By Michael Hoffer
MaxPreps.com
The recent basketball and hockey holiday tournaments came to a close just in time to resume league play for the new year.
Boys Basketball: Cheverus Still Tops
In what might have been the last gasp of the Portland High Holiday Basketball Tournament as we know it, the Cheverus Stags boys' team, the defending tournament and Class A state champions, repeated Tuesday night with an easy victory over Susan Wagner of Staten Island, N.Y.
Cheverus, which has had no trouble in league play to date, dominated Western B powers Greely and Cape Elizabeth, then used a 15-0 first period run to dismantle a Susan Wagner team which had upset host Portland and South Portland in earlier action.
In the quarterfinals, the Red Riots edged Falmouth in the game of the tournament, getting a late 3-pointer from junior Matt Lee to take a one-point lead. South Portland then held its breath when Yachtsmen junior standout Stefano Mancini got a good look with time expiring, but Mancini's shot was just long and the Red Riots won.
Mancini and Lee, along with Cheverus' Mick DiStasio and Indiana Faithfull, South Portland's Keegan Hyland, Westbrook's Nick Jobin and Domenic Borelli, and Cape Elizabeth's Alex Bowe were among the stars.
The Maine Principals' Association has proposed limiting teams to just two non-countable games beginning next year as a response to the budget crisis. If that occurs, it's possible that this 23-year old tournament could be in jeopardy.
Regular season play resumes Friday, with Thornton Academy at Deering highlighting the slate. The Golden Trojans, who made an immediate statement with their opening-night win at Portland, appear to be the biggest threat to Cheverus at this stage, but South Portland, Portland and Westbrook will all be in the mix as well.
Top contenders will square off on several occasions in January in advance of the state tournament, which begins in February.
In Western B, Falmouth is undefeated at the start of the new year and is joined by Cape Elizabeth and Greely as favorites. Lake Region, Mountain Valley and Yarmouth are also in the hunt.
The Western C story is led by Dirigo and senior Thomas Knight, who is Notre Dame-bound. Knight had a showcase in an exhibition at the holiday tournament, prior to the Cheverus-Susan Wagner contest. Knight had far from his best outing, as Westbrook's Jobin and Borelli limited his scoring, but his athleticism marveled those on hand.
Girls' Basketball: Deering Gearing Up for Repeat Run
Defending Class A state girls' basketball champion Deering won the Capitol City Classic in Augusta earlier this week. The Rams proved to be the best in a strong field which featured Class A and Class B teams.
Deering now turns its attention back toward dominating Western A. The Rams are undefeated to date and appear to be the leader of the pack. That pack has several contenders, but none that appear to be in Deering's category. Scarborough, Biddeford, South Portland, Windham, Cheverus, Portland and Massabesic are all in the running for high tournament seeding with a lot of action yet to come.
In Western B, while York appears to be the gold standard and Greely is off to a hot start, perhaps the biggest news at the dawn of a new year is Cape Elizabeth, which is 3-3, a mark which includes an upset win over three-time defending regional champion Lake Region. The Capers, who haven't won more than three times in a season this century, aren't just thinking about being competitive, but are hoping to make a playoff run. Falmouth, Lake Region, Mountain Valley, Gray-New Gloucester, Fryeburg and Yarmouth are also in the mix.
In Western C, Waynflete had its undefeated run come to an end Tuesday with a narrow loss at Fryeburg.
Hockey: Several Teams Contending
Hockey also took a break for a well-known holiday tournament, the Maine High School Hockey Invitational, which is also in jeopardy if the MPA's changes are approved. Top teams from the state did battle with the best that New England and Canada could offer and several squads more than held their own.
Regular-season play resumes this weekend. In Western A, two-time defending champ Biddeford remains in the mix, along with Thornton Academy, Scarborough and Falmouth. South Portland has been the biggest surprise to date, boasting a perfect mark.
In Western B, Greely battles Cape Elizabeth Monday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center, with bragging rights as the team to beat in the region on the line. The Rangers recently avenged last year's tournament loss with a 7-1 win at York.
Traditional powers Lewiston and Waterville, along with Brewer, lead the way in Eastern A.
Michael Hoffer is the sports editor of The Forecaster, a family of weekly newspapers based in Falmouth, Maine. He may be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.
