Windham track team unstoppable in State Championship meet

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s entire outdoor track and field season was working up to this point all spring as its boys’ and girls’ squads competed against teams from all over the state in the Class A State Championship meet at Lewiston on Tuesday, June 10.

Windham senior Rory Good leaps over a hurdle during the 
Class A Track and Field State Championships at Lewiston
on Tuesday, June 10. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Windham boys finished fourth with a score of 49 and Windham girls finished 10th with a score of 37.75.

Boys

In the pole vault, Windham senior Carter Engelman became a state champion with a height of 15-feet, a new personal record and a new school record.

“For the last two years at a state meet Carter has not met his expectations in a heartbreaking way as being able to come and perform,” said Windham pole vault coach Jeff Neal. “So, to see him do this, 100 percent huge personal record; it’s all the hard work. I couldn’t be prouder of him, a class act.”

Engelman had been tied with an injured Scarborough pole vaulter. They were given the option to break the tie or be co-champions.

Coach Neal said Engelman was steadily improving and probably could have beat him. Engelman said he would not beat an injured guy, showing in addition to skill, class and sportsmanship.

“It feels good; I feel like I’ve earned it, I’ve had a lot of help,” Engelman. “Track is one of those things where everything builds on each other. I just wanted to perform to the best of my ability and not have regrets about how I performed.”

Engelman was also the 110-hurdles state champion with a time of 14.72 seconds. Right behind him was Windham senior Rory Good with a 14. 85 time, a personal record.

Good finished second in the 300-hurdles with a 39.98 time.

In the 200-dash senior Karl Longstreth finished fifth with a time of 22.53.

Windham’s 4x100 relay team placed fourth with a 43.98 time.

“I think we’ve been really excited,” said Windham boys’ coach Paula Pock. “We’ve been working hard up until this point and to see them pull it all together – Carter and Rory in the 110, Rory had a huge personal record, he took almost two seconds off from what he did last year. I think it’s been a strong day.”

Girls

Windham senior Marina Schwarz finished second in the shotput with a distance of 35-6.5. She also finished fourth in the discus with a massive throw of 107-11.

“As a coach, watching Marina throw in her second full year with so much development was just amazing to see. As a dad, it was very emotional,” said Windham throwing coach William Schwarz.

According to Marina Schwarz it felt really good for her to have such a great throw in the shotput; she went from placing 10th to placing second.

Senior Tayla Pelletier kept moving forward after a fall in the 100-hurdles. She finished second in the 300-hurdles with a 46.33 time and first in the triple jump with a distance of 37-9.25.

“It’s definitely not how I wanted it to go,” said Pelletier. “My goal for today was to give it what I’ve got and do everything I can to get the best marks at the end of the day. After the fall ... was hard. You have to brush it off and focus on the next thing ... getting to change my mindset and getting back into what I know I can do, was my win for the day.”

Junior Addison Shanholtz placed second in the pole vault with a height of 9-0.

Senior Olivia Smith ran 52.58 in the 300-hurdle, a personal record.

“Tayla Pelletier learned the hardest lesson is sport. Her response was her lesson and opportunity at the state championships – pretty amazing response because it was a devastating situation,” said Windham track and field coach Jeff Riddle. What went really well was that we showed up, we were prepared for the situation. Marina ... epic mental game growth, and a massive shotput personal record; very consistent and impressive results at discus. The 4x800 relay team was able to get on the podium (10:40.96-minute time). Our 4x100 team was incredible with their handoffs they worked for two weeks on that and today was super smooth and super great.” <

Windham High’s outdoor track and field teams showcase skills in early season meet

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s boys and girls outdoor track and field teams headed to Noble in North Berwick to compete against Noble and South Portland in the second meet of the season. Windham girls finished second with a score of 70 and Windham boys finished second with a score of 47.

Windham senior Marina Schwarz sets up to throw the javelin
during a track meet against Noble and South Portland
in Berwick on Thursday, May 1.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

Girls

Windham senior Marina Schwarz threw the discus for 100 feet for the first time ever, with a distance of 100-0, and a third-place finish. Her sister, freshman Jennifer Schwarz, did the same, with a throw of 100-7, and finished second.

