Windham High football falls to Portland in playoff semifinal

By Matt Pascarella

Fourth-place Windham High School’s varsity football hit the field against first-place Portland on Friday, Nov. 8 at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland. Although Portland jumped out ahead early with a big lead, Windham did not take their foot off the gas pedal until the final whistle when, unfortunately, the Eagles lost, 42-14 ending its 2024 season.

Windham sophomore Parker Sperry refuses to go down as
he mows through Portland High's defense during a prep
football playoff game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland 
on Friday, Nov. 8. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“You battled all year ... this is probably the greatest team we’ve ever had,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins to the team in the post-game huddle. “You battled every day; we didn’t have one bad practice; everybody came every day and worked (really hard). That’s what makes coaching fun is guys who want to work hard and get better – this group is the epitome of that. I can’t thank you enough – it’s crazy to think that when this year started, we only had a couple guys on each side who had ever played varsity before. The thing with us is we’ve had so many injuries and so many setbacks and our guys just continue to battle and fight, and they don’t back down from anybody. It’s such a great fun group to be around because they’re just relentless, they give you everything all the time. To see them ... improve and be there for each other, it’s a blast.”

To open the game, Portland kicked off to Windham. On second down, Windham sophomore Parker Sperry picked up nine yards to move the ball to the Windham 38-yard line. Portland moved Windham back to the 35-yard line on fourth down.

Despite Windham’s strong defense, Portland’s offense was a tough contender. After a flag on the play for holding against Portland moved the ball to the 29-yard line, it remained first and 20. Portland moved closer and closer to the end zone. Eventually they crossed it, and their kick was good making it, 7-0, Portland.

Then it was first and 10 for Windham at their 36-yard line. Windham senior Ayden Cofone picked up 12 yards for a first down. Windham fought hard against Portland defense. When Portland took over on downs from the 27-yard line, Windham junior Wyatt Washburn stopped Portland and limited their yardage.

Windham took over on downs shortly before the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, a fumble by Windham gave Portland possession and they would later score several times before the end of the half, but the Eagles never hung their heads. At the half Portland led, 28-0.

In the third quarter, it was first and 10 for Windham from their 20-yard line. WHS picked up a first down on Sperry’s 13-yard run. A completed pass to Washburn put the ball on the 34-yard line. After a 20-yard pick up, Windham got a first down. Windham went for it on a fourth and two, but was stopped by Portland.

In the fourth quarter, Sperry got the handoff and took it into the end zone. The kick was good and it was 35-7, Portland.

“We showed maximum effort,” said Sperry, who had 24 carries and 187 yards. “Our team is one of the hardest working teams I’ve ever played with – we never give up. We knew no matter what we had to work hard, and we did, but they’re a really good team. We got outplayed ... but we did our best.”

Later it was third and five for Windham at their 46-yard line. Windham junior quarterback Karl Longstreth moved the ball to the 48-yard line for a first down. Windham got closer and closer to the goal line. A pass was thrown to Washburn who caught it in the end zone to complete the drive for a touchdown and the kick was good.

“It was a blast playing (for Windham),” said Windham senior Creighty Dickson. “They’re amazing people on and off the field. We had some ups and downs, but overall, it was just amazing to be around these guys. Even though we had a couple of rough plays we kept fighting throughout the game. A few plays and a few fumbles (might have flipped the scoreboard) and on defense we didn’t get the edge. I think we played our hardest.” <

Staci Warren: Her Mainely Girl Adventures

By Staci Warren

Fall brings a lot of feelings for me. The Perseid meteor showers are at the end of their show for 2024. The colder temps and the turning of the leaves and watching them drop brings a certain sadness in knowing that my weekends in the wilderness will soon be coming to an end. The sweet smells of summer are passing, the bees are prepping for winter, and I’ve started thinking about calling moose and deer hunting before snow flies.

Hedgehog mushrooms can be harvested
late into the fall and can grow pretty
large. They can be an excellent addition
to the holiday gathering food table.
PHOTO BY STACI WARREN 

To extend our camping season in to November, we enjoy foraging for mushrooms when we aren’t hunting, although many times we’re hunting and come across a great find that we can’t leave the woods without.

