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.” <

Windham football drops home opener to Noble

By Matt Pascarella

In their home opener on Friday, Sept. 6, Windham’s varsity football team left everything it had on the field in a game against Noble. The Knights pulled ahead early, but Windham wasn’t about to get shutout – and they didn’t. They fought hard but could not catch Noble and fell, 28-14.

Windham sophomore Parker Sperry tries to get past a Noble
High defender during a prep football game at Windham
High School on Friday, Sept. 6.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

“We had some injuries ... so it was on the fly, and we had a bunch of seniors who haven’t been starters before who had to play; they’re learning on the job,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “That’s the thing with us, stay positive, keep working, it’s a long season and you got to win to get in the postseason. You can’t pout and put your head down – it is what it is. Noble’s a good team and has all their guys back from last year. Windham’s hustle was great; near the end of the game, they didn’t pack it in, they continued to battle. With the injuries we’ve got to see who’s where, and what we’ve got to do to fix that situation. We got to clean that up and continue to execute from both sides of the ball.”

Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Noble made it to the 15-yard line, but Windham shut them down. Unfortunately, the Knights later scored and got the extra point. Before the end of the half, Noble scored again. Windham kept their heads up, and continued to work hard. At the half, Noble led 14-0.

“We put in work all week,” said Windham sophomore Parker Sperry, who had 66 rushing yards in the game. “We lost a few players to injury. We need to prepare more and have our heads in a better place to get ready to go battle. Noble is a good team with really good players, just came up short. All of the guys, we didn’t hang our heads ... we’re all trying our best, we played as hard as we could.”

The second half saw the Eagles taking the field fired up, if not more, than in the first half. Windham had possession at their 30-yard line. After a first down, they completed a pass to junior AJ Moody, and he hauled it into the end zone. Moody had 69 receiving yards in the game. The extra point was good, and Windham only trailed 14-7.

Noble scored another touchdown, but the game was not over, and Windham wasn’t finished. Cheers from the sidelines could be heard of Windham players telling other Windham players “you are still in this” and “keep your head up.”

On a first and 10, Windham sophomore Landon Wyman made it to Noble’s 30-yard line for a first down. Later during that series on a first and goal, Windham senior quarterback Karl Longstreth crossed the goal line. Windham nailed the extra point and trailed Noble, 28-14.

“Offensively, we did really good – we had guys on the line, on the tight end,” said Longstreth, who had 124 passing yards against Noble. “We had a guy that broke, and we had guys that came and stepped up and we need people like that. We have guys that are pushing 100 percent every day and guys that are looking forward to a new opportunity. Little mistakes, penalties, off-sides (got in the way). We came in the end zone four times; it was just little penalties that kept us from getting a touchdown and another. We need to stay consistent; we have great coaches, and we need to believe in them and trust what they give us.”

Despite their efforts, Windham couldn’t get ahead and the Eagles finished with 116 rushing yards and 124 passing yards.

“People might ... look at it as not a great way to start the season, but it’s just team building,” said Moody. “Our team chemistry is getting closer and closer by the second, everyone on this team is a family. We don’t care how the outcome is we care how we build off it. I saw how our defense really competed at the highest level they have this week. Our offensive line ... pushed and left nothing in the tank. We’re such a great team we’re going to get greater and greater as the season goes on. We have seniors that are getting into the mix now, we have some freshman and, man we’re going to go far.” <

WHS varsity golf falls to Greely but shows early season improvement

By Matt Pascarella

After Windham varsity golf opened its 2024 season with a big win over Westbrook, Windham traveled to take on Greely on Thursday, Sept. 5 at Val Halla in Cumberland. That’s a par 36 course and although WHS turned in a strong effort, it lost, 10-3, to the Rangers.

Windham senior Joe Donnelly watches his putt during a prep
golf match against Greely at Val Halla Golf and Recreation
Course in Cumberland on Thursday, Sept. 5.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

Windham senior Joe Donnelly shot a 43, while senior Fiona Harmon shot a 44 and junior Nolan McPhail shot a 48. Sophomore Wyatt Richards earned 2 points for the team going 3-and-2 and shot a 51. Junior Davis Jordan shot a 50 and earned 1 point for the team, going all-square, meaning he and his opponent had an equal number of points.

“I think we did good, obviously the plug greens were a little bit of a curve ball, but I think we did alright,” said Donnelly. “I personally played OK; the team played OK, but I think the plugged greens got us, but we’ll come back and beat them next time. For me, posted off the tee pretty good ... we just had a little bit of approach shot issues, putting was fine, but we played OK. Chipping needs work.”

Plugged greens create a bumpy surface on the course which often occurs through aeration during maintenance and helped WHS golfers during the Greely match.

“The course was in great shape,” said Harmon. “I was struggling off the tee a little bit, overall, I did well. My short game was pretty good, greens were aerated so it was kind of hard. Long irons and getting off the tee (still need work).”

In total strokes, Windham was less than 20 strokes behind Greely, 220-238.