Marina Schwarz also placed third in the javelin with a throw of 74-11, shattering a previous personal-best record of hers. She placed third in the shot put with a throw of 30-04.50 and qualified for the Southern Maine Activities Association’s competition, as well as the state championships.

“After doing this for three years it felt good to break that boundary and then I watched my sister do it,” said Marina Schwarz. “I broke one personal record last year in javelin and this is my second this season, and this is only our second meet, so it felt good. The more people push each other the more they get better; I think our team is doing great this season.”

Windham senior Ava Gerrity finished second in the long jump with a 15-03.75 distance.

In the 1600-racewalk, Windham senior Monica Farley finished first with a 10:58.25-minute time. Windham sophomore Leana Robbins finished second with a time of 11:08.21.

Many WHS athletes tried new events including Sydney Broadbent in her first 300-low hurdle race; Stephanie Roghelia in first pole vault; Addison Shanholtz, Olivia Smith, Eva Vancelette in their first-triple jumps; Brooke Tuttle in the high jump; Myla Vercoe running the 4x400 relay; Sarah Inman in her first ever 1600-racewalk and Lexie Beach in the open 400.

“A very, very impressive and important outcome for us as we work weekly to build our championship meet rosters,” said Windham outdoor track and field girls’ coach Jeff Riddle. “Truly the team is uniting, smiling, and trying new things, all while giving everything they have, their very best, on that day.”

Boys

Windham senior Carter Engleman finished first in the pole vault with a 12-00.00 height, first in the javelin with a 151-05 throw, and first in the long jump with a mark of 21-00.50. He was first in the 110 hurdles with a time of 15.07 – a new WHS school record.

Windham senior Rory Good finished first in the 300 hurdles with a time of 41.71 and second in the 110 hurdles with a 15.50 time.

“I think the meet went well,” said Good. “A lot of us set personal records pretty good. We kept our heads up, a few of our teammates got personal records, but they’re still looking to drive more – they’re passionate, they’re ready, I think it’s going to be a good season for us. For me, my blocks need improvement. For the team, in the relay we can work on being loud, because we had a mess up; as a team I think we could pick each other up a little bit more, other than that I think we’re doing great.”

Windham junior Karl Longstreth placed second in the 100-dash with an 11.11 time. He had set a new record in the 200-dash in a previous meet and placed second in this meet with a 22.68 time.

“Overall, the team had a great performance with a lot of personal records,” said Windham outdoor track and field boys’ coach Paula Pock. “Including Aaron Sanborn in the 400, Noah Saucier in the triple jump, Ethan Fletcher in the 100, Brayden Bean in the javelin, Mason Bragdon in the 1600. Overall, we had a great meet, and a lot of athletes did an amazing job and tried new events. Our goal is to carry on the momentum and continue to build on our early performances.” <

Windham indoor track and field teams go full strength in Class A State Championships

By Matt Pascarella

As the winter indoor track season draws to a close, a select team from the Windham High boys’ and girls’ teams headed to the University of Southern Maine in Gorham on Monday, Feb. 17 to compete against schools from all over the state.

WHS senior Carter Engelman clears the pole vault bar
during the Class A Indoor Track and Field State
Championships held Feb. 17 at the University of Southern
Maine in Gorham. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Out of 23 teams, Windham’s girls finished sixth overall with a score of 33; while the boys finished eighth with a score of 26.

Girls

Senior Tayla Pelletier became a state champ and set a new school record of 8.46 seconds in the 55-meter hurdles. She also placed first in the triple jump with a distance of 36-8.5 feet; she finished third in the long jump with a 17-5.25 distance.

The girls 4x800-meter relay wasn’t slotted to make the podium (top eight), but the team of senior Abigail Dumont, juniors Emma Fox, Demetria Nicholas and Sydney Broadbent earned a seventh-place finish with a time of 10:56.78 minutes.

They’ve been working since July; even working hard in the cold. It was rewarding to place seventh and a bonding experience. The three juniors gave it their all for Dumont.

