Windham seventh- and eighth-grade youth football team off to promising start

By Matt Pascarella

While it was only the seventh and eighth grader’s second Windham Youth Football practice of the season at Windham on Monday, Aug. 11, the team is coming together and getting ready for their upcoming season which begins later this month. For the seventh and eighth graders, their regular season runs through October and has the potential for playoffs.

Windham eighth grader Luke Russell catches a pass during 
a Windham Youth Football seventh- and eighth-grade
practice at Windham High School on Monday, Aug. 11.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We’re looking good,” said Windham Youth Football seventh and eighth grade coach Lavon Mckoy. “(The team is) understanding, they’re seeing the expectations. I have a great group of other coaches with me, so we set the tone and expectations right from the start. All the players have adapted and accepted what the responsibilities are.”

Mckoy has been a coach for the program for nine years and wanted to get involved to help the kids and give back. He was fortunate to have a good high school career and played in college, so what made him get into coaching was his passion for football when he was playing as a kid and through his high school career. He says that he wanted to give back to his son and his son’s teammates and friends and help them excel in the sport.

The challenge is what keeps Mckoy coming back. His coaches and he are dedicated to helping their team succeed. They’ll start the season with a group of kids that come from all different backgrounds. For Mckoy and his coaches, what they strive for is seeing their team excel and building confidence in themselves. When you give a player that little bit of confidence and they take it not just from the football field, but they might be able to gain confidence when they’re out in the real world.

For Windham seventh grader Kody Freese, this is his fifth year playing football. He likes scoring touchdowns; he likes all the players and coaches. Freese said it doesn’t matter if you lose, because there’s always the opportunity to come back and win. His goal is to one day play varsity football. He said his team is already like a family, he’s been playing with most of the guys for a while. He’s looking forward to the season.

“Windham Youth Football is a great program from start to finish,” said Mckoy. “From the flag all the way up to eighth grade and a good feeder program into the high school to excel. We’re all out here, a group of parents, who just volunteer their time because they have a passion for the game and want to see groups of young men and young women build their confidence and get the abilities of the game to excel. I think we’re doing a great job; our numbers are not where we want them to be, but we’re going to do with what we have. Hopefully we build up players, so that when they get to the high school level, they are well-rounded individuals ... and potentially excel in college if they decide to go that route.”

It's less about wins and losses for Mckoy. His focus is more on character and confidence building. At the end of the season, he wants any one of his players to feel like they’ve accomplished something; not only physically, but seeing they have a lot to give mentally.

Lewis Walker, a Windham eighth grader, has been playing football since he was in fifth grade. He wanted to play because the teams are like family. Football has taught him that you’ve got to keep pushing, even when things get hard, you got to keep going. His goal is to make it to the National Football League. What’s fun for Walker about playing is you get to build connections with people, you get to hit, everything about it.

Windham Youth Football is always looking for volunteers; if you are interested in getting involved with the program, you can email Wyf.eagles@gmail.com. <

Pickleball delivers a low-impact way to get exercise, have fun and socialize

By Matt Pascarella

Whether you’ve heard of pickleball, played it or just been curious what it’s all about, it’s grown in popularity in recent years. Pickleball is a paddle sport with parts of tennis, badminton and table tennis. It’s easy to learn and a great way to get exercise and meet new people.

Windham resident Laura Page gets to the ball in time during
a Windham Parks and Recreation pickleball lesson at the
Pat Moody Courts in Windham on Saturday, Aug. 9.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Windham’s Parks and Recreation Department is currently offering a four-week summer session and the group met at the Pat Moody Courts in Windham on Saturday, Aug. 9.

“I’ve been playing for four months now,” said Gorham resident Lisa King. “It was really just to meet people, to get out of the house and do something a little different, that engages with the community and maybe meet people that I have something in common with.”

Norma Ewing, a Windham resident, said pickleball is something she really looks forward to. She said it’s a good workout. She chose to play because it was about doing something for her; Ewing was busy with work and loves sports; pickleball gives her a break to do something fun.

The objective of pickleball is to serve the ball, similar to a wiffle ball with a paddle similar to a table tennis paddle, return the serve, make sure the ball bounces twice and be ready, because depending on skill levels that ball can come at you really fast.

Windham pickleball coach and Gorham resident Dave Cousins started playing pickleball in the early 1990s. Prior to that he had coached tennis. He said he always had pickleball as a base in the back of his mind. Cousins first began coaching pickleball in South Portland, but with low attendance.

Something happened around 2018 when his classes jumped from three or four people to 10 people. His attendance numbers continued to increase month after month; he was able to add another pickleball session and then another.

“I decided to play pickleball because I go to a resort in Florida and my friends played pickleball the last two times I went” said Windham resident Laura Page. “I want(ed) to learn to play. It’s a low-impact sport and it’s good for me. Everybody you play with is pretty understanding and nice.”

During the pickleball lesson, Cousins is a very patient teacher and allowed his players to learn at their own pace, while having fun at the same time.

“It doesn't take a lot of classes to get pretty good at pickleball pretty fast,” said Cousins. “One of the reasons I got into pickleball was I found folks could pick the game up that much faster. My goal as a coach is to be coaching everywhere in Southern Maine and New Hampshire. I want to expand the territory out a little bit, but the bigger over-arching goal is to get as many people into a racquet sport as possible. All it takes is that first hour. In that first hour you start to discover ... there’s strategy to this game. It’s fast, it’s fun, it’s social. What’s the selling point – socialization and low-barrier to entry. Easy to pick up, and then it makes you want to play more.”

Windham resident Darlene Haskell said pickleball is great. She wasn’t going to play because she thought it’d be too intense, but it doesn’t have to be intense. Anybody can play, have fun and not get hurt.

Cousins said his group has improved a lot over the weeks of the session. The class gets a chance to play but then has someone who is looking out for them to tell them what they’re doing great and what they can improve upon.

There is a place for everybody to play, and Cousins said he wants to be the one who introduces pickleball, or another racquet sport, to as many people as possible.

Windham’s Parks and Recreation Department will also offer fall and winter pickleball sessions; for more details, call 207-892-1905. <

WHS basketball wraps up successful summer schedule

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity summer basketball team wrapped up a successful season with their final practice at Windham High School on Thursday, July 31. For the final week of practices, the varsity team had Windham’s seventh and eighth graders join them. This was a great opportunity for seasoned players to teach younger players and younger players to learn from potential teammates and role models. The varsity team finished their summer season with an impressive 12-2 record.

Windham sophomore Boston Krainis is about to tip the ball
in the basket during a scrimmage in the final practice of
the summer prep basketball season at Windham High
School on Thursday, July 31.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“Right now, we’re just focusing on each other, and coaches are getting us better,” said Windham senior AJ Moody. “We appreciate them (helping) us in the gym and bringing us together. We’re not afraid of anything (as a team). I can’t wait to face the teams we’re playing; it’s going to be a great (winter) season.”

Moody said mentoring the younger kids gave them a preview what it’s going to be like playing on varsity; it’s not easy, so it’s best to learn and begin to make that transition to the program’s expectations and playing style now instead of later.

The younger kids get mixed right in and learn the skills of the game from high school players. The development of both younger and older players emotionally and skill-wise is incredible.