“We have notoriously struggled when we play at Val Halla,” said Windham varsity golf coach Adam Manzo. “I think the match was closer than the score reflected. Many of the matches came down to the last few holes, half of the medal scores were all within three to five shots, and while I do not think we gave them our best shot, this was an improvement for us at their course.”

Both Davis Jordan and Wyatt Richards were able to come away with points in the five and six spot. Davis tied both match and medal and had an opportunity to win both on the last hole and Wyatt won both match and medal.

Manzo said each match in the top six matters, so he was happy that both Jordan and Richards were able to come away with some points for the team.

“Team score wise, our goal would be to be below 220,” he said. “I do believe as the season goes on, we will be able to move in that direction with the ultimate goal of saving our lowest round for the Southern Maine Activities Association Qualifier in early October.” <

 

Windham varsity boys’ soccer holds off Yarmouth

By Matt Pascarella

In a complete reversal from when the Windham High varsity boys’ soccer team lost to Yarmouth 1-0 during the summer season, the Eagles turned it around on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Yarmouth where they earned a 1-0 win and kept the Clippers’ offense at bay during this preseason matchup.

WHS senior Sam Rogers focuses on the ball as he heads
toward the goal during a preseason boys' prep soccer 
match at Yarmouth High School.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“Every year we go through growing pains,” said WHS senior Luke Cunniffe. “I feel like we’re still going through them right now; it seems this year we’re getting through them earlier and people are buying in earlier. Now we’re developing a style of play and a culture within our team. Today’s win was honestly just work rate, especially defensively, when kids lost the ball, they worked as hard as they could to win it back right away. I think that’s what helped us get through picking up marks and helped us play as a team and playing for each other. This game shows Yarmouth is no slouch, they are one of the best teams, but this just shows we can compete with the big dogs, and we’re one of them.”

The Eagles showed their adjustment and improvement from their previous summer season game with the Clippers when Windham senior Sam Rogers scored during the first half.

Windham defense was aggressive, and players went hard after the ball. Windham’s offense had several shots at goal, but Yarmouth defense was also strong.

“I think as a team we play better defensively than offensively,” said Rogers. “I think it all comes down to the formation with the players we have. Getting the ball out of the box went well. We did do good communication-wise. We didn’t do great connecting passes.”

According to Rogers, they are starting to click as a team and once the regular season starts, they’ll take it from there.

At the start of the second half, Windham senior goalie Lukas Hammond had a solid stop.

“We came in here and I feel like we matched their energy well,” said Windham junior Tyrie James. “We played our positions well; we played our formation well. We moved the ball well; and on defense everyone gave 110 percent the whole time – everyone was just going, going, going – marking their man, playing their position, playing their role. Yarmouth’s a great team and we beat them, so it shows that we can compete with some of the good teams.”

Windham offense fired multiple shots at goal and its defense kept Yarmouth from finding the back of the net. Windham sophomore goalie Jackson Goodwin recorded a great save to prevent a tie toward the end of the half.

“There’s still some pieces of the puzzle that are starting to lock in a little bit,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “This was about playing the toughest teams we can in the preseason in regard to technical ability and physical prowess too and see how we match up. Windham is more comfortable with the formation we played today. The formation we played today helped out in keeping players in-position and not having to run as much as the previous formation. The work rate was good, and communication was exceptional today. They played a solid match whistle to whistle.” <

WHS varsity field hockey overpowers Noble in preseason match

By Matt Pascarella

As the start of the fall season gets closer and closer, Windham’s varsity team hosted Noble High on Wednesday, Aug. 28 at Windham High School. The Lady Eagles started strong and kept up their intensity to end the game with a 4-2 victory over the Knights.

Windham freshman Mia Kri keeps the ball away from a
Noble High opponent, moments before she scores a goal
in a preseason field hockey game on Wednesday, Aug. 28.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Based upon this early contest, Windham is gearing up to have an incredible field hockey season.

“They read the field better, they saw the passes, they made passes to someone, and they weren’t afraid to pass back to create more space,” said Windham varsity field hockey coach Cory DiDonato. “They communicated, figured out where they need to be to support each other to be an option, they just stayed spread out and were able to make some good passes today. I’m super excited; feel great about the team. All summer I said it to (Windham), we’re going to be a top five team. I think we’ll battle really tough teams and it’ll be a good game. If they come injury free and are ready to play, I think it’s going to be a great season – I feel good about it.”

Against Noble, the Lady Eagles stayed with the ball and had strong defense. They were aggressive and fought hard.

Shortly into the first quarter, Noble’s goalie laid on the ball for more than 5 seconds. This counts as a stroke and entitled Windham to a penalty shot, which senior Zoe Dries took and rocketed the ball into the goal.

“Today was a good representation of how our season’s going to go,” said Dries. “It’s going to be a good season for us; I thought our passing looked really good and our spacing looking really good and we got some goals in. We have a lot of new players, we’re still working with those new players, but I think it looked really good today.”

Dries scored again very early in the second quarter. Windham had solid communication and moved the ball well. Their defense kept the ball away from Windham’s goal and limited Noble’s chances to score.