Windham girls’ indoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle said these girls perfectly fit the mission statement of this team. They exemplify who the Windham team wants to be.

“I just wanted to give it my all, that’s usually how I go into meets,” said Dumont. “I knew I’d been preparing all week; I’m going to be bold; I’m going to be brave; I’m going to have grit ... it definitely helps to have my girls with me, they pushed me through it. I’ve worked hard and I’m just super proud of all of us.”

In the triple jump, senior Ava Gerrity placed seventh with a distance of 33-5. In the long jump she had a distance of 15-6.

Senior Marina Schwarz threw 30-11 in the shot put and finished in seventh place.

Junior Nealie Morey finished seventh in the high jump with a 4-10 height.

“These state qualifiers had to sustain focus, put in real time, and work really hard for each and every inch gained, or time drop earned all season,” said Riddle. “We make the impossible, possible. We ... are very impressed with our athletes' attitudes and capacities to work to overcome the constant hurdles in our way. Senior captains had to lead us to outwit the short cold days of winter, train in hallways, constantly lift each other up, all as they pursued their goals as well. How these senior captains and seniors powered through it all stood out to us.”

Boys

Carter Engelman tied his personal best height in the pole vault and came in second with a vault of 14-6. He came in third in the 55-hurdles with a time of 8.04. In the long jump he finished eighth with a distance of 20-9.75.

“It’s always good to be here, the competitions always great,” said Engelman. “I was mainly just competing against myself. I think I’ve learned a lot about myself today, (even if) the times and heights haven’t been there. It’s definitely a good learning experience.”

In the 55-dash, senior Karl Longstreth beat his own school record with a time of 6.56.

“I thought all of our hurdlers did an awesome job,” said Windham boys’ indoor track and field coach Paula Pock. Carter and Rory (Good) both did excellent in the 55-hurdles; Carter just started long jumping this season and he ended up placing in that which was a bonus event; then he came back and got second, tying the school record in the pole vault. He is now in the top 10 for (indoor) pole vaulters in the state of Maine. Another surprise was Mason Arbour in the high jump, he ended up placing sixth place and he’s coming off a really bad flu ... that’s definitely a highlight.”

In the 55-hurdles, Good came in fourth with a time of 8.06.

In the high jump, jump Arbour finished sixth with a height of 5-10.

Junior Connor Witham finished the 200-dash with a time of 24.90. <

WHS indoor track and field excels in USM New Year’s Invitational

By Matt Pascarella

To kick off 2025, Windham’s indoor track and field team participated in the University of Southern Maine’s New Year’s Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 4 where they competed against schools in Class A, B, C, and D as well as schools from New Hampshire.

Windham senior Ava Gerrity soars through the air during
the New Year's Invitation Indoor Track Meet at the
University of Southern Maine in Gorham on
Saturday, Jan. 4. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Two Windham athletes placed very high in the meet’s Pentathlon, an event that consists of the 55-meter hurdles, the high jump, shot put, long jump, the 800-meter for the girls and the 1000-meter for the boys. Senior Tayla Pelletier finished first for the girls with a mark of 2947 and senior Carter Engelman finished second for the boys with a mark of 2902.

Boys

“My only prior experience with multi-events was a decathlon from last year, and since I enjoyed that kind of competition then I figured I should try it again,” said Engelman. “Also, times when I can compete in this kind of event are rare and I’d figure I’d make the best of this chance. I was very satisfied with my performance as it was a result of the hard work I’ve put in this year so far. I had four (personal records) in the five events in the pentathlon as well and I’m extremely happy with how I performed.”

Junior Mason Arbour finished fifth in the pentathlon with a score of 2587.

In the 55-dash, junior Karl Longstreth finished sixth with a 6.70-second time. In the 200, he finished fifth with a time of 23.65; both personal records for him.

Senior Rory Good finished seventh in the 55-hurdles with a time of 8.48; a new personal record.

According to Good, competing in the Invitational was fun and he likes getting to run against some of the fastest people in and out of the state. Some things that went well for Good were his blocks felt better than they usually do, and he did well with the nerves and really focused in on the race. He said he needs to work on his turnover between the hurdles which is what is really slowing him down.

