off the bench and scored five points in the fourth quarter to help the Clippers prevail.
“I practice shooting as much as I can,” Geary said. “I just went out and shot and trusted my shooting ability. I’m just trying to prove myself so I can be out there. I was just trying to keep the lead for my team. I was just glad we were up.”
“We started off the season with a rough stretch, but I think we’ve worked hard and have come together,” captain Julia Brown said. “We’ve bonded and we’ve been able to put that together on the court.”
“The girls are playing with the composure they can handle and deserve,” added Yarmouth coach Tom Panozzo. “It was difficult earlier in the season, but we knew we were playing top teams. We had a couple good quarters in those games and we tried to focus on that. This shows their maturity and confidence to be composed. Lake Region’s a tough team. They’re big and athletic and can disrupt shots. We learned what we could in the first half and played hard in the second.”
In the win over the Raiders, Pitney had 13 points and Tompkins added nine. Yarmouth was at Gray-New Gloucester Tuesday, hosts the Patriots Thursday, goes to York Saturday, then finishes the regular season at home next week versus Greely and Wells.
“We want to keep playing solid defense and being composed on the offensive side,” Panozzo said. “Do what we do in practice basically. You can see the high end of our play. If we can stay consistent, who knows what might happen in the playoffs.”
In Class A South, Freeport was 9-6 and fourth following Friday’s 40-33 win at Greely. Emily Groves led the way with 10 points. The Falcons were at Falmouth Tuesday, visit Lake Region Thursday, then close the regular season at home versus Mt. Ararat Tuesday of next week.
Greely was 6-9 and eighth in Class A South after a 40-33 home loss to Falmouth and a 54-30 setback at Class AA South contender Sanford. Against the Falcons, Avery Bush paced the Rangers with 12 points. In the loss to the Spartans, Bush and Hannah Hussey had seven points apiece. Greely hosts reigning Class A champion Brunswick Thursday, welcomes Gray-New Gloucester Saturday (see our website for game story), then closes the regular season at Yarmouth Tuesday of next week.
Falmouth fell to 1-14 and 11th in Class A South (where eight teams qualify for the playoffs) following last Friday’s 59-21 setback at Kennebunk. Siobhan Nielsen paced the Navigators with five points. Falmouth hosted Freeport Tuesday, then closes next week with games at Windham and Scarborough.
In Class C South, NYA was 7-6 and 11th (12 teams make the playoffs) after a 33-28 home loss to Monmouth Academy and a 52-22 victory at Waynflete last week. Athena Gee scored 11 points in the setback. The Panthers were at Lisbon Tuesday, host St. Dom’s Thursday, travel to Traip Academy Saturday, then finish the regular season at Sacopee Valley and at home versus Old Orchard Beach next week.
Girls hockey
The Yarmouth/Freeport girls hockey team, the two-time reigning North Region champion, was riding a nine-game win streak heading into Tuesday’s home tilt versus Penobscot. Yarmouth/Freeport (13-1-1 and first in the Heals) has a state game rematch/possible state final preview at two-time reigning state champion Cheverus Thursday (see our website for game story), then closes at home versus Brunswick Saturday.
In the South Region, Falmouth fell to 5-12 and fifth after a 2-1 loss at Gorham last week. The Navigators hope to snap a seven-game skid in the regular season finale Thursday at home versus Biddeford.
Greely was 0-15 and seventh in the South following home losses last week to Biddeford (6-1) and Edward Little/Leavitt (9-0). Zoe Trepaney scored and Charley Louie made 30 saves in the first setback. Against EL/Leavitt, Louie stopped 38 shots. The Rangers host York Wednesday, go to Brunswick Friday and finish Saturday at home versus Gorham.
The girls hockey playoffs begin Wednesday of next week on the home ice of the higher seeds.
Boys hockey
On the boys’ side, reigning state champion Cheverus/Yarmouth was 11-0 and first in the Class B South Heals entering Thursday’s game at Kennebunk. After hosting Cape Elizabeth Saturday, Cheverus/Yarmouth goes to reigning Class A champion Lewiston Wednesday of next week.
Greely fell to 1-10 and eighth in Class B South with a 3-1 home loss to Edward Little Saturday. Mitchell Lambert scored the goal for the Rangers, who were at York Tuesday, visit Cape Elizabeth Thursday, then welcome Gorham Saturday.
In Class A Falmouth was 9-2 and third following Saturday’s 3-1 win at Bangor. Anders Hesson, Cale Hanson and Rowan Hinkley all scored once. The Navigators host Marshwood Friday, then have a key showdown at top-ranked Thornton Academy Saturday.
Indoor track
Greely’s boys were first and Yarmouth came in second at a recent seven-team league meet. In the girls’ competition, the Clippers edged the Rangers for the top spot.
Freeport and NYA took part in a 10-team league meet. Freeport’s girls were first, while NYA came in ninth. The Falcons boys were third behind York and Wells. The Panthers placed 10th.
Swimming
In recent swimming action, Greely’s boys tallied 135 points and defeated Windham (50) and Gorham (35). The Rangers girls scored 103 points to hold off Gorham (81) and Windham (32).
Falmouth’s girls beat Thornton Academy, 101-87, while the boys held off the Golden Trojans, 110-80.
Freeport’s girls edged Westbrook, 41-34, while the Falcons boys were beaten by the Blue Blazes, 66-47.
Skiing
Greely’s Tait Harvey competes Saturday during the Sassi Memorial 5K Nordic ski race at Black Mountain. Harvey came in 15th. Daryn Slover / Sun Journal
Local Nordic skiers took part in Saturday’s Sassi Memorial Freestyle in Rumford. Freeport’s girls were second to Gould Academy. Greely was fourth, Yarmouth seventh and Falmouth eighth.
In the boys competition, also won by Gould, Yarmouth placed fifth, Greely came in 10th, Freeport was 17th and Falmouth 19th.
Individually, Freeport’s Lucy Huggett came in seventh in the girls’ race with a time of 15 minutes, 57 seconds. Teammate Reed Proscia was ninth (16:10.4). Yarmouth’s Alexander Gordon was the top local finisher on the boys’ side (11th, 13:39.6).
On the Alpine side, Falmouth’s boys were first at a league slalom meet last week. Hayden Davis was the top individual, posting a two-run combined time of 1 minute, 12.65 seconds. The Navigators girls were second behind Scarborough and were led by first-place individual Bridget Jacobsen (1:17.84).
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net
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