Before the end of the half, Windham freshmen Mia Kri sent the ball past the goal to give the Lady Eagles a 3-1 lead at the half.

“I think our teamwork was really good,” said Kri. “The varsity team was really welcoming and ... they all connected together as a team – communication and passing was really good. Cheering each other on, even if it’s on the field or off the field was really good too. We’re still trying to get used to playing together because there are a lot of new people on varsity.”

Windham kept up their intensity in the second half. Their defense remained very strong. Offense made good contact with the ball. Before the final buzzer, Windham senior Grace Joly scored.

It’s clear Windham is beginning to gel as a team and could have a promising season ahead. <

Windham varsity football squad on way to great season

By Matt Pascarella

In preparation for the upcoming fall season, Windham’s varsity football team competed in a controlled scrimmage against Fryeburg Academy at Windham High School on Saturday, Aug. 24 and showed great promise.

Windham High senior Brayden Penney makes his way
over the defense toward the goal line during a preseason
varsity football controlled scrimmage against
Fryeburg Academy. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

A controlled scrimmage is more like a practice session for coaches and players to refine skills, evaluate performance and figure out how the team works best to be strongest during the regular season. While no score is kept, Fryeburg Academy never made it into Windham’s end zone and Windham made it into Fryeburg Academy’s end zone twice during the scrimmage.

“The goal was to let them have an opportunity to play,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “You get in practice; you think you have something, and you never really know until you play. Some guys got live repetitions – it was great. The puzzle is constantly moving here; we’re pretty happy and pretty healthy, we’ve got some young guys that have got to step up. Our pass game was good, our routes were good, pass protection was good. Our run game at times had some really good life. Defensively I thought we played well, first drive, played great ten plays, Fryeburg had a long drive on us, and we stood up and stopped them. That’s always huge – that’s something we’ll go back to during the season. You had a fourth-down stand, those are big.”

One of the things that stood out to Perkins during this scrimmage was the team’s effort and guys getting after it.

Windham’s defense shut down Fryeburg Academy early, with several tackles, which stopped their offense, limiting their opponent’s yardage.

Senior Brayden Penney had an estimated 20-plus yard run. This was immediately followed by Windham junior Karl Longstreth’s big multi-yard run.

The Eagles’ defense gave it all and made it very hard for Fryeburg Academy to get through. Junior Wyatt Washburn had a solid tackle.

Junior Mason Arbour made it into the end zone followed by sophomore Landon Wyman who narrowly avoided a defender and crossed the goal line.

“We were just looking to get better,” said Wyman. “We worked really hard all week, and we wanted to show ourselves (we could do it). Our sideline was really loud and that helped a lot, and our defense was really good today. What I think needs work is rallying on tackles, maybe being even louder (from the sideline). I’m hoping we have a great season – we’re looking good ... I think we’re going to show how good we are.”

Windham’s defensive line kept it up until the end of the scrimmage.

“I feel like the goal was to get better,” said Penney. “Get our repetitions in and get ready for season. Takeaway is last season, help the younger guys out and motivate them to get better and push harder ... and set a good role model for the program. The sidelines were hyping our teammates up.”

Penney wants the team to win games and make it to the state championship as well as get better on and off the field. He feels good about the team.

Windham’s home opener is at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 6 against Noble. <

Windham girls’ soccer sails by York in preseason game

By Matt Pascarella

As Windham’s varsity girls’ soccer team continues preparing for the upcoming regular fall season, they hit the pitch in a preseason game against York at Windham High School on Saturday, Aug. 24. Windham scored early and kept up their intensity in shutting out York, 3-0.

Windham senior Stella Jarvais focuses on the goal after
breaking through two opponents during a preseason game
against York. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“I think we did really good today,” said Windham senior Emily Talbot. “It’s probably ... one of the most hard-working teams. For our running in preseason, it’s been some of the best times – we all just really want to win; we’re working really hard to get there. I think we play really well together, especially this year we’ve done a good job moving the ball around and working hard for each other. There’s no separation within our team and it’s really good to see that. It shows on the field and pays off. As the season goes on, I think we’re going to just get better from here, we overall did a really good job today.”

Windham stayed with the ball and commanded the field; they got the ball by York. There were multiple shots on goal. After a short time, Talbot scored; she followed up and found the back of the net again before the end of the half. Windham held a 2-0 lead going into the second half.

“So many good things happening here,” said Windham varsity girls’ soccer coach Deb Lebel. “We’re just building from where we left off last year. I feel like we are a step forward – kids are making runs that maybe they wouldn’t a year ago; it’s becoming second nature to them. I think we have a couple freshmen who are pushing those upperclassmen – they can’t relax – because those freshmen have worked really hard and deserve to be here. I think with some incoming talent, some growth and maturity, this should be a great steppingstone for the year to come. Defensively, we need to sort out a few things in terms of quicker play, getting creative but quickly. If we can sort that out, I think we’re going to be really strong.”

The Lady Eagles’ intensity remained as Windham controlled the ball and had several shots at goal early in the second half. Their strong defense made it difficult for York to get many scoring opportunities. Partway through the second half, junior Myla Vercoe fired the ball past the goalie. Windham gave 100 percent right up until the final whistle.

