Windham's Fothergill gives back to a sport he loves

By Matt Pascarella 

Windham resident, Bonny Eagle graduate
and under-14 Maine Evolution Hockey assistant
coach Bobby Fothergill cheering on
his team during a game against the Midcoast
Polar Bears at the Colisee in Lewiston
on Saturday, Nov. 8.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Windham resident, former Trail Blazer hockey player and 2022 Bonny Eagle graduate Bobby Fothergill has stayed involved with hockey through coaching. He currently is an assistant coach for the under-14 Maine Evolution hockey team. He has also entered the workforce in a family-run company in the electrical trade. He’s going to Maine Electrical Institute to become a certified electrician.

 

“My last year of 18U Hockey I took the time to really understand everything about the game as much as I could,” said Fothergill. “After that season I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do as I had opportunities to play at other places, but I was lucky enough to be asked to help coach the program I grew up playing for and that made my decision clear as I wanted to help and stay closer to home and be involved in the game of hockey.”

 

The electrical trade was something that had piqued Fothergill’s interest more than college. Fothergill wanted to be able to learn how to grow a business while learning more about leadership and becoming someone that people can look up to. His dad offered him a job and Fothergill felt something his family was based around was what he wanted to do.

 

By the time Fothergill was nearing the end of his under-18 hockey season, he felt like he had coaching capabilities because he was a good listener, open and wanted to learn more about the game as he got older. He still plays in men’s leagues and tournaments here and there.

“He’s been great, and it’s been huge for the kids having someone that they know and can look up to,” said Maine Evolution under-14 head coach Dave Grant, who used to coach Fothergill in the under-18 league. “Bobby hops right in the drills with them, skates with them, competes with them hard. It’s great to have him because he’s obviously got knowledge from a player’s perspective, but it’s awesome for the kids to have him around the bench. It’s a coach’s dream to have a kid that you coached ... to now be on the bench with you. It’s one of the better things that I’ve experienced; it’s a highlight to see the next generation of coaches coming up.”

Grant said Fothergill is still a very good player and challenges his players; he was where they were five or six years ago. Fothergill brings great energy to the practices, and he can tell he is having fun.

In addition to coaching, every season the team teaches kids how to skate, and Fothergill attends those to encourage them by teaching the basics of the game.

“He’s taught me where I need to be in my certain position and what I need to be to stop the puck from entering the zone,” said Maine Evolution Windham freshman Cooper Fournelle. “He’s good as a coach, I feel like I’ve improved and we’ve chatted a couple times about what I should do with the puck. Overall, I think he’s helped me a lot.”

When Fothergill reflects on his athletic career, hockey has played a major part in teaching him how to become a leader and a better all-around person. He’s been able to use the knowledge given to him throughout his time as a player to teach others what it takes to become not only a good hockey player but a good person.

 

When playing for the Trail Blazers he learned to work hard, have fun and not to let anyone push you out of the saddle. The team also taught him how to strive to maximize his potential on and off the ice.

 

His advice for any current players who want to consider coaching after high school is opportunities come from so many places that there is no right or wrong choice. Being involved in sports at any age brings community and togetherness as well as being a great place to learn, teach and have fun.

Youth Cheerleading program ends season with showcase

By Matt Pascarella

(L to R) Windham Youth Cheerleading flyers
Ava Laney, left, Morgan Bell, Valentina Grazoc,
Harper Daigle and Charlee Prokey from
the sixth to eighth grade team at WYC’s showcase
at Windham High School on Wednesday, Nov. 5.
PHOTO BY GIANNA LANE

Windham Youth Cheerleading program has been a sideline program for kindergarten through eighth grade for the last 10 years. They cheer for the Windham Youth Football program from flag to tackle. The 10-week program has grown exponentially over the last three years, totaling over 100 athletes. At the end of the WYC season, the teams put on a showcase to highlight all their hard work. The showcase is not scored and is about providing encouragement, celebration and having fun.

“I think that our program has grown so much in the last several years because there has never been a robust sideline cheering program for young athletes,” said assistant sixth grade to eighth grade coach Stacy Davis. “In years past, some athletes were only exposed to cheer once they entered high school. Many believe that they need to commit to competition cheer ... our program allows for a different form of cheer that may suit other families. We also try very hard to make this program financially accessible. We have the ability to provide financial scholarship to athletes should this be needed, as we never want the financial burden to affect participation.”

The program is considered a feeder program for the high school, so the job of coaches at WYC is to make sure the girls are aware of any new cheers the high school is using. WYC works closely with the high school cheering squad that serves as a role model to the younger group. The coaches start the younger groups out with the basics and progress up to more complex skills for the older kids.

This year’s showcase featured five teams, all grouped by grade, and they show friends and family their routines which include cheers, jumps, stunts and tumbling.

Participants of WYC begin cheering on the field in kindergarten. It’s fun for individuals to cheer on friends and classmates.

Eighth grader Rosie Dumont has been participating in WYC since she was in first grade. She was a dancer and loved uniforms, pompoms and the sass of cheerleading. She always loved being on stage, doing routines.

“Having great coaches that push me to try things that are hard for me or that I don't have confidence in yet (have made me a better cheerleader),” said Dumont. “This program builds strength and confidence and gives you happiness after you complete a routine. It teaches you that you have to work hard to achieve your goals; cheering is a very competitive and difficult sport. Having good teammates and coaches makes a huge difference. If an athlete wants to do cheerleading, they should because it's a rewarding sport.”

Dumont loves participating in the showcase every year. She said it went really well this year. Her stunt groups hit every stunt nicely. Dumont said performing in the showcase is awesome because you see all of the different age levels perform, and you get to reflect on your own progress. Dumont plans to cheer in high school and wants to see how far her potential can go.

Third grader Bristol Grondin started cheerleading through WYC when she was in kindergarten but took a couple years off because she felt she wasn’t ready. She really wanted to join WYC because she saw her sister, who is also involved in the program in a cheer competition last year; seeing her sister in the competition made Grondin want to join back up and be just like one of them.

“I was happy with what we did,” said Grondin about this year’s showcase. “I think my team did an awesome job cheering for the other teams and showcase. I was excited to see how good we did. I also enjoyed to see all our families there to cheer us on. My favorite thing about Windham Youth Cheerleading is I really like the stunts, dances, and I like to show off what I have learned. I ended up learning my front walk over. I’m very proud of myself and my team.”

WHS girls’ soccer drops regional final to Scarborough

By Matt Pascarella

After Windham varsity girls’ soccer held back Falmouth in the semifinal playoff game at Falmouth on Saturday, Nov. 1 with a 3-2 win, the third-placed Eagles returned to Falmouth and took on top-ranked Scarborough in the Class A South regional final on Tuesday, Nov. 4. This was an incredibly hard-fought game that lasted over 100 minutes of play and a penalty kick round.

