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.” <

Windham varsity boys’ soccer tops South Portland

By Matt Pascarella

For their final home game of the regular season, Windham’s varsity boys’ soccer went up against South Portland on Thursday, Oct. 17. It was Senior Night and Lukas Hammond, Garrett Crossman, Levi Hayman, Luke Cunniffe, Carter Engelman, Layth Jabbar, Zachary Noonan, Sam Rogers, Rory Good, Oliver Weatherby, Wes Theriault, Connor Gallant and Preston Stretch were each presented with a gift for their time and dedication to Windham athletics. After a hard-fought game, Windham emerged victorious with a 3-0 win.

Windham senior Luke Cunniffe fires a shot past the legs 
of a South Portland opponent during a boys' varsity
soccer game on Senior Night at Windham High School
on Oct. 17. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“Today our first 30 minutes was the best we’ve played all season,” said Cunniffe. “It’s a game of runs, we went on a long run, they went on a little run, in the end we had the most runs, so that allowed us to get up in the game. We’re still trying to get together and play a full 80 minutes; by postseason time, we will be there. Our ability to connect passes and counter quickly (went well), our defense is always so solid – yet another clean sheet. We work for each other and it’s amazing to see. Playing a full game – if we’re at our best, no one can stop us, but it’s just playing the full 80 minutes.”

The game began with two very strong defenses competing head-to-head. Windham seniors Sam Rogers and Cunniffe took several good shots on goal, but nothing got by the South Portland goalkeeper early in the game.

Roughly midway through the half, Cunniffe scored, assisted by junior Tyrie James. Windham senior goalie Lukas Hamond had several very nice blocks.

At the half Windham led, 1-0.

“South Portland definitely has some good players, they can press, they can put the ball in dangerous spots; they’re a team that’s right on the verge,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “They can possess the ball well, one of the things we were trying to do was push the tempo a little bit; when our team wants to press and push the tempo of the game, I do think our skillset is a notch or two better than (South Portland) can keep up with. That’s what we try to do against everybody. We want to 100 percent make sure we are putting together a complete game, in three phases of the game, in all three parts of the pitch – it’s been elusive, but this is the time of the year, we got to find it. Huge credit to the captains and the seniors to come out here, it’s an emotional night and be able to execute and come out with a win on your home pitch. We want to be able to dictate ... what’s happening with the ball and be able to put teams under and not necessarily go forward all the time – you got to trust the players around you; you got to trust the system; you got to move the ball. When we did that, they had no answer. It wasn’t straight down the middle of the pitch, it was a lot of let’s use the real estate out, to the touch line, let’s even try to play beyond the 18s (Penalty Box Line) to be able to drag some defenders out and serve some balls in – that’s where some of our best opportunities came from.”

In the second half, both defenses remained strong. However, Windham’s offense would not stay silent. After Cunniffe missed a penalty kick, moments later he capitalized on a ball bounce and got it past South Portland’s goalie.

Hammond continued to stop scoring opportunities and blocked every one of the six shots that came at him.

With 12 seconds remaining, Cunniffe squared the ball to Rogers who shot it toward goal and found the back of the net.

“We were thinking about (South Portland from) last year when we beat them 4-0 in the playoffs; they were definitely up there for their endgame,” said Rogers. “Things that went well was we did stay composed, we did a lot better at playing the wings, and balls into the box were good; we didn’t hold onto the ball for too long which was good. If we continue to do that, we’re going to make a deep playoff run.” <

Sixth-inning surge helps Windham avoid shutout in Fall Little League against Westbrook

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Little League’s fall baseball team took the diamond with Westbrook at the Westbrook Little League Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 22 and Westbrook jumped to a big lead early, but Windham powered through. A small surge late in the game was enough to avoid a shutout for Windham, but not enough to surpass Westbrook’s lead and eventual 10-2 victory.

Windham sixth grader Bronson Bassett hits the ball into the
air as he advances runners around the bases during a Fall
Little League baseball game against Westbrook at the
Westbrook Little League Complex on Tuesday, Oct. 22.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“I saw everybody was moping their heads down and shrugging their shoulders and it’s only the second ... inning,” said Windham fifth grader Bronson Bassett. “So much more time we can come back in this game and everybody’s moping – I was like ‘this is fine, and we held them at 10.’ I feel like we got to be more confident in ourselves, we just got a little anxious. We can’t be having (a surge) in the sixth inning; we got to be more consistent with it – we got to have that burst of energy for the whole game. We just had to get the bat on the ball. We knew Westbrook was a good team and I feel like we just got to be more confident. Fielding went really well, but I do think we got to work on hitting; hitting was OK today.”