“I think after a really hard week of tryouts and preseason and us all working really hard together and being able to come on the field and see where we’re at this year compared to last year,” said Vercoe. “We have good potential with us as a team and how we’re going to play; I think this was a good reflection of how we’re going to do this upcoming season. We all work really well with passing ... and our chemistry is getting better. We could always work on more communication ... and finishing. We’ve worked really good coming together and complement each other’s skills.” <

High School All-America soccer team honors 2024 WHS graduate

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High graduate Connor LeClerc received one final recognition for his time on the varsity boys’ soccer team before he heads to the University of Southern Maine in Gorham this fall to major in exercise science and play college soccer. LeClerc was one of 43 senior boys’ players nationwide to be a part of the United Soccer Coaches 2023-2024 High School Scholar All-America team.

Windham High graduate Connor LeClerc 
displays his certificate and medal as one of
43 boys nationwide to be chosen for the 
United Soccer Coaches 2023-2024 High
School Scholar All America Team. He's
headed to the University of Southern
Maine this fall to play college soccer.
PHOTO BY RACHEL LECLERC  

This honor is based on cumulative classroom achievement as well as success on the soccer field during their high school careers.

“I had always held myself to a very high standard in the classroom and on the soccer field,” said LeClerc. “To me this was the perfect way to end my senior season. It felt good to be recognized for my hard work not just on the soccer field, but also in the classroom. This award was the one that I felt the strongest about and was really hoping to be honored with. When I got the call from Coach Neal, it made me feel as though all the work I had put in the last four years was worth it. It also motivated me to continue working harder than I ever have as I take on harder challenges in college.”

To be eligible for this award a player must have a Grade Point Average of 3.75 and above through the first semester of their senior year – LeClerc’s GPA was a solid 4.00. Nominations come from high school coaches and the athletes must have shown excellence on the soccer field and also have performed community service of some kind.

When LeClerc started playing soccer at 3, he never knew how big a role it would play in his life. His father’s passion for the game is what motivated him at a young age to keep playing. LeClerc has been playing year-round since he was in middle school.

“Connor is very deserving (of this honor) because he stands out on the field,” said teammate and Windham graduate Nick Marion. “He also stands out in the classroom; he puts a lot of effort into his schoolwork and is always willing to lend a hand whenever it is needed.”

According to LeClerc, it took a lot of self-discipline to excel on the field and in the classroom. Late-night homework was no fun, but LeClerc knew it was necessary. His mother was a big advocate for him and made sure he stayed on top of his schoolwork. LeClerc said none of this would have been possible without the amazing teachers at Windham who were always there for him when needed.

“Connor places the idea of team before himself,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “He is also a very coachable athlete. Early in his junior preseason he volunteered to play a position that was identified as a team priority, yet one he had never played before and was definitely something out of his comfort zone. In an incredibly short period of time, Connor transformed himself and meteorically emerged as a premier player at that field spot. He isn’t afraid to put in the work, and he expects others to do the same. This was also witnessed this past fall as he helped captain Windham to a season record of 14-1-1. Whether it be on-field leadership, behind the scenes locker room interactions, being the face of the program and interacting-mentoring our youth soccer players – I had complete trust in Connor to do the right thing. He can be counted on to be a leader in the classroom. He managed a challenging and diverse course load of studies, and he prides himself on doing his best and being successful. The caliber of athlete, student, and all-around human being that he consistently demonstrates has placed him as one of the very best I’ve had the pleasure of working with in my thirty-plus years of coaching and teaching.”

LeClerc says that he would like to thank his family and friends for being there and supporting him, his teachers for pushing him to be a great student, and all of the coaches who helped develop him into a great soccer player. He would like to give a special thank you to Coach Neal who changed his soccer career and was more than just a coach to him in the past two years. <

Windham’s Langstaff completes stellar college running career

By Matt Pascarella

Just like she made an impression while running for Windham High School’s cross country and track and field teams, University of New Hampshire graduate Hannah Langstaff did the same in college while majoring in nursing. She currently works as a registered nurse in the Barbara Bush Inpatient Unit at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Windham High and University of New Hampshire graduate
Hannah Langstaff competes in a race during the 2021-2022
indoor track season. Langstaff graduated UNH with a nursing
degree earlier this year and works in the Barbara Bush Pediatric
Unit at Maine Medical Center in Portland.
COURTESY PHOTO   

“College was definitely an adjustment from high school,” said Langstaff. “Everything is bigger, the campus, the classes, and the competition. I started my freshman year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and that was very challenging, it made it difficult to meet new people and experience what college is all about. Freshman year I did not compete due to COVID-19 restrictions and a couple injuries I was struggling with. The summer going into sophomore year I decided I was going to work really hard on getting my mileage in and doing all the little things, this all paid off and I was able to race really well during cross country and indoor; I even was able to be a part of a school record relay team which was by far my favorite memory from my time at UNH. The summer going into junior year I did the same thing and again was able to gain some personal records throughout cross country and indoor. Unfortunately, in outdoor I got a stress reaction, (and) senior year I struggled to get back to where I had been. However, it allowed me to experience other exciting aspects on my senior year of college and focus on my academics.”