Windham senior Marley Jarvais keeps the ball away from 
her Scarborough opponent during the Class A South girls'
soccer regional final game against Scarborough at
Falmouth High school on Tuesday, Nov. 4.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

The Eagles truly left it all on the field and remained tough for over 110 minutes. Scarborough just slipped by when they scored one penalty kick more during the round and won 2-1.

“They being the No. 1 seed had everything to lose and we didn’t,” said Windham senior Marley Jarvais. “We came out and not only did we play with them, but we outplayed them most of the game and I think that’s something we should remember. I think Scarborough was overconfident coming into this game and thought they could easily get a win against us, but I think we just proved that we can outplay them – I think this team has grown so much since the summer.”

During the first half Windham had the upper hand with more offensive chances and very strong defense. The score was 0-0 at the half.

“Our energy ... this game, we all came ready to play,” said Windham sophomore Morgan Clark. “We all knew that we could play with Scarborough and would play however long it would take. How much we’ve grown as a team is a positive that stands out. Coming into this year a lot of us thought this would be a rebuilding year. A lot of us knew what we could be and we all put in the work to be (the team we’ve become).”

Windham sophomore goalie Jennifer Schwarz said she went into this game feeling like there was nothing to lose and she needed to go for every ball. She couldn’t be nervous; she knew her team had her back. Schwarz said once the game started, she was happy out there, doing what she loved. She was a solid barrier and had 10 saves during regulation and overtime play.

In the second half, the Eagles had no diminishment of their hustle. They had earned the right to be there, and every player gave it everything they had.

Roughly 65 minutes into the game Scarborough scored. Windham had a shot at the Red Riot’s goal that bounced off the crossbar. This game wasn’t over yet.

About 72 minutes into regulation play Clark scored. The game was tied 1-1 as the clock ran out.

“We brought it to them, we brought our ‘A’ game, we weren’t intimidated,” said Windham varsity girls’ soccer assistant coach Jim Stewart. “When Windham was down a goal they kept playing, got the goal back, they kept playing. They believed in themselves and they believed in each other. They should be proud of themselves; you play like that, and you lose, ... you hold your head high. You did everything you could do; you gave every bit of effort you could give and that’s all as a coach we could ask for.”

Both overtimes were no different for Windham. They remained aggressive, pressured and had offensive chances and shots on goal.

When it came down to penalty kicks, Scarborough got one more than Windham.

Both Jarvais and Clark agreed the team has grown and improved over the season. They worked hard all season, every game, every ball, every chance. The seniors were playing for the underclassmen, and the underclassmen were playing for the seniors.

“That’s really, really hard what they just did,” said Windham varsity girls’ soccer head coach Deb Lebel. “As much as our kids don’t like it and they all make fun of me for stressing the fitness, I don’t think we dipped too much out there. Windham got a lot better opportunities when we played to feet, they did great.”

When Lebel and Stewart look back on the season, growth and team camaraderie stand out. <

JSMS boys’ cross country ends season with championship win

By Matt Pascarella

The Jordan-Small Middle School boys’ cross country team won the Cumberland County League championship on Thursday, Oct. 23 at Twinbrook Recreation Area in Cumberland.

Jordan-Small Middle School's cross country team gathers
after the Gray Invitational Meet at Gray Middle School 
on Friday, Oct. 3. PHOTO BY JOHN POWERS

Competing against 15 other middle school teams, the JSMS boys’ team edged out Yarmouth Middle School by three points to win the Cumberland County League championship.

Hard work and grit paid off in a big way for these boys,” said JSMS cross country coach John Powers. “With a goal in mind and support from teammates, coaches, parents and their friends they were able to take on a league filled with much larger school populations to win it all.”

Three weeks prior to the event, the JSMS boys’ finished second to Yarmouth during a regular season meet. The day after that second-place finish, Powers said the team got to work with their goal being to defeat Yarmouth in the championship meet and win it all.

He said that the entire team contributed to the improvement and everyone in their top five runners that figured into the score set a personal best during that race.

Eighth grader and team co-captain Miles Moreau finished first in the championship event for JSMS and fifth overall with a time of 11:40 minutes. Eighth grader and co-captain Franklin Murray finished 10th overall and second for JSMS with a 12:19 time.

Sixth grader Mason Hall finished third for the team and 13th overall with a time of 12:28. Sixth grader Brady Cirrinone was fourth with a 12:56 time; and seventh grader Will Carroll finished fifth with a time of 13:13.

"Winning the championship is a reflection on how hard our team works,” said Murray. “By putting their full effort in practices every time and having team spirit that pushes us to be the best we can be.”

Moreau said he knew the meet was going to be close and was relieved when he saw JSMS had won. Afterward, he said he felt proud of his team and its championship accomplishment. <

Windham boys’ soccer falls to Falmouth in quarterfinal playoff

By Matt Pascarella

Tenth-place Windham varsity boys’ soccer played second-place Falmouth at Falmouth on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Windham kept Falmouth scoreless for 60 minutes of an 80-minute game, but Falmouth scored halfway through the second half. The Navigators got two more goals before the end and won, 3-0.

Windham senior Camden Patin keeps his eyes on the ball
during the boys' soccer quarterfinal playoff game against
Falmouth at Falmouth High School on Wednesday, Oct. 29.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“For this contest, getting them on their heels early by coming out more aggressive and looking to push the scoring opportunities was the strategy,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “Windham faced adversity all season long on and off the pitch, but they all picked each other up day-after-day, working hard to find a pathway to get better. While we may not have met initial expectations, I can proudly say as a group they represented the community and program as well as a group of young men can.”

Neal said the team worked hard all season to develop a more aggressive and positive shooting posture while doubling down to improve striking technique to generate more consistent scoring. As the season progressed, WHS improved on this. Their defense really improved after losing a number of veteran players to graduation last year.

Windham’s defense was strong from the start and remained strong for a very large portion of the game. The Eagles moved the ball well and worked hard to be first to the ball. They made solid attempts to go after scoring opportunities, but Falmouth defense was also strong. It was 0-0 at halftime.

“Coming into this game, my teammates and I went with the mindset of having nothing to lose,” said Windham senior and goalie Tate Robinson who had nine saves during the game. “We knew that this wasn't going to be an easy game, however, we were still confident in our ability to compete against them. I was confident in our team's abilities and fully believed we could win. This was the best I've seen us play and really showed that we were able to compete with one of the best teams in Maine.”

In the second half, Windham maneuvered and remained aggressive with incredibly strong defense. After several blocks by Robinson, Falmouth was able to score, but only after almost 60 scoreless minutes.

Robinson did not let this get him down and said he knew there was plenty of game remaining to tie it up.

“As a team we held Falmouth up really well,” said Windham senior Camden Patin. “Everything we talked about executing we executed to our best. The first half was some of the best all-around soccer we had played all season. It was simple mistakes that led to the defeat. Looking back on the season what stands out is our ability to push through adversity ... this team came every day to work and grind to get better.”

The Navigators scored again with eight minutes left and once more on a penalty kick.

