Friday, April 29, 2016

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Windham High School baseball recap - By David Field

Evan Millett
Wednesday, April 20 - Windham rallies to defeat Noble 7-6. 
Windham had timely hitting and freshman pitcher Bryce Afthim picked up the win in the seventh inning to get the victory. 

The Eagles used four pitchers in their tilt against the Knights. Zach Skillings started the game for Windham and went four innings and allowed one run. Evan Millett and Cam McCartney were the middle relief and allowed four combined runs. Bryce Afthim allowed one run, but his teammates offense got the win for him.

Tim Greenlaw belted a double in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game. With Mitch Eskilson standing on third base, Dylan Koza ripped a deep fly ball to left field that was caught. Eskilson tagged up and beat the throw home to get the winning run. Both Greenlaw and Eskilson had three hits to give the Eagles offensive strength in the middle of the lineup.

Friday April 22 - Windham faces a tough Cheverus team and loses 9-1.
http://www.windhampowersports.com/Sophomore pitcher Mike Gilman got his first loss as he allowed six runs in four innings of work. Cheverus earned this victory by swinging the bat and getting twelve hits and caused Windham to commit three errors defensively. Cheverus’ Logan McCarthy pitched a gem against the Eagles. McCarthy struck out 11 batters and allowed one run and four hits to earn his victory. 

Windham was scheduled to play Deering on Tuesday, April 26, but that game was postponed due to inclement weather. The game was rescheduled for Wednesday April 27, but game results were not available at press time.

Friday, April 22, 2016

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Windham softball takes first ever trip to Florida - By Coach Travis Demmons

The Windham High School varsity softball team embarked on a trip to Disney World/ESPN's Wide World of Sports for five days of softball and fun in the sun.  It was the first such trip for the high school softball team in over ten years and all involved enjoyed themselves immensely both on and off the field.  While on the field, the team played six games against teams from Connecticut, Ohio and Maine. 

 Danielle Tardiff, Erin Elder, Katie Hunter, Lily MacPherson and Alex Morang all spent time in the pitcher's circle during the preseason and all performed well.  Windham's offense was consistently fueled, during the trip, by Olivia Mora, Sadie Nelson, Megan Joy, Christina Mooradian and Katelyn Troiano with everyone pitching in at various times.  
During their down time, the ladies spent time lounging by the pool, visiting several theme parks, and enjoying time together while bonding as a team.  As the head coach of the team, I could not have asked for a better start to the softball season.  We expect this team to be high in the heal point standings this season and their performance, and behavior, while in Florida supported the high expectations we have for this team.  

Windham High School Eagles baseball opens with a win - By David Field

SANFORD - While their classmates were on vacation, the Windham varsity baseball team opened its season with an extra inning victory at Goodall Park on Monday. The Eagles went eight innings in their 4-2 defeat of the Sanford Spartans.

Defensively, the Eagles were led by Sophomore Tanner Bernier who pitched 7 innings and allowed one hit and two runs. Bernier struck out three and had a solid defense behind him. 

Windham scored first in the fourth inning. Catcher Blake Houser belted a double to get in scoring position for the Eagles. Dylan Koza (3-3) singled to put runners at the corners. Houser scored on a wild pitch and Koza advanced to second. Evan Millett sacrificed Koza to third. Evan Coughlin reached base on an error that would give Windham the 2-0 lead. 

In the fifth, Bernier allowed his first and only hit of the game. With runners at the corners, Bernier faked a throw to first to hold the runner and was called for a balk to give Sanford their first run. On the next pitch, Houser threw down to second to attempt to pick off the runner. The ball squirted away and Sanford’s Xavier Chase was on third. With one out, a deep fly ball to left scored Xavier to tie the game.

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In the top of the eighth, the middle of Windham’s lineup connected again to give the Eagles the lead. The Spartans had their third pitcher take the hill to face the Eagles. Mitch Eskilson led off with a single and Blake Houser drew a walk to put two on. Dylan Koza hit a deep shot to center field and drove in Eskilson and Houser and would be thrown out trying to stretch his double to a triple. However, the Eagles took that lead into the bottom of the eighth. Relief pitcher Mike Gilman only faced three batters as he had Sanford ground out twice and pop up to seal the deal.

