Windham prevails over Portland in Class A North semifinal football playoffs

By Matt Pascarella

With a fifth consecutive win, third-place Windham outlasted second-place Portland during a very rainy semifinal playoff game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Friday, Nov. 6. Windham defeated the former state champions 21-14 as the Eagles advanced to the Class A North Final.

Windham senior Landon Wyman will not be stopped as he
navigates by defenders during the Class A North prep
football semifinal playoff game against Portland at
Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Friday, Nov. 6.
PHOTO BY LAVON MCKOY  

While Portland scored in the third and fourth quarters, Windham remained ahead and their defense prevented the Bulldogs from tying the game.

“The strategy coming into this game was composure,” said Windham junior Jordan Pastore, who had 104 rushing yards. “They have a good play; we get back up and have another good play. Eventually those good plays stack up, and we beat them on the scoreboard. My coaches always say focus on the first five or six yards and that’s what I did. I played for my seniors, and I just wanted to get the job done for (Windham) so we could come back next week. We went back, we watched film, we saw everything, it was all self-inflicted wounds. We knew that we could go in there, make some plays and beat ... Portland.”

The Eagles came out hungry and ready to shut down the Bulldogs. Both defenses held each other back and kept the first quarter scoreless.

In the second quarter it was second and six Windham from the 21-yard line. They moved the ball up to third and goal; Pastore scored. The extra point was good, and Windham had a 7-0 lead.

“They got some great players, and we found a way to stop Portland,” said Windham senior Landon Wyman. “We made plays specifically for them, because we knew they were going to overlook us and weren’t going to focus on us. We came out here and proved them wrong. We came out with a winning mentality and got it done. We have a great team.”

Pastore found the end zone in the second quarter. The extra point was good as the Eagles pulled away from Portland. At halftime, Windham led 14-0.

“Tonight was the loudest sideline I’ve seen us have,” said Windham junior and quarterback Patrick Davenport, who had 52 passing yards. “The most energy we brought to the field, the most energy we brought to the locker room, the most energy we had on the bus; there wasn’t much that was stopping us tonight. Cleaning the game up ... the little things (needs work).”

The third quarter had Pastore scoring his third touchdown of the night. Portland answered and scored toward the end of the third quarter.

Portland scored again in the fourth quarter but Windham played smart and ran out the clock.

“I thought the kids were incredible, they did everything we asked, and I thought they handled the good moments and the bad moments and ... stayed pretty even for four quarters,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “Even at the end of the game, Portland had scored too late and ... it was one of those situations where we had to take care of the clock, get a first down, and I thought the guys understood the moment and finished. I thought Windham really played amazing. Our physicality and maturity were night and day compared to (when we first played Portland in the regular season). How we handled ourselves, how we got off the ball, how we handled play-to-play and our composure. Expectations were to compete play-to-play and not get caught up in the moment whether it was good or bad, but to handle things with maturity; to deal with good and bad situations and play a full game which we didn’t do (when we played Portland in the regular season).”

Windham will play first place Oxford Hills in the Class A North Final at Oxford Hills High School in South Paris on Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff is at noon. <

 

Windham Youth Cheerleading’s Showcase a tremendous success

By Matt Pascarella

Every year, at the end of Windham Youth Cheerleading’s season, it holds a showcase to demonstrate all they’ve learned over the season. The 10-week youth cheerleading program is open to grades kindergarten through eighth grade. Last year the program had more than 100 participants and this year has been no different with over 120 athletes participating. The program’s annual showcase was held at Windham High School on Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Members of Windham Youth Cheerleading's seventh- and
eighth-grade squad are enthusiastic mid-routine during 
Windham Youth Cheerleading's year-end showcase at
Windham High School on Wednesday, Nov. 4.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“The showcase was a success because the girls performed with confidence, energy, and heart; coaches Amy (Rousse), Nicole (Warner), and I could not be prouder of these girls and everything they accomplished this season,” said Marie Gilligan, Windham Youth Cheerleading fifth and sixth grade coach and Director of Corporate Sponsorship and Fundraising for the program. “Watching all their hard work come together at the showcase was such a special moment for us as coaches. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch them grow in their skills, confidence, and relationships with one another.”