What you use to forage is important. We have mushroom knives with brushes to help clean them as we forage. We also use canvas bags with a large, padded shoulder strap for most of our mushrooms but have found that a good cardboard box works best for larger delicate chanterelles so that they don’t break. Store your mushrooms in the refrigerator in a brown paper bag or container lined with paper towels and the vented lid. This will help preserve your harvest until you use them. Mushrooms can spoil easily so be ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work preserving, drying or freezing them.

The tasty Hedgehog mushroom (Hydnum repandum and Hydnum rufescens) is a great late season mushroom and barring a frost, can get pretty big. Hedgehog mushrooms are peach colored to orange, range in size from dime to the size of your hand depending on which variety you find and have “teeth” on the underside of the cap.

The have a wonderful hearty flavor sautéed, and I use them to make the Modern Proper’s Hungarian Mushroom Soup, one of the best tasting soups I’ve ever had or made. As with any wild mushroom, always know what you’re eating for sure, always cook it thoroughly, and eat just a small amount the first time you try a new one as some mushrooms have been known to cause intestinal distress.

If you’re interested in foraging for mushrooms, I highly recommend: Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms of New England and Eastern Canada, authored by Mainer, David Spahr. The book is a great learning guide for beginners, and most of the mushrooms are easily identifiable in the Maine woods no matter where you reside.

The longer I forage the more I’m discovering that I can use mushrooms in more ways than I ever realized. My latest, which has taken four years to get it right the first time is Trumpet Jelly. Made with the Trumpet Soup base published a couple months ago (see https://lifestyles.thewindhameagle.com/2024/08/staci-warren-her-mainely-girl-adventures.html), 

Trumpet Jelly is a much-loved addition to our family holiday gathering food table. It has a distinct savory trumpet flavor with a hint of sweetness. I serve it as you would serve pepper jelly, for example, over cream cheese and crackers on the side, but I’ve also added it to a meat dish as a condiment. If you haven’t made the soup yet, there’s still time; trumpet mushrooms are still popping up all over! Please feel to reach out to me if you have any questions.

Trumpet Jelly

1-1/2 to 2 pints of Trumpet Soup Base (no cream added)

1 package of low-sugar Sure-Jell

1-1/2 tablespoons of citric acid

1 cup of chicken stock

1 tablespoons of butter

6 cups of sugar

Pour soup base into large kettle. Add Sure-Jell, citric acid and chicken stock. Using a wooden spoon, stir and heat mixture until it comes to a boil. Add the sugar all at once and stir until sugar is melted. Your mixture will be black. Bring mixture to a full rolling boil and continue to boil for two minutes at a time checking to see if jelly will set, or until thermometer reaches 220 degrees but making sure not to burn the jelly. Remove from heat. Ladle into half pint jars. Wipe rims with warm cloth. You can now add shredded wax on top of the hot jelly before applying the lids, or just apply lids making sure rings are tight. Set aside and check for sealed covers by pressing centers. If they pop up after the jar has cooled, you’ll have to recheck the rims of the glass and then pressure cook them on high for 25 minutes. Afterward, label and date your jelly.

As winter creeps in, don’t forget to look up to the night skies for the International Space Station and more meteor showers in the coming months.

Staci Warren provides a unique woman’s perspective and column on the outdoors every month. She is a freelance writer whose blog, My Mainely Girl Adventures, is about a woman hunting, fishing, trapping, foraging and living in the Maine outdoors. She also loves camping, star gazing, wildlife watching, and hunting for fossils. She’s an active member and board member of the New England Outdoor Writers Association and is a monthly columnist and feature writer for The Maine Sportsman Magazine. In her free time, she enjoys mentoring women hunters and trappers. <

WCA wins state soccer crown in sudden-death overtime thriller

By Ed Pierce

Call them the champions. Windham Christian Academy's middle school soccer team claimed the 2024 Maine Christian School Sports League title by defeating Coastal Christian School of Waldoboro, 2-1, in sudden death overtime at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Saturday, Nov. 2.

Windham Christian Academy's middle school team won the
2024 Maine Christian School Sports League's soccer
title by defeating Coastal Christian School of Waldoboro,
2-1, in sudden-death overtime in Portland on Nov. 2.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

WCA had reached the league championship game by knocking off Oxford Hills Christian Academy on Oct. 30, setting up the showdown between them and Coastal Christian.