Captain and senior Daniel Hancock said leading up to Falmouth’s first goal, they had executed their game plan well but just had a small break in it. When Robinson made back-to-back saves, in the moments following Hancock said Windham did not have Robinson’s back to clear the ball. They ran out of gas, and some unfortunate bounces deflated them. He’s proud of the effort Windham gave against a strong team.

“We controlled the ball well and kept the score to a 0-0 game,” said Windham senior Dylan Crockett. “We are a very talented team with great players, but we did not fully adapt to Falmouth’s urgency and hunger in the second half. Due to our lack of endurance toward the last 15 minutes of the game we got put under pressure. (While) we possessed the ball a lot better, and we had a ton of attacking chances, we just couldn’t finish the chances. I’m very grateful for all the opportunities this team has given me; this brotherhood we all had will stay as a core memory for the rest of my life.” <

Windham varsity field hockey falls in preliminary playoff game

By Matt Pascarella

Eighth-placed Windham varsity field hockey played ninth-placed South Portland/Westbrook in a preliminary playoff game at Windham on Friday, Oct. 24. Windham scored in the second half, but South Portland/Westbrook scored in each quarter except the second quarter and won, 3-1.

Windham sophomore Peyton Archibald moves the ball 
quickly toward the goal during a prep field hockey playoff
game against South Portland/Westbrook at Windham 
High on Friday, Oct. 24.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“We came into the game really wanting to win; one of our best players wasn’t here, so wanted to show up and get her another game as a senior,” said Windham sophomore Sarah Smyth. “Scoring gave us some momentum ... but we couldn’t pull through. We went into every game, even the tougher teams, like we can do this; anything can happen, even the lower teams we went in thinking this was an even playing field.”

Smyth said in the beginning of the season, with new coach, Maddy Perfetti, the team wasn’t sure what to expect, but the season went better than expected. Each game, they played hard and did the best they could. Smyth said their fast breaks went well during this playoff game. Junior Morgan McLain got the ball down the field quickly; Smyth thought passes were connecting well between the forwards.

Windham began the game with intensity and passed the ball well. Each team had strong defense, and scoring was restricted for most of the first quarter. Windham sophomore Peyton Archibald had a solid shot at goal, but it was blocked.

Minutes before the end of the first quarter, South Portland/Westbrook scored.

During the second quarter, Windham worked hard to be first to the ball but wasn’t able to score. South Portland/Westbrook led 1-0 at halftime.

About 90 seconds into the second half, Smyth scored and tied the game 1-1. Windham had cranked up the intensity and hustle in the third quarter. Their defense kept their opponent away until late in the third quarter when South Portland/Westbrook took a 2-1 lead.

South Portland/Westbrook would score a final time early in the fourth quarter.

Windham stuck with it until the very end.

“I think when they got their first goal (things started to unravel),” said McLain. “We’re not as strong at finishing the ball as most teams and I think ... when South Portland/Westbrook got the first goal our mindsets changed. We had more of a negative attitude; at halftime, we weren’t saying positive things to one another, I think that had its biggest impact.”

According to McLain and Smyth, senior goalie Olivia McPherson was amazing minding the net, she’s been doing amazing work all season. McPherson had six saves during this game.

“South Portland did better than us, said Perfetti. “They beat us to the ball, they were hungry, they really wanted it, and it looked like that. They were all over the ball. We haven’t had many games where we’ve come back from losing. I think that comes down to experience and age; a lot of them haven’t played or started for varsity – dealing with emotions, how you talk to your teammates and how you give feedback, how you keep a positive attitude. I think they really did improve their tactical play in a lot of games, they’ve played some really good field hockey against some good teams, so I’m proud of them for that – they’ve learned the game in a way that I wasn’t necessarily expecting from high school kids. As a first season ... it’s building, we’re going to be patient, we’ll be back next year, and we’ll be ready to assess and see what we need to do better.” <

Raymond fifth and sixth grade girls’ soccer end season on high note

By Matt Pascarella

Raymond Parks and Recreation fifth and sixth grade girls’ soccer team have had a great season and played its final game of the regular season against Naples at Camp Agawam in Raymond on Saturday, Oct. 25. Their improvement really showed as this was a defensive battle that, while it ended in a 0-0 tie, Raymond defense was like a brick wall that Naples could not get through.

The Raymond Parks and Recreation fifth and sixth grade
girls' soccer team gather after their final game of the 
regular season against Naples at Camp Agawam in
Raymond on Saturday, Oct. 25.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“At this age, the focus is more on learning the rules of the game and learning how to work as a team. All of the goalies we had, Aliza played amazing in the first half, a combination of Madison and Gracelynn in the second half, and they all just made huge saves,” said Raymond Parks and Recreation fifth and sixth grade girls’ soccer coach Gabriel Redmond. “We’re aggressive, getting to the ball, we played mistake-free which is incredible for a group of fifth and sixth graders. Passing also went well; there were more passes in this game, and they got their heads up to see what’s going on. They should continue to work on aggressiveness and just being confident – because a lot of these girls are better than I think they know they are.”

The team’s season consisted of eight games and will end in a round-robin tournament on Nov. 1. What’s important to note about this particular game is that Raymond had played Naples previously in the season and lost 8-1, so a 0-0 tie shows big improvement on the part of all Raymond players.

“I think the season went really well, we tried really hard,” said Raymond sixth grader Raven Wiley. “I could see that in all of my teammates,” she said. “I did soccer last year and soccer is really fun, and I would like to play more. I’ve learned different moves; I’ve learned to not be as scared of the ball. My goal is to become really good at all positions except goalie. We had really good defense and being aggressive; we could work on hustle.”

The season is less about the team record and more about the players learning to play the game well. This season Redmond has taught the team to stay in the correct position on the field. The team had really started to put all that together when it came to this final game against Naples.

“That was part of the reason the defense was so good, and they had so many opportunities on offense; their positioning was really great,” said Redmond. “They are aggressive running to the ball, and they really try to get what I call ‘stuck in’ on the ball and get your foot on the ball. Biggest things we’re working on are positioning, being more aggressive and then passing to the open people – all three of those things were happening today.”

In the first half, Raymond fifth grade goalie Aliza Cullens had save-after-save and allowed nothing by her. In the second half, Raymond fifth grade goalies Madison Griffeth and Gracelynn Bowley were just as strong defensively.

Raymond gained possession several times and offense moved the ball well, going after scoring opportunities.

In the second half, Raymond sixth grader Ariel Sampson was headed right toward the goal and took a solid shot that just missed.

Sampson said she’s enjoyed playing in past years. She thinks they’ve improved so much, and this was one of their best games. Sampson said she thinks she’s improved a lot since last year and this season will help her improve in the future. The team has improved on offense and did well passing and defending but need to work on staying in their positions.

Redmond said it’s the biggest progression he’s ever seen in a season. <

Windham boys’ soccer narrowly falls to South Portland

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity boys’ soccer played South Portland at Windham on Tuesday, Oct. 21 and it was the final home game of the regular season and also Senior Night; Tate Robinson, Daniel Hancock, Camden Patin, Zabdiel Cayetano, Dylan Crockett, Jack Henry, Braeden Smith and Aidan Difiore were each presented with a gift and, along with their parents, were thanked for their time and dedication to Windham Athletics. Windham fought hard but fell 2-1 to the Red Riots.