Each season, the goal is to introduce the sport of sideline cheer as well as introduce athletes to new stunts, cheers, jumps and tumbling. Windham Youth Cheerleading wants to enhance skillsets and knowledge about the sport. It aims to ensure that every participating athlete can foster friendships, achieve personal and emotional growth and a love for cheer.

“The showcase is the highlight of the sideline season,” said Stacy Davis, seventh and eighth grade coach and Director of Windham Youth Cheerleading Finance. “It is the time to show their loved ones all their hard work. You can feel the nerves, excitement and pride on the night of showcase. We also recognize the importance of loved ones’ involvement as well as the support we get from the Windham community. Our program could not continue to grow without the support of the families and community.”

This was a record year for the program as they raised more than $23,000 through fundraising and sponsorships which enabled the group to buy new uniforms for every single cheerleader in the program and provided scholarships for 10 athletes this season.

“I have been doing cheer since I was 7 or 8,” said Windham eighth grader Aubrey Eklund. “The connections I made with all my friends meeting new people and how fun it is to perform in front of others. We did a lot of practice. My goal is to hit all our stunts. One of the big things I’ve learned over the course of the season is facials, if you have big expressions (it makes for a better routine). I want to get better at tumbling ... I do competitive cheer too, so I want to get to be really good to compete at a high level.”

Windham third grader Wyatt Bangs has been a member of Windham youth Cheerleading for two or three years. Bangs said cheering is fun because he can do stunts. His goal for the showcase was to at least do a handstand walk. He wants to keep participating in Windham Youth Cheerleading as he progresses from grade to grade.

"I have been doing cheer for five years,” said Windham eighth grader Abby Baltos. “I love all the jumps and stunts I do and I get to make new friends along the way. My goal was to perform my best and remember the routine and having my motions sharp and smile. I want to keep my level up so I can make varsity as a freshman, although that’s a big goal. I also do competitive cheer, so I just want to maximize how hard I can push myself to be really good.” <

Windham Youth Football seventh- and eighth-grade team finish as runners-up after incredible season

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Youth Football seventh- and eighth-grade football team was an unstoppable force this season. Their coach Bryan Freese has been coaching many of these young athletes since they were in elementary school and it meant a lot to everyone involved that they made it to the Southern Maine Youth Football League Atlantic Division Championship at Thornton Academy in Saco against Thornton Academy on Sunday, Nov. 8.

Windham Youth Football's seventh- and eighth-grade team
displays its runner-up trophy after playing in the Southern
Maine Youth Football League Atlantic Division
Championship Game at Thornton Academy on Nov. 8.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

The Eagles gave their all, but at the final buzzer, the Trojans won, 20-0.

“Our strategy was to hold them to pass coverage; because last time we played them it was their passing that defeated us,” said Windham eighth grader Lucien Kri. “In practice we’ve been working on how to cover their passing offense. It was the game of the year, probably the most important game of our Youth Football career. Our running defense (went well) we really held them to good running defense. We needed more defenders in the backfield for passing and to believe in ourselves more. Team chemistry stands out looking back on the season. We’re all family, we’re all brothers and we had each other’s backs.”

Thornton Academy won the coin toss and deferred as Windham started strong, but the Trojans capitalized on a fumble early in the game. Thornton Academy scored, but their two-point conversion was unsuccessful.

The Eagle’s defense didn’t allow much ball movement, and Thornton Academy would not find the end zone for the remainder of the half.

While Eagle defense was strong, so was Trojans’ defense. Windham got a few first downs but struggled to get near the goal line. At halftime, Thornton Academy led 6-0.

During halftime, Windham Youth Football players and eighth graders Avery Russell, Lucien Kri and Cameron Young were recognized for making the Atlantic All-Star team.

“Coming into this game we put (the regular season loss to TA) behind us,” said Windham’s Young, who was the leading rusher during the game. “We put in a bunch of new plays for offense and defense. We did good getting the first downs, but it was just the turnovers that hurt us. It meant a lot for the whole team to make it to the State Championship, because last year (we came close). The big part for us was turnovers and keeping our mindset in the game; after the first couple touchdowns we (hung) our heads. That really hurt us.”

Partway into the second half, Thornton Academy scored again on a completed pass, but the two-point conversion was no good.

Windham got several first downs and connected on a long pass but struggled to get near the end zone.