As a nurse, Langstaff is responsible for caring for patients, making sure they are comfortable, administering medications, assessing, providing interventions when necessary and communicating with the team. Langstaff would love to stay at the Barbara Bush Unit long-term and continue to add competencies to her license. She’s already learned so much from the month and half she’s been orienting and is excited to continue to learn and grow within the field.

During her sophomore year competing for UNH’s outdoor track and field team, Langstaff placed first in the 3,000-meter at the UNH season opener. During her senior year in indoor track and field, she finished third in the 4 x 800 during the New England Intercollegiate Amateur Athletic Association Track and Field Championships. She also excelled in the classroom, making it on the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll and into the National College Athlete Honor Society.

As a sophomore, her relay team set a new school record in the 4 x 800 with a time of 8:50.67 minutes. This meant a lot to her because it included three people that she really looked up to who were dedicated to the sport.

“I believe that is how we were able to succeed and get the school record,” said Langstaff. “It is my favorite memory at UNH because it is something that I had never dreamed I would be able to be a part of, but I exceeded my own expectations for myself.”

When Langstaff looks back on her time competing for Windham High School cross country and indoor-outdoor track and field teams, she said it taught her that hard work and that consistency pays off. She says she also learned the importance of having fun and enjoying what you are doing. She is often asked how she balanced nursing school and running and her answer is that she simply loves running and enjoys having fun with teammates.

“I got to run cross country, indoor, and outdoor track with Hannah from 2020 to 2023,” said UNH graduate Cailey Archer, a member of the UNH relay team. “As an athlete in high school, I struggled greatly with anxiety-related to performance in sport. The switch flipped for me when I got to college and began running relays. The change came because of the immediate support that I felt from teammates like Hannah and her uplifting positivity. She was such a critical member of the team not only for her blazing fast times and unmatched work ethic, but in her compassion and attitude that fostered the belief that together we could do anything. Hannah served as a leader on the team in regard to hard work, academic excellence (in a taxing major of nursing requiring clinical rotations) and being the best type of friend on the track and off. I know that she will make a fantastic nurse because helping people is one of the things she does best.” <

WHS graduate Brown continues to give back to basketball program

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School 2020 graduate Cameron Brown was a star on the court, while succeeding in the classroom. He’ll be a senior in the fall at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham, majoring in media studies, with a minor in athletics coaching. He’s been volunteering his time with Windham High School’s basketball program coaching the boys’ first or freshmen team, the summer junior varsity team and the varsity team during the fall season. His goal is to get to the highest level of college coaching he can.

Windham High graduate and University of Southern Maine
senior Cameron Brown focuses on the ball during a
preseason basketball game at Southern Maine Community
College in South Portland last November.
PHOTO BY JAMES LIEBOWITZ,
USM ATHLETIC PHOTOGRAPHY    

“One of the biggest reasons I got involved with the boys’ team at Windham High School was the culture that Chad (Pulkkinen) has built since I was a player,” said Brown. “We had some close-knit teams when I was at WHS but never the culture he has brought to the team this past year. This is a very special group. They work out together, eat together, and genuinely enjoy each other’s company on and off the court. Chad ... is a huge inspiration to me and has always had my best interest in mind.”

Basketball has been something Brown remembers being around from the earliest days in his life. His father was a basketball coach, so he’s always been around the game and was drawn to it from the first moment he could pick up a ball.

“Just having one of the guys back like him, who can relate to the kids and what experiences they are going through is important,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “He understands the commitment it takes and has been able to play at the next level which allows players to pick his brain. He brings a maturity and love for the game that is contagious within the group. He has really evolved his basketball IQ and has become a really good teacher of the game. He’s a basketball coach’s kid, so he understands the game from a different perspective and shows incredible composure and focus while working with our guys.”

Volunteering for Coach Pulkkinen’s staff as a behind the scenes assistant last season was a lot of fun for Brown. The entire staff was very open to everything he had to offer and that really speaks to their character, allowing a young college kid to step into a role and value his opinions. Coaches George McCrillis, Geoff Grigsby, Noah Estey and Pulkkinen are lifelong friends of Brown’s and have all played a crucial role in helping him in his playing and coaching career.

Since Brown is a 22-year-old kid who’s had the experience of playing at the next level where a lot of his players want to go, Brown has brought a different perspective to the program. He believes it’s easy for the players to relate to him, because not long ago he was in their shoes.

One of the things Brown wants to bring to the game and stress to his players as a coach and teacher is being where your feet are. A lot of players worry about things down the line in their career, being scouted, rankings or upcoming games. Brown used to have similar worries until someone told him to just be where his feet are and stay focused on what you can control.