"It's been a great group of guys,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “We’ve had an extreme level of commitment ... they’re motivated. One of our things this year is ‘entitled to nothing’ - we don’t deserve anything yet; we haven’t earned anything yet. It was a great group of hungry guys that make good decisions on and off the court. It starts with our top guys, Tyrie (James) and AJ and we got some junior leaders in (Luke) Drottar, Landon Wyman and Colin Janvrin plus Boston (Krainis) and Sean (LeBel). They are the ones that are most committed, they’re picking guys up, they’re trying to help those young guys because they’re going to need guys to come and help them (on the court) and step in to have success with this team. Our pace of play is really good, and our defense is outstanding, I really love what our guys can do on the defensive side.”

During the summer the team traveled to East Stroudsburg University in Pennsylvania for a team camp where they could connect with each other and play the game.

Pulkkinen said he saw a lot of growth, maturity-wise, but also connection-wise, and that’s the biggest question for the team, can they connect together? The varsity guys are focused and want to work for it every day and that’s the mindset coming off two championship wins.

“It helps me learn what to expect from them, because our offense is a lot of anticipation, learning how they play,” said Windham sophomore Krainis about how the summer season helped him prepare for the winter. “Playing with Tyrie and AJ ... learning how they play. We’ve gotten hungrier – just because we’re the state champs doesn’t mean we deserve anything. We’ve got to keep working. The offense has been running really well. Everybody’s getting open shots, we’re scoring a lot of points, defense is great.”

Players will stay ready for the winter season by hitting the gym or the weightroom, or by playing a fall sport. The team will be around each other this fall, and they’ll keep working and cheering each other on.

While it’s too early to give a forecast of the varsity boys’ basketball season, Pulkkinen said they’ll be playing hard come winter; the team will be fun to watch and you’ll see the two determined seniors, James and Moody setting the tone. <

Windham High varsity field hockey preparing for 2025 season

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity field hockey team has been preparing for the fall season all summer long and they are ready and excited to start their preseason on Aug. 18; with the regular season beginning on Sept. 5. The team has a new coach this season, Maddy Perfetti, a graduate of Colby College.

Windham sophomore Mia Kri, left, goes after the ball in a
prep field hockey game against Noble at Windham High
School in August 2024. The WHS varsity field hockey
team has been establishing their skills over the summer
as they prepare for the start of a new season.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We’ve done a lot of basic stick work and talked through a bunch of field awareness so I think coming into the fall we can focus more on strategic and elevated things,” said Windham senior Abby Trainor. “Our team will definitely be very young; I think it helps with the majority of our team being underclassman; there’s a lot of room for growth through the season.”

Trainor said Perfetti brings new skills and ideas to their play. Perfetti has helped elevate their play because she’s very knowledgeable. Perfetti has introduced new stick work drills through the summer that helps their stick work in tight spaces and short distances. They will definitely have success this season and Trainor can’t wait to start competing.

“Being a young team, and losing a strong class of 2025, I am learning what gaps we need to fill–whether that's a leadership role off the field or in the backfield, all roles are up for redefining,” said Perfetti. “Through the summer I saw girls trying out these potentially new roles while also being open to my coaching style and approach to the game.”

The summer was an opportunity for the players and its new coach to bond as well as the players to start to coalesce on the field. They’ve made some good progress.

“Getting the team together early in the summer, definitely helps bond the team and get us more comfortable before the regular season,” said Windham junior Sarah Smyth. “It is important to get to know ... players before jumping into the season. It also helps us get well conditioned and in shape before preseason week and the regular season. I have seen the team’s overall skills improve with every practice and summer game. Communication is a big part of the game, and at the beginning of the season it was difficult to communicate with new teammates, but the more games we played we got more comfortable with communicating and learning how everyone plays.”

According to Smyth, it is really cool to experience different coaching styles. Since Perfetti played at Colby College, a lot of the drills they do are unique from past seasons and very effective. Smyth said she realized she (wants) to be a leader and is happy to step into that role and be a good example for the underclassmen.

“The team improved a lot over the summer,” said Perfetti. “There are a group of committed members to the team that showed up to three sessions a week for the whole summer. This progress will only continue through the fall season. The summer is an opportunity for the girls to prepare for the fall season, and it is up to them how much they utilize that. We spent time playing together in a low-stakes environment this summer in an effort to build relationships between the girls that were there. I would say this was a success. Preseason will take on a new energy with very intentional team building. My goals as a coach are to create an environment where players can be themselves, compete with intensity, and care about winning.” <

Despite narrow loss WHS boys’ soccer looks strong for fall season

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham High School boys’ summer soccer team played York at Manchester School in Windham on Tuesday, July 29 and the Eagles battled hard for two halves, but at the final whistle York got by with a 2-1 win. However, summer soccer is more about fine-tuning players for the fall and figuring out what is going right and what needs improvement.

Windham senior Daniel Hancock, center, keeps possession
of the ball away from York during a boys' summer soccer
game at Manchester School in Windham on Tuesday,
July 29. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“I think our possession play is what people have come to expect from the program,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “The quality of our midfield play is very good and will continue to be a strength for us. We’ve got some younger players that need to step into some big roles and some players that maybe haven’t been tested in the big game stuff. I think if we had a full roster of 18 kids, that game leans more in our favor. I 100 percent feel that we’re going to be fine. This is about building blocks for what we want down the road.”

Windham took the field ready to go. Their defense didn’t allow York any scoring opportunities early on, and Windham went hard after the ball. Partway through the first quarter, Windham senior Dylan Crockett scored.

Moments later, York scored and tied the game, 1-1.

There were several shots on goal from various Windham players, but nothing got by.

“This game showed we got to work on our shots quite a bit; but our movement was good,” said Windham junior Caleb Hayman. “Our physicality was decent, and I think our chemistry was top notch, we’re doing pretty well with that. I’m very happy (with how Windham played). It showed how our team’s doing and how our chemistry will be there in the season. We’re also missing a few players tonight; getting touches on the ball and getting out here with the team (during the summer season), gets us prepared and kind of shows us what it’s going to be like.”

The game remained tied 1-1 at halftime.

In the second half, Windham did a good job communicating; they started the half aggressive, though got tired toward the end of the game. York scored again in the top of the fourth quarter.

“My takeaway from this game is we played well, we played hard,” said Windham sophomore Isaac Bernier. “There definitely some things we can work on like communication can always get better. We’ll work on it and once we get that down, I think we’ll be one heck of a team. We had a lack of subs as well, with only three or four players; had we had more subs, the outcome might have been different.”

Daniel Hancock, a Windham senior, said there were a lot of good things about the game, they moved the ball well. Throughout the whole summer they’ve been possessing well. It’s not the result they wanted, but the chances are there. Hancock said he thinks playing together more as they prepare for the season, everything’s going to come together and they’re going to be a great team.

“In the summer with the lack of numbers at times, people play different positions where they’re not used to and that can lead to breakdowns, but it can also be positives,” said Windham assistant varsity boys’ soccer coach Nick Dubay. “Today we had three defenders playing out back that aren’t really defenders. They had never seen varsity minutes and held their own.”

Neal said the summer season is an opportunity for the kids to show the coaches what they’ve got. They’re all vying for spots. They’re all trying to get better. You’re trying a bunch of things and seeing what will work and that’s what summer play is all about. <

Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp teaches skills and sportsmanship to younger students

By Matt Pascarella

In the third year of Windham’s Eagle Soccer Camp, campers are taught skills of the game from the WHS boys’ and girls’ varsity teams, along with help from Windham High School graduates, soccer coaches and community members. The money made from the week-long camp held at Windham from July 21 to July 25 goes back to the varsity boys’ and girls’ soccer programs.