Coach Whitney Coppersmith said the championship matchup was tough for Windham Christian because both teams were well-matched in skill and determination.

“Both sides fought hard, and every play mattered.” Coppersmith said.

In the first half, WCA opened the scoring on a goal by Elija Popov, who capitalized on a rebound to put WCA ahead, 1-0. Coastal Christian evened the score at 1-1 in the second half and that’s how it ended after regulation play, forcing a winner-take-all sudden-death overtime.

Within the first 30 seconds of overtime, Popov scored again with an assist by Liam White, securing the title for Windham Christian.

“I believe the difference came down to our team’s resilience and ability to stay calm under pressure,” Coppersmith said. “Our players communicated well, stayed focused, hustled, and truly worked together. They wanted this win, and it showed in their effort on the field.”

Training for the season started in mid-August and WCA’s first league game was played Sept. 10. WCA progressed throughout the season without major setbacks and Coppersmith said some of the best moments of the year were seeing the team come together on the field, learning to play as one, getting into the right positions, passing, and communicating effectively.

“Watching them grow in unity and confidence was incredibly rewarding. If I had to describe our team in five words, it would be resilient, unified, determined, faithful, and adaptable,” Coppersmith said. “I believe our team won the championship because we focused on continuous improvement throughout the season. Some games presented us with new challenges, and our players showed remarkable dedication to learning and growing together. They supported each other, built strong teamwork, and remained committed to our goals. It was their collective effort and resilience that truly made a difference in our success.”

Team members include Lucas Stewart (Sixth Grade); Leah Sinclair (Seventh Grade); Mason Dodd (Eighth Grade); Jacob Frederick (Eighth Grade); Arseniy Popov (Seventh Grade); Judah Knights (Eighth Grade); Liam White (Eighth Grade); Piper Justice (Sixth Grade); Victoria Presby (Seventh Grade); Toby Dupuis (Seventh Grade); Anna Willings (Fifth Grade); Kirill Popov (Fifth Grade); Elsa Pearson (Seventh Grade); Haddie Coppersmith (Sixth Grade); Brenna Wheeler (Sixth Grade); Abigail Watkins (Eighth Grade); Ethan Brewer (Eighth Grade); Eli Coppersmith (Eighth Grade); Elija Popov (Eighth Grade); Radiance Yer (Fifth Grade); and Zemirah Yer (Sixth Grade).

The coach said that winning the championship is a significant milestone for the WCA sports program and for the school as a whole.

“It’s not only a reward for the players’ hard work, but also a step forward in building stronger sports programs at WCA,” she said. “We’re committed to developing our teams and creating more opportunities for our athletes to grow and succeed, while fostering a culture of kindness, teamwork, and good sportsmanship. This team has exemplified respect and integrity, showing that true success goes beyond just winning.”

WCA’s middle school soccer team is co-ed and made up of fifth through eighth graders from WCA and included some local homeschoolers, allowing them the opportunity to join a sports team. Besides Coppersmith, assistant coaches were offensive coach Michael Manning, and defensive coach Leah Sinclair.

During its run to winning the championship, coaches singled out striker Elijah Popov as the team’s unsung hero.

“He played not for praise but for the sheer enjoyment of the game and shines under pressure,” Coppersmith said. “Elija scored many goals throughout the season, including the most crucial ones we needed. His contributions were invaluable.”

Coaches said WCA’s goalkeeper, Ethan Brewer, was outstanding not just in the title game, but throughout the season.

“This was his third year on the team. He made critical saves that kept us in the game and brought a steady, composed presence to our defense,” Coppersmith said. “His ability to direct the ball and keep morale high was invaluable. In my opinion, he’s one of the best goalies in the league, and his performance throughout the season truly showed that.”

The school is planning a team celebration to honor the players’ hard work and dedication, with awards to recognize individual contributions.

“It will be a great opportunity to reflect on the season’s journey, celebrate each player’s role, and enjoy this accomplishment together,” Coppersmith said. <

Windham varsity football narrowly falls to Bonny Eagle

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity football put Bonny Eagle up against the ropes in the final game of the regular season at Windham on Friday, Nov. 1, but ultimately fell, 30-28, to the Scots.