Windham senior Daniel Hancock moves to get by a South
Portland defender during a boys' varsity soccer game o
Senior Night at Windham High School on Tuesday, Oct. 21.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“Even though we lost today, we scored the first goal; we had a lot of energy and that’s really the biggest difference I’ve seen,” said Hancock. “The first half was a little emotional because it’s Senior Night, second half we really settled in. It all started to go well with us putting in tackles and winning the 50-50 balls – it started creating opportunities. If we could score early and play a full 80 minutes instead of letting up after a goal, then we’re going to be good.”

Windham defense showed South Portland they were a strong team. While Windham started a little slow, they soon picked up their pace with multiple shots on goal, though nothing hit the net.

The Eagles pressured and got to the ball first. Offense was solid, but so was South Portland defense. 0-0 at the half.

Roughly 90 seconds into the second half, a pass from Crockett to Hancock found the back of the net to give Windham a 1-0 lead.

“I’ve always known we’ve had a lot of talent on the team, and a lot of chances bit-by-bit, they haven’t all come together at times,” said Crockett. “I’ve noticed we’ve been working really hard lately and getting a lot of momentum; I like what we’re seeing at times. If we keep going this way, we’re going to be a really tough team for people to beat, this loss is a learning lesson; it’s only up from here. We’re not the same team we were from last year; we have a lot of new people filling different spots, so the experience isn’t there always. No excuses, one mistake can change the game. We realized this could be our last game ever on this field and it motivated us to play harder in the second half. If we can keep it consistent, keep our rhythm going (in the postseason), we’re going to be a really good team.”

Moments later South Portland scored and tied the game, 1-1.

Windham defense remained strong. On a South Portland penalty kick, senior Tate Robinson had an excellent save. Windham Offense fired a shot that hit the crossbar.

Eagle intensity dipped a little in the final 20 minutes and that’s when South Portland scored again.

“We were right there with South Portland for most of the game,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer assistant coach Nick Dubay. “They are coming together at the right time, which is a good thing to see,” “Players are buying into their roles a little better than in the beginning; they see that the (season) is running out and things mean more. Our modus operandi is our own mistakes are killing us. We got to make sure our defense is locked in, which I think it was for 60 minutes tonight ... but couldn’t play the full time. Offensively, I think we're getting there, we need to be patient and just make sure we finish our chances. Defensively, (we need to be) doubling down on marking and being tough out back.” <

WHS Cross Country fares well against tough competition in second-seven race

By Matt Pascarella

Windham cross country’s regional and state competitions are on the horizon. For both the regional and the state competitions, only seven runners are allowed from each team. The second-seven meet is an opportunity for those that aren’t in the top seven to have one more meet before the end of the season. The second-seven meet, a 5K, was held at Sanford High School on Saturday, Oct. 18.

Windham junior Leana Robbins keeps a solid pace during the
second-seven cross country meet at Sanford High School on
Saturday, Oct. 18. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“They ran excellent today; we were all working on getting out a little bit faster today and trying to maintain that pace,” said Windham boys’ and girls’ cross country coach Paula Pock. “They all executed really well on that. (Half) of the runners got personal records, that’s how you want to finish. One thing they can improve on is using their momentum and their base that they built up and carrying that into next season will be really beneficial.”

Girls

Windham junior Alanna Lewis finished first for Windham and 17th overall with a time of 26:59.74 minutes, a personal record for her by a couple minutes.

“I think I did really well, switching a sport this year was really hard for me,” said Lewis, who used to play soccer. “Switching took a lot of confidence; I’m proud of myself for improving and my teammates have pushed me to do better; they’re confident for me. I started out in the back of the pack but have improved. I’m pretty proud of myself – probably my fullest push to finish.”

Lewis said this is one of the best courses they’ve run on, and their competition was pushing them the whole time, which helped her finish. She had her fastest two-mile she’s done; pushing hard at her last mile is a goal for next year.

Leana Robbins, a junior, finished second for Windham and 19th overall with a time of 27:12.76, also a personal record for her.

Boys

Junior Morgan Willey finished first for Windham and 49th overall with a time of 24:06.29.

Sophomore Liam Moxcey finished second for Windham and 55th overall with a time of 25:13.26.

“I think I did ok, I definitely felt like I could have done better,” said Willey. “I felt like I could have pushed a little harder, but I was definitely more in my comfort zone than pushing myself. I think my form went well. The course was nice; I liked it a lot; this is my first time on it. My competition ... I could keep up with them. I am proud of how I did because I made it all the way through the season without giving up.” <

WHS girls’ soccer continues winning streak by shutting out Bonny Eagle

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High’s varsity girls’ soccer team played Bonny Eagle and earned its fourth consecutive victory in shutting out the Scots 4-0 at Windham on Friday, Oct. 10.

Windham sophomore Morgan Clark is about to shoot the 
ball at the goal during a girls' soccer game against
Bonny Eagle at Windham High on Friday, Oct. 10.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Senior Marley Jarvais and Neve Ledbetter both scored in the first half. Sophomore Morgan Clark scored her first varsity goal in the second half, then Ledbetter found the back of the net again partway through the second half.

“I think a lot of effort and grit led to tonight’s win, we don’t give up,” said Clark. “Lately, we’ve been doing a really good job distributing through the middle and switching the field. That's something we've struggled with in the first part of the season, but we've worked really hard and we've gotten better at it. Our first touches (need work), but that will get better as the season goes on.”

The Eagles had solid defense and took multiple shots at goal with high intensity. Jarvais found the back of the net roughly 10 minutes into the half. Windham never let up. Senior Neve Ledbetter scored off a corner kick and Windham led 2-0 at intermission.

“I think the past couple weeks we've been working really hard, and we've been showing up to practice and showing up for each other,” said Ledbetter. “It was a team effort, and it started from the back, and it started from the first play. We’ve come out the second half (strong) to prove we belong in this game. I feel like the second half we played a little bit harder than the first because we're more warmed up and more ready to play. We should always play super hard for each other and who we represent.”

The second half brought just as much hustle as the first half as Windham’s offense continued to take shot-after-shot at goal.

Clark scored her first varsity goal when she sent the ball fast right at the goalie and it flew over their team’s fingertips and into the net.

“It had felt so good, especially after beginning to feel a little frustrated that I hadn’t scored with it being so late in the season,” said Clark. “The team had been talking to me about it during team dinners always saying how I was going to get one, and the coaches were also reassuring me. It felt good to score, but it felt even better to know I was supported by my team.”

Ledbetter scored again before the end of the second half. Windham commanded the field in the second half and defense kept Bonny Eagle away.

