Windham’s Estella Inman what every coach wants in an athlete

Estella Inman, center, joins her parents, Kristen and Hal
Inman, during a ceremony at Windham High School in
which Inman signed a Letter of Intent to attend the 
University of Maine Orono and compete on that school's
track and field team. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

Estella Inman began competing in track and field her sophomore year at Windham High, but COVID-19 and then an injury delayed her advancement. She made up for it through intense training and her strong efforts have her presently ranked No. 1 overall in shotput and discus in the state and No. 2 overall in javelin and signed her letter of intent on Thursday, May 5 to attend the University of Maine Orono and participate in the women’s track and field program.

Inman is ranked third in her high school class academically and also competes in cross-country, indoor track and recently began powerlifting.

She’s wanted to sign her letter of intent for four years ever since she saw a friend of hers do it, and she said she wanted to be a part of collegiate athletics.

Windham cross-country and girls’ outdoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle said Stella is the definition of excellence. She is a positive teammate, and her dedication is exemplified by her progression. Inman has a relentless pursuit to progress and achieve the excellence she expects of herself.

Riddle said she brings her team along every day in that pursuit.

Inman recently broke Windham High School’s discus and javelin records set in 1992. Her new discus record is 119 feet, and her new javelin record is 118-07.00.

In indoor track last season, she became a shotput state champion when she threw a distance of 37-10.75.

Inman is close to breaking the school’s shotput record and plans to do so this season.

“Stella has always been that kind of teammate who works hard every single day in practice,” said teammate and Windham junior Elise Schultz. “She’s that kind of person who you want to walk in the room and see and seek her out. She’s definitely a model athlete.”

Inman has been running cross-country since she was a freshman and began competing in outdoor track her sophomore year. Unfortunately, it was canceled because of COVID-19. Inman was going to compete in indoor track her junior year but was not able to because of an injury.

Once recovered from this injury, Inman began powerlifting her senior year. In March, she placed first in her division during a powerlifting competition.

In the spring season of her junior year, she began competing in outdoor track and field. She went to states for javelin and shotput but did not compete well. Inman trained all summer and began getting more competitive in outdoor track and field. That competitiveness has led up to where she is now.

“In my over 20 years of coaching track and field I can’t remember having a young lady who had greater potential to be an outstanding thrower than Stella,” said Windham javelin coach George McCrillis. “I have not coached someone who has worked so hard to fulfill that potential. I have no doubt she has paved the way for more young ladies to feel comfortable doing the same.”

Inman said to get to this point has taken a lot of training and consistency. She’s had to push herself to work out when she might not feel like it.

“Having teammates there to support you is what makes everything worth it,” she said.

Inman would like to thank Coach Riddle who has been pushing her to be a better athlete since she began cross-country. <

Windham indoor track squads end season with multiple impressive showings

Windham senior Estella Inman is shown moments before her
throw topped all competitors and she became the state shot
put champion. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 
  

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s indoor boys’ and girls’ track teams showed their increased abilities against schools from all over the state in the Class A Maine indoor track state meet on Monday, Feb. 21 at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.

Both Windham teams finished 10^th overall with the boys scoring 14 and the girls scoring 16.

Windham senior Estella Inman became a shot put state champion when she threw a distance of 37-10.75 feet.

“It feels pretty good,” said Inman. “I’m proud of myself and how far I’ve come.”

Inman added the team has become really close and she enjoyed seeing her teammates improve over the season. Inman is hoping to break Windham’s shot-put record of a little over 38 feet during the outdoor track season.

Windham junior Connor Langstaff placed in the high jump, the triple jump and the long jump.

Boys

Langstaff finished second in the high jump with a height of 5-10.00. He finished fourth in the triple jump, soaring 41-01.25. He placed sixth in the long jump with a distance of 20-02.00.

Langstaff was pleased with how he did. He got personal records in the long jump and triple jump.