Windham junior Karl Longstreth rushes toward the end zone
during a prep football game against Bonny Eagle on
Friday, Nov. 1 at Windham High School.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

It was Senior Night at Windham High School, and Nathan Cormier, Brayden Penney, David Daignault, Jacob Gagne, Nolan Scanlon, Ayden Cofone, Creighty Dickson, Dylan Fillinger, Byron Rubito, Aiden Heath, Jack Arsenault and cheerleaders Eillieana Archibald, Talia Campobasso, Ella Roberts and Talia Salazar were honored for their time and dedication to Windham High athletics.

“We’re an unrecognizable team from when the season started ... just how the kids have matured, battled to get better and growing and figuring things out,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “They’ve done a really good job and earned the confidence that they can play with anybody. We had penalties and turnovers that cost us; we gave them two touchdowns tonight, two major turnovers – one in our endzone. Playing against a good team, probably the third best team in the state, you can’t do those things. We’re proud of our kids and how they battled. We executed well on both sides of the ball and ... kids really played hard; tackling was better. (We’ve got to) focus on the good things, but also focus on the bad, clean up those mistakes to make sure they don’t happen again.”

It was first and 10 from Windham’s 30-yard line and a fumble gave Bonny Eagle a touchdown. The kick was blocked and the Scots led 6-0.

Then it was first and 10 from the 25-yard line. Windham sophomore Parker Sperry got the ball to the 38-yard line for a first down. Windham junior and quarterback Karl Longstreth had a big run to put Windham on the scoreboard. The extra point was good, and Windham led, 7-6.

In the second quarter, Longstreth ran it in for another touchdown. The kick was good. Longstreth had 139 rushing yards, 28 passing yards and one interception in the game.

Bonny Eagle would answer by making it into the end zone in the second quarter, but their attempt at a two-point conversion was denied.

Windham defense was strong; Rubito blocked a pass and junior Mason Arbour broke up a pass as Windham took over on downs late in the second quarter. Windham led 14-12 at halftime.

Bonny Eagle scored early in the second half, but another attempt at a two-point conversion was stopped.

Windham Junior Wyatt Washburn caught a pass for a first down. Later, it’s second and five and Windham got a first down at the 5-yard line. Washburn completed a pass and it’s first and goal. Subsequently, Sperry throws a pass to Daignault who scored. The kick was good.

“Going into it we knew they were a good team; we worked (hard) all week in practices, and we had each other’s backs tonight,” said Daignault. “We executed well, and we had little mistakes that came to bite us in the end. We had our quarterback go down, which is tricky for any team, but it was a great job of AJ (Moody) stepping up, filling that role. It’s a momentum shift when someone goes down like that. We know what we have now, and we can compete with some of the best teams, and we think we are one of the best teams; we’re not going to look past anybody.”

Bonny Eagle scored a touchdown in the fourth quarter, but Windham’s defense blocked the extra point. Bonny Eagle led by three points.

It was a first and 10 for the Eagles on the 33-yard line. Bonny Eagle intercepted a pass and scored but failed at a two-point conversion try.

Windham took over with a first and 10 Windham from their own 30-yard line. Sperry made it to the 47-yard line for a first down. Sometime later, Windham moved the ball to the 7-yard line for first and goal. Sperry scored and the kick was good; and Windham trailed by two points and the game ended that way.

“We definitely executed really well,” said Sperry, who had 124 rushing yards and two passing yards. “This is probably the best I’ve seen Windham play this year. We did most everything right. We came in ... we knew they were a good team, and we knew we had to work even harder. We tried our best, we knew we just had to fight, ... we’re definitely going to go (into the playoffs) as an underrated team; we’re going to show them what’s up.” <

Windham Christian Academy to compete for MCSSL middle school soccer title Saturday

By Ed Pierce

Windham Christian Academy's middle school soccer team will compete in the Maine Christian School Sports League championship game against Coastal Christian School at 5 p.m. Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland. 