Eighth grader Steven ‘SJ’ DePaolo II said Windham needed to want it more; they came out flat. DePaolo II said they lacked energy and made multiple mental mistakes. He said in the first half, they ran the ball well and their defense was good. If Windham had forced a few turnovers and stopped Thornton Academy’s run game, the end result may have been different.

“We changed up some formations, try to run inside, we thought we had them inside, make some adjustments that way,” said Windham Youth Football seventh and eighth grade coach Bryan Freese. “Defensively we changed some formations knowing that their quarterback had a great arm. We did a good job on defense, especially on run defense; we defended the pass well. On offense we had a hard time moving the ball, they had a swarming defense. We matched up well but came up short.” 

Freese said it’s been the team’s goal for eight to 10 years to compete in this game and just being there was special.

“It shows all the hard work the coaches and the players have put in over the years,” he said. “Throughout the season we learned a lot of things; the way that the team came together and adjust and adapt to certain adversities in different situations ... showed we got good heart and concentration. These kids will be good in the future moving forward.”

The Eagles finished their season with a spectacular 9-2 record. <

 

 

WHS field hockey plays phenomenal quarterfinal playoff game against Biddeford

By Matt Pascarella

Seventh-place Windham met second-place Biddeford in the Class A South quarterfinal playoff game at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and Windham showed the Tigers they had improved greatly since the two played each other during the regular season. After more than 55 minutes of scoreless play, Biddeford scored late in the game for a 1-0 win.

Windham senior Sarah Smyth stays with the ball during the
Class A South quarterfinal field hockey playoff game 
against Biddeford at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford
on Oct. 28. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We have been working so hard the past couple weeks, coming in the lower seed we knew we had nothing to lose,” said Windham senior Sarah Smyth. “We left it all out on the field. We had to try our best, give it our all and we did that. Every single minute, everybody on this team tried their hardest and it was a great team game today. We knew where each other were on the field. We were communicating well, quick passes, we were aggressive, we were stepping to the ball. We all connected and grew so close as a group, and I’m really thankful for that this year.”

The Eagles took the field with intensity and their strong defense shone right away as they held back one of the strongest teams in the conference for the first 15 minutes as they kept the game scoreless.

In the second quarter, Windham had a strong shot at goal that almost got by. Biddeford defense was also strong. Windham continued to pressure as the half ended with the score tied 0-0.

“I think what made us play great against Biddeford is how we came together as a team overall,” said Windham junior Mia Kri. “We gave it our all and pushed each other on. Our mindsets were the best during this game, and really just keeping positive energy even if there was a tiny mistake within our team during a play. I think we played our hardest, but if I had to specifically say something that could’ve changed the game is just staying collective if a call was bad or another player did something and just move on to the next play quickly.”

The second half brought about the same exceptional defense from both sides for the remaining 30 minutes. Windham goalie and sophomore Courtney Cotter had many solid saves while Windham continued to pressure the Tigers.

“It was very stressful, but you got to have a good mindset,” said Cotter who had 23 saves over the course of 60 minutes. “It was way more intense – Biddeford wanted it; we wanted it; we definitely wanted it more this game (than when we played them in the regular season). It’s been fun and good to get to know the girls, make those saves and have that trust in my teammates.”

On a corner, in the final play of the game, Biddeford scored.

“It was a gift to be able to play another 60 minutes of field hockey today,” said Windham varsity field hockey coach Maddy Perfetti. “Windham came out wanting to win, they really believed in themselves. We played a phenomenal game; the best game we played all year. This may have not been the prettiest or the cleanest field hockey we’ve ever played, but from being able to compete with a team that’s consistently at the top of our division and perhaps the state, it feels really good to (play against) them. Our growth and the growth mindset (stand out). Seeing (Windham) improve from our first scrimmages ... to going 1-0 to the final minute against one of the best teams in the conference, it’s hard to beat that character arc.” <

Windham Christian Academy soccer falls in championship game on penalty kicks

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Christian Academy’s varsity coed soccer team played over 100 minutes against Oxford Hills Christian Academy in the Maine Christian School Sports League Championship game at Edward Little in Auburn on Thursday, Oct. 29. After regulation play was over, the game was tied 1-1. Windham Christian Academy kept up their intensity for two 15-minute overtimes and the game came down to penalty kicks as Oxford Hills won, 2-1.