Windham senior Will Stewart finished 10^th in the triple jump with a distance of 38-10.25. In the 55-meter dash, Stewart finished 18^th with a time of 6.97 seconds. This was a personal record for him.

In the 4x200, Windham’s team of Stewart, sophomores Jinqu Li, Aiden Hanson and senior Colby Conolly finished top 20 with a time of 1:44.05.

“Overall, I’m really pleased with the team,” said Windham boys’ indoor track coach Paula Pock. “Our goal was to focus on individual personal records, and I think that paid off.”

Girls

In the high jump, Windham freshman Ava Gerrity finished sixth with a height of 4-10.00.

Windham senior Isabel Dionne got a personal record and finished sixth in the pole vault with a height of 7-06.00.

Windham sophomore Khalysia Hammith finished 11^th in the 55-meter dash with a time of 7.73. Hammith finished 12^th in the 200-meter dash with a time of 28.25.

Windham senior Mckenzie Crossman placed 12^th in the long jump with a distance of 14-08.00.

“I feel great ... definitely their practice and workouts have paid off,” said Windham girls’ indoor track coach Denise Curry. “That’s our first state champion ... in the last five years.”

Curry said that she knew the girls could get some points and they did; Dionne placed in the pole vault, Gerrity in the high jump and they moved up a spot in the 4 x 800 relay. <

Windham cross country teams a major success at regional competition

Windham senior Estella Inman makes her way into the last stretch
of the Southern Maine Class A Regional Championship race
on Oct. 23 at Twin Brook Recreation Area in Cumberland.
PHOTO BY MATT PASC ARELLA

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham cross country team returned to Twin Brook Recreation Area in Cumberland for the Southern Regional Cross-Country Championships for the first time since 2019 on Saturday, Oct. 23 and both Windham boys’ and girls’ cross-country teams had high enthusiasm as they ran the course for the first time in two years.

Windham senior Isabel Dionne finished first in the girls’ race and 34^th overall with a time of 22:57.62 minutes.

The girls pushed and gave an incredible effort coming within one spot of qualifying for States. They finished ninth with a total of 225 points and a team total of 1:59:13.62.

Windham junior Caleb Young finished first in the boys’ race and 49^th overall with a time of 19:04.43.

Nobody held back on the boys’ team, and they finished with an average team time of 20:05.52.

“There was literally nothing but success today on every level of sport; athletic, team effort and individual effort,” said Windham’s cross-country coach Jeff Riddle. “No one left anything out there and it was just so great to have the opportunity to be back.”

Riddle said the last three weeks of preparation manifested itself today. He added the system is working and both teams are finding their confidence and that way to race together and race forward. He said there was a lot of maturing with regards to the sport.

Girls

“It was a lot more sentimental because it was my last time running here,” said Dionne. “I had a lot more drive and every single hill I took more as a gift than as for granted. We all have learned how to run this course … everyone had fun and that was our main goal.”

She added holding back for the first mile helped a lot because once she hit her second and third mile she began passing people and that upped her adrenaline.

Behind Dionne was senior Estella Inman who finished second for Windham and 45^th overall with a final time of 23.39.53.

Windham junior Elise Schultz finished third for Windham with a time of 23.43.53 and placed 47^th overall. Windham senior Eve Schultz followed and placed 54^th overall with a time of 24:09.29.

Boys

“It’s a really tough course; a lot of hills, especially towards the end,” said Young. “It’s a fun course … a lot more energy. We did really well as a team; everyone ran … pretty strong.”

Young added his strategy was to keep pace with a couple different groups and get into a comfortable place and not worry about where other runners were until the end.

Windham freshman Andrew Young finished second and 51^st overall with a time of 19:10.21. Windham Junior Roman Thomas finished third for the team with a time of 19:32.45. Sophomore Graden Joly finished fourth for Windham with a time of 19:38.58.

“If you understand what [the team] did and how the system is working and how they are responding to it together, today was a major success,” said Riddle. “It was high success on every level. And we’re here doing it – so that already puts us over the top.” <