Windham Christian Academy's Middle School Soccer team
will play for the Maine Christian School Sports League
championship when it faces Coastal Christian School
at 5 p.m. Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.
SUBMITTED PHOTO

Coastal Christian School reached the title game by defeating Pine Tree School on Wednesday while WCA knocked off Oxford Hills Christian Academy on Wednesday to qualify for a berth in the championship  match. 

WCA's middle school team is coed and for students in grades 5 to 8. There are currently 15 teams representing Christian  schools across the state competing in the MCSSL for soccer.

The team is coached by Whitney Coppersmith and assistant coaches Kayla Sinclair and Mike Manning.

Team members include Lucas Stewart (Sixth Grade); Leah Sinclair (Seventh Grade); Mason Dodd (Eighth Grade); Jacob Frederick (Eighth Grade); Arseniy Popov (Seventh Grade); Judah Knights (Eighth Grade);  Liam White (Eighth Grade); Piper Justice (Sixth Grade); Victoria Presby (Seventh Grade); Toby Dupuis (Seventh Grade); Anna Willings (Fifth Grade); Kirill Popov (Fifth Grade); Elsa Pearson (Seventh Grade); Haddie Coppersmith (Sixth Grade); Brenna Wheeler (Sixth Grade); Abigail Watkins (Eighth Grade);  Ethan Brewer (Eighth Grade); Eli Coppersmith (Eighth Grade); Elija Popov (Eighth Grade); Radiance Yer (Fifth Grade); and Zemirah Yer (Sixth Grade).

Gates open at Fitzpatrick Stadium for Saturday's matchup at 4 p.m. Admission is $2. <

WHS Cross Country teams qualify for state championship meet

By Matt Pascarella

For the first time since 2015, both Windham’s boys’ and girls’ cross country teams are going to the Class A State Championships after a strong performance in the Southern Maine Class A Regional Championship on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Twin Brook Recreation Area in Cumberland. Since 2015, there has been a variety of combinations of one WHS team qualifying or individuals qualifying, but it's been a while since both teams have qualified. The girls’ team finished seventh with a score of 199 and the boys’ team finished eighth with a score of 237.

Windham sophomore Eva Vancelette maintains her focus
during the Southern Maine Class A Regional Cross
Country Championship race at Twin Brooks
Recreation Area in Cumberland on Saturday, Oct. 26.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“Many of our present athletes appropriately and safely started their quest to get to compete at States in late June – at last Summer’s ‘Unlock Your Potential’ Cross Country Camp to build their present fitness and mindset, both highly needed to extend a cross-country season,” said Windham cross country coach Jeff Riddle. “The boys finally put it all together, together. The girls’ team showed up unified and ready to compete, they were locked in. Our sport is one of true grit with no rest, nowhere to hide, no breaks, and it is raw. So, if fit, feeling well, and with a winner’s mindset, the only thing stopping a cross-country athlete is themselves. Our boys and girls let it fly last Saturday, ran the race plan, then together earned something that very few teams do. Our goals for them at the State meet are to first authentically enjoy their earned time together ... and to then go improve their finish position by reducing their race time.”

Girls

Windham junior Sydney Broadbent finished first for Windham and 32nd overall with a time of 22:34.92 minutes. Behind her was sophomore Eva Vancelette who finished 37th overall with a 22:55.60.

Junior Lila Stanley finished third for Windham and 42nd overall in a time of 23:09.00.

“As a team, we stayed as a pack,” said Broadbent. “I think our top four or five finished within like a minute and a half of each other, which is amazing. We all started out fast, which was exactly what we wanted to do. Just maintained and stayed confident throughout the race. As a team, we wanted to give it everything and finish with nothing left in the tank ... we know that this course is really hard, everyone struggles and everyone’s in the same conditions. We all gave it our everything and we did exactly what we wanted to do today. Knowing that both teams made it ... shows how much determination we have as teams and as individuals. The team has learned to work really well together in the races, and we put so much time into this season, we put everything into this team. We earned our spot at states.”

Boys

Sophomore Mason Bragdon finished first for Windham and 35th overall with a time of 18.51.30.

Second for Windham and 39th overall was senior Andrew Young with a time of 18:55.87. Third for Windham and 41st overall was junior Caleb Saucier with a time of 19:01.77.

