Cheverus’ Jillian Lizotte goes up for a layup between two South Portland defenders during a 56-37 home loss last week Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald

February is just over the horizon and each game and event takes on extra importance for local teams.

Last week brought some interesting results and this week figures to be more of the same.

Here’s a glimpse:

Boys’ basketball

Cheverus’ Macklin Kelly plays defense during the Stags’ 56-41 loss to Oxford Hills last week. Brewster Burns / Sun Journal

Waynflete’s boys’ basketball team began the week 11-1 and second to Winthrop in the Class C South Heal Points standings after victories last week over visiting Traip (54-28) and at A.R. Gould (94-50). Against the Rangers, Dominick Campbell led the way with 24 points, Soloman Levy added 15 and Jared Johnson finished with 11. In the win over A.R. Gould, Campbell had 25 points, while Johnson and Levy each finished with 12 and Chris Saade added 10. The Flyers hosted St. Dom’s Monday, visit Fryeburg Academy Wednesday, travel to Poland Friday and welcome Sacopee Valley Tuesday of next week.

In Class AA North, Deering began the week 10-2 and second to Edward Little after a 53-51 overtime win at Sanford and a 50-29 home victory over Windham. In the win over the Spartans, Askar Houssein had 22 points and Max Morrione added 16. Against the Eagles, Loki Anda led the way with 14 points and Houssein added 13. The Rams were at Lewiston Monday, host defending Class AA state champion Bangor in makeup game Wednesday at the Portland Exposition Building (see our website for game story), travel to Cheverus Friday, then host Edward Little Tuesday of next week.

Cheverus fell to 4-9 and sixth in Class AA North after losses at undefeated South Portland (61-47) and at Oxford Hills (56-41). Against the Red Riots, Nick Galli had 20 points and Dylan Morrison 12. In the loss to the Vikings, Morrison and Macklin Kelly each scored 11 points. The Stags welcome Deering Friday, face Portland in a makeup game Saturday at Southern Maine Community College (see our website for game story) and host Bangor Tuesday of next week.

Portland’s skid hit nine games after losses last week to visiting Gorham (49-40) and at Thornton Academy (68-46). Stillman Mahan had 11 points against the Rams. The Bulldogs (2-10 and seventh in Class AA North) visit Oxford Hills Friday, meet Cheverus at SMCC Saturday and welcome Windham Tuesday of next week.

Girls’ basketball

Portland’s Amanda Kabantu reaches for a loose ball between a pair of Gorham defenders during the Bulldogs’ 52-31 victory last week. Shawn Patrick Ouellette / Portland Press Herald

On the girls’ side, Portland improved to 10-2 and second behind defending state champion Oxford Hills in the Class AA North Heals following wins last week at Gorham (52-31) and at home over Thornton Academy (58-23). In the win over the Rams, Amanda Kabantu had 16 points, Gemima Motema 14 and Kiera Eubanks 11.

“We’re always working on our shots,” said Eubanks. “I think we proved tonight that we’re practicing it.”

“Our defense we played as a team, not as individuals, and we went after the boards,” Kabantu said.

In the win over the Golden Trojans, Eubanks led the way with 18 points, Davina Kabantu had 14 and Motema added a dozen. The Bulldogs welcome Oxford Hills in a pivotal contest Thursday (see our website for game story), host Cheverus in a makeup game at SMCC Saturday and travel to Windham Tuesday of next week.

Cheverus fell to 8-5 and fourth in AA North after losses to visiting South Portland (56-37) and at Oxford Hills (65-31) last week. Against the Red Riots, Jillian Lizotte had a team-high 11 points, but the Stags were never competitive.

“We’re not ready to play these games yet,” Cheverus coach Billy Goodman lamented. “We didn’t handle the pressure, didn’t make good decisions and our defense wasn’t good. We’re a different team in bigger games. We’ve played some good basketball this year, but a couple of our losses have been really bad. We’ve struggled with decision-making against the good teams.”

Madison Storey led the Stags with five points versus the Vikings. Cheverus is home versus Deering Friday, plays Portland at SMCC Saturday and goes to Bangor Tuesday of next week.