Early in the game, Westbrook took a pretty hefty lead. They scored five runs in the first inning, and another five in the third inning.

In the third inning there was a hard-hit ball to Windham shortstop and fifth grader Charlie Moore who made the catch with super quick hands.

In the fourth inning, Bassett singled to center field and then Windham sixth grader Caitlynn Halladay hit a ground ball, but unfortunately both were left on base.

After a walk, Windham sent three batters back to the dugout in the fourth inning. Even when Westbrook got hits, Windham held them on base.

“I think my team did really great,” said Moore. (Windham) kept up with the game; they didn’t give up and when I scored that first (run) they kept their heads up and after that ... they scored more after me. I went from second to third and then home because the other team wasn’t paying attention to the person on third, so I just had a chance to steal. Batting was good, contact was good, fielding was really good. We need a little bit more work (to make contact). Pitching was harder because the pitchers on Westbrook’s team had some good curveballs, so you really couldn’t keep up with them, like they’re coming at you, so you stepped out of the box and then it curves right back in and you’re like ‘oh come on.’”

After two walks in the sixth inning, Bassett grounds into a fielder’s choice, which eventually brought in Moore. Halladay singles on a ground ball and Bassett stole second base. After Windham sixth grader Kainen Pouliot singled, Bassett scored.

“Fall ball is an experience you have older players playing with younger players and trying to develop kids who haven’t played before,” said Windham Little League fall baseball coach Johnathan Bassett. “So, you’re looking to the newer players to help them out. They’re still learning the game ... so you’re trying to get experience for everybody as you’re looking toward the spring. The boys are consistently working hard at getting better, and always supporting one another. Basic fundamentals skills and game situations for the younger players always need improvement, but with confidence and effort, it will come.”<

Windham seniors Harmon and Profenno shine during Class A Maine State Golf Championships

By Matt Pascarella

For their final time, Windham seniors Fiona Harmon and Addison Profenno competed in the Class A Maine State Golf Championship on Friday, Oct. 11 at the Natanis Golf Course, a par 72, in Vassalboro. Both girls had incredible final games as high school seniors; Harmon shot an 87 and placed second, she also qualified for the New England Golf Tournament. Profenno shot a 92, placed sixth and is waiting to see if she qualified for the New England Golf Tournament.

Windham High seniors Addison Profenno,
left, and Fiona Harmon gather after
competing in the Class A Maine State
Golf Championships at the Natanis
Golf Course in Vassalboro on
Friday, Oct. 10.
PHOTO BY ABBY SPECTOR

“They are excellent teammates,” said Windham varsity golf coach Adam Manzo. “They are friendly to everyone – they are all-around awesome kids. They are nice, they treat everyone like they want to be treated. I’m super excited and happy for them. Over four years they’ve worked harder than anyone; they get to be here for one last chance, win or lose; I just think it’s great they get to be here. They’re sad it’s ending. We’re super lucky that they’re at Windham and not elsewhere.”

Both golfers hit par or better on at least five holes. Profenno received a top 10 plaque and birdied – one under par – on the fourth hole. Harmon received a runner-up plaque.

“I’m very proud of myself and what I have done in the four years that I’ve competed for Windham varsity golf,” said Harmon. “Friday was a great way to end my high school golf career. It took lots of dedication and practice to reach my goal. The highlight of Friday was all the support I had on the golf course. I also want to applaud all the other girls that competed at states. They all show great sportsmanship for each other, and I was very lucky to be able to play with all of them for the last four years.”

Harmon is unsure if she wants to play golf post-high school and Profenno would like to play on a club team after high school.

“I feel really well on how I played,” said Profenno. “Of course, there will always be the wish of shooting lower or making a putt I missed, but overall, I am satisfied. I feel like I was much more prepared mentally and physically than other years. I was completely focused and was more aware of what I needed to do when I had an unfortunate shot. My high point ... was definitely playing with the same people as I did last year. It was a very fun competition and made the long round enjoyable. I also was very proud about making a birdie putt on the first par three I played. Overall, the past four years on varsity have been a high point in my high school experience.”

Profenno and Harmon said Coach Manzo was always there to keep them motivated and having fun. They are thankful for all they learned on the golf course. They thank Manzo and their teammates for where they are today.