Windham sixth-grader Makayla Swander, right, holds back
opponent Trent Richards going after the ball during a 
scrimmage at the Eagle Soccer camp at Windham High
School on Friday, July 25.
PHOTO BY MATT PASACRELLA

“The motivation for me has always been to try and create a soccer family and bring that across multiple generations of former players, current players and future players. It’s all about relationships,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach and Eagle Soccer Camp organizer Jeff Neal. “I was super fortunate as a young player that I had coaches that tried to foster and instill that sense of community and family. When I started it, that’s what I wanted to try, but this has exceeded my expectations and that’s because of the people – this doesn’t happen without a lot of people. That’s the drive; to make something that people feel a part of but at the same time, it’s as much community building and relationship building. I want kids to know how to play the right way.”

The goal of the camp is to improve soccer skills for both the campers and high school players; this helps keep the programs competitive.

“I like doing soccer and I thought I would improve,” said Windham sixth grader Makayla Swander. “We learned how to dribble better and how to make it so (an opponent) can’t take the ball without fouling. It’s fun working with the bigger kids, they make it fun, and they teach us a lot.”

At the very end of the week the counselors give each camper an evaluation form with feedback; it had something good they’d done, something they need to work on, but remaining positive. Hopefully, this helps to incentivize the campers and shows that this camp is a place where they can come to get better and every player, regardless of age, is always trying to get better.

Landon Carey, a Windham sixth grader, wanted to participate to get skills and have fun. He had fun doing the activities and learned that leaning over the ball drives it down and leaning back drives it up. Carey made a lot of friends and wants to come back next year.

“I love helping kids,” said Windham graduate Josh Hancock. “I love seeing them enjoy it and have a good time. It’s awesome to get out here and help them however I can. They love to learn, but most important they love the game and they’re building foundations and just enjoying it, which is the important part; being here to watch them play and asking myself what I can do to help them is really important and helps me in the season and really for the rest of my life.

Girls’ varsity soccer coach Deb Lebel said the camp gives coaches a peek at what the future holds, and it gives the younger kids a chance to work with possible potential future teammates.

Lebel said the goal for the week is to get the kids as many touches on the ball and even if they picked up only one skill that improved their game to also have a lot of fun with a variety of different people. Some of these kids have built a connection here and they won’t miss a varsity game. There’s high energy in the stands which turns into high energy on the field. The younger kids know all the players and that connection makes the varsity players work harder.

"I’ve been working at it since it started, and I always have a really fun time teaching the kids how to learn to do stuff,” said Windham graduate Devan Kennie. “Once (the kids) are motivated they get really into it and really excited. Sometimes during the demos I’m still learning stuff, too; it’s not only them learning, I’m learning too. It has been a very positive week.” <

Windham I girls’ varsity soccer team shuts out Greely in final summer game

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham I girls’ soccer team, similar to the WHS varsity soccer team, played their final summer game of the season against Greely at the Twin Brooks Recreation Area in Cumberland on Wednesday, July 16. Windham played hard for two halves and mowed down the Rangers, 7-0.

Windham sophomore Maria Rose is the first player to the
ball during a girls' varsity summer soccer game against
Greely at the Twin Brooks Recreation Area in
Cumberland on Wednesday, July 16.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“The takeaway from this game is how strong the team’s going to be, working together and how we can build throughout the season,” said Windham junior Maya Dries. “At the beginning of summer soccer we were starting to piece things together and getting comfortable with everybody and having this be our final game really showed how we can piece things together with our hard work and determination. Today, our defense went well, throughout the season our communication has really built (up), which has helped. Our passing through the middle has gotten way better and being there for our teammates when we need them and our communication out of the back has been really helpful.”

In the first half, both team’s defenses were strong, and no one scored until roughly midway through the half. Windham senior Nola Bryant scored on a direct kick that went out of reach of the goalie.

Windham players took multiple shots at the Greely goalkeeper, and a short time later, senior Marley Jarvais scored, followed by Dries. At the half, Windham led, 3-0.

Intensity did not dip for the Eagles despite the heat. Jarvais scored twice at the top of the half.

“This was probably our best summer soccer game (of the season),” said Jarvais. “Our passing, our building out of the back, our goals, everyone was there ... to finish. Our crosses were amazing; we just played amazing as a whole team tonight.”

Windham controlled the field, and their defense remained tough. Dries scored and then sophomore Maria Rose found the back of the net.

“From this game, I think we’ve grown even from just like a month of soccer,” said Rose. “I think our season is going to be really good, we have very strong relationships on the team and we’re going to have a great year. I saw good communication, we’re fast, our passing and everything is really coming together.”

Windham varsity girls’ soccer coach Deb Lebel said they had some big holes to fill after losing nine seniors last year. Initially, they thought this might be a bit of a down year but quickly realized this could be a team they have the most depth on; they’re going to be able to rest kids a little bit. Last year, kids didn’t come off the field, and there’s more opportunity for that this year which has been a goal of Lebel’s; to get more players in and to get more kids involved and they should be able to do that in the fall.

“Great chance for some of the underclassmen to step up and give everyone a lot of playing time,” said Lebel. “We’re really starting to communicate better, so when they keep the width and play with each other that’s starting to really come together, making runs and it’s that second ball that they’re automatically getting there. That’s evolved over the summer. We’re still figuring out, where we can get the most out of kids; as we continue to gain confidence, we’ll still be in the thick of things come tournament time.” <

Windham well represented in 35th Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl

By Matt Pascarella

One of the most prestigious prep football games of the year is the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic, a senior-only game to benefit Shriners Hospitals. This year’s game was hosted by Lewiston High School on Saturday, July 19 and Windham was well represented this year by East players Brayden Penney and Byron Rubito, and for the first time since 2017, Windham was represented on the East cheerleading squad by Ella Roberts.

Windham High seniors Byron Rubito, left, cheerleader Ella
Roberts, and Brayden Penney gather following the 35th 
Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic football game at
Lewiston High School on Saturday, July 19.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Although East squad lost to West 41-6, football is only part of this event. The players each fundraised for Shriners Hospitals with 100 percent of the net proceeds donated to The Shriners Hospitals for Children, a network of 22 non-profit medical facilities across North America providing a variety of services and care to children in need. A gross amount of more than $235,000 was raised by all participating athletes in this year’s Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic.

“It’s way more than a game,” said Penney. “Most of those kids wish they were in my spot, playing football ... and it’s a blessing to raise the money to help them out – just an awesome feeling. It means a lot to me.”

Penney began playing football in second grade and says he loved it right away; football has always been a part of his life. Next year, Penney will attend Husson University in Bangor to major in business and play football.

"I want to thank my coaches, especially Coach Perkins for nominating me, and my boys back in Windham, I couldn’t be here without you guys,” said Rubito. “To be in a game like this, regardless of the outcome, to be able to raise money for people who are less fortunate than you and to have the ability to give back to them ... that’s one of the biggest things that I’ll cherish in my life is being able to say I raised a lot of money for them.”

Rubito started playing football because he was a little too aggressive at soccer. It was the coaches and the friendships that made him stick with it. He doesn’t remember the scores, but time spent with his teammates. He will attend the University of Maine to major in criminal justice.

East football coach Kyle Gallant from Hermon said both Brayden and Byron are really good football players and super positive on the field. They did a good job of keeping their nose to the grindstone, he said. Byron played on the offensive line and Brayden on the defensive line; Gallant said they were glue guys; and when the team struggled, they got them back on track. Both are good leaders on and off the field, the coach said.