Deering fell to 0-12 and eighth in Class AA North after losses last week at home to Sanford (49-31) and at Windham (47-23). Kaylee True-Magee had a team-high nine points against the Spartans. In the loss to the Eagles, Ella McGowan led the way with 13 points. The Rams hosted Lewiston Monday, visit Bangor Wednesday, play at Cheverus Friday and travel to Edward Little Tuesday of next week.

In Class C South, Waynflete was also seeking its first victory at press time after falling to 0-10 and 19th in the standings with a 44-32 home loss to Traip Academy last week. After hosting St. Dom’s Monday, the Flyers welcome Poland Friday, play at Kents Hill Saturday and go to Sacopee Valley Tuesday of next week.

Boys’ hockey

Cheverus’ boys’ hockey team was 9-1 and first in the Class B South Heals after beating host Gorham (4-2) and Mt. Ararat/Morse/Lisbon (6-0) last week. Jackson Wilson scored twice against the Rams, as the Stags erased a two-goal deficit. Cheverus has a pivotal showdown at Greely Saturday.

The South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport co-op team was 5-2-1 and third in Class A after a 3-0 victory at St. Dom’s and a 2-0 home loss to Lewiston last week. Gus Lappin scored twice and Liam McGibbon made 20 saves in the victory over the defending state champion Saints.  McGibbon then stopped a whopping 39 shots in the loss to the Blue Devils. SP/Waynflete/Freeport is at Biddeford Thursday, goes to Bangor Saturday, then travels to Windham Tuesday of next week.

Portland/Deering took a 2-5 mark and the No. 6 ranking into Monday’s home game versus Bangor, the squad’s first game since Jan. 4. After hosting Cape Elizabeth Thursday, Portland/Deering is home against Edward Little Saturday and plays at St. Dom’s Monday of next week.

Girls’ hockey

On the girls’ side, defending state champion Cheverus was 11-4 and third in the South Region at press time following a 2-1 overtime victory at Falmouth and a 5-3 home loss to Mt. Ararat/Lisbon last week. Lucia Pompeo had the winner versus the Yachtsmen and scored twice in the setback. The Stags hosted Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland Monday and go to Brunswick Saturday.

Cape/Waynflete/SP was second in the South at 10-2-1 entering Monday’s contest versus Cheverus. Last week, the squad won, 4-2, at Edward Little. Home games versus Scarborough Saturday and Lewiston Monday await.

Portland/Deering was 8-7 and fifth in the South after a 6-3 home win over Biddeford and a 5-3 home loss to Winslow. Caroline Lerch had three goals in the victory and scored two goals in the setback. Portland/Deering goes to Biddeford Thursday and welcomes Mt. Ararat/Lisbon Saturday.

Indoor track

In Saturday’s SMAA indoor track action, Deering’s boys’ squad won an eight-team meet, as its 182 points was 17 better than runner-up Windham. Cheverus (63) placed eighth.

In the girls’ meet, won by Windham with 208.5 points, Deering (136.5) was second and Cheverus fifth (118).

Portland joined eight other teams. The Bulldogs boys and girls each placed eighth.

Swimming

In the pool, Cheverus’ defending Class A champion boys’ swim team defeated Massabesic, 48-12, Friday. The Stags’ girls’ squad defeated the Mustangs, 93-75.

Skiing

Deering’s Megan Cunningham crosses the finish line first during last week’s 13-team Nordic ski meet at Riverside Golf Course. The Rams finished first as a team. Courtesy Greg Tosi.

City Nordic ski teams took part in a 13-squad meet last week at Riverside Ski Track in Portland.

Deering’s girls edged Portland for the top spot, while Waynflete came in sixth and Cheverus was 11th. The Rams were led by Megan Cunningham, who was first individually in 19 minutes, 46.43 seconds.

In the boys’ competition, Portland placed first, while Waynflete finished seventh, Deering was ninth and Cheverus 10th. Deering’s Will Jordan came in first as an individual in 15:24.24.

Wrestling

Cheverus hosted 10 other teams in the Cheverus Invitational wrestling match Saturday. The Stags were second to Mountain Valley and got victories from Marshall Fowler at 145 pounds and Sebastian Merrill at 195 pounds. Deering placed eighth and got a win from Magnus Heisler at 138 pounds.

Cheverus is 17-3 in dual meets this season, while Deering has a record of 5-11.

The Portland/South Portland co-op squad entered the week with a 10-9 mark after wins Saturday over Marshwood (45-30) and York (41-35).

Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.