“I felt both did an incredible job representing our team, our school, and our community,” said Manzo. “Both seemed highly engaged and focused the entire day. I saw a lot of thinking going on out there, from club selection to reading putts. It was cool to start, and they had to battle serious wind all day long, which made conditions challenging. I’m just super proud of both of them. They are two outstanding kids who always want to play well, so this was a great way for them to wrap up their high school careers.” <

WMS girls’ soccer team unbeaten despite missing a regular goalkeeper

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Middle School’s seventh grade girls’ soccer team are 6-0 as of Thursday, Oct. 10 and have not let in a goal from any of their opponents yet. This would be impressive for any team, but what makes this extra noteworthy is this team has no designated goalie. Coach Aaron Talon has been rotating players in to play goalkeeper and the team’s defense is so strong their opponents barely get an opportunity to approach Windham’s net.

Alexis Woodcock of Windham Middle School's seventh
grade girls' soccer team focuses on where to send the ball
during a game against Lincoln Middle School on
Thursday, Oct. 10. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

This was evident in a game at Windham against Lincoln on Thursday, Oct. 10, where Windham won 7-0 and multiple Windham players scored.

“We’re a very close (team) and we’re good at soccer,” said Julia Call, who scored three times during the Lincoln game.

The reason the team has no designated goalie is the goalie for this age group is playing on a travel team and attends Jordan-Small School in Raymond and does not play on the Windham team during the school season.

This unusual situation hasn’t phased the members of this supportive and skilled Windham team. In six games they’ve had 11 goalies, and all the girls understand they need to step up and help out to do what is needed to win.

In the six games, Windham has outscored their opponents 27-0.

What led to their success over Lincoln was everyone chipping in and working together. During that game, in addition to Call, Raegan Magee, Gwen Cabana and Addie McPherson all had goals – plus Lincoln scored on their own goal.

“Not being a selfish player (is important) because everyone has a part in how we get to the other side of the field,” said WMS seventh grade girls’ soccer captain Mila Richards.

At the beginning of the season, they thought not having a goalie was going to be a struggle. But many members of this team have played together for a while and the team has a stacked defense; everyone learned to adapt.

“We have 22 girls who are strongly dedicated to this sport,” said Talon. “Most of them play travel soccer through Windham Youth Soccer Association and some girls play on local premier teams. The girls all attend practice and they work hard to get better each day. We emphasize doing things the correct way. Most of these girls have never played goalie. I think some were excited for the opportunity, and also a little nervous. Our defense has done an amazing job supporting our goalies each game.”

According to WMS seventh grade girls’ soccer captain Alexis Woodcock, it’s the teamwork, working outside the soccer team to establish good relationships with one another, which helps them communicate.

“Scoring goals on your own is good, (but) be excited for other people to have goals,” said WMS seventh grade girls’ soccer captain Gianna Falcone.

While the team definitely wants to keep their undefeated streak up and not let any goals in, they rarely talk about the score and focus more on the following objectives: to get better each day, represent the community well, compete to the best of their abilities and have fun. <

Windham varsity football earns first win of season during homecoming game

By Matt Pascarella

It was Windham’s Homecoming varsity football game, and the team fought for 48 minutes to beat Bangor posting a 34-18 victory over the Rams on Saturday, Oct. 5.

Windham sophomore Parker Sperry heads toward the end
zone during a prep football game against Bangor at
Windham High School on Saturday, Oct. 5.
PHOTO BY MATT  PASCARELLA 

Bangor tried to gain some traction late in the game, but Windham sophomore Tegan Perkins intercepted a pass to end the game as time disappeared from the scoreboard.

“I knew they were going to pass, and we all sunk into coverage, I didn’t really think – he threw it to me, I caught it and started ... running,” said Tegan Perkins. “Great energy we came in all fired up this morning, nobody thought we were going to lose, we all stuck through.”

WHS defense shut down the Rams, with multiple tackles. It was second and 10 and Windham stopped Bangor on the line of scrimmage. A fumble on Bangor’s snap and Windham gained possession. After one quarter the game was scoreless.

About 10 seconds into the second quarter, Bangor crossed into the end zone. The extra point was blocked.

It was first and 10 Windham on their 28-yard line. The Eagles made it to the 42-yard line for a first down. A few moments later senior Ayden Cofone scored. The extra point was good, and Windham led, 7-6.

Bangor got a first down on Windham’s 33-yard line but was stopped on fourth down.

On a second and 12, Windham sophomore Parker Sperry broke away and headed up the field for a 78-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good and at the half, Windham led, 13-6.

“We knew we had to ... do something different and we all worked together as a team,” said Sperry. “We came to battle; we all communicated which is really important in football, you need all 11 guys on the same page – that is what I think helped us win. We need to get on a role and start coming to these games with a (winning) mentality because that’s what’s going to get us to the postseason.”

In the second half, it’s first and 10 Windham on their 30-yard line. Junior AJ Moody had a 14-yard run for a first down. A completed pass from Windham junior and quarterback Karl Longstreth to sophomore Mason Arbour who connected in the end zone. The extra point was good.