“I was really excited and really happy (I was picked for the Lobster Bowl); and I’m really happy to be part of the team,” said Roberts. “It really wasn’t about the game, although it was fun; it’s more about the children. It’s more than a game because it gives (less fortunate) children more opportunities in life.”

Roberts moved to Windham during her freshman year and saw a girl in a cheerleading uniform and then commented that she liked that uniform. That cheerleader signed her up for tryouts and before Roberts knew it, she was on the team. She’s continued to cheer because she said it’s fun.

She will attend Eckerd College in Florida to major in animal studies and is committed to be a cheerleader in college.

“Ella was fantastic,” said East cheering coach Annie Dobos from Waterville/Messalonskee. “She conquered a lot of challenges this week and took it with grace and applied every correction that we were able to give her. She continued to push her team to be better and held herself accountable to make the team a complete success. Without her, when we were in some tough times, I don’t know how we would have had such a positive result as we did. Ella understood that at the end of this game, win or lose, regardless of what you did, the real winners are the Shriners patients and that’s why we’re here.” <

Windham Senior Legion baseball battles in doubleheader against Gray

By Matt Pascarella

Windham Senior Legion South Paw Post 148 baseball played a doubleheader with Gray Legion Warriors Post 86 at Gray New-Gloucester on Thursday, July 10. Windham came out strong in the first game and scored immediately. When Gray pulled ahead Windham tied it up; unfortunately, Gray won with a narrow 12-10 score. In the second game, Windham dragged a bit, and Gray won 8-2.

Windham Senior Legion South Paw Post 148 junior Shane
Plummer slides into home plate beating the tag during the
first game of a Legion baseball doubleheader at
Gray-New Gloucester High School on July 10.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“Doubleheaders are tough,” said Windham Senior Legion South Paw Post 148 coach Chris Doughty. “In the past we haven’t had a Legion team ... the competition is really good; you see good pitchers (and) guys that are going to play college baseball every day. We’re young. I think playing the doubleheaders it’s hard to stay focused (and in the game). The first game was very competitive; we’ve got a bunch of really good baseball players on this team from Windham, Lake Region and Fryeburg. I think the second game some of them just kind of relaxed a little bit. I talked (with the team post-games) about not just reps physically, but mental reps. As a coach, I can deal with the physical errors, but the mental ones are the ones that burn the most. I thought in the first game we swung the bats really well, threw a lot of strikes; in the second game, we had some innings where we were hitting the ball really well, we just lacked that big hit. We need to clean up the fielding; we made a lot of errors on easy balls that just can’t happen. That (first) game was the first time this summer it looked like the guys were ready to compete and win.”

In the first game, Windham junior Cameron Chappell scored after junior Camden Gardiner doubled in the first inning.

In the second inning, Chappell singled and brought in two runs.

Gray was quick to answer in the second inning when they brought in two runs. In the third inning, a few hits and a three-run home run gave them a 7-2 lead.

The fifth inning had Windham put five runs on the scoreboard when junior Braydan Wilson singled, and junior Shane Plummer walked. Chappell singled and Wilson scored. Freshman Ryan Manning walked and senior Josh Plummer singled; Shane Plummer scored.

Freshman Joey Small walked and brought in Chappell. Sophomore Justin Saunders popped out and Manning and Josh Plummer scored. Windham led by one.

Windham held the lead for a full inning, but Gray tied it up and pulled ahead.

“The first game we competed a little more and wanted to win,” said Shane Plummer. “I thought we were aggressive hitting, and we were running the bases well. The second game I felt like we just ... let them win pretty much. I thought we did better in the field. We made some better plays but didn’t swing the bats as well.”

Game two did not have as much intensity from Windham as game one. Gray jumped to a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Chappell doubled in the third inning. After Windham senior Anthony Rinaldi grounded out, Chappell scored.

Wilson doubled in the fourth inning and Gardiner singled. A groundout and Wilson scored.

Windham was able to reduce the runs scored by Gray.

“We wanted to win, and we had the mentality of just keep going,” said Windham sophomore Justin Saunders. “Battle through and we swung the bats pretty well, that’s what made us play better. The first game was better than the second. What needs work is joking around, and ... I need to work on that too. Some of us are dipping when we hit, I think that could help. Fielding, talking is a big issue and knowing where to throw the ball is something we can work on.”

Wilson said they competed in the first game and there were some solid spots where they put the bat on the ball. In the second game their approach was different; players took huge swings, trying to hit a homer instead of aiming for the middle of the field. <

Tales from the Woods: Turkey Season 2025

By Bob Chapin

If you didn’t harvest a wild turkey this spring, chances are you are already counting down the days until the next hunting season.

Bob Chapin

I was extremely fortunate this year as I was able to harvest one early in the season. Like the bank robber, John Dillinger, when asked why he robbed banks, he quipped, “Because that is where the money is.” Turkey hunting is the same way…before you can hunt them in a particular piece of woods you must know where they are hanging out and get permission from the landowner to hunt them there. That is why most successful hunters do extensive scouting before the season starts.

By scouting I mean you know for a fact that turkeys are in a particular piece of wooded terrain because you have “roosted them” there either at dawn or at dusk or what is referred to as the crepuscular hours. Go just before sunrise or just at sunset when they “fly up or down” from trees where they safely spend the night away from their many natural predators. In the spring the males or gobblers want to be close by the females or hens often roosting in the same or nearby trees. When they fly down at daybreak the gobblers already know approximately where the hens are.

Gobblers are very vocal and often gobble when they go to roost and gobble again in the morning before flying down. Gobbling is both a social communication, and in the spring, an announcement that they are ready to breed. Usually only the largest, oldest gobblers actually do the breeding, and they fight off the younger birds to keep that right. But like teenaged boys that doesn’t keep the younger males or Jakes from trying.

This year I had the opportunity to do sufficient early season scouting which meant several early morning get-ups which paid off as I confirmed the presence of one or more gobblers in the area I had to hunt. Early in the season I positioned myself off a logging road on a small plateau. I set up my decoys – two hen decoys and a small Jake decoy. The big boys cannot stand it when they think a youngster is moving in on what they consider their territory.

There are several schools of thought on how many of what kind of decoy you should use, and I’ve tried them all and they all work, sometimes. This year since I was hunting a smaller clearing in the woods and I limited myself to three. Some guys use only one. In a large field with great visibility in several directions I’ve used as many as eight including a large strutting gobbler. You may run the risk of intimidating potential suitors who would make a fine harvestable bird, but they are visible from a long way off and will often pull in hopeful males if you have a crowd of decoys.

It did not take long after 4:30 a.m. for the first couple of turkeys to sound off. The good thing about male turkeys is that if one sounds off the rest within hearing feel compelled to answer so it is not unusual to have turkeys gobbling in several quadrants at once. Sometimes you can tell you have more than one turkey approaching because they walk on each other’s calls. Several times I have had groups of three to four gobblers walk in together as they like to associate with other males despite the competition at the end.

I knew there were at least two gobblers approaching me from the overlapping gobbles they made. Unfortunately, they came in behind the tree I was sitting against, so I was unable to see them. You draw them to you by making sounds on calls designed to sound like hens. The decoys are designed to seal the deal and keep them focused away from you. Once they are close you do not want to make any movements, not your feet, your head, your gun, not even your eyes as they will pick it up in a heartbeat and be gone before you can react.

Trying to snap shoot fleeing turkeys is a fool’s gambit. These two were close enough to me that I could hear them “spitting” as it is called. Not what you would think but more like “P-s-s-st.” I could hear their feet in the wet leaves they were that close…but still not in sight. I knew they could see my decoys, but maybe my Jake gave them pause. They walked behind my tree and off to my right. I figured that was the best chance I would have all morning, and I just blew it. There were other gobblers around, so I continued to purr and cluck as hens do.