“Ever since our Kennebunk loss we’ve been focusing on better passing to feet and trying to read the defense; is the outside open, which tonight was the better way to go,” said Windham varsity girls’ soccer coach Deb Lebel. “We’re reading defenses better which has led to some success. One thing that’s going great is we’ve got a lot of people scoring – it was super exciting to have Morgan Clark score her first goal, she’s been working really hard, and they were all so happy for her. One thing that we can probably keep working on is not as many touches in the middle of the field because that’s where the ball gets stripped from us if we pass too slowly.”

On Monday, Oct. 13, Windham defeated South Portland, at South Portland High School, 6-1, to extend its winning streak to five. <

Youth Soccer Under-11 teams excel during Falmouth Fall Classic Tournament

By Matt Pascarella

Two Windham Youth Soccer Association Under-11 boys’ teams, one led by coach Chris Hadidian and another by coach Dustin Roma, played in the Falmouth Fall Classic, an annual tournament hosted by the Falmouth Youth Soccer Association. The three-day tournament brings in teams from all over the state and is a great opportunity for teams to see a wide range of skills and play against a variety of athletes.

Windham Youth Soccer Association Under-11 player Ryan
Richards is first to the ball during a Falmouth Fall Classic
game against Dirigo LLC at Falmouth on Sunday, Oct. 12.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

At the youth Under-11 level, only one Windham boys’ team was allowed, so the two WYSA teams played a combined game where each team played a half on Saturday, Oct. 11 against Portland where Windham won 7-1. Hadidian’s team played Brunswick and won 6-1 on Sunday, Oct. 12. Roma’s team played Dirigo LLC on Sunday, Oct. 12 and won 3-1.

“It felt amazing, and it was really fun to play in the tournament,” said WYSA youth-11 Roma player Ryan Richards. “We played ... two games, that’s pretty fun. Playing with our team was fun and soccer is just really fun.”

Richards said playing in the Falmouth Fall Classic helped him score more goals and scoring more goals makes you a better soccer player.

John Woodcock, a member of the Windham Hadidian team, said the tournament was fun and competitive; it’s always good to play against competitive teams.

Both teams are having strong regular seasons. Hadidian’s has a record of 5-0. Roma’s team has a record of 4-1.

Windham Hadidian versus Brunswick

Brunswick scored early, but Windham defense wouldn’t allow more than that goal. Windham’s John Woodcock scored and tied the game 1-1. Offense was really giving the Brunswick goalie a workout.

In the second half, Windham’s Archer Burnham scored. Windham had hustle and their offense remained strong.

Woodcock scored twice more before the final whistle.

“It's always good to play against other competitive teams,” said Woodcock. “We took more shots than usual from farther away and that profited in our favor. (He learned) it is important to have strong people to pass up field.”

Windham’s Eliace Hadidian and Trent Richard scored in the second half.

“They always bring the intensity, teamwork and lots of good passing,” said Chris Hadidian about what led to the team win over Brunswick. “They are fun to watch. The Fall Classic gives the boys more exposure to a wider variety of teams and possibly allows them the opportunity to play against a team they have not played before. The tournament helps them learn how to transition from playing one team to another all in a day or a weekend. I think it helps them greatly with their teamwork and personal development.”

Windham Roma versus Dirigo LLC

WYSA Roma started by working hard to be first to the ball. They passed well and took multiple shots on goal. Offense and defense were strong. Richards scored twice in the first half.

The second half brought just as much hustle from Windham as the first. Defense held back Dirigo though they did score once. Logan Poirier scored for Windham.

Richards said they were successful as a team because they had more scoring opportunities. It felt really good for him to score because his team needed that to stay ahead.

It’s a different type of intensity at a tournament,” said Roma. “All around the energy is just higher. Windham feeds off that energy; I feel for us, we play better in this environment, than playing a regular season game. High energy helps us a lot. It was having high intensity from the beginning that led to the win.” <

WHS football falls to South Portland in homecoming game

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High varsity football’s annual homecoming game against South Portland on Friday, Oct. 4 began with a powerful start in the first half. It was back-and-forth with the game tied at 19-19 at halftime but Windham lost some momentum in the second half while South Portland found the end zone twice and won, 33-19.

Windham sophomore Jordan Pastore intercepts a South
Portland pass and rushes up the field during a homecoming
football game at Windham High School on Oct. 3.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“The bigger picture here is not wins and losses ... the season is not over,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “Our plan is to continue to get better. We’ve got guys who still are green and are trying to figure it out. We saw some major steps; we just got to continue to push and grind and get better. We’ve got a lot of guys who have grown up and are playing the game the right way. I’m proud of our guys and how we responded.”

Perkins said Windham swarmed to the ball well; they got in the red zone three or four times but needed to finish. The Eagles had some costly mistakes that caught up to them in the first half; they need to clean up those mistakes. It takes reps and time to work out those things.

Early in the game, on a first-and-10 for Windham from the 33-yard line, sophomore Patrick Davenport completed a pass to junior Tegan Perkins putting Windham on the 50-yard line for a first down. Another competed pass to Tegan Perkins and it’s first and goal. Windham attempted a field goal, which failed.

The Eagles’ defense didn’t let the Red Riots near their end zone early in the first quarter.

Junior Parker Sperry scored a touchdown. The extra point was good and Windham led, 7-0.

South Portland tied the game at 7-7 in the second quarter.

Following a completed pass from South Portland, they now led 13-7 after the extra point failed.

Senior Mason Arbour scored a touchdown and tied the game at 13-13 with less than a minute left in the first half.

“I thought we played a good game, came out strong, it’s not an effort issue it’s more cleaning up mistakes and trying to get our stuff right,” said Davenport, who threw for 138 yards and had 32 rushing yards. “I thought we did great with not getting bad calls and flagrant fouls, keeping our mouths shut, that helps a lot when we’re not losing yards on stupid penalties.”

Jordan Pastore, a sophomore, intercepted a pass with 20 seconds left in the second quarter. Arbour scored again and Windham led by six. Moments before the end of the first half, South Portland tied the game, 19-19.

Pastore said they need to keep their momentum up and stay focused. He was at the right place at the right time, and it felt really good to get that pick. 

“In the second half I think some kids were just waiting and expecting things,” said Tegan Perkins, who had three catches for 41 yards. “I saw after the interception where we just broke down and (South Portland) got the touchdown on the kick-return. Little things like that we just got to clean up. We got to know our roles and do them consistently and we’ll be good.”

The Red Riot offense scored two more times. Windham stayed in it, but did not score.

 

“We came out fighting in the first half, the second half was pretty slow; that’s something we just got to work on,” said Arbour, who had three catches for 25 yards and two TDs. “South Portland is a tough opponent, and we always got to fight against them. We had some great passing, obviously from Pat. We had some great defensive plays like Jordan’s interception. We defended the pass really well. We just got to work on the run a little bit. We got to work on everybody doing their own thing and once we do that as a team we will come together.” <

Raymond Parks and Recreation cross country club teaches kids importance of fitness through running

By Matt Pascarella

Raymond Parks and Recreation’s kindergarten through fourth grade cross country club have established a goal of helping young runners to understand the basics of running.