Windham remained hungry and wasn’t about to let up. Sperry had a 70-yard interception return, a pick 6; the extra point was good.

Windham freshman Patrick Davenport blocked a Bangor pass near the end zone.

On first down Windham was on the 20-yard line and Longstreth had an 80-yard run and scored. The extra point was good; Windham now led 34-6.

Bangor scored in the fourth quarter; but its two-point conversion was no good.

“We brought more energy as a team,” said Cofone. “This week at practice everybody really busted their tails off, a lot more energy in practice. A lot more people giving heart, even in the backup set ... giving it all they have.”

There was 2:30 left in the game, and Windham was not about to let up. Windham junior Reese Hutchinson blocked a Bangor pass.

Bangor scored but the two-point conversion was no good. After a personal foul against Windham, Bangor regained possession. With 40 seconds remaining, the Rams made one last push. When Bangor threw a pass, sophomore Tegan Perkins was there, caught and ran toward the end zone as the clock ran out.

“We’ve kind of changed some things around a little bit, trying to move guys in positions where they’re most comfortable,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “We’re only playing four seniors; and the seniors we are playing, three of them have never started in varsity football. We’re so young, we’re just figuring it out as we go. We haven’t had a bad practice ... it’s huge that they got the payoff today. Our big focus this week was defensively third downs, getting better at it – offensively execute and get first downs. In vital parts of the game, we stopped them on third down, we stopped them on fourth down. We swarmed to the ball better, we’re still working on tackling; we haven’t gotten to the place I want to be tackling; we had them in the back field a couple times and didn’t execute the tackle. We got to do a better job in space, just continue coverage and handling guys in space.” <

WHS varsity field hockey narrowly falls to Thornton Academy

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity field hockey team took the field on Monday, Oct. 7 at Thornton Academy in Saco. The Lady Eagles’ intensity was there, but Thornton Academy scored early and although Windham battled back, they ultimately lost, 2-0.

Windham junior Abby Trainor easily navigates past two
opponents during a varsity field hockey game at
Thornton Academy on Monday, Oct. 7.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“I thought we played pretty good, and we dominated for most of it,” said Windham senior Zoe Dries. “The balls were definitely 50-50, I think we just couldn’t capitalize on the shots. Our movement in the middle of the field was good – we went to a lot of the balls. I thought we overall played pretty good; we just couldn’t capitalize on the actual shots or getting the tipoff. I think it was the weather (we struggled with) and ... it’s been a while since we practiced together. We had possession for a lot of it and kept our heads up and kept playing hard even though it wasn’t going our way. Down the line we need to work on looking up before we pass and making sure we see a teammate before passing.”

Windham had a solid start and moved the ball up the field; defense minimized scoring chances for Thornton Academy.

WHS offense had several shots at goal, but nothing got by Thornton Academy’s goaltender. The game was scoreless after one quarter.

At the start of the second quarter, Dries had a shot at goal almost immediately. Windham remained aggressive.

Partway through the second quarter, Thornton Academy scored and with a minute left in the half, scored again, leading, 2-0, at halftime.

“We’re in this stretch right now where we have a lot of lulls between games,” said Windham varsity coach Cory DiDonato. “A lot of kids are getting over illness and depending on the game, it’s been a while since every kid has showed up 100 percent ready mentally. I think (Thornton) and Massabesic always gets in our heads a little bit. I don’t know why because we’re a very good team. We have amazing leaders on the team, leading by example showing what it looks like to work hard, what it looks like to get to the ball first, our passes have come a really long way. We’re good at transferring the ball, and our corners have come a really long way; we’ve got some really skilled players. Pockets are just getting to the ball first, we tend to back off and wait to see if we can stop it, instead of going to break up the play, we’re still working on that one.”

Windham was just as intense in the second half; they worked to be first to the ball and made strong attempts at penalty corner shots. WHS junior goalie Olivia McPherson had a nice save in the third quarter.

In the fourth quarter, Windham fired multiple shots at goal, while defense mostly kept Thornton Academy away from Windham’s goal. McPherson had more saves. Windham junior Abby Trainor fired an elevated shot that whacked the back of the goal, but because of its height was considered a high ball and the goal was no good – it was an incredible shot though.