Friday, April 8, 2016

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Middle School track teams race for the finish - By Coach Philip Jackson

Both boys’ and girls’ teams worked hard to improve throughout the season in a very competitive Greater Portland League. Several athletes had strong performances at the end of season festival meet. Boden Sabasteaniski won the intermediate 40. Ethan Wert won the intermediate 150. The seventh grade boy's relay of Ethan Wert, Ryan Abbotoni, Boden Sabasteanski and Robby Soucy finished in a close second place. The eighth grade boy's relay of Brady Jackson, Vireak Tray, Cameron Additon and Derek Klimko took an impressive four seconds off their time to finish third.
Shalyn Bauer finished second in the intermediate 150, Kelsey Collins was third in the intermediate 150, and Hannah Langstaff was third in the senior 440. The relay team of Kelsey Collins, Vanessa Lindsay, Carissa O'Connell and Telia Flores-Brown finished fourth. The senior relay team of Sierra Guite, Kenadi Sawyer, Hannah Langstaff and Alex Hammond finished sixth.


Swim season ends well for Windham Middle School - By Coach Brett Turenne



Windham Middle School swim team competed during the end of February and all of March. Competing against teams all over southern Maine. 

The middle school swim season ended very well. We had 50 kids on the team. The kids did very at the end of the festivals. Both teams had a majority of the kids drop times and had best times. It was a great way to end the short season on a high note. The kids worked very hard all year and it showed off in the end. 

Outstanding swimmers on the girls’ side were Kathryn Lucas, Willow Morales, Molly Stephen, Hannah Maurais, Hannah Cornish, Rosie Haibon and Jessie Farinella. A lot of the girls improved this season. A couple that stood out were Chloe Wilcox, Alexis Pompeo, Sydney Nangle and Rebecca Huff.
Click here to emailOn the boys’ side, the outstanding swimmers were Quinton Hastings, Clay Hatch, Aiden Day, Nathan Plummer, Lucas Pondgratz, Jack DiBlasi. The swimmers who progressed the most I would have to say were Jack DiBlasi and Nathan Plummer.

The biggest thing my assistant coach, Mrs. Hodge, and I worked on the most with the kids this year was making swimming fun, teaching them techniques and making sure they worked hard. It's such a short season so you want to make sure the kids stay interested in swimming going forward
and hope that they swim in high school.









Friday, April 1, 2016

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Family hiking with children, pre-teens and teenagers - By Michelle Libby

There are 48 four-thousand foot mountains to be climbed in New England, according to the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC). But only a select number of people have climbed all of those peaks in their life time. When they do they are inducted into a very special club.  
 
Hiking doesn’t have to be taking on the tallest mountains in the area, but getting outside in the wilds of Maine to enjoy some fresh air and some sunshine. Taking family hikes is a great way to introduce children to the enchantment of the woods and to get exercise. 


Having a goal is a great way to determine the best hike for your family and to keep it fun for everyone, said Bill Yeo, the Freeport Manager for the Outdoor Discovery School at LL Bean. Angel Falls north of Rangeley is a great beginner or first hike into see the largest waterfall in Maine. Setting a goal of seeing the waterfall or perhaps swimming in frigid water could motivate younger hikers. 

Some hikers like to include geocaching on their hikes. Using a GPS device or an app on a smartphone, hikers can search for hidden treasure using GPS coordinates found on www.geocaching.com. Others might bring snacks or a kite to enjoy at the top of the mountain or end of the hike. Just remember to carry out what you carry in. Don’t leave trash around. 
One family had two adults and two children hiking. One of the adults ran ahead and planted little surprises along the trail for them to find. It kept them interested and engaged, said Yeo. 

Bring a dog on a hike is okay as long as the trail permits them. They also might need water and treats, so be prepared to take care of Fido, too. 

Establish ground rules when hiking with older children or a group, like never get out of sight from the last person or only go to the next cross path or road, then wait for the rest of the group to catch up. Communication is key to a successful hike.

“Each time you hike, you’ll find out what works for you,” Yeo said. 

Items to take along when hiking vary family to family depending on the ages of the hikers and their physical needs. Families with small children should remember to bring diapers. Snacks can save the day for a family with toddlers or even teenagers. Snacks on the low end of the glycemic scale are a better choice. On longer hikes look into Camelback water bladders to help keep hikers hydrated. 