Windham Christian Academy sophomore Jeremiah Gorelov
races to be first to the ball during the Maine Christian
Student Sports League varsity soccer championship
game against Oxford Hills Christian Academy. 
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“My team was very excited going into the championship,” said Windham Christian Academy eighth grader Haddie Coppersmith. “Even though I’m still in middle school and was swinging up to varsity, I knew it was going to be a hard game because we had tied Oxford Hills in overtime during the regular season. We did a good job supporting each other, communicating, and our passes were great. Everyone on our team didn’t give up and gave it all they had.”

The Warriors (Windham Christian Academy) had multiple shots on goal as they worked to score.

About 20 minutes into the first half, Oxford Hills Christian Academy scored.

Windham Christian Academy continued going hard after the ball. At the half, Oxford Hills Christian Academy led, 1-0.

“Our approach was really just to play our game; a good passing game, they play as a team really well,” said Windham Christian Academy varsity coed soccer coach Kayla Sinclair. “We’ve done a lot of double overtimes and they like nailbiters, they play well under pressure. We played as a team ... and keeping possession of the ball a lot and never giving up.”

In the second half, Windham Christian Academy came onto the field with a lot of intensity. Windham Christian Academy sophomore Elija Popov had a strong shot on goal almost immediately.

A short time later, Windham Christian Academy sophomore Jeremiah Gorelov scored; the game was tied 1-1.

As the clock would down, Windham Christian Academy hustled to break the tie.

“We’ve tied this team 6-6 (in the regular season) and we thought if we locked in more, we could win,” said Gorelov. “Our passing in the second half we locked in and did much better. Our team warms up more in the second half, and it was 1-0 so we had more of a fire in our bellies. We could have been more aggressive. There’s nothing we could have done better except for score.”

After regulation play, the score remained tied 1-1.

Both overtimes were a testament to the strength of these players, who had already played a full 80 minutes and now continued to give their all for another 30-plus minutes. At the end of the second overtime, the game remained tied 1-1.

It was now onto penalty kicks. Each team chose three players to go head-to-head with the opposing team’s goalie. The winner was whoever made more shots in three kicks. Windham Christian Academy missed the first two kicks, while Oxford Hills Christian Academy scored on their first two kicks. 

“We got to the championship, everything that we’ve practiced, everything that we’ve done in games is really what we’re here to do,” said Sinclair. “I think they did it. They’re a good group of kids, with big hearts. They love the game of soccer and they work really well together.”

Senior Dillon Diggins said they were trying their best to win. He said he thought their communication was pretty good, they were talking a bit on offense and defense. Diggins said penalty kicks are high-pressure, even if you’ve practiced a lot. They could have tried to get their passing more to the middle.

“We could’ve won more 50-50 balls, said Coppersmith. “It came down to penalty kicks, which in my opinion is about luck. “My overall takeaway is that sometimes we lose, and you have to keep your head up. This was one of the best games my team has played. I’m so proud of how far we made it and how hard we worked.” <

WYSA’s Under-10 girls’ soccer travel team finish season undefeated

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Youth Soccer Association’s Under-10 girls’ travel soccer team is a non-competitive league that doesn’t have playoffs or tournament games. However, this team had an amazing season this fall. The team played a total of 14 games and went undefeated. The team had six shutouts and never gave up more than two goals during a game.

Members of Windham Youth Soccer
Association's Undcer-10 girls' travel
soccer team gather after winning the 
Pete Levasseur Fall Classic against
Sanford on Saturday, Oct. 24 at
Sanford. This win earned Windham
a perfect season.
PHOTO BY NATE BOWIE 

Its coaches, Nate Bowie and Catherine Chase, set team responsibilities to live by at every practice and game. Have fun, no talking while the coach is talking, always to give your best effort and be a good teammate. The kids took these to heart and doing so was the key to their success. Each member trusted each other and their team-first mindset really made the season special.

“Our season started with a mix of new and returning players with varying experience and skillsets which creates both opportunities and challenges for any coach,” said head coach Bowie, now in his third year of coaching WYSA travel teams. “We focused each training session on fundamentals: footwork, dribbling, passing, and shooting. We made sure each practice session maximized the amount of time they had with the ball. I can say that hands down we were the best passing team in the league this season which created tons of great scoring opportunities and really fun games to watch for the crowd.”