“I think we need to improve on our passing,” said Trainor. “Sometimes we do get stuck on one side and that’s what we’ve been working with in practice is to spread out and make longer passes. I think offensively we need to get back more than we should have. We got the quality shots off; it just didn’t go our way. Tough setbacks like this will help us excel forward throughout the season. Really well tonight was moving the ball up quick, especially on our free hits ... forwards do a really good job of collecting it and doing their own pulls and stuff to get into the circle to try to get a corner or a shot off, that was one of our best things, especially using the sidelines of those big passes. Now that we use the outside, it’s longer distance for us and we hit it in which exceeds our scoring opportunities.” < 

Eagles' football comeback rally falls short against South Portland

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity football team showed they are continuing to get better and better each game, and although Windham scored a couple touchdowns late in its game on Friday, Sept. 27 at South Portland, it wasn’t enough to get ahead of the Red Riots, who walked off the field with a 41-20 win.

Windham junior AJ Moody is about to score a touchdown
in a prep football game against South Portland on 
Friday, Sept. 27. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We lost a lot of guys (due to injury) and we had a lot of guys step up and play hard and continue to fight, give effort and that’s what you got to have,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “It’s a tough game and we got a lot of young guys right now trying to figure it out; I thought they did a really good job tonight with composure. South Portland had six personal fouls on them, and I thought our guys handled themselves with class, held their composure and I’m very proud of that. We got to sustain our blocks, keep improving on tackling; being a young group, those are two things right now we got to fix. We had guys come in and made plays they hadn’t made before, like Tucker Roy, who stepped up and made some tremendous catches and tackles. He’s never really been in the spotlight of a varsity game, but he stepped up tonight and belonged, he really played well.”

South Portland kicked off and it was first and 10 Eagles at the 30-yard line. Windham picked up eight yards. Then they picked up another eight yards. After they moved closer and closer to the goal line, it was a first down at South Portland’s 42-yard line.

A completed pass to junior AJ Moody moved Windham to South Portland’s 30-yard line. Windham junior Wyatt Washburn picked up seven yards. A pass completed to Washburn and it’s fourth and one. Unfortunately, Windham was stopped short before scoring.

The WHS defense prevented South Portland from making progress in the first quarter. After one quarter, the game was scoreless.

In the second quarter, South Portland scored a couple touchdowns, but Windham players kept their heads up.

It was first and 10 from Windham’s 41-yard line. Windham sophomore Parker Sperry picked up seven yards. It’s third down. A 15-yard penalty against South Portland brought Windham to the 20-yard line for a first down. After a six-yard pickup, Windham junior Karl Longstreth made it into the end zone after a 15-yard run. The extra point was good and was 14-7 with South Portland leading.

South Portland scored again and led 20-7 at the half.

“We have seniors on the field who haven’t played,” said Longstreth. “We just played a team with 20-plus seniors who have been playing for four years. That takes a lot of experience out of us, we had a lot of injuries tonight – but we’re going to keep pounding there’s a lot of season ahead of us. Our passing game, I felt pretty confident. Our offensive line and our defense (need work). This next week we’re going to take a hard, hard look at our defense and our overall offense ... we’re going to keep moving.”

In the third quarter, South Portland offense scored once, but Windham was not finished.

The Eagles took over at the 28-yard line in the fourth quarter. Windham made it to the South Portland’s 40-yard line and it’s first down. It’s third down and Moody caught a 21-yard pass and hauls it in to score; the extra point was no good.

Moody said the Eagles gave it all they got, did everything they could and he’s very proud of the team.

With the clock running out, Windham freshman Patrick Davenport did not let South Portland defense stop him as he crossed the goal line on a 39-yard run.

“That was the first time I’ve ever touched the ball on offense,” said Davenport. “It was a little nerve-racking going in, but after the first play, I saw a hole open and as soon as I got outside, I knew I was going to go. It felt so amazing, and I’ve dreamed about this forever. First game I ever started, and I scored, so I’m definitely happy, even though it was a tough loss. We worked really hard, we played all four quarters – we fired on all cylinders and played a pretty good game.” <

Scarborough edges Windham boys’ soccer in overtime

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity boys’ soccer held Scarborough scoreless for 80 minutes on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at Scarborough High School but less than a minute into overtime, the Red Storm got the ball in the net for a 1-0 win.

Windham senior Sam Rogers goes full speed after the ball
during a prep soccer match at Scarborough High School
on Tuesday, Oct. 1. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We knew coming into this game we had a target on our back,” said Windham senior captain Luke Cunniffe. “Being undefeated prided us, but we knew teams were going to come at us hard. Coming into this game we knew we had to give it our all because Scarborough is no-joke of a team. Today, the ball didn’t bounce our way; we had plenty of chances to score. We lost a game but there are a few positives to come out of it – we showed we could play with big teams for 80 minutes, but the extra minutes just got us. Our defense, Lukas (Hammond) proves he’s the best keeper in the state, Zach Noonan just leads us every game, we have so many solid players, but today wasn’t our day. We were two evenly matched teams ... certain plays and certain things we could have adjusted on, but you can’t change it now. The good thing about high school season is we have games back-to-back-to-back, so (the next game) will be a good chance for us to bounce back and prove we are a good team.”