“Coach Cam is a great coach because of the experiences he’s been through as a player at Windham and also the University of Southern Maine,” said Windham junior AJ Moody. “He’s helped me by calling me to come workout with him and pushing me to my best ability. He helped during the championship season by being at some of our practices and showing us the little things that are very useful in the long run. He has helped this program by just bringing a better connection with us. If we are playing down in my gym, we will invite Coach Cam; he’s great to be around.” <

Windham’s Kimball commits to Youngstown State University softball

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High senior Kennedy Kimball has been playing softball since her T-ball days and truly fell in love with the game when she first started playing Little League. From that point on Kimball excelled in the sport and after playing on the 12-youth USA team in Oklahoma City, it became her dream to play Division I softball. That dream is about to become a reality as Kimball has committed to attend Youngstown State University in Ohio. where she will major in the animal science pre-veterinary program and play Division I softball.

Windham High senior Kennedy Kimball pitches for
the New England Elite travel softball team in a
2022 game. She has committed to play college
softball after graduation for Youngstown State
University. PHOTO BY JAIME LAMB KIMBALL

“Windham schools have put me on a great academic path and set me up to be able to get into a great college,” said Kimball. “The Windham softball program has been my home since Little League and shaped me into the player I am today. To every girl out there who also has the same goal as I did, stay committed to yourself and the sport. What’s made me stick with it is my teammates. The girls make me want to play for them and give my all to them.”

Aside from being a key player on Windham’s varsity softball team and an outstanding pitcher who was selected for the Southern Maine Activities Association All-Star teams in 2023 and 2024, Kimball grew up on the farm to which she attributes a large part of her success. Kimball grew up showing cows in all parts of the United States and Canada. Doing this opened her eyes to different experiences and made her realize what hard work really is. All the hard work she’s put in on the farm along with her practices for softball have set her up to thrive in college.

As someone who grew up around animals and plans to become a veterinarian, Kimball would like to use her degree to do equine and massage therapy. Kimball says that she wants to do Magna Wave therapy and massage therapy to help rehabilitate horses or horses in competition. This therapy is used to help horses and cows during recovery by reducing soreness associated with muscle strain or pulled tendons. The massage part helps the tissue of the animal and relaxes their muscles. Kimball wants to take the animal science and pre-veterinarian course to further explore animal’s body structures and learn the science and biology behind them.

“If I could describe Kennedy in one word it would be fearless,” said Windham varsity softball coach Darcey Gardiner. “She dominates with different pitches she throws and commands the circle because she’s in control of her spins and location. She has a special ability to ... make sure that all of her teammate’s voices are heard. She will be a three-time captain of our program this year and I hope that speaks the loudest. She is going to thrive in a D1 environment because she has been wanting this level of softball for so long. She’s got big ideas and dreams and she’s making them come true by the work she’s putting in.”

Kimball is extremely excited about the 2025 season and her goal for the upcoming year is to play the best competition that she can. She wants to take on anything that can help her prepare for college and make her the best player possible before she gets there.

“I think anywhere Kennedy is the vibe and just life around her will always be positive and productive,” said Windham senior Chloe Edwards who’s played alongside Kimball for 11 years. “I think Kennedy will be a great pitcher and infielder and one of the best in the lineup. Kennedy is so supportive and I can proudly say she is a great friend to all and will never make you feel otherwise. Kennedy is a genuine person and deserves all good that comes to her. You will never meet someone who works as hard in the classroom, on the farm and on the softball field. I have no doubt she will do great things at Youngstown, and I can’t wait to see what these years of college hold for her and what she can do in them.” <

Windham boys’ summer soccer ends season on high note

By Matt Pascarella

In the final game of the summer season, Windham High’s boys’ soccer team left Edward Little scoreless with a 3-0 victory, at Windham High School on Thursday, Aug. 1.

“It’s been a very productive summer,” said Windham assistant boys’ summer soccer coach Nick Dubay. “We threw a lot of things at them and they kind of adjusted on the fly. To get into roles and watch them sink in over the summer is impressive to watch.”

Windham sophomore Blake Roma keeps the ball away from
an opponent during a summer boys' soccer game at Windham
High School on Thursday, Aug 1.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Windham started strong and moved the ball well, as they took several shots at Edward Little’s goal early on. Eagle defense kept the ball away from their goal as they gave Edward Little’s goalie a workout.

“When we started off the season, we knew we had a really talented squad,” said Windham junior Camden Patin. “After a couple games it started flowing together, just trying different tactics, putting players in different positions ... we’ve wrapped up really well.”

Windham senior Sam Rogers scored first. Senior Luke Cunniffe was next when he fired a shot from just outside the penalty area that found the back of the net.

“Knowing that team pressed hard all game, I think we improved on that in the second half definitely,” said Rogers. “We’ve mostly improved by just playing together, getting a feel on everyone’s play style and adjusting to understand how different players see the field. We have some spots we need to fill in and we need players to work hard during preseason and work for a varsity spot. It’s not going to come easy.”

Rogers scored again before the end of the first half and Windham led, 3-0.