Out of the corner of my right eye I saw movement that materialized as two fully fanned out birds headed for my decoys again. They were slightly downhill from me and low growing vegetation blocked all but the tops of their fans and heads. They hung up about 40 yards out and proceeded to “display” for my hens, turning in circles next to each other, one lower down the hill than the other. I decided that that was the best shot I was going to get so when the top one turned to face me. I put the bead right where his neck met his chest and touched off a shot.

I was not prepared for the recoil the 3 1/2 inch .12 Gauge TSS-Tungston Stainless Steel shell was going to give me, and it knocked me back against the tree I was sitting against. I was not able to see what had happened to the bird as I could not see him from my seated position and I thought I might have missed him. I needn’t have worried though.

Once I got myself composed and went to where he was there on the ground there was not one, but two turkeys, shot with one shot! One was 19 pounds and the other turned out to be 21 pounds.

Fortunately, I was in a game management unit that permits two bearded turkeys in the spring season. My season was over in one shot, but a good season it was. How was yours? <

Windham girls’ basketball camp helps younger players to learn game

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity girls’ basketball team held their summer basketball camp for grades 3 through 8 at Windham High during the week of July 7. This was a great opportunity for younger basketball players to learn the game from varsity players.

Windham fifth grader Fiona McLeod looks to pass during
a scrimmage as part of the Windham Varsity Girls' Summer
Basketball camp at Windham High School on Thursday,
July 10. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Brody Artes, Windham’s varsity girls’ basketball coach, said there was about a 25 percent increase in the number of kids who signed up for the camp compared to last year.

“I wanted to get better, and the drills are very helpful,” said Windham seventh grader Lily Nickel. “Learning new things just helps you get better and improve; When you work hard you can achieve your goals. It’s fun working with the varsity players. They are all really kind and sweet and they’re very helpful and always there to help when you need it. I’ve learned some shooting exercises and gotten better at layups; I’ve learned some different dribbling (skills). (This camp) teaches you new things and the harder you work the more you get better.”

The goal is development of these young players and provide the opportunity for kids to come in and have some fun while teaching kids fundamentals that they can continue to build on as they grow up. The camp is also a great opportunity for those interested in basketball to get together to meet and play the game they love. The varsity team works with the really little kids during the season, but this is an opportunity to work with kids a little older.

Artes and members of his team instructed campers in basic fundamentals such as ball handling and shooting and talked about some transition techniques. They did a lot of team building and played some games where the campers had to work together with some competition. The program wants the kids to learn how to compete but also have fun and try to develop that positive culture overall.

“This week has been a lot of fun, just getting to know all the kids,” said Windham senior Chloe Delewski. “I think it’s been a great opportunity for them to develop their skills and be more comfortable on the court. They have been very respectful, they are taking (our instructions) in and absorbing it and using it to their full potential. In the games and the scrimmages, they are doing a great job.”

Delewski said she thinks this camp is important because they learn how to be on a team and not just do everything by themselves. She’s learning that it’s hard to coach. Basketball is a very fun sport and if it’s done with the will to get better, they’ll enjoy it for years and years to come. Delewski says she loves coaching the kids, they’re a great group of girls.

Windham seventh grader Brinley Sargent said she plays basketball all the time and the camp has helped her get better at finishing at the hoop and with ball handling. She said it’s fun interacting with varsity players and she likes learning the game from players who already play on the varsity team. They’ve done a lot of scrimmaging and various drills like shooting drills and ball handling drills, and it’s been a really good experience.

“It’s been great, it’s good to see a lot more interest in girls’ basketball coming up through the program,” said Artes. “Lot of kids that love to play, lot of kids that are super energetic about it. High school kids do a great job working with the kids, having fun, making the game fun. I think they’re having a lot of fun. The little kids look up to the varsity players; they see them play in the wintertime and the varsity kids love giving back to the little kids. Both sides benefit greatly. I think that helps a lot as far as a positive outcome. It’s a great opportunity for them to get to know me before high school ... that helps in the long-term.”<

Windham varsity basketball shuts down Greely with strong start

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s varsity summer basketball team faced Greely High in Cumberland on Monday, July 7 and its defense came out strong with Greely barely able to reach 10 points by halftime. All the while, Windham’s offense ran up the scoreboard with multiple players hitting three-pointers and the Eagles emerging with a 79-49 victory.

Windham senior Tyrie James wont be stopped as he heads
to the hoop during a summer prep basketball game against
Greely at Greely High School in Cumberland on
Monday, July 7.  PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

“I was just trying to come out here and play my best basketball,” said Windham junior Colin Janvrin, who knocked down at least five three-pointers. “We pushed the ball really well in transition and getting to the paint and kicking out for open threes or taking the layup if it was there. Something we got to work on is stopping middle drives; Greely would get to the paint a lot and have kick-out threes and it would just hurt us. We’re very confident with the team we have, and I think we’re going to go pretty far again and we’re going to have a really talented team this year.”

The Eagles took the court hungry and right away Windham sophomore Boston Krainis opened the game with a three-pointer. Moments later he hit another three-pointer.

Windham defense significantly held back Greely as they were unable to put many points up in the first part of the first half. Windham offense rebounded.

Senior Tyrie James sunk two three-pointers in a row. Janvrin sunk two three-pointers in the first half. Windham had a buzzer beater before the end of the half.

After one half, Windham led, 37-13.

“We pushed the ball well, I feel like we found our open shooters,” said James. “Defensively, we were pretty solid; we could work on rebounding. Everything you can work on, obviously. It was a great game in a hot gym, and we played well. There’s still more to work on and improve. We try not to let (the heat) affect us, but eventually it’s going to affect everyone; just got to stay hydrated.”

James said while summer wins are nice, players and teams can change a lot before the winter season begins, so it’s vital to not put too much importance on winning games.

The second half brought Janvrin opening with another three-pointer; then Moody followed suit as Windham intensity remained high – as well as temperature.

Janvrin sank two more three-pointers as Greely gained a bit of traction and closed the gap, but only a little.

Krainis hit two three-pointers as Windham answered by pulling away more. They were able to maintain the lead until the final buzzer.

“The guys just played hard,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “We’re trying to find out our identity, trying to figure out the chemistry our guys can have. We’re trying to find roles ... and I was proud of the guys; they did what they needed to do defensively. That’s what we can control how hard we play on the defensive side; our guys were pretty aligned there. We moved the ball really well and made a lot of shots, so that was important. What we need to work on is helpside defense, we let up a little bit and we got to keep that mentality to fighting to the last whistle and not give in; don’t worry about the scoreboard, just play through it. Those things we can improve on, we got a young team. Summer’s been great; the kids are bonding getting together, participation numbers are really big. Guys are getting into the gym early and getting their own shots up, so (there’s) a lot of hunger.” <

WHS seniors accept college athletic letters of intent

By Matt Pascarella

Seven Windham seniors Katelyn Cotter, Zoe Dries, Ava Gerrity, Carter Engelman, Tayla Pelletier, Marina Schwarz and Lukas Hammond signed their letters of intent at Windham High School on Thursday, May 28.