Windham started the game going hard after the ball. Windham’s defense cut down Scarborough’s offense.

WHS senior Sam Rogers took a shot at goal that hit the post and bounced back. The Eagles pressured and hustled.

Windham senior goalie Lukas Hammond had a nice stop. Windham offense had several more shots at goal, but nothing landed.

“All game long we chased and didn’t play to our capacity of what we can do,” said Windham varsity boys’ coach Jeff Neal. “We pride ourselves on winning 50-50 balls, challenging on first and second balls; we let them step in and win a lot of second balls. We pride ourselves on being a possession team that moves the ball around. We had a little bit too much ... individual play as opposed to making the easy pass and trusting the players and the system around us. Playing Scarborough – they’re always going to battle, they’re a perennial team. You go this long undefeated without giving up a goal and psychologically ... people are talking and ... everyone’s going to bring their ‘A’ game. We can try to downplay it as a coaching staff, but it’s still there. That’s a lot of pressure and we didn’t react or adjust to that; the good news now is it’s done. As a coaching tool and a motivator, it could be the best thing for us. We’ve been having that discussion with the boys; giving up goals is part of the game. We’re going to bounce back better, we’re going to learn from it, we’re going to grow from it.”

The Eagles’ didn’t dip in the second half, but the offense struggled to score. Hammond recorded save after save.

Windham was aggressive and senior Carter Engelman took a shot at Scarborough’s goal, just barely missing it.

At the buzzer, it had been 80 scoreless minutes but 56 seconds into overtime, Scarborough scored.

“Going into overtime I don’t think we were really focused,” said Rogers. “There’s definitely a lot we need to work on defensively and midfield-wise. I think we need to stay more composed in the back when the ball comes against good teams. If we are calm and can find feet off the ball, that way we can build up instead of just panicking and kicking it out of bounds and forcing a turnover, because that’s when it gets dangerous. Winning our first balls in the air (was good). We’re going to go into (the next game) positive and trying to make a statement. After (other teams) see this, they’re going to think we are some easy team to beat – which is not true.” <

WHS girls’ soccer earns first win over Gorham in three years

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity girls’ soccer traveled to Gorham on Tuesday, Sept. 24 to play the Rams, where Windham earned their first victory over Gorham since 2021. The Lady Eagles showed they were up to any challenge when they scored early and kept scoring. As the clock ran out, they emerged with a 4-3 win.

Windham High freshman Emily Wardwell looks to pass
during a girls' prep soccer match against Gorham.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“I think we all just came into this game knowing it was going to be a good one; knowing we were going to have to fight for the whole 80 minutes,” said Windham senior Emily Talbot. “The last time we beat them was our freshmen year and especially for us seniors, it was something we wanted to get done ... and think we did that really well. I really went into this game knowing I wanted ... to score; just having that mindset really helped me and it paid off. I think we did a good job adjusting to their fast forwards and taking advantage of their weak spots on their field.”

Windham aggressiveness was evident from the start. They fought for and stayed with the ball and took several shots at goal. Windham went hard after 50-50 balls and minimized Gorham’s scoring opportunities.

Midway through the first half Talbot fired a shot with a perfect arc – just above the goalie’s head to find the back of the net.

Gorham tied the game 1-1 going into halftime.

“This team is a big competition for us, and we know that it was going to be a tough day, and we just came into it super excited and pumped up,” said Windham senior Kyla Harvie, who scored on a direct kick early in the second half. “We knew we had a good chance, and we wanted to put our all into it and we did. Once we’re on the field we have to forget about everything that’s happened before and focus on what we have to know to get that win. Our passing and our movement up top to make those runs to get those goals, and just taking the chances up top definitely helped; on defense we fought super hard and didn’t let the ball hit the ground. I think we could always work on communication, but ... I think we played great overall.”

Junior Marley Jarvais scored shortly after Harvie.

Gorham scored again but trailed by one.

“I think it was a whole team effort,” said Jarvais. “We played the whole 80 minutes and that’s what was important; they pushed us to be the very best we could. Everyone showed up tonight to play, so that’s a big thing. Our communication was huge and our defense stepping up when they needed to was really big. I think our through balls really work on teams like this; we’re a really speedy team. Honestly, we just need to build off ... our corner kicks, we can improve on that a little bit.”

Windham pressured. Talbot broke away and scored again.