Raymond Parks and Recreation kindergarten through fourth
grade cross country club runner and second grader Ben Cyr
keeps up a good pace during the 1-mile race at Poland
Spring Resort in Poland on Saturday, Oct. 4.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Aside from weekly practices, the team runs in four cross country races during the 10-week program. During the races, they can run a half-mile or a 1-mile run. They ran their most recent race at the Poland Spring Resort in Poland on Saturday, Oct. 4.

“A lot of the kids think running is just running hard,” said co-coach Sukie Dean. From a distance running perspective, we teach basic fundamentals. Making sure we’re nurturing their desire to run, they’re young enough where ... if it’s not nurtured, you get tired of running. It’s about building up a foundation.”

Raymond Parks and Recreation kindergarten through fourth grade cross country coaches Dean and Chanelle Sheridan said that they’ve seen immense improvements in the time since they began teaching the kids how to run most effectively. The focus for the club is on long-distance running.

There’s been growth in everyone’s confidence. Sheridan’s child, Bennett, went from running a half-mile to running a mile. She said they are all stepping up and wanting to do more than they did at first.

Also, there’s been a big improvement in the team environment. They cheer each other on during the races and are aware that each runner is at a different skill level. The runners who finish early wait for the rest of their team and high-five each other once they’ve completed the race.

Although running can be an individual sport, Dean said the kids are starting to build and understand what it means to be on a team.

Third grader Chase Nelsen said he joined running club because it makes him feel good to run. He really likes it.

“It was very hot ... it was mostly downhill and uphill; the race was fast, but ... I was thinking of that candy and popcorn that awaited me (at the end),” said Nelsen after running the 1-mile race on Oct. 4. “I did amazing. I can’t wait to find out what the next race is going to be like.”

First grader Olive Theriault said her favorite thing is to run because it makes her feel happy inside and she likes it a lot.

"The trail was good. It was shady and a little sunny,” said second grader Ben Cyr about running the 1-mile race on Oct. 4. “I felt good about the race because it’s going to be really helpful for soccer – it’ll be better for stamina, and it’ll give you more power running.”

Errol Bortles, a first grader, joined the Raymond Parks and Recreation cross country club because his favorite thing is running and he wanted to run more.

“We work really hard in practice to talk about that stamina and the endurance and to try to keep ... some fuel in the tank,” said Raymond Parks and Recreation kindergarten through fourth grade cross country co-coach Abby Feather Nelsen. “The energy at the meets is totally different so they’re excited to run and compete. We try to meet them on the trail and remind them of that stamina; here they are very determined and in the zone throughout the whole race.”

Feather Nelsen said everyone did so amazing, and they tried their hardest during the Oct. 4 race. A lot of them have a goal of trying to do better than they did in the last race. She said she was proud of how everyone did on Oct. 4. <

WHS volleyball earns second consecutive win by defeating Westbrook

By Matt Pascarella

After Windham High’s varsity volleyball team previously shut out Sanford, 3-0, the Eagles earned their second win of the season during a match against Westbrook at Windham High on Friday, Sept. 26. The match was pushed to the fifth set in a best-of-five sets contest and Windham won the match, 3-2.

Windham senior Sydney Harmon spikes the ball over the
net during a volleyball match against Westbrook at
Windham High School on Friday, Sept. 26.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“We knew that to win this we’d have to work together as a team and that’s something we’ve been working really hard on is trusting each other on the court,” said Windham senior libero Lauren Neal, who had 15 digs against Westbrook. “I think it really paid off tonight. Toward the end, our communication got a lot better, we were calling where things were going. I think our attitudes were pretty good throughout the match – we were staying positive. It was thinking about the big picture as the match was really close. We know we haven’t done our best this season and we want to be able to prove ourselves. A second win feels really good.”

Right out of the gate, Windham showed they were ready to win. Windham took the lead early and were able to hold onto it until the end of the set. At one point, Windham led by 11. Senior Josephine Sibley scored over 10 points serving in this set and Windham won the set in a 25-8 blowout. Overall, Sibley had 12 digs and nine aces.

In the second set, Westbrook took an early lead, but Windham wasn’t far behind. At one point Windham was down by seven points but fought back and tied the set, 19-19. Westbrook pulled ahead and took this set, 25-20.

The third set was tied 7-7 early on. Windham defense blocked a ball and allowed Windham to take the lead. Windham had a 10-point lead. With senior Rowan Cummings serving the Eagles reached set point and won, 25-14.

“It's not just winning,” said Cummings, who had two digs and four aces overall. “It's more about ... playing our best game. And playing up to how we know we're going to play. Our two main goals were communication and serve-receive. To bring that energy and support each other. It was having that communication and being there for each other (when the match got close) as a unit instead of individual players. I think what went really well was our energy, we had great serves, we had great hits. A big thing for us is to come into the game with a mindset of being our best, we need to have a more positive outlook to things because volleyball is a very error-surrounding game. We need to look at errors as ways to make improvements.”

In the fourth set, Windham fought hard to end the match here. Shortly, the set was tied 14-14 but Sibley spiked the ball, and the set was even closer. It was tied, 18-18, but Westbrook was able to pull ahead and won 25-20 to bring the match to a tiebreaker final set.

The fifth set is played to 15 and Windham jumped out in front early, and stayed there, as the Eagles’ defense kept Westbrook scoring to a minimum and Windham really came together. Quickly, it was match point and Windham won the deciding set, 15-6.

“We had lows, but we had more of the highs,” said Windham volleyball coach Chris Cloutier. “We found out how to get out of those lows a little bit faster. It tends to be on our serve-receive that we have a couple missed serve-receive and that’s what starts that low. It was just in serve-receive; they didn't carry it to hitting. We kept the errors in that area and didn’t let it spread to errors in our hitting and our serving. That is a good start to mental toughness. Tonight was a good step ... we’ve made progress from where we were. Back-to-back wins feels good; I think it’ll give the girls a little more confidence.” <

Windham Little League’s flamethrowers heating up fall ball

By Matt Pascarella

The 12-and-under “Swing Away” Windham Little League fall ball baseball team have three aces on their pitching staff in Windham sixth graders Byron Dansereau, Alex McGonagle and Elijah Sun. In seven games, the three players have pitched in 25-plus innings and have combined for over 70 strikeouts. Each pitcher consistently strikes out at least two batters an inning.

Windham Little League sixth grade pitchers Byron
Dansereau, left, Alex McGonagle and Elijah Sun gather
before a fall ball baseball game against Bonny Eagle
Atkinson in Buxton on Monday, Sept. 29.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Swing Away coach Jason Sun said he noticed this skill in just their second game against Gray New-Gloucester that these three each had something special happening on the mound.