Other items include a whistle, Tylenol, Benadryl, bug spray, a small first aid kit, a camera, flashlights, kites or Frisbees, Anti-bacterial wipes and a map of the area with a compass. Phones can run out of battery or not have a signal, be prepared. Toilet paper, sunglasses and hats, a pocket knife, sunscreen are also good items to pack, according to Yeo, who has hiked many of the largest mountains in the United States and the world, including Mt. Everest.  
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Check the weather before heading out. Bring portable ponchos or garbage bags in case of rain. 

Nothing can ruin hiking for someone better than blisters from wearing the wrong kind of shoes or not being prepared to take care of someone’s feet, on longer hikes. Open toed shoes are not the best for hiking. Even if there’s a place to swim at the end, carry water shoes or sandals in a backpack until you arrive. 

Know the plants in the area that can cause issues, like poison ivy and poison sumac. The itchy rashes these plants can cause are irritating and not easy to clear up. 

Click to email Getting lost was made famous by local celebrity Donn Fendler, who inspired the story “Lost on a Mountain in Maine,” when he spent nine days alone in the woods near Mt. Katadhin after wandering away from his hiking party. The book is a great read for children and is taught in the fourth grade in Maine schools. Children should be told that when they get lost to stay put. If they have a whistle, they should blow it three times loud and long, wait a moment and do it again. Rescuers are more likely to find a lost hiker if they don’t have to chase him or her around.

When returning from a hike, always check for ticks. They like warm moist places and can travel quickly.
The final thing to do once in the car or back home is to debrief. Ask how the hike went for everyone? What made it special and what did the family gain from the hike?

“I encourage you to get kids out there in the mountains. They can grow with hiking, and it can take them anywhere they want,” Yeo said. 

For longer hikes with an overnight or two, some of the same principals apply, but check with local outfitters for proper gear and equipment lists. 

Athlete of the week - Cameron Additon



Eighth grader Cameron Additon is the Aroma Joe’s athlete of the week. The Windham Middle School student plays lacrosse, football and track. He loves to play sports. 

Cameron’s sports heroes are JJ Watt and Tom Brady, both are football players. 

“Cameron has shown himself as a leader over the past few years. He is an example of hard work paying off,” said his indoor track coach Phil Jackson. 

Cameron said it is difficult to balance school and sports because “(sports) take up a lot of time.” 

He has learned that it is “easier to work as a team,” he said. He would like to one day become a personal trainer.  

Cameron is the son of Ryan Additon and Angela Additon and has a sibling Ashton.

Wilderness medicine courses


http://www.windhampowersports.com/Saint Joseph’s College is hosting a Wilderness First Responder Course (WFR) and A Wilderness EMT Course (WEMT) at the campus in Standish from mid-May to early June. The WFR is the standard for designed the outdoor adventurer, educator, guide…anyone who wants to go a little farther, to more remote places, and know what to do when something goes wrong. The 75+ hour course is open to anyone 16 years of age or older. There are no previous training requirements. The WEMT is the complete course on both wild and urban emergency medicine…care for a person in a remote setting, rescue them, and then know how to take care of them in the back of the ambulance. Students in both courses will be taught how to assess people who are injured or sick far from 911. They learn to resuscitate patients, stop bleeding, clean and dress wounds, prevent and handle infections, sprains, fractures, injuries of cold and heat, altitude, animal bites, water emergencies, CPR, camp hygiene, medical emergencies, backcountry rescue, litter building and much more. 

These programs stress experiential learning, skills, and focuses not on just what to do, but how to do, with improvised equipment, far from help. The WFR is the medical training level that is favored by organizations like Outward Bound, NOLS, camps, guide services, college, and search and rescue teams…the WEMT qualifies them to do all the WFR can do, as well as work in the urban EMS system.
These courses will be taught by The Kane Schools, who have been teaching wild and rescue medicine for over 40 years. All courses are taught under the National Education Standards for EMS and follow the National Scope of Practice and Wilderness Medical Society guidelines. The WEMT earns the student 5.5 credits from Eastern Maine Community College. For information contact thekaneschools@gmail.com or 207 935 2608.