After an impressive season which started with three consecutive wins and shutouts early on of Noble and Brunswick, No. 3 Windham fell to No. 6 Lawrence, 35-20, in the Class B North quarterfinal playoff football game at home on Friday, Oct. 28.
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| Haddon Boyle of Windham, left, races past a Lawrence defender during the Class B North football quarterfinal at Windham High School on Friday, Oct. 28. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA |
“We definitely didn’t expect it to end up like that,” said Windham senior Alex Yeaton, who had 29 yards receiving against Lawrence. “We knew coming in you can’t look over anyone; we didn’t, but it just didn’t end up in our favor. “In the last two minutes, down by two touchdowns ... team morale did not go down until the final buzzer.”
Yeaton said he loves this team. It’s his final season and said that he’s going to miss all the players and coaches.
In the first quarter, Windham took a 7-6 lead when senior Haddon Boyle crossed the goal line, and the extra point was good.
Lawrence edged out ahead in the second quarter. Windham answered with seconds left in the first half when a completed pass to Yeaton in the end zone gave Windham a 13-12 lead at the half.
Boyle scored another TD in the beginning of the second half. The kick was good, and Windham led at that point, 20-12. In total, Boyle had 79 rushing yards and 33 receiving yards in the playoff game.
“We didn’t play as well as we could have,” said Boyle. “We tried to leave everything out there, but it didn’t turn out our way.”
Boyle said they fought for each other and did well at having each other’s backs. The team has had a strong brotherhood all season.
Lawrence tied the game at 20-20, scored another TD with a successful two-point conversion in the fourth quarter, and then added another score to win the game.
Windham quarterback and junior Landon Buzulchuck, who had 123 passing yards and six completed passes against Lawrence, said the team played well, but not to their full potential. He said Windham’s passing game went well, but it wasn’t their game defensively; they couldn’t stop Lawrence’s run.
What stood out to Buzulchuck over the season was all the hard work, dedication and practice the team put in and he said that although the Eagles sustained a lot of injuries, they overcame struggles together.
“In a tight game a couple turnovers here and there will get you. Some costly penalties at a bad time catches up to you,” said Windham Varsity Football Coach Matt Perkins.
Perkins said the kids played their tails off and were a real tough, gritty group. He said that he’s proud of these seniors that battled all year long and he’s proud for them to be in the program and what they represent and who they are as people.
“Windham had guys that continued to battle, work, showed up every day and gave everything they could,” Perkins said. <
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