“In ... Byron’s first time pitching in the second inning had us out of it with three batters up, three batters down - all strike outs on 16 pitches thrown,” said Jason Sun. “I just remember thinking ‘wow, that was fast.’ In the third inning, Byron got the leadoff batter to ground out on the first pitch of the inning and then struck out the next two for a total of eight pitches in the inning. Elijah pitched the fifth and sixth innings, striking out three batters each inning. I started looking at the stats and realized Alex struck out three in the first inning. Collectively they had 14 strikeouts of their 15 outs; that is impressive. I looked at the stats from our first game and found their dominance wasn’t a fluke, Elijah had seven strikeouts through two innings and Alex had four strikeouts through two innings.”

Dansereau, McGonagle and Elijah Sun were preselected as the fall ball team captains and have set a tone of excellence. This team has players as young as 9-years old. The three captains provide outstanding role modeling for the younger players. In addition, each captain is hitting very well. When not pitching, McGonagle plays strong defense at first base, Dansereau is a powerful shortstop, and Elijah Sun is the solid arm at third base.

At this age, players are still learning the game, so when a pitcher takes the mound, their main focus just throwing strikes – and that can be somewhat of a challenge. While in his first year as a head coach, Jason Sun has been around Windham Little League for three years and by his assessment, the hardest thing for a pitcher at this level to do is throw strikes.

“I learned how (to improve) my pinpoint, my cutoff and how to improve my attitudes towards the players,” said McGonagle. “This season has been like a journey ... I’ve been doing so good lately throwing strikes, throwing heat. It’s just been great by having good coaches, and a good pitching staff.”

McGonagle began playing baseball in 2021. In his second year of fall ball, he started pitching. The more he threw, the better he became at it, and the better he became the more he liked pitching.

“First, I wasn’t very good, but we worked on it a lot,” said Elijah Sun. “I think if you put your mind to it, you can really achieve something. I think it was pretty cool watching somebody walk back to the dugout (after you’ve struck them out). Fall ball has been good. We’ve really ... faced some good teams.”

Elijah Sun started playing baseball three years ago. He wanted to pitch because it looked fun and he’s fallen in love with it.

“I was watching the Red Sox a lot, and I wanted to play a sport, so I chose baseball,” said Dansereau, who is in his second year of pitching. “It’s really fun, I like pitching and hitting and hanging out with my friends. I feel like I’m improving; pitching is fun. (All three of us) try hard and encourage the team.”

Dansereau was the starting pitcher in the Sept. 29 game against Bonny Eagle Atkinson. He said he was excited, but not nervous to start the game.

Jason Sun said these three pitchers have remained consistent since he first realized their abilities and said these three aces are good kids on and off the field. <

 

WHS field hockey stays neck-and-neck with Gorham but falls in second half

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High’s varsity field hockey team played Gorham at Gorham High School on Tuesday, Sept. 23 and despite a strong start for the Eagles in which they tied the game 1-1 at the half and 2-2 early in the second half, the Rams pushed ahead and outscored Windham 7-2 at the final buzzer.

Windham High senior Abby Trainor keeps the ball away from
Gorham defenders during a varsity field hockey game on
Tuesday, Sept. 23. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA
 

"I think we did good; we wanted to win really bad,” said Windham sophomore Sarah Smyth, who scored Windham’s two goals. “We just ran out of energy; we put all our best in the second half with the most momentum, but some calls didn’t go our way. We need to come out with that energy that we did in the first quarter and keep it up throughout the second half of the game and keep wanting to win and be first to the ball. I think we did really well with our corners, everybody was where they needed to be, and I think that our fast breaks up the field worked really well, and we did well around defenders. I think just finishing in the circle (needs work), we had a lot of shots, especially in that first half. We had many shots around the goal; they just didn't happen to go in.”

In the first quarter, Windham moved the ball well and defense kept Gorham mostly away from Windham’s goal. Offense had several shots on goal, but nothing went in.

Smyth scored from the corner with less than two minutes remaining in the second quarter which tied the game, 1-1, at intermission.

In the first minute of the second half, Smyth scored on a corner shot as Windham took the lead.

Unfortunately, Gorham scored again and tied the game, 2-2, in the third quarter.

From this point on, Windham would fight hard, but Gorham took a big lead and scored goal after goal. The Rams held a three-point lead over the Eagles at the end of the third quarter.

“I think we definitely could have come out with more positive attitudes in the second half to defeat Gorham,” said Windham junior Morgan McLain. “We started to lose more and more hope after like two more goals (scored) in the third quarter, and I think that we all started to get really, really tired and ... then we couldn't just keep up with ourselves. We can take away from this to not let the scoreboard affect our emotions because we can obviously come back from whatever challenges we face because we are a strong team with a ... lot of good stamina. This has been our first game that's been a challenging one and we're not done. We still have a lot of motivation in us.”

The Eagles continued to fight hard, but Gorham made it difficult.

“(Windham) played the whole game, and they stayed in it,” said Windham varsity field hockey coach Maddy Perfetti. “We made the adjustments that we set out to make at halftime, and it just didn't work for us. There were a couple calls that ended up turning the momentum which was really tough. A lot of it comes down to momentum and who’s going to make more mistakes and who’s going to recover from those mistakes. It feels bad, but the attitude after the game and getting back to work is going to set us up for a good season. It was our first really competitive game, and it showed. We're ready, though. The first half was great; we were with Gorham, even into the third quarter, if not having more possessions than Gorham. Seeing those things and then seeing the attitude after the game, I feel strongly it’s going to be a great rest of the season.” <

Unbeaten Scarborough holds off Windham in boys’ soccer

By Matt Pascarella

Windham went up against undefeated Scarborough at Windham on Monday, Sept. 22 and while the Eagles made it especially difficult for the Red Storm in the first half and kept them scoreless for the first 60 minutes, Scarborough’s defense was equally as tough, and kept Windham scoreless for two halves. At the final buzzer, Scarborough won 2-0.

Windham sophomore Sean Lebel turns to quickly get by an
opponent during a boys' varsity soccer game against
Scarborough on Monday, Sept. 22 at Windham High
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“I think especially in the first 60 minutes we were creating opportunities,” said Windham senior Daniel Hancock. “We were possessing the ball, winning 50-50s, and that’s just the energy we need to keep the whole game. We were confident on the ball and that led to us getting more opportunities. We know we can play with any team in the state; it’s just playing that 80 minutes and scoring goals. That (scoreless for 60 minutes) gives us a little more confidence, but there’s still a lot of stuff to work on; it’s nobody’s fault, we just got to keep communicating and working at practice. If we fill those gaps in, we’ll be alright.”

Hancock said their problem all fall has been finishing; they need to score. He believes things are going to start clicking soon and they’ll figure it out.

Both teams started with incredibly strong defense. Windham went hard after the ball. Windham fired several shots at goal, but nothing got in.

Windham defense remained strong for the entire half as they made it difficult for Scarborough to score.

Senior Windham goalie Tate Robinson had several nice saves and the game was scoreless after one half of play.

“We prepared for the game really well and we expected to play with them,” said Windham sophomore Sean Lebel. “Our goal was to just hold them off as long as we could and put one in the back of the net, but unfortunately that didn’t happen. We had great opportunities in the first half, and we just ran out of gas in the second half. We were able to pair the ball really well we found marks in the back and when we were on the counterattack, we pushed the ball really quickly; we had a lot of good shots on net.”