Junior Nick Verrill had a height of 5-06.00 feet in the high jump.

“We decided to use this meet to ... see how we could perform against top performers from all over Maine and some teams from New Hampshire,” said Windham boys’ indoor track and field coach Paula Pock. “We were really happy to see the boys step up against strong competition and really perform their best. We look forward to carrying this momentum into the next few weeks.”

Girls

In the high jump, junior Nealie Morey finished third with a height of 4-10.00. She also finished fourth in the long jump with a distance of 16-00.00.

“I feel like I’m very much a well-rounded athlete, so I like being able to showcase it, and I always have a lot of fun doing (the Pentathlon),” said Pelletier, who also placed first in the triple jump with a 36-09.25 distance. “It was great ... I knew I had a good chance to come in first. I’m really glad I did it, it’s a lot of fun and a lot of prep work you got to do, but it’s always worth it.”

Junior Addison Shanholtz placed ninth in the pole vault with a height of 7-00.00.

“I think yesterday went really well,” said senior Ava Gerrity who finished sixth in the long jump with a 15-07.50 distance and sixth in the triple jump with a 32-09.50 distance. “It definitely set the tone for a good season ahead. I’m happy with how I performed but l can’t wait for more meets to see further improvements.”

Senior Marina Schwarz finished 10th in the shot put when she threw a distance of 30-03.25.

“This meet set the tone for our ladies to always show up and bring their best on the day while together they make it fun,” said Windham girls’ indoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle. “All while staying in the pursuit of our team and individual goals. This meet was an incredible opportunity to learn how to navigate and stay composed while competing in big meets. It helped them gain experience in how bigger championship level meets are run. This ... builds their confidence (and) is worth experiencing to learn how to prep for the regional championships, States, or even for the New England Championships. It also shows them what is possible and that they too can compete on this large stage.” <

Windham High’s indoor track and field team ready to start season

By Matt Pascarella

Since mid- to late-November both the Windham High School boys’ and girls’ indoor track and field teams have been practicing and working on their skill sets and technique as the start of their regular season nears.

Windham senior Carter Engelman practices hurdles in the
halls of Windham High School on Thursday, Dec. 12 as
the WHS indoor track and field team gets ready for the
start of the season launching Dec. 21 in a meet at the
University of Southern Maine in Gorham.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Teams have been practicing indoors, in gyms, working out in the weight room and outside to make sure they start the season strong. Both newcomers and veteran athletes have set goals for themselves and are nervously ready for the season to start.

“With track it’s all about self-improvement,” said Windham senior Carter Engelman. “I love to (achieve personal bests) in my events, that’s my goal. I’m hoping for 14-6 feet in the pole vault; looking to break the school record in the 55-hurdles too. I’d love to see everybody improve, we’ve got a lot of great new freshman, and a lot of great returning runners and jumpers and they’re putting in the work and it’s going to be great to see them improve. There’s always a level of nervousness. I’m able to decrease the pressure myself by making it about improving and not comparisons, but there’s always a little bit of stress.”

To help prepare, Engelman and the boys’ team have been doing a lot of running and have been focusing a lot on strength in the weight room. They are also focusing on the technical aspect and dialing it in before the season, making their forms better and working hard to make improvements.

“We have a lot of good leaders and a lot of kids that are really stepping up helping with practices and helping the younger athletes,” said Windham boys’ indoor track and field coach Paula Pock. “They are getting anxious to compete. We’re really focusing on our strength and (being) mentally strong to help us get through some of those events and just not overthink it. We know we’ve put in the hard work and now we have to put it together in the meet. Our goal is to see a lot of kids qualify for the Southwestern and state meets. We have some kids that are setting some high goals to perform well at those meets.”

The girls’ team has new members who are excited to be part of the team and are ready to compete.

“I love to work out and running is always fun and to be part of a team (is why I joined indoor track),” said Windham freshman Taylor Hall. “I heard great things about the coaches, so I wanted to see what that was like. I would love to do really well in the 50-yard dash as well as the long jump; hopefully come close to the school record, maybe even break it. Definitely (get a personal best) in everything and to become a nicer, more talkative person to my peers, being part of a team helps with that. I love the feeling of the nerves though; it helps you get going.”