“For this summer season ... we worked from a tough first few games and worked our way up,” said Windham senior Levi Hayman. “Today, we all worked great together, we tried a new formation, a new 4-4-2, that went well. We have very good chemistry on the field. We work really well with our balls going through the midfield and then switching the fields; gets us really in the goal all the time. As long as we communicate, balls go through and we end up scoring, we had a lot of chances today [to score], and I’d say a huge part is finishing those chances. The hustle on 50/50 balls was huge, physicality too – not getting pushed off the ball as much.”

Both teams kept each other scoreless through the second half. Windham took shots at the goal immediately. They controlled the field and played at their pace.

“The summer is about trying to fill spots from the previous season and find a team identity and find a playing style that’s going to work for us against the majority of the teams that we play,” said Windham boys’ summer soccer coach Jeff Neal. “Seeing them be able to dictate the pace of the play and where we want the ball to go and get opponents back on their heels a bit is how we want to play. We’re still sorting some stuff out, the first step of preseason is ... raising the bar, seeing the guys who are going to be here and who are the guys who are going to be able to perform consistently and kind of put them under the gun a little bit – because you want your top players to rise to the top and see how they gel and how they form. I think we have more depth in the program than we’ve had in a number of years.”

Neal said defensively Windham was solid and didn’t give anything up; transition from front-to-back was better, where they want to play the ball; connecting all three phases at the pitch was much better. They’ve responded well as a team. <

WHS Cross Country teams preparing for a successful fall season

By Matt Pascarella

In preparation for the upcoming preseason and regular fall season Windham High School’s cross-country team held a six-week cross country summer camp from June 24 to Aug. 2 for Windham and Raymond students in grades seven through 12 at Windham High School’s stadium track.

Windham sophomore Eva Vancellette, left, and freshman
Liam Moxcey circle the track at Windham High School 
on Friday, July 26 during the WHS Cross Country 
Summer Camp. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“What we tried to present is to provide an opportunity for anyone to unlock their potential,” said assistant WHS cross country coach Jeff Conant. “If it’s somebody that’s interested in getting faster for another sport or they’re just looking to have better fitness, we can start you on a program that will be catered to where you start and get you up to a place where you’ll feel really good about the progression that you’ve made. Being able to ... provide a healthy opportunity for kids in the summertime has been really nice.”

The theme of the camp was to “unlock your potential.” There were 25 athletes who took advantage of this opportunity. The camp was a detailed daily sequence of movements and exercises, running assignments, followed by group strength building and stretching in order to increase flexibility, speed and, most importantly to avoid injury. It also offered consistent daily and weekly speed and strength development opportunities on the track or in the weight room.

The coaching staff worked to help campers realize being a true athlete is a lifestyle choice that includes respecting your body, choosing appropriate foods, getting sleep, hydrating, setting goals, learning and remaining positive, respecting others, and seeking happiness.

“I like cross country and had run it before so I thought it would be a good idea to run it during the summer,” said Windham seventh grader Anthony Douglass. “I’ve done strides and pretty good sprints and progressed from day one to now.”

High school runners have been helping Douglass achieve some of his goals.

The running groups are broken up and based on experience with the more knowledgeable runners going out for longer runs.

“It’s not as bad as I thought it would be. It’s a lot of hard work but is always worth it in the end,” said Windham eighth grader Celia Boothby. “I’ve learned the proper running form; I can’t really run long distance so here I’ve been able to stretch that limit and I’ve learned how to do a lot of the stretches and the exercises which will help me even when I’m not running.”

This will contribute to Boothby playing softball and will help with baserunning.

Windham senior Tayla Pelletier is playing two sports for the upcoming fall season, cross country and soccer.

“I wanted to continue running with my teammates,” said Pelletier. “[The camp] always helps encourage me. I wanted to improve my running, and these are some of the best coaches to do it with. It definitely helps my endurance and my mindset; my mindset is improving with every long run. It’s going to help my endurance a lot [on the soccer field]."

Windham senior Andrew Young wanted to start on the cross country season early and figured the camp was the best way.

“It's definitely going to help with endurance and getting me back to where I was last year,” said Young. “As I started running with the team, I slowly started getting better and better with them and doing more.”

At the beginning of the camp, the campers ran a 5K in Gorham and for some, finished their first 5K ever. On the last day of camp, they headed back to Gorham to rerun that 5K and recognize what they have accomplished and the abilities they have unlocked over the summer of 2024. <

WHS field hockey team effectively preparing for future

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s field hockey team has been preparing for the fall season during the summer while also teaching the next generation of players about the game. The WHS summer clinic is run by varsity and junior varsity players who are teaching kindergarteners through eighth grade how to master skills associated with the game.

Windham third grader Callie Connor practices moving the 
ball with WHS junior Abby Trainor during the WHS
field hockey youth clinic for kindergarten through
eighth-grade players at Windham High School on
Thursday July 25. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

The WHS summer field hockey team beat Greely at Deering High School in Portland 3-2 in a summer game on Tuesday, July 23 and then held one of their weekly youth clinics on Thursday, July 25 at Windham High School.

“Getting everyone as many minutes as they can before the season starts [is important],” said Windham varsity coach Cory DiDonato. “We’ve had a great turnout this summer – best ever, probably for me. I think it will be a good season. We have cultivated a team that knows hard work is how we become successful, so more players are motivated to put in the work outside of the regular season. We’ve had great veteran leaders and lots of enthusiastic younger players who are hungry to contribute.”