Windham sophomore goalie Libby Hartwell had a solid save with seven minutes left to play. Gorham scored, but it wasn’t enough.

“It’s a team win,” said Windham girls’ soccer assistant coach Jim Stewart. “We’ve been talking about playing ... all 80 minutes. The team has decided they are committed to that, and you can see we finished today – something I’m very proud of. When you look at how they’re working together, how they’re willing to sacrifice, how they’re willing to battle for each other, as a coach, this is awesome. It’s early, ... but it’s a good place for us to step up onto. I couldn’t be more proud to be part of the team; I loved the way we executed, I loved our class, I loved the way we went after them. We really worked on how we could defend Gorham’s counterattack a little bit better, get more shots from distance and that worked out great. Mental toughness is something we’ve worked hard on. That’s how you’re going to win in the playoffs and that’s how you’re not going to lose in the playoffs.” <

WMS field hockey delivers season-opening win over Gorham

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Middle School’s field hockey team started strong and showed they were an organized group right from its first game, walking off with an awesome 6-1 win over the Gorham Rams at Gorham on Sept. 20.

Windham eighth grader Hayley Johnsen heads toward the
goal while keeping her focus on the ball during the WMS
field hockey season-opening game at Gorham on Friday.
Sept. 20. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

From the moment the game started, Windham showed they had come to win. They moved the ball, had several shots at goal and Windham eighth grader Lucy Stretch scored twice in the first quarter.

“We were finally able to play as one, instead of playing against each other and trying to focus more on feelings than the actual play at hand and going for the gut of going for that goal,” said WMS field hockey coach Allie Belaire. “What I saw today was agility; their ability to stay in very, very, long; keep running as well as we passed the ball – there’s still much room for improvement. Another thing I thought we did very well was our stick skills and seeing the field, when a defender came to one of us, using a dodge and getting around those players. Our field positioning, our spacing and using the whole field (need work). If we pass the ball more, we’ll tire out the other team, instead of dribbling into them and letting them do the work. I think positioning and using the field is something we need to work on as well as attacking that ball right from the start. We have some experienced players and some brand-new players that you couldn’t even tell are brand new; but then we have some players who are all over the field. My expectation over the season is understanding your own role on the field and then being a leader for the younger players.”

Windham saw several opportunities to take advantage of any Gorham errors and capitalized on them. Eighth grader Hayley Johnsen was quick to score early in the second quarter, but the entire team was hustling and working hard to go after the ball. When Gorham had a corner shot, Windham defense was right there to keep them scoreless. After another goal from Johnsen, Windham led 4-0 at the half.

“I think we had really good communication,” said Stretch. “We came in from the start saying, ‘we want to win and win as a team and not just individual (players).’ I also think we had good spreading out and passing and we tried really good team chemistry for our first game. I think we need to work on passing and talking a little bit more, but other than that I think we had a really good first game.”

Johnsen scored from the top of the shooting circle partway through the second half. Windham pressured and its defense remained intense.

“It was a good start,” said Johnsen. “I’m just hoping it can stay that way and stay undefeated and let everyone get a goal and contribute to the team. Definitely good talking and teamwork, passing – which is what matters most. Definitely not clumping (needs work) when we all come to the middle and staying spread out to the sides.”

The whole team worked hard from start to finish, Johnsen said. <

Windham varsity volleyball stays ahead of Noble

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham High varsity volleyball increased their record to 2-1 after a game against Noble at Windham on Friday, Sept. 13. The Lady Eagles came out strong and quickly won the first two sets. Although Noble won the third set, Windham finished the match by taking the fourth set to win, 3-1.

Windham junior captain and libero Lauren Neal, middle,
sets the ball up for a teammate during a prep volleyball
match against Noble on Sept. 13 at Windham High School.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“Once you get the two (wins) under your belt teams will sometimes take the foot off the gas a little bit,” said Windham varsity volleyball coach Chris Cloutier. “That caught us a little bit when we had people who don’t typically play together a whole lot. They ended up coming in the end of that third set and scoring a few points and led to them (realizing) they need to put their foot back on the gas to win that fourth set. I think there was more communication on the floor in the fourth set, they were aggressive but smart with the ball in the way that they played. They realized it’s the little stuff that matters and they had to really pay attention to what they were doing instead of going through the motions. They worked on being smart with the ball, finding the zones where people weren’t, but still trying to keep the ball in.”

Windham scored early in the first set. Junior Kendra Eubanks had a block and junior Oakley McLeod sent the ball over the net and Windham led 6-0.

Noble picked up a little steam but had a long way to go. A spike from Eubanks allowed Windham to keep its edge. Windham took the first set 25-16.