According to Bowie, what’s amazing about the strength of this team, consisting of fourth graders Emery Chase, Olivia Chartier, Libby Mitchell, Layla Wetherington, Maddie Duffy, Neilia Hebert, Trinity Walsh, Blake Bowie and fifth grader Reagan Gillies is every player on the team played every position throughout the season including goalkeeper. This versatile team was offensively strong with each player on the team scoring more than one goal throughout the season.

When looking back on the season, there were two games that really challenged the team, and this Windham Under-10 team rose to the occasion. When Windham played undefeated Falmouth late in the season, Windham was down 1-0, then tied the game 1-1. Later in the game, it was tied 2-2 and Windham came back to edge ahead 3-2 for the win.

In its last game of the season, the team played undefeated Sanford. Windham was motivated to keep its record intact and stepped up their game a notch (or two) to overcome this very tough Spartan team. The game was tight, physical, and exciting. Windham won, 3-1, after a last-minute goal to keep their strong record perfect.

“I think we had good shots and we played really well,” said Duffy about the Sanford game. “The first half was tough, and we really stepped it up in the second half. We had a great group, and everyone played well as a team. (My favorite part of the season was) playing for Coach Nate and Catherine again and I got to meet new friends. We were a really strong team. Our spacing got much better and everyone played well together.”

Bowie said he wanted to give a special thank you to the parents and families who supported this team so well throughout the season. He said he really enjoys teaching the kids not just soccer skills, but also about being good teammates and creating a good work ethic. <

WHS Cross Country teams compete in Regional Championships

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s boys’ and girls’ Cross Country teams competed in the Regional Championships against teams from all over the state at Twin Brooks Recreation Area in Cumberland on Saturday, Oct. 24. Both Windham teams have been working hard in preparation for this very hard course, and although neither team qualified for the State Championship, both teams did well with the girls’ finishing 14th with a score of 358 and the boys’ finishing 16th with a score of 448.

Windham freshman Sam Jaynes makes his way to the finish
line during the Class A Cross Country Regional
Championships at Twin brooks Recreation Area in
Cumberland on Saturday, Oct. 24.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“I think we knew it was going to be hard to qualify as a team,” said Windham cross country coach Paula Pock. “Our goal was to have everyone run an awesome race and finish the season on a high note. A couple of these kids just ran out of their shoes – it was impressive. This is a pretty challenging course, and we talked a lot about mindset, pushing through and staying positive. They did a great job of maintaining and staying strong throughout the whole thing.”

GIRLS

Senior Stephanie Roghelia finished first for Windham and 60th overall with a time of 24:05.88 minutes.

“We prepared for today by practicing hills because this is a very hilly course and also our intervals and pacing,” said Roghelia. “Our hill work and pacing went really well.” I wish we could have run the course first to get the experience of what it was going to feel like.”

In second place for Windham was senior Grace Lee who finished 66th overall with a 24:37.59 time.

Lee said the team got out pretty well and they were all able to get themselves in a good position with the pack they were in and stay with most of the race.

Both Lee and Roghelia said that they were very proud of their team and for their last race they were glad everyone did their best.

Alanna Lewis, a senior, finished third for Windham and 77th overall with a time of 25:48.09.

All seven runners ran the course in under 28 minutes.

BOYS

“My goal for the day was to run a similar time to what I ran my sophomore year, and I think I hit that time I was looking for today,” said Windham senior Mason Bragdon who finished first for Windham, 73rd overall and ran the course in 20:05.75. “I’ve run this course close to 10 times as of now and it’s one of my toughest courses every single time. The terrain topography is really, really tough; especially when you have so many people funneling through ... it’s difficult to navigate. The start went really well and was fast. Into the second mile I felt consistent, I was in my place and held my place pretty much all the way into the end. A little bit more hill work would have been helpful. It’s my final race, I’m really happy with how I did. I’m glad I’m leaving it in the hands of some of the fast runners here.” 

Freshman Sam Jaynes finished second for Windham and 77th overall with a time of 20:07.69.

Franklin Murray, a freshman, finished third for the Eagles and 96th overall with a 21:17.40 time.

The seven runners each finished the course in under 24 minutes.

“They were so supportive of each other,” said Pock. “We ran really well within their abilities. We understood from the beginning of the season that it was going to be a building year, and we just really ran strong. Our upperclassmen were great role models and were really encouraging to the younger athletes. We are looking forward to next year.” <