(Ed. Note: The basketball season was recapped last week)

The 2019-20 winter sports season saw local athletes and teams once again turn heads as they fought their way to the top of the heap.

Falmouth’s A.J. Noyes captured Class A state titles in the slalom and giant slalom, helping the Yachtsmen to a team championship last month. File photos.

Skiing produced multiple team and individual champions, in both Class A and Class B (see below).

Greely’s Blake Wescott swims the 500 freestyle at the Class B girls’ state championship meet last month. The Rangers came in second as a team. 

In the pool, there were no team champions from the area, but Greely’s girls certainly turned heads in the postseason. The Rangers, who won Southwesterns, came in second at states and Emma Cyr won a state title in the Class B 500 freestyle. In Class A, Falmouth’s girls produced a state champion in the 500 freestyle (Mae Causey), as well as in diving (Lilly Smith).

Yarmouth’s Chris Koskinen won the pole vault at the Class B boys’ indoor track meet in February. 

Many of the best track and field athletes in Classes A and B hailed from Forecaster Country and while there were no team state championships this winter, multiple individuals brought home state titles (see below).

Greely’s Caleb Duff holds the Class B boys’ hockey state championship trophy for the student section after the Rangers beat Old Town/Orono 5-1, in the Class B state final earlier this month.

On the ice, a pair of girls’ teams made it to the playoffs (see below).

The boys’ story saw Falmouth and Yarmouth eliminated in their first playoff outings, the South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete co-op squad beaten by eventual Class A champion Lewiston in the state semifinals and Greely roll through the field en route to another championship (see below).

Before we take a deep breath and move on to spring sports, here’s one last look at the best of the best this winter:

State champions

Team
Falmouth Yachtsmen boys’ Alpine skiing, Class A
Falmouth Yachtsmen boys’ Nordic skiing, Class A
Freeport Falcons boys’ Nordic skiing, Class B
Greely Rangers boys’ hockey, Class B
Yarmouth Clippers, girls’ Nordic skiing, Class B

Individual

Swimming
Mae Causey, Falmouth, Class A girls’ 50 freestyle
Lilly Smith, Falmouth, Class A girls’ diving
Emma Cyr, Greely, Class B girls’ 500 freestyle

Indoor track
Adrian Friedman, Falmouth, Class A boys’ long jump
Marin Provencher, Greely, Class B girls’ mile
Sam Wilson, Greely, Class B boys’ mile
Sam Wilson, Greely, Class B boys’ two-mile
Chris Koskinen, Yarmouth, Class B boys’ pole vault

Skiing
A.J. Noyes, Falmouth, Class A boys’ Alpine slalom
A.J. Noyes, Falmouth, Class A boys’ Alpine giant slalom
Leif Harvey, Greely, Class A boys’ Nordic freestyle
Eleanor Donahue, Yarmouth, Class B girls’ Alpine giant slalom
Maddie Marston, Yarmouth, Class B girls’ Nordic classic
Maddie Marston, Yarmouth, Class B girls’ Nordic freestyle

Wrestling
Anunathaya MacDonnell, Falmouth, girls’ 113-pounds

Michael’s top five stories/moments

5) Girls’ hockey teams make playoffs

The Yarmouth/Freeport girls’ hockey squad went 9-9 during the regular season, overcoming a 2-7 start, and earned the No. 4 seed in the North Region. After defeating Winslow, 3-0, in the quarterfinals, Yarmouth/Freeport finally met its match in eventual undefeated state champion Lewiston, 5-0. Falmouth also made it to the playoffs, in the South Region, but lost in the quarterfinals to defending champion Cheverus, 4-1.

4) Four individuals win track titles

The indoor track season saw a lot of triumph, with several individuals saving their best for the state meet. In Class A, Falmouth’s Adrian Friedman won the boys’ long jump. In Class B, Greely produced the girls’ mile champion in Marin Provencher and the boys’ mile and two-mile champion in Sam Wilson. Yarmouth’s Chris Koskinen soared above the competition in the boys’ pole vault.

3) Greely girls’ swim team wins Southwesterns

Greely’s girls’ swim team didn’t win the state title this winter, but the Rangers dethroned Cape Elizabeth in the Southwesterns, in one of the more inspirational performances of the season. Greely ended the Capers’ three-year reign in the meet, scoring 345 points, which was 36 clear of Cape Elizabeth.
“Every single girl on this team (earned) that trophy,” said Jaehee Park, who won the 200 freestyle. “It was a group effort. I’m just so happy that these seniors have a great goodbye.”
“It was just a wonderful, wonderful team effort right across the board,” Rangers’ coach Rob Hale said.

2) Skiers reign supreme

Skiing and Forecaster Country dominance have long been synonymous and the 2020 state meets were no different. In Class A, Falmouth’s boys won both the Alpine and Nordic team titles. A.J. Noyes won the Alpine slalom and giant slalom individual crowns. Yarmouth’s Eleanor Donahue won the Class B girls’ crown in the GS. Greely’s Leif Harvey was a Class A champion in the Nordic freestyle. Freeport’s boys’ squad won a Class B Nordic crown, while the Yarmouth girls did the same. The Clippers produced the classic and freestyle champion in Maddie Marston.

1) Greely hockey repeats

Greely’s boys’ hockey team is simply at another level. After rolling to the 2019 Class B state title, the Rangers did it again this winter. Greely was the top team in its region in the regular season and won three postseason games by a combined 18-3 margin, rolling past Gorham in the semifinals (7-1), Cape Elizabeth (6-1) in the regional final, then erupting for five unanswered goals, three from Ryan Moore, in a 5-1 victory over Old Town/Orono in the state final to go back-to-back. Don’t be surprised if there’s a similar entry about the Rangers a year from now.

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