“It’s definitely nice to see everybody step up,” said Bragdon. “I think it took a lot of effort, from a training aspect; it took the miles and hours and hours to get here. And it just all came together. From the start of the morning, everybody was feeling good ... overall while running the course it was good – it was that usual exciting feeling you get while running. First was definitely a goal and my goal was to pull the rest of the team forward. Our ultimate goal was to pull off today. When we run, we pull each other up and we finish. Some things I saw today that went really well was we all got off the line really fast and we did a good job maintaining our paces through the second mile; we had our five through seven runners push up which is what really got us to states this year. New Englands is the ultimate goal, but if we can place really well, I think that’s also a good end to the season.” <

Windham varsity volleyball starts strong, but falls to Cheverus in preliminary playoff match

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity volleyball finished their regular season 9-5 and on Thursday, Oct. 24 at Windham, seventh-place Windham took on 10th place Cheverus in an incredibly hard-fought preliminary playoff match. Windham won the first two sets, but Cheverus battled back to take the next three sets in a match where both teams left everything on the court and Cheverus eliminated Windham, 3-2.

Windham junior Kendra Eubanks attacks the ball during
a prep volleyball preliminary playoff match against
Cheverus High at Windham High School on Oct. 24.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“We were definitely really nervous, but it was more as an excitement way,” said Windham junior Josephine Sibley. “We had never played them before in probably like two seasons, so it was a big moment for us. They had less of a record, but they played really hard teams, so we knew it was going to be a harder match. Our energy was definitely high (in the first two sets), and I think that’s why we had more success ... when we have energy we work well as a team together and it usually leads to wins. (In the last two sets) it was definitely more like inner conflict between (Windham) teammates. This is like the cleanest we ever played; it was like the least amount of points we’ve ever given up and we definitely fought for every point; I think it was a good game. This is the closest I’ve been with a team, especially from Windham. I’m really happy I get to call these girls my friends.”

Windham wasted no time showing they wanted the win. They communicated well and took a small lead early on. Windham junior Kendra Eubanks had a solid block in the first set. The game was tied at six. Windham junior Sydney Harmon sent the ball over the net and Cheverus could not return it. The game was tied at 13. Sibley had several strong serves which gave Windham a lead.

Cheverus was gaining, but Windham had already reached set point. Windham took the first set 25-21.

In the second set, Windham momentum remained strong; they had stellar attacks. They dove on the ball leaving it all on the court. At one point, Windham led by 10 points. While Cheverus was making progress, Windham was too far ahead, and their defense remained powerful. Windham took set two, 25-10.

In the third set, Windham led early, and this was another super close set. The game was tied at 15. Cheverus gained traction, but Windham did not stop fighting. The Stags won this one, 25-19.

Set four was tied early on, and both teams were aggressive. Windham junior Oakley McLeod tipped the ball just over the net to give Windham a five-point advantage. Then the game was tied at 22. Tension was high but Cheverus got a set point and won, 25-23.

Windham had a small lead early on in set five. Cheverus countered with a lead and was able to hold onto it to win the set, 15-11.

“A lot of teammates had watched film to make sure we were prepped,” said Windham senior captain McKenzie Keeney. “We came out, we were so ready, we really wanted it together. We just lost maybe a little bit of momentum, but we picked ourselves back up a little bit and at the end of the day, it was close, we did what we could. The first couple of sets we had such positive energy together and we all wanted it for each other.”

Keeney said her team stood out this season; she loves them so much; they are all amazing people.

“When you come out that strong and that fast you have a lot of energy flowing to start off and at some point, that energy starts to back down a bit,” said Windham varsity volleyball coach Chris Cloutier. “You got to always keep your foot on the gas. Some little adjustments Cheverus made too; they started to move some hitters around on us ... we just didn’t adjust fast enough and once they started scoring a few points we started pressing and when you get behind, you start worrying about making mistakes and it kind of leads you to making mistakes. I’d say some rolls started going their way that didn’t go for them in the first two sets. That changed the momentum – momentum in volleyball is a big deal. In those first two our serving went really well, we were moving our feet to the ball, we were running offenses, we were getting a chance to use all three contacts.” <