According to the girls’ indoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle, each day is an investment in how the team will train to implement into the next day. The first two and a half weeks, they were just investing for the next day and the day after that. The team has responded extremely well to all of it and Riddle helped to ease any nerves by telling the team that the first two meets are like a practice with your uniform on.

"Setting the sequence and flow of each day that’s how you build to capacity,” said Riddle. “I would like to see the team unified and have a blast doing this, to showcase and perform everything that they’re learning into their events and do it for and with each other. I think they’re going to have significant success.”

Windham’s indoor track and field team kicks off the season at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21 at the University of Maine in Gorham against Bonny Eagle, Deering and Falmouth High Schools. <

WHS Cross Country teams qualify for state championship meet

By Matt Pascarella

For the first time since 2015, both Windham’s boys’ and girls’ cross country teams are going to the Class A State Championships after a strong performance in the Southern Maine Class A Regional Championship on Saturday, Oct. 26 at Twin Brook Recreation Area in Cumberland. Since 2015, there has been a variety of combinations of one WHS team qualifying or individuals qualifying, but it's been a while since both teams have qualified. The girls’ team finished seventh with a score of 199 and the boys’ team finished eighth with a score of 237.

Windham sophomore Eva Vancelette maintains her focus
during the Southern Maine Class A Regional Cross
Country Championship race at Twin Brooks
Recreation Area in Cumberland on Saturday, Oct. 26.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“Many of our present athletes appropriately and safely started their quest to get to compete at States in late June – at last Summer’s ‘Unlock Your Potential’ Cross Country Camp to build their present fitness and mindset, both highly needed to extend a cross-country season,” said Windham cross country coach Jeff Riddle. “The boys finally put it all together, together. The girls’ team showed up unified and ready to compete, they were locked in. Our sport is one of true grit with no rest, nowhere to hide, no breaks, and it is raw. So, if fit, feeling well, and with a winner’s mindset, the only thing stopping a cross-country athlete is themselves. Our boys and girls let it fly last Saturday, ran the race plan, then together earned something that very few teams do. Our goals for them at the State meet are to first authentically enjoy their earned time together ... and to then go improve their finish position by reducing their race time.”

Girls

Windham junior Sydney Broadbent finished first for Windham and 32nd overall with a time of 22:34.92 minutes. Behind her was sophomore Eva Vancelette who finished 37th overall with a 22:55.60.

Junior Lila Stanley finished third for Windham and 42nd overall in a time of 23:09.00.

“As a team, we stayed as a pack,” said Broadbent. “I think our top four or five finished within like a minute and a half of each other, which is amazing. We all started out fast, which was exactly what we wanted to do. Just maintained and stayed confident throughout the race. As a team, we wanted to give it everything and finish with nothing left in the tank ... we know that this course is really hard, everyone struggles and everyone’s in the same conditions. We all gave it our everything and we did exactly what we wanted to do today. Knowing that both teams made it ... shows how much determination we have as teams and as individuals. The team has learned to work really well together in the races, and we put so much time into this season, we put everything into this team. We earned our spot at states.”

Boys

Sophomore Mason Bragdon finished first for Windham and 35th overall with a time of 18.51.30.

Second for Windham and 39th overall was senior Andrew Young with a time of 18:55.87. Third for Windham and 41st overall was junior Caleb Saucier with a time of 19:01.77.

“It’s definitely nice to see everybody step up,” said Bragdon. “I think it took a lot of effort, from a training aspect; it took the miles and hours and hours to get here. And it just all came together. From the start of the morning, everybody was feeling good ... overall while running the course it was good – it was that usual exciting feeling you get while running. First was definitely a goal and my goal was to pull the rest of the team forward. Our ultimate goal was to pull off today. When we run, we pull each other up and we finish. Some things I saw today that went really well was we all got off the line really fast and we did a good job maintaining our paces through the second mile; we had our five through seven runners push up which is what really got us to states this year. New Englands is the ultimate goal, but if we can place really well, I think that’s also a good end to the season.” <

Windham’s indoor track and field teams perform well in regional competition

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s indoor track and field boys’ and girls’ teams turned in stellar showings while competing at the regional competition against schools from all over Southern Maine on Saturday, Feb. 10 at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham. Windham’s girls finished second with a score of 121 while the Windham boys’ team finished eighth with a score of 69.

