Wrestling team shows strength at Cheverus Invitational

Assistant Coach Chris Smith, Jason Hart, Gabe Rosado, Andrew Martin, Owen McDuffie, Scott Ingalls, Garrett Allen, Head Coach John Nicholas. Submitted photo

By Matt Pascarella

Windham/Gray New Gloucester (GNG) travelled to Cheverus High School for the second annual Cheverus Invitational which took place on Saturday, January 18^th. The meet had ten other competing schools/teams: Biddeford/Thornton Academy, Cheverus, Deering, Fryeburg Academy, Gardiner, Kennebunk, Monmouth, Mountain Valley, Oceanside and York.

Scott Ingalls wrestled first in the 138-weight class against Kennebunk. Ingalls quickly escaped his opponent’s grip and after a short time pinned Kennebunk.

Gabe Rosado wrestled Kennebunk in the 126-weight class. Rosado fought hard and locked his hands to keep his opponent in position. Rosado flipped his opponent and pinned him.

Owen McDuffie wrestled Gardiner in the 152-weight class. He was aggressive and slammed his opponent to the mat. McDuffie was quick and escaped the hold of his opponent. He pinned Gardiner for the ‘W.’

Jason Hart wrestled Cheverus in the 182-weight class. He got a take down and pinned for the win.

Garrett Allen took on Mount Valley in the 285-weight class.  He pinned his opponent less than 30 seconds into the first period.

In the 160-weight class, Dante Felix wrestled Biddeford/Thornton Academy. He pressured by lunging after his opponent. Felix took Biddeford/Thornton Academy right to the mat and held them there. Neither team was able to pin the other, but Felix got the win.

Andrew Martin wrestled in the 170-weight class against Deering. Martin’s intensity got a take down and held his opponent to the mat, until pinned.

Ingalls, Rosado, McDuffie, Hart, Allen and Martin all made it to the finals. After several good matches; Martin was the champion; McDuffie and Allen came in second; Ingalls third; Rosado and Hart fourth.

“It felt good to just feel dominant,” said senior Andrew Martin. “Coming out and winning a tournament for a school that’s coming up and making people [see] that we’re on the rise.”

“Any time you can bring home six medals with nine kids, is a pretty good day,” remarked coach John Nicholas. “I was happy with the day overall. The kids are working hard and we’re doing really well. The ultimate goal is to push as many kids through to states, so we still got a couple weeks to work it out.”

Jordan-Small Middle School soccer: Learning and having fun all season

Taylor Juhase

By Matt Pascarella

In their last home game and second to last game of the season, the Jordan-Small Middle School boys and girls got back-to-back wins against Fryeburg. The teams and players have been learning, improving and having fun all season long.

“We started our season losing pretty big,” observed girls’ coach, Adina Baseler. “They worked really hard, and now we’re ending the season [on a better note.] They’ve come quite a way.”

When it comes to experience, this is a mixed group. There are a couple who play on travel soccer teams, but Baseler has five players who this is their first time ever playing soccer. The remaining players have varying levels of experience.

Baseler describes her girls as ‘the true meaning of team.’ They support one another, they are always encouraging, and they have become a little family.

The girls have learned how to communicate and that will definitely benefit them come next sport or next season. They’ve also learned how to fill the spaces on the field, which is not an easy skill to learn, but is very important.

“I learned to try my best and not give up,” explained eighth grader Taylor Juhase. “I play travel soccer and it’s definitely different...so I need to learn it’s a different atmosphere.”

The girls ended the first half up after Maya VanHise, #12, put two between the posts. They played strong and moved the ball well, being aggressive. VanHise scored once more and Jordan Small took this game 3-1.

The boys also lost their first game, but after trying their new formation and, as Coach Jim Beers described it, “[the team] learning to play with each other”, things got better from there. During the following practices after that first game, Coach Beers stressed the importance of getting in the right spots and playing with each other and learning how to pass. “The biggest key to our success is passing the ball and looking for each other,” added Beers.

Ever since they learned to play together, it’s clicked up and down the field. Now they look for each other as a group, instead of one player wanting to be the team superstar every game. On a team of 22 guys, 14 of them have scored during a game.

“I think they learned possession and how to play as a ten-person group,” Beers continues. “It’s getting them disciplined that is important.”

“Coach has taught me a lot about sports including soccer, like dribbling, or to be on the field and I’ll use that a lot in basketball...and in soccer next year in high school,” said eighth grader Login Desrochers.

Fryeburg scored early and the boys were down. Toward the end of the first half, Login Desrochers, #20, scored. The boys were aggressive and took several shots on goal in the second half. Noah Mains, #34, Hunter Simpson, #9, and Jake Gagne, #13, all got one by the goalie and Jordan-Small won, 4-1.

Annual Unified Basketball Festival competition includes pizza party

By Matt Pascarella

The unified basketball team participated in the annual Unified Basketball festival on Tuesday, March 12 at Gorham High School. The festival is composed of several teams who each play each other in fifteen-minute games and then after all the teams have played each other there is a pizza party.

Kayla Fillinger

These were very exciting games and by the looks on the player’s faces, they were having a good time. Windham played in three games against Fryeburg Academy, Gray New Gloucester and Gorham.

Fryeburg Academy

Windham had great offense and defense. They had excellent teamwork and did well passing the ball and sinking baskets. The Eagles fought hard during this game, but Fryeburg won 34-20.

Gray New Gloucester

Windham was consistent from game to game with their strong offense and defense. They had a lead early on and were doing well to maintain it. Windham had several solid steals, blocking shots and giving 110% on the court. The Eagles were able to hold off Gray New Gloucester and take this game, 18-12.

Gorham

Windham wasted no time sinking baskets and getting rebounds. They were off to an early lead and were neck and neck with Gorham. Windham had nice hustle and were aggressive in going after the ball, keeping this game close. With the clock winding down, the game was tied at 20. With seconds left, Gorham gains possession and was able to score, winning 22-20.

“It was a great end [to the season] we had three close matches and one strong win; fabulous games,” commented coach Anne Blake.

Austin Rice, Natale Medina, Brianna Webber, Jansen Dione, Kayla Fillinger, Cameron Malone, Ben Silva, AJ Mains and James Tucker...you all did a great job this season!