Windham I girls’ varsity summer soccer sails past Freeport

By Matt Pascarella

After Windham shutout rival Gorham 4-0 on Monday, July 6, the Windham I girls’ varsity summer soccer team headed to Freeport to play Freeport on Wednesday, July 8. Windham scored twice in the first half and really turned up the intensity in the second half, with Eagle defense holding back Freeport. Windham scored one goal in the second half to win the game, 3-0.

Windham sophomore Carly Franzoni is about to kick the
ball into the goal during a girls' summer soccer game against
Freeport at freeport High School on Wednesday, July 8.
PHOTO  BY MATT PASCARELLA

“The summer is all about getting to know the kids,” said Windham I varsity girls’ summer soccer coach Deb LeBel. “Seeing who can play in different positions, who’s going to step up and fill in, getting the underclassmen more comfortable with the upperclassmen. It’s really about making connections and building where we left off last year. We had some outstanding coaching by Jimmy (Stewart) and (Chris) Aube. Players are starting to really take what the coaches are saying and really apply now. Their soccer IQ is getting higher, and patience. When we’re patient and switch it through the back to the other side, good things happen.”

The Eagles came out with intensity, but Freeport defense was strong and turned the ball over several times. That didn’t last long as Windham was quick to regain the ball and then took several shots at the goal.

Aggressiveness paid off for Windham when part way through the first half, senior Denali Momot scored. They kept it going when Windham sophomore Carly Franzoni scored before the end of the half.

Midway through the game Windham led, 2-0.

“I think we fixed our mistakes and stayed wide and played as a team which we’ve been getting better at,” said Franzoni. “Once we turned the ball over, we got the ball right back. Some communication (needs work); we just weren’t sure who got the ball or sometimes there would be someone in the middle without getting the ball in. I think we can learn that we got confidence from the game today and we can go into other games with confidence.”

Intensity did not dip for Windham in the second half as they turned up the heat and gave Freeport’s goalie a real workout with shot after shot after shot at the goal.

On a corner kick Momot knocked the ball right past the goalie and into the goal.

“We communicated very well, we’re a very fresh team,” said Momot. “A lot of people are coming up from junior varsity, so we haven’t played a lot together, but I think we’re doing really well with that. In the second half we talked a lot more, the wings made sure to stay wide, opened up the field, and that worked really well. I feel like we need to make sure to stay wide, as we didn’t do that in the first half. We changed a lot going into the second half and it worked very well. We’ve learned to play a lot quicker ... we need to make sure to play as a team and don’t hold the ball for too long.”

LeBel said a lot of the kids have made big steps in the offseason, and the team is hungry and ready to go. She said they need to keep building trust with each other and learning their teammate’s strengths; Windham is in a good starting spot. <