Windham sophomore Nick Verrill clears 5-10.00 feet in the
high jump during the indoor track and field regional
competition at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham
on Saturday, Feb. 10. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Girls

“The opportunity at the ... Indoor track and field Championships validated the detailed work that the Lady Eagles team had put in all season,” said Windham girls’ coach Jeff Riddle. “What the team needed to do to contend for a top team finish was for each relay team to surprise the field and make the podium, no matter if they were entered into slower heats or the fast ones; and each relay team did just that and more. These relay results were well beyond what we forecasted so are the perfect example of how the ladies have fully elevated their mindset and our program. All five relay teams were able to [make the] podium. Beyond that, each player's individual contributions in their events led us to our second-place overall result, a first time for our program.”

Sophomore and state qualifier Nealie Morey came in second in the 55-meter hurdles with a finals time of 9.50 seconds. Originally, Morey hadn’t qualified for this event, but was able to get in.

“When you have a certain amount of people that can go in the event and they don’t fill it, they [take] people who were close,” said Morey. “I just went in there and was trying to go as fast as I could. It feels good to support my team in ways that I didn’t think I was going to and contribute those points.”

Morey finished first in the triple jump with a 32-02.25 foot distance.

Also in the triple jump was sophomore Myla Vercoe, another state qualifier, finished fifth with a distance of 31-02.25.

In the 55-meter dash senior and state qualifier, Khalysa Hammith finished second in the finals with a time of 7.55. She also finished second in the long jump with a 15-07.00 distance.

Junior Ava Gerrity finished first in the long jump with a distance of 16-02.75 and was second in the triple jump with a 34-02.75 distance.

Senior Beth Bearce finished fourth in the 600 with a 1:36.08 time.

Both Bearce and Gerrity are state qualifiers.

Sophomore Addison Shanholtz got a personal record in the pole vault with a height of 7-00.00 feet.

“I was thinking I want to try and do my best, but no matter what I did,” said Shanholtz. “I was working my hardest to have fun and enjoy it while I can. I’ve worked really hard ... jumping [with] a different pole was helpful.”

According to Shanholtz, everyone has worked hard to benefit the team.

Boys

In the 55-dash, sophomore and state qualifier Karl Longstreth finished second with a time of 6.75, a new school record. He also finished second in the 200 with a 23.92 time.

In the 55-hurdles, sophomore Mason Arbour finished fourth with a time of 8.48. He finished first in the triple jump with a 39-11.00 distance and qualified for the state competition.

“I like being around this team,” said Arbour. “Overall, our team did really good, and everything just clicked. I think everybody is looking good for states.”

In the high jump, sophomore and state qualifier Nick Verrill finished first with a height of 5-10.00.

“I think the warmups were pretty good,” said Verrill. “We’ve been training really hard ... for this and states. I think the whole team is doing pretty good. We just have to keep the form and practice.”

Senior Marcus Tillery finished sixth in both the 55-dash with a time of 6.71 and the 200-dash with a time of 23.89, along with qualifying for the state competition.

In the 55-hurdles, junior and state qualifier Carter Engelman finished eighth with an 8.36 time. He came in third in pole vault with a height of 12-00.00.

Senior Jinqi Li finished eighth in the pole vault with a height of 9-06.00.

In the 1-mile open run, junior Andrew Young finished with a time of 5:01.49 in 12th place.

“I'm really proud of these boys,” said Windham boys’ coach Paula Pock. “They all work exceptionally well together and are constantly focused on improving. Overall, the boys had a great day with almost every athlete meeting their seed or getting a personal best. Next week, the team will be competing in states, and we hope to continue setting personal bests through pushing each other to improve.” <

Windham’s cross country teams finish extremely strong in regional championships

By Matt Pascarella

Pouring rain did not stop the Windham cross country team from showing they were ready to compete in the Class A Regional championship on Saturday, Oct. 21 at Twin Brooks Recreation Area in Cumberland. The Windham girls’ team all qualified for the state championship and the boys earned a 10th place finish; just one team spot shy of going to the state championship.