Windham seniors Marina Schwarz, left, Tayla
Pelletier, center, and Lukas Hammond each
signed college letters of intent at Windham
High School in May. Schwarz will attend
Thomas College in Waterville; Pelletier
will attend the University of New Hampshire;
and Hammond will attend the University of
Southern Maine in Gorham.
PHOTOS BY CHERI CROSSMAN and
MATT PASCARELLA   

The first group were profiled in The Windham Eagle’s July 4 edition; this is the second group of student-athletes to be profiled who signed college athletic letters of intent.

Tayla Pelletier – University of New Hampshire

“Profound impact, kind, humble, grit, devotion,” said Windham girls’ track and field coach Jeff Riddle about Pelletier. “As her junior teammate Sydney Broadbent said Tayla is the most dedicated athlete, teammate and leader that I’ve ever had the pleasure of being on a team with, despite the fact that she is highly successful in every event she tries, she maintains being humble, kind and is always encouraging me and all of her teammates. It’s not that Tayla demonstrates outstanding results in all that she does, it’s that she tries to master them, and she never stops. She consistently embodies the highest standards of sportsmanship, and character.”

Pelletier will major in exercise science and would like to become a sports physical therapist. She will also be on UNH’s track and field team.

“It was kind of relieving (to sign her letter of intent),” said Pelletier. “It sets what’s next in place. Windham sports has taught me determination while raising others up and working on yourself.”

Pelletier was in the top 10 percent of her 2025 graduating class and earned Honor Roll status all throughout high school.

Marina Schwarz – Thomas College, Waterville

“Her work ethic, resilience and unwavering commitment to improvement are manifesting in impressive results,” said Riddle. “These qualities make her a massive asset to our track and field program and broader community as well. She has safely gotten very strong and cultivated herself into an incredible shotput and discus thrower, a dedicated teammate and a true captain.”

Schwarz will major in marketing and minor in digital art. She’s undecided on what she’d like to do after college but has always wanted to be a real estate agent or possibly own her own business. Schwarz will be on the track and field team for throwing at Thomas College.

“I thought it was really good (to sign my letter of intent),” said Schwarz. “It was good to be along with some of my teammates ... it meant something to sign in front of my teachers, parents and all their friends; ever since my sophomore year I’ve tried my hardest with my grades. I received high honor roll in every single quarter and finished this year with all my grades being 97 and above.”

Lukas Hammond, University of Southern Maine, Gorham

“The adjective that jumps out the most for me when it comes to Lukas is overcoming adversity,” said Windham boys’ soccer coach Jeff Neal. “From a heartbreaker season sophomore year that started out with an injury, I’ve never seen an athlete work so hard to come back. From that moment ... Lukas has always overcome. He never asked a teammate to do anything he wasn’t willing to do himself and gave 100 percent. His leadership, second-to-none; always set the example and set the bar very high. He’s a team-first guy.”

Hammond will major in mechanical engineering and go into the engineering field. He will play soccer and lacrosse at USM.

“Teamwork is the best thing I’ve learned (from Windham,)” said Hammond. “Relying on the teammates and bringing them up is this whole collective thing I’m going to be able to take with me for the rest of my life.”

He finished in the top 10 percent of his class and his advice to underclassmen is to do what you love; freshman year Hammond was playing baseball, and he picked up lacrosse and loved it and soccer has always been a passion of his. <

Windham senior Freese first recipient of Pat Moody Foundation scholarship

By Matt Pascarella

During Windham’s senior awards night at Windham High School last month, the first Pat Moody Foundation scholarship was presented to senior Braycen Freese in the amount of $2,500. The Pat Moody Foundation was created after the passing of beloved Windham resident Pat Moody who loved this town and was a champion for the local sports community and its youth.

Members of the Pat Moody Foundation gather after awarding 
the first Pat Moody Foundation Scholarship at Windham High
School during Senior Awards Night on Thursday, June 5 to
WHS senior Braycen Freese. Back from left are Todd
Hamilton, Geoff Grigsby, Chad Pulkkinen, George McCrillis,
Jedidiah Merrill, Tyler Graves, and David Harrigan. Front
from left are Tracey Lydon, Braycen Freese and
Sherma Moody. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“He was like a second father to me,” said Freese. “When I saw the scholarship go up, it was an opportunity to be felt in his name again and he’s still around in my life. He was a mentor to me, through basketball, through life, through school – every part of my life, he was a role model. It’s a great thing to be the first one, just when I see his name and my name next to each other, it brings joy to my heart. If I was ever having trouble with sports, with school, he was always there to talk, he was always teaching me new things whenever I was struggling ... he would teach me new things to get through the humps. He always celebrated me more than I celebrated myself, so he made me feel special.”

Freese said he applied to honor Moody’s name. Freese consulted his basketball coach, Chad Pulkkinen, on what he should say in his essay; Pulkkinen’s advice to Freese was to just write what was in his heart.

“Braycen is a great kid, he’s top 10 in his class,” said Pat Moody Foundation Executive Committee board member Geoff Grigsby. “He graduated a year early; he had a real strong connection with Pat. As a board, our primary focus is to be an extension of Pat; live by the model ‘What would Pat do?’ Braycen meant a ton to him and vice-versa – someone who was instrumental to Braycen’s athletic achievements. There were such strong candidates, and we wanted to help as many people as we can within reason; we thought broadening (the scholarship) to three people was the right move.”

The Pat Moody Foundation was impressed with all applicants; they added two additional $1,000 scholarships; those winners were seniors Stella Jarvais and Lukas Hammond. It was very difficult for the Pat Moody Foundation board to decide on who the winner should be – everyone’s resume was so strong, and each applicant had done so much to meet the criteria. Each applicant got a “Moody’s Army” T-shirt, which is representative of people who’ve gone above and beyond in the community.

“We wanted civic-minded, well-rounded individuals, said Moody’s best friend and Pat Moody Foundation board member Tyler Graves. “We wanted student-athletes, just because that was kind of Pat’s medium in terms of connecting with kids. They all had amazing GPAs and cumulative scores, their citizenship and volunteerism were beautiful; they had to write an essay of how they were deserving and what Pat meant to them, plus a letter of recommendation from a coach or a teacher.”

Graves said Freese’s essay really stuck out because it delved into how much Moody affected him and shaped him over the past few years and that was really touching to Graves; this person knew Moody and the way they described Moody’s impact really tugged at Graves’ heart strings.

“I’m just honored to win” said Freese, who will attend the University of Maine Orono and major in mechanical engineering and then plans to attend law school. He is still deciding if he’d like to become a private attorney or mechanical engineer. <

Seven WHS seniors sign college athletic letters of intent

By Matt Pascarella

Seven Windham seniors including Katelyn Cotter, Zoe Dries, Ava Gerrity, Carter Engelman, Tayla Pelletier, Marina Schwarz and Lukas Hammond signed college letters of intent at Windham High School on Thursday, May 28.

The first group of student-athletes signing letters of intent will be profiled this week, with the remaining student-athletes appearing in next week’s edition.

Windham High seniors get ready to sign letters of intent 
to attend colleges and play sports. Back from left are
Zoe Dries, Katelyn Cotter, Ava Gerrity, Marina
Schwarz, and Tayla Pelletier. From from left are
Carter Engelman and Luka Hammond.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Katelyn Cotter – Husson University, Bangor

“Katelyn has been the cornerstone of our varsity team from her first match as a freshman to her final season as our captain,” said Windham varsity tennis coach Katy Dresnok. “She consistently demonstrated unwavering dedication, grit and poise on and off the court. She’s led by example, not just through her strong work ethic and play, but also through positivity and sportsmanship.”

Cotter will major in elementary education and would like to teach fourth or fifth grade. She will also play tennis.

