With a fifth consecutive win, third-place Windham outlasted second-place Portland during a very rainy semifinal playoff game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Friday, Nov. 6. Windham defeated the former state champions 21-14 as the Eagles advanced to the Class A North Final.
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| Windham senior Landon Wyman will not be stopped as he navigates by defenders during the Class A North prep football semifinal playoff game against Portland at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Friday, Nov. 6. PHOTO BY LAVON MCKOY |
“The strategy coming into this game was composure,” said Windham junior Jordan Pastore, who had 104 rushing yards. “They have a good play; we get back up and have another good play. Eventually those good plays stack up, and we beat them on the scoreboard. My coaches always say focus on the first five or six yards and that’s what I did. I played for my seniors, and I just wanted to get the job done for (Windham) so we could come back next week. We went back, we watched film, we saw everything, it was all self-inflicted wounds. We knew that we could go in there, make some plays and beat ... Portland.”
The Eagles came out hungry and ready to shut down the Bulldogs. Both defenses held each other back and kept the first quarter scoreless.
In the second quarter it was second and six Windham from the 21-yard line. They moved the ball up to third and goal; Pastore scored. The extra point was good, and Windham had a 7-0 lead.
“They got some great players, and we found a way to stop Portland,” said Windham senior Landon Wyman. “We made plays specifically for them, because we knew they were going to overlook us and weren’t going to focus on us. We came out here and proved them wrong. We came out with a winning mentality and got it done. We have a great team.”
Pastore found the end zone in the second quarter. The extra point was good as the Eagles pulled away from Portland. At halftime, Windham led 14-0.
“Tonight was the loudest sideline I’ve seen us have,” said Windham junior and quarterback Patrick Davenport, who had 52 passing yards. “The most energy we brought to the field, the most energy we brought to the locker room, the most energy we had on the bus; there wasn’t much that was stopping us tonight. Cleaning the game up ... the little things (needs work).”
The third quarter had Pastore scoring his third touchdown of the night. Portland answered and scored toward the end of the third quarter.
Portland scored again in the fourth quarter but Windham played smart and ran out the clock.
“I thought the kids were incredible, they did everything we asked, and I thought they handled the good moments and the bad moments and ... stayed pretty even for four quarters,” said Windham varsity football coach Matt Perkins. “Even at the end of the game, Portland had scored too late and ... it was one of those situations where we had to take care of the clock, get a first down, and I thought the guys understood the moment and finished. I thought Windham really played amazing. Our physicality and maturity were night and day compared to (when we first played Portland in the regular season). How we handled ourselves, how we got off the ball, how we handled play-to-play and our composure. Expectations were to compete play-to-play and not get caught up in the moment whether it was good or bad, but to handle things with maturity; to deal with good and bad situations and play a full game which we didn’t do (when we played Portland in the regular season).”
Windham will play first place Oxford Hills in the Class A North Final at Oxford Hills High School in South Paris on Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff is at noon. <
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