Everyone on the team keeps each other motivated with the older players helping the younger ones. The team is learning to gel and are working well together; they are learning to trust one another and their positions. The win over Greely is proof of this.

Windham field hockey began running youth clinics in 2016. In addition to the summer clinic, the youth clinic also takes place on Saturdays during the regular season. DiDonato wants to lay the groundwork early on for what they want to see as a program. They’ve had great numbers this summer with over 50 athletes signed up.

The goal of the youth clinic is to get field hockey sticks into the hands of younger athletes, so they are ready to play when they enter middle school. They work on basics with the younger athletes and more advanced skills for the athletes that have been with the program longer.

“It helps a lot with conditioning and ... running and getting better with your stick skills, gives you a little boost for preseason,” said Windham junior Liz Baker. “[The youth clinic] helps a lot with getting to know the girls and the program they’ll be a part of when they get older. We learn a lot from the younger kids; like attitude stuff and how to be patient, teaching and leadership skills.”

Windham third grader Callie Connor’s favorite part of the youth camp is learning how to pass. She’s also learned how to dribble the ball and would like to play on the varsity team someday.

“I wasn’t really into soccer, but once I played field hockey, I liked it a lot,” said Windham eighth grader Lucy Stretch. “I always have a good time playing it. I’ve learned how to be a leader; I do club and travel field hockey – to play with girls who ... need somebody to help them play I think the youth clinic is really good. It’s a fun experience.”

Windham fifth grader Leah Leighton has been watching her older sister play field hockey and wondered how fun it was.

“It’s been very fun since I’ve been trying it,” said Leighton. “It teaches me about all kinds of moves and I have been having fun learning how to keep my hand grip and how to hit it, keep my eyes on the ball and keep it straight.”

The varsity players are the backbone of the youth clinic. There are 10-15 players who are instrumental in helping out each week. These players are compassionate and energetic who love teaching the younger group. The relationships formed between the varsity players and the younger athletes make the game more fun.

“It’s good to come together and help the younger kids because they’re the next generation of field hockey,” said Windham senior Ava Gerrity. “It benefits us because when we teach [the skills], we’re also learning how to as well. It’s good for them to have teenagers and girls ... to connect with.”

If you are interested in the Saturday field hockey youth clinic, Coach DiDonato will be posting sign up details soon on the Windham Field Hockey Facebook page. <

Windham boys’ freshman basketball pulls ahead in final moments of Gorham game to earn win

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham boys’ basketball first team squad, comprised of all freshman players, traveled to play Gorham on Monday, July 29 and ended the summer with a victory.

Windham freshman Colton McLeod goes up for a layup
on Monday, July 29 in the final game of the boys' First Team
basketball summer season against Gorham.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Windham trailed the Rams for most of the game, then took the lead with roughly a minute left and held off Gorham to earn a 33-30 win in the final game of the summer basketball season.

“I think one of the biggest things is they stayed composed,” said Windham First Team coach Cameron Brown. “We’ve had a lot of close games this summer and there’ve been times we kept our composure and times we kind of lost it. It reflects on the scoreboard when we play within ourselves and we know what we want to do; towards the end of the game, don’t get too sped up, those are the things that have been successful for us. Just being down three, you know [Gorham] is going to go for a quick three-pointer ... the biggest thing for us was high hands without fouling and they executed really well.”

Windham was slow to start, but this would all change later in the game. Gorham held a small lead but Windham’s Quraunte Pender put the Eagles on the scoreboard.

After battling hard, Windham came within one point of a tie game. They worked hard to get rebounds, though Gorham kept the lead by getting several turnovers. Windham was rebounding and tied the game at 14. Gorham took the lead 18-16 at the half.

“They had the lead most of the first half and that was tough,” said Windham’s Boston Krainis. “But moving the ball, cutting, spacing, and obviously Jalen [Stephens] with the big three [-pointer] at the end and we were able to pass it around, move it in the last two minutes and finish up the game there.

In the last 30 seconds, Windham looked to see who was open, tried to get open, moved around and waited until Gorham fouled – they just didn’t want to turn the ball over.

Pender tied the game at 18 in the second half. Gorham still led, but the game was within reach. Windham snagged a few rebounds, and Gorham led by four with six minutes remaining.

Windham’s Parker Frost hit a three-pointer and Windham is now down by one point with just four minutes left. Stephens sunk a three-pointer with a minute left in play.

“We really took pride on defense when they were driving down the court,” said Windham’s Mason Rulman. “We tried to make no turnovers while on offense, that helped us win. We focused on what we were doing, not trying to make mistakes, we were able to get to the basket and score. We put a lot of work in at practice and it shows when we come out here and play.”

Coach Brown said that his biggest takeaway from the summer season is that the team came in and they wanted to learn, they wanted to get better; and they put themselves in situations so they could get better.”

He said they know what this program can be, and they want to be a part of it. <