“It was a big deal for me (to sign my commitment letter),” said Cotter. “When I started tennis freshman year, I never thought I’d be in the place I was today and play college tennis, so being able to recognize that ... was a huge moment for me.”

Zoe Dries – Colby-Sawyer College, New Hampshire

“Zoe’s impact goes far beyond the field or the classroom,” said Windham varsity field hockey coach Cory DiDonato. “She’s the definition of drive and dedication. Every early morning workout, every extra rep and every sacrifice is a testament to her relentless pursuit of excellence. I was able to depend on her all throughout her high school career to be a positive influence on those around her.”

Dries will major in nursing and would maybe like to become a travel nurse. She will also play field hockey for Colby-Sawyer.

“It felt really good and everything just kind of comes together and now I’m ready (for college),” said Dries. “It was also great to thank all my coaches and friends. My love for the sport and how we all felt like a family (is something she learned from Windham athletics); I’m going to miss this so much, but I’m also excited for my next couple chapters and seeing where I go from there.”

Ava Gerrity – University of Southern Maine, Gorham

“She picked up the game with remarkable ease, showing instinct and skill far beyond her experience,” said DiDonato. She’s a strong, independent young woman who carries herself with confidence and pride. The program benefited from having her around every day. Her opponents knew they were in for a challenge and her teammates knew they had a rock-solid defender they could count on.”

Gerrity will Major in biology and might pursue a pre-veterinarian track or pharmacy track. She took AP courses throughout high school and gained 10 credits for the fall. She will play field hockey and be on the track team for USM.

“It felt really good signing with my fellow classmates and just seeing where we’re going to go,” said Gerrity. “I wanted to do it because ... it’s a big deal for us to be able to sign together and have one last thing (we do) before we continue our academic and athletic careers in college.”

Carter Engelman – Northeastern University, Massachusetts

“His dedication and personal motivation have been unmatched, and his quest to be the best version of himself.” said Windham boys’ track and field coach Paula Pock. “He’s highly committed, very competitive ... he’s motivated, he’s innovative ... he takes the time to work with his teammates and demonstrates great sportsmanship.”

Engelman will major in chemical engineering but is undecided as to what he’ll do after college. He will also be on the track team for Northeastern.

“It’s always good to have a physical stimuli for an achievement,” said Engelman about signing his letter of intent. “It helps you feel the culmination of everything you’ve done and all the hard work you’ve put in.”

Third in his class, Engelman said Windham taught him that community is everything in any sport; having a support group and friends among your teammates is one of the largest things that contribute to your success. <

WHS girls’ lacrosse captures first-ever Class A state title

By Matt Pascarella

WHS varsity girls’ lacrosse team had already shattered records when it won its first-ever Regional Championship by defeating Falmouth on June 18. But it was far from finished and faced the team that had given Windham its only loss of the season, top-ranked Kennebunk, on Saturday, June 21 at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland with the Class A State Championship on the line. Windham emerged as State Champions with a 12-9 win and secured the first-ever state championship for the program.

Windham freshman Brooklyn Roy winds up to take a 
shot at goal and scores early during the Class A Girls'
Lacrosse State Championship Game against Kennebunk
in Portland on Saturday, June 21. WHS won, 12-9,
and won the program's first-ever state title.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Second-ranked Windham had a strong start and scored four goals in the first quarter. Windham’s defense held off Kennebunk and the Rams had a much harder time scoring than in their previous game against the Eagles.

“The connection we have with each other is unmatched; everyone trusts each other to the full limit,” said Windham senior Grace Joly. “We have girls stepping up that at the beginning of this season that couldn’t have – they really just jumped a step. Everybody looks for everybody; it’s not just two players running the whole field. Everybody is setting everyone up. (Comparing the two games) we were a little nervous, coming into our first game of the season, but we came into this game with a lot more confidence, knowing that we could do it and that set the tone.”

Windham won the draw and freshman Brooklyn Roy scored very early in the game. Seconds later Windham sophomore Morgan McLain scored and was assisted by junior Mady Donnelly.

The Eagles’ defense remained strong, and Kennebunk struggled to score, although they did tally one in the first quarter.

Windham remained intense throughout the entire game. They were first to the ball and passed well throughout. With just 18 seconds left in the first half, senior Grace Joly scored for the second time and WHS led at halftime, 7-4.

Junior Abby Trainor scored twice at the beginning of the second half against Kennebunk, once unassisted and once assisted by Roy.

“I think all parts of our team are really strong,” said Trainor. “Our defense is so locked down and we make quick adjustments and offensively, all seven people on the ball can score. They might not score, but they can score and anyone on the bench, too, can score. A lot of our goals are assisted ... it’s just very team ball. We’re patient and everyone is so skilled ... always being in the lead displaced (Kennebunk’s) momentum. We’ve been phenomenal on the draw all season.”

Going into the fourth quarter, Windham led by six.

“We were definitely tired (going into the fourth quarter), said Joly. “When you’re 12 minutes, six minutes, four minutes away from winning a state championship that really pushes you to dig inside the deepest part of you that wants to leave everything out on this field – especially since it’s your last game.”

Kennebunk made a little headway down the final stretch, but not enough. Windham led by three with 30 seconds remaining in the game. As the clock ticked away, Windham had possession, it became more and more evident that it was about to win its first state title and it did.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Windham girls’ lacrosse coach Matt Perkins. “I’m just so happy for these kids and this program. The kids and coaches that came before us to help build it and start it and all the work that’s gone into how we do things, how we work and how we treat each other, just really special to see it happen today. We did a much better job taking care of the ball (compared with when they played Kennebunk earlier in the season.) We took care of the ball well, we ... controlled the tempo, even when it was up three points, we still had control.” <

Windham High wins second Class A State Softball title in three years

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High’s varsity softball team derailed top-ranked Cheverus in the Regional Championship Game and then took on seventh-ranked Edward Little at Saint Joseph’s College on Saturday, June 21. Windham got the bats going early and immediately put runs on the scoreboard, ultimately winning 7-0 and capturing its second state championship in three years.

Windham junior Addison Caiazzo swings at a pitch while
batting against Edward Little during the Class A Softball
State Championship Game at Saint Joseph's College
on Saturday, June 21. WHS won, 7-0, to earn its 
second state softball title in three years.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA
 

“I think our chemistry as a team (led to the win),” said senior Stella Jarvais. “We all love each other; and I think we were doing it for each other. It’s just amazing, having this bond with the kind of people that you love and cherish and getting to practice and seeing everyone’s face is the highlight of my day. Being able to get in this game, the final game of the season, that’s what we wanted to do because we wanted to spend as much time as we could together. We’ve prepared and we’ve worked so hard. Obviously knowing this is our last game, just keep it simple; we know how to play together.”

Windham defense sent the first three Edward Little batters back to the dugout in the top of the first inning. But in the bottom of the first inning, Windham scored when junior Addison Caiazzo tripled for Windham and was followed by a single by Jarvais scoring Caiazzo. Junior Oakley McLeod reached first base and when freshman Yani Kostopoulos doubled, McLeod scored.

Windham would eventually put runs on the scoreboard in every inning but the fourth and fifth.

In the third inning, senior Kennedy Kimball reached first base following an error. McLeod singled and Kostopoulos singled. Sophomore pinch runner Abhilasha Jain scored. Later in the inning, McLeod scored on a passed ball, as did Kostopoulos.

Kimball had 11 strikeouts, no walks and no errors in the game and she only allowed three hits. She threw 84 pitches, 63 of which were strikes.