“We had to bring up the energy,” said Eubanks. “We’re good at hanging our heads when it’s hard; we pushed ourselves to the max that we could. Everybody is supportive; got really frustrated (in the third set) but picked it up in the fourth set. Our hitting went really well, we definitely got good at being simple, because it takes simple over power, especially when it comes to winning, and getting the points. We could definitely work on our talking.”

In the second set, Windham’s intensity did not dip. They were playing smart as a team. Junior Paige Atherton had a solid block. The game was tied at 13. The Lady Eagles stayed out in front; there were very strong volleys and serves. Junior captain and libero Lauren Neal had several good dives. Windham got by with a 25-22 win.

In set three, Noble took the lead early and stayed there until they won. Windham still gave 110 percent but was far behind and it lost 25-11.

The final set was a close one with each team going neck and neck. Junior Kiara Lee’s serving earned Windham a few points. Windham pulled ahead, but the game was tight. Windham then had a significant lead; they won the set 25-13.

“I think as a whole we’ve grown a lot as a team since last year,” said Neal. “We are able to trust each other and that really helps with the whole dynamic on the court. I think it’s really thanks to Coach Chris. I think what might need some work is communication and energy on the court. Something we really did well was trusting each other ... you need to work as a team. We were able to put aside everything that happened in the third set ... going into the fourth set we had a new mindset that we weren’t going to let any of those balls get past our defense and it was just amazing watching it play out.” <

WHS Cross Country gives strong performance at Southern Maine Classic

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High’s cross-country team showed it is capable of pushing themselves in any condition as they competed at the Narragansett School in Gorham on Saturday, Sept. 14 during the Southern Maine Classic Invitational, a 5K course which featured runners from schools all over southern Maine.

Windham freshman Liam Moxley crosses the finish line on
Friday, Sept. 14 at the Narragansett School in Gorham during
the 2024 Southern Maine Classic Cross Country Invitational.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Windham boys finished 16th overall with a score of 469 and the Windham girls finished 17th with a 410 score.

Boys

Of the nine runners who competed in this race, five of them had run this course during the 2024 summer finale of the Windham cross-country camp. Of those five, they all shaved at least two minutes, and in most cases more, from their end-of-summer times.

Sophomore Mason Bragdon finished first for Windham with an 18:32.48-minute time. Bragdon knocked off 3:27 from his summer run time of the same course.

“As a team we all did great,” said Bragdon. “Our top runners, our top three are really good, we just need to help making sure everyone is up to the same level. We need to make sure we’re doing well in training, putting all our effort there, so that we can perform well here.”

Right behind Bragdon was junior Caleb Saucier who finished with a time of 18:32.80. Saucier was a full 2:08 faster than he had been in the summer; and took off almost six minutes from when he ran the same course during the 2022 Invitational.

Senior Andrew Young finished third for Windham with a time of 18:57.49.

Freshman Liam Moxcey erased over six minutes from summer compared with fall; he finished at 29:35.66.

Girls

The WHS girls’ team was challenged by illness as four of the seven who raced fought through it. While illness was a speed bump, the team safely preserved and tested themselves to be there, giving all the power and skill they could.

Of the seven who competed, four had lower times compared to when they ran the course during the summer.

During her first time on this course, junior Lila Stanley finished first for Windham with a time of 22:54.37.

“We all just wanted to do fast, faster, fastest and stick together,” said Stanley. “For me the heat made me feel really heavy; I couldn’t catch my breath. We all started off really strong and got a steady pace. We all tried to pick it up the second lap, count our split-steps and that really helped us get our breathing down, get the groove ... and get your rhythm down with the arms.”

Senior Abigail Dumont finished second with a 23.40.91 time, knocking 25 seconds off her summertime and over two minutes from when she ran the course in 2022.

Junior Demetria Nicholas took close to two minutes off from the summer, with a time of 23:44.57.

Senior Monica Farley kicked 6:25 from her summertime run to finish the Invitational with a 27:30.08 time.

“What stood out to me was the vital importance of cross-country racing on these big invitational stages to offer opportunity for both new and veteran runners alike to gain confidence to make future big championship stage races very exciting to race,” said Windham cross-country coach Jeff Riddle. “We took another small step-up in continuing to build our team's capacity through individual belief in what is possible. Holistically, we need to improve our communication skills to avoid surprises and to improve clarity, understanding and player safety. We have already started that initiative as effective communication skills will make or break a program's ability to offer its best to the student-athletes. The high heat in the later junior-senior races was a factor. The trick is to train to outwit it to make it a non-factor, and we always have work to reduce its effect on our results; but the weather is the same for all so should never be an excuse.” <