Lebel said the mental and physical aspects need work. They need to build up more and stay connected.

In the second half, Windham came out with equal intensity as the first half, but it only lasted the first 20 minutes, which is when Scarborough scored.Windham kept their heads up and continued to fight.

Scarborough scored again, but Windham would not allow any more goals before the final buzzer.

“That first 60 minutes is the best we’ve played all year and that’s a huge success,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “The grind is there, the desire is there, the work rate is there, the believability is there in moments, but it’s not there consistently enough. We got to put the ball in the net and that’s something we’re working real hard at, and we’ll continue to work hard at and day-in-day-out. We had some great chances, it’ll come; everything seems to be right, but it’s not coming up right. We’re not going to get down on ourselves.

"We had some good combination play on the left flank in the first part of the second half but couldn’t connect that run on the finishing ball ... and when you're trying to push it a little bit that's a hard thing to sustain," Neal said. Hopefully we’re going to have some young players step up and we’re going to see some opportunities and just run, if it’s only five or six minutes if it gives some of our first-line guys a breather, I think tactically that’s something we need to look at more. Fuel in the tank – we ran out of it tonight.” <

Windham varsity football falls to Portland in waning minutes

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity football wasn’t going down against Portland without a fight in their season home opener at Windham High School on Friday, Sept. 12. The Eagles pretty much matched the Bulldogs touchdown-for-touchdown and led the game at halftime. Portland took the lead after the third quarter; but Windham answered and tied the game at 21 with 10 minutes remaining. Unfortunately, Portland scored late in the fourth quarter to edge out ahead and won, 28-21.

Windham junior Parker Sperry runs toward the end zone
during the WHS varsity football home opener against
Portland High on Friday, Sept. 12.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“The biggest thing I see is our improvement from last week,” said Windham junior Parker Sperry, who had 104 rushing yards in the game. “We just got to put this game in the past and I think we’ve (taken) a big step since last week and we’ve got to work as hard as we’ve been working at practice and keep getting better. I think we definitely put up a battle against Portland. We got to all focus on our own job, and if we all focus on our own job we can come out with the ‘W’ next week. Effort went well; last week we had bad plays and hung our heads, this week we gave it everything we had and that’s all we need to do to win.”

In the first quarter, Portland had possession of the ball early, but Windham turned them over and took over on downs. The Eagles moved the ball up to a third and goal. Sperry ran the ball into the end zone to put Windham ahead, 6-0, after the extra point failed.

While Windham defense was strong, Portland scored before the end of the first quarter. Windham blocked the extra-point attempt, and the game was tied 6-6 after one quarter.

After Portland scored a touchdown in the second quarter, Windham sophomore Beckett Bragdon returned the kickoff all the way to the Eagles’s 48-yard line. Sophomore quarterback Patrick Davenport, who had 74 passing yards in the game, then connected on a pass to junior Tegan Perkins. Sperry then took the handoff and raced 25 yards for a touchdown. Junior Luke Drottar caught the two-point conversion and Windham led 14-13 at the half.

“We have a lot of young guys out there, and these guys are taking big steps, learning more and more each week throughout practice,” said Windham senior Ty Stahle. “You can see the improvement. We’re all starting to figure out everything we can do and then come together as a team. This was a big game coming in and we’ve been destroyed by Portland before and I’m glad that we fought hard and didn’t give up; I’m pleased with how we played.”

Portland scored another TD in the third quarter, but Windham didn’t let that go unanswered.

On a first-and-goal in the fourth quarter, Davenport ran eight yards for a touchdown. The extra-point conversion was good, and the game was tied 21-21, with just 10 minutes remaining to be played.

With just a little over 2 minutes left, Portland found the end zone to break the tie and take the lead, 28-21.

“I thought we swarmed to the ball pretty well defensively,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “Offensively we executed a lot better, guys made some good plays. We were right in the mix; I saw some really big improvements in our blocking and moved the ball pretty well. We could get better at the defensive-run game for sure. We had a turnover, shot ourselves in the foot a couple times and it caught up to us, but the kids played really well and we drastically improved.” <

Strong second half earns Windham varsity girls’ soccer win over Sanford

By Matt Pascarella

The WHS girls’ soccer team significantly overpowered Sanford at Sanford on Saturday, Sept. 13. Windham led 1-0 going into the second half and really turned up the intensity. The Eagles scored four goals in the second half; two goals from senior Neve Ledbetter, one from junior Mackenzie Delewski and one from freshman Logan Curry and at the final whistle, Windham seized a 5-0 win over the Spartans.

Windham freshman Logan Curry prepares to score a goal
during the final 40 seconds of a girls' soccer match against
Sanford at Sanford High School on Saturday, Sept. 13.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“I think in the first half we came out a little slow and we were probably not mentally prepared,” said Ledbetter. “In the second half we came out with more intensity, we worked harder, we played together more as a team and I feel like, overall, it was a better half for us mentally and physically. We played a lot better and showed ourselves in the second half.”

Windham attempted multiple shots at goal early on and their defense kept control of the pitch as Sanford had far fewer scoring opportunities.

On a direct kick late in the first half, Windham senior Marley Jarvais passed to Ledbetter who kicked in into the Sanford net putting Windham on the scoreboard, 1-0.

“Marley’s play was super creative,” said Windham varsity girls’ soccer coach Deb Lebel. “They did (the direct kick) indirectly, without us prompting. Once we made (Sanford’s) keeper go on her side – we knew she could save all those high ones – so we had to start putting it on the ground. (Sanford’s) keeper was extremely good and kept them in the game. We had some really nice shots. In the second half, we told them ‘you got to pick up the intensity just a little bit more.’ And they did. (Windham) started beating (Sanford) to balls, winning balls in the air; not giving up on balls and played through and that’s when we saw goals get to the back of the net.”

The increased intensity made a big difference on Windham’s side of the scoreboard. Delewski scored off a corner kick and a short time later, Ledbetter fired the ball from the side of the goal at just the right angle that it found its way to the back of the net.

With 23 minutes remaining Ledbetter scored again when she got out in front and fired the ball and sent it right past the Sanford goalie.

The Eagles’ defense continued to make things hard for the Spartans and Windham’s offensive attack did not let up the tiniest amount until the final whistle.

But before the match ended, Windham freshman Logan Curry scored her first varsity goal with just 38 seconds left.

"Maya (Dries) got the ball from a great pass and did a through ball right to me and I beat the defender and struck to the corner,” said Curry. “It felt amazing, I like varsity and that means a lot to score. Something that went well was playing the ball to each other and making passes and not just booting the ball. We need to work on pressuring the ball and making runs before the ball gets to the person you need to so we can make that run and potentially score.”

Lebel said this is a great win because the team has traditionally struggled playing at Sanford. She said she hopes this gives the girls confidence to know things are coming together, and if they keep at it, they’ll keep competing with good teams. <