In the sixth inning, Windham senior Chloe Edwards singled and Jarvais grounded out, scoring Edwards.

“Our main goal for today was communication and keep talking to each other ... that was a big key for us”, said Caiazzo. “Once you get quiet your mind starts to wander, so just talking to everyone, talking on every pitch, kept us in the game. It feels amazing; I’m so blessed that we have the seniors we have this year – so thankful, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without them.”

In the top of the seventh inning, Windham was three outs away from another state title and recorded a strikeout, a fly out before allowing several singles. A final strikeout started the championship celebration for Windham.

“Surreal (to win a second state championship in three years),” said Windham varsity softball coach Darcey Gardiner. “I never thought taking this job I would have the caliber of athletes that I have. I can’t say enough about this team. They show up to work ... to get better and they show up every day to compete. This is where they want to be. They want to be playing the last game every year, and I couldn’t be prouder of my team. 17 girls in that dugout today, we don’t win it without one through 17 supporting us all.”

Gardiner said a lot of practice and preparation led to the victory. Their biggest focus was the change in pitchers it expected to face. The team had been prepared for a while to face Cheverus’ Addison DeRoche and now they had to turn the page and face a pitcher who wasn’t her. The coach said having pitchers like Lydia Marden, Lacie Higgins, Abhilasha Jain made their offense better by pitching to WHS batters during practice. She said the championship game wasn’t just won on Saturday, rather it was won throughout practice all week long. <

Windham softball wins second Class A Regional Championship in three years

By Matt Pascarella

Second-ranked Windham varsity softball made program history again when it won its second regional title in recent years, ousting top-ranked Cheverus at Saint Joseph’s College on Tuesday, June 17. Cheverus had beaten Windham twice in the regular season, but Windham came in ready to go and sent the Stags packing 1-0 as the Lady Eagles advanced to the Class A State Championship.

Windham Senior Chloe Edwards slides into home plate to
score Windham's winning run in the Class A Regional
Championship Game against Cheverus at Saint Jospeh's
College on Tuesday, June 17.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“It felt like we deserved it; it was a team win; we came here as a team and that’s how we executed it was together,” said Windham senior Chloe Edwards, who scored Windham’s winning run. “I saw that the ball was in the air, I had a good lead on it, and I had to go. It went past her, and I went.”

Windham defense only allowed four Cheverus hits. Windham senior pitcher Kennedy Kimball struck out eight and only walked two; she threw 69 strikes out of 98 pitches.

Cheverus loaded up the bases in the first inning, with one out; strong pitching by Kimball, plus stellar Windham defense left those bases loaded as they ended the inning.

Windham was able to get the bats going in the second inning when junior Nola Bryant doubled to left center field.

The game was scoreless until the top of the third inning. Windham loaded up the bases when Edwards walked, junior Addison Caiazzo singled and senior Stella Jarvais singled. A hit from Kimball to center was a fly-out, and Edwards didn’t tag up to score. She corrected the mistake on a passed ball and crossed home plate for the only run of the game.

“It definitely helped us that we’ve seen (Cheverus pitcher) Addison (DeRoche) for two games, that was a bonus for us,” said Windham varsity head coach Darcey Gardiner. “They stayed together and constantly played together and that’s why in moments like the first inning (Cheverus) bases loaded, seventh inning runner on – we talk about give and not break, that’s the composure that we want our girls to have, and it was awesome to see them show up with it and act like we’ve been here before.”

While Cheverus shut down Windham in a few innings, Windham returned the favor and never let them cross the plate.

In the bottom of the seventh inning, a walk put a Cheverus runner on first base with one out. Kimball struck out one and then a ground out ended the game.

“We had timely hits when we had runners in scoring position,” said Kimball. “We had good at-bats and were able to get more people on base than we had before, which was good. We did well in the field, we made all our plays in the infield and that was nice.”

In preparation for the state championship, Kimball said they need to make sure the team stays healthy and to brush up on any mistakes the coaches might have noticed during this game.

“As much as you say there’s not nerves, there always is,” said Gardiner. “If we keep communicating, that helps settle our nerves. We say in the dugout ‘stay within ourselves.’ Going into that seventh inning we said, ‘it’s a 0-0 ballgame, let’s keep playing like it’s a 0-0 ballgame.’ It goes back to us having composure with baserunners on. We can give a little without breaking and that’s exactly what we did today. It’s very hard to break this team.”<

Windham boy’s lacrosse falls in playoff quarterfinals

By Matt Pascarella

Fourth-ranked Windham boys’ lacrosse came into their Class A quarterfinal with fifth-ranked Cape Elizabeth ready to get the win at Windham on Friday, June 13. Unfortunately, Cape took control early and kept a commanding lead for most of the game. Windham stuck with it, but Cape Elizabeth defense was intense. The Eagles lost 14-3 after 48 minutes.

Windham junior Garrett Winslow watches as his shot heads 
for the net and into the goal against Cape Elizabeth in
the Class A boys' lacrosse quarterfinal playoff game
at Windham High School on Friday, June 13.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“I think our team’s a great team,” said Windham freshman Liam Reinbold, who scored a goal for Windham in the second half. “We came into this, we had a lot of practice, and we were all positive, it just didn’t go our way. I think we planned for the right things, just unfortunate turns; Cape is a solid team. We knew it was going to be hard ... we got to work harder in the offseason, and we’re going to beat them next (time). They came out of the gate strong, but offensively we looked great; we got our opportunities. It’s just how it fell. I love these boys, we came together, and we had some tough games, it was a great season. We’re going to come back stronger and stronger and hopefully win it all.”

Despite Windham’s intensity on the field, Cape Elizabeth jumped to an early lead and scored six times in the first quarter.

In the second quarter Windham junior Garrett Winslow scored. He scored again before the end of the first half.

Windham continued to take shots at goal, but not much got by.

“We came into this game, we prepared for it all week,” said Winslow. “We knew what we needed to do, who we needed to guard, who we needed to lock off. We did what we needed to do; we just weren’t necessarily awake at the beginning of the game. It started off super slow and then we got a couple man-ups, which helped us out, got some momentum from that and then it really started to unravel when we all started to put our heads down. Not necessarily giving up, but we already played this team once and it went the same way. In a sense we were all trying to still comeback – we’ve come back in plenty of games this year. We kept putting each other up, we weren’t arguing; it was a team game for sure. Some things didn’t go our way. We were doing anything we can to get a shot off.”

In the second half, Windham sophomore goalie Zachary Gagne had several nice stops.

Windham defense was able to slow down Cape Elizabeth’s offense a bit and they scored less in the second half than the first.

In the fourth quarter, Reinbold scored.

“The mindset going in was, do the things we need to do,” said Windham boys’ lacrosse coach Peter Small. “Focus on our things; we know what we think they’re going to try to do, we just have to then play it as best we can. At the end of the first quarter, they were still of that mindset ‘just one goal at a time’ ... and even at halftime they recognized the mountain has gotten bigger, but you can’t think about the mountain you have to take it one at a time and Windham is very good at that. I think Windham elevated their character over the season; they took what we did last year and built on it and worked together as a team. The seniors will be dearly missed – they helped lead this foundation of who we are. We’re going to carry that tradition on for them.”

Windham senior Levi Hayman said this season meant so much to him because of the team’s chemistry.

According to Windham senior Cole Heanssler, this season was all about how well Windham worked together and drove to be the best they could possibly be. The team this year has definitely been the most connected group that he’s been a part of during his lacrosse career; the team was great at putting in the work, and it showed during the season.<