Windham sophomore Sydney Broadbent keeps a steady pace
early in the Class A girls' Cross Country Regional
Championships race at Twin Brook recreational area on
Saturday, Oct. 21 in Cumberland.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Girls

“We knew it was going to be rough,” said Windham sophomore Sydney Broadbent, who finished second for Windham and 19th with a time of 21:56.44 minutes. “We knew that everybody was running in the same weather and conditions were going to be the same for everybody and in some ways, it could help us because we’ve worked so hard and prepared since July for this. We were ready for it, and we came and fought, and we did it. We all kept fighting and ... kept going, kept pushing, and we put in the work this season and it paid off today. Everybody worked extra hard – we gave it our all, we gave it everything.”

Junior Tayla Peletier finished first for the team with an 18th place finish overall and a 21.56.32 time.

Sophomore Emma Fox finished third for Windham and 47th overall with a 23:40.61 time. Right behind her was senior Elizabeth Bearce with a 23.50.52 finish.

Sophomore Abigail Dumont finished fifth for Windham with a 24:09.41 time; she knocked off more than a minute from her 2022 Regional Championship finish time.

Boys

“It’s a good day to race, with the rain, it cools you off, it makes you feel fine,” said Windham junior Andrew Young who finished first for Windham and dropped over 20 seconds off his 2022 Regional Championship time with a 2023 time of 18:04.92. “Definitely a little slippery ... definitely a good race. As a team, we were really unified; we were hyping each other up, we all felt good. We met our expectations; I was very pleased with my performance. I have to give credit to my team, everything our coaches and our team has done has prepared us for this race.”

Seniors Graden Joly, Jinqi Li and sophomore Gavin Lawler all dropped times. Joly finished second for the team and 35th overall with a time of 18:32.53. Li finished third for Windham with a 19:41.63 time.

Lawler finished fourth for Windham with a time of 19:42.76. He dropped an entire minute off his previous Regional Championship time.

Freshman Mason Bragdon finished fifth for the team in his first ever Regionals Championship race. He had a fantastic time of 19:56.47.

“We think the weather was an asset because we made it so,” said Windham cross-country coach Jeff Riddle. “We needed to work extremely consistently and extremely well together to have a shot to do what we did today, and they responded and did it. I think the biggest thing that's going well is that the girls are a tight, tight true team and the boys are progressing to that end.”

According to Riddle, they will treat the State Championships no differently than the Regional Championships; they will reset and get back into it. States is not a finishing point; it is a goal and that has opportunities of things to qualify beyond there.

The State Championships will take place in Belfast on Saturday, Oct. 28. <

Expectations high for WHS cross country squads

By Ed Pierce

Under the guidance of veteran coach Jeff Riddle, Windham High School is looking for another strong season for cross country runners in 2023 and continuing to demonstrate why the team remains a tough challenge on the schedule for competitors across the state.

Windham senior Graden Joly is
expected to provide leadership
and be one of the top cross
country runners for WHS during
the 2023 season.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Riddle, a former SMAA Coach of the Year, is effective at developing runners to reach their full potential and motivating his teams to excel year after year.

This year will be no exception, according to Riddle.

“WHSXC (Windham High School Varsity Cross Country) Girls and Boys teams are harnessing and focusing their excitement to best compete this fall,” Riddle said.

This year’s team is made up of 33 dedicated runners with 14 girls and 19 boys, and the coach says that both the boys’ and girls’ squads are excited to once again have foreign exchange students contributing as team members on both rosters.

“This summer at WHSXC Camp a number of the runners spent time effectively learning some new ways to consistently train; and the team is already experiencing the benefits of the time put in over their summer,” Riddle said.

According to Riddle, Windham’s returning cross country veterans recognize that they will need to lead their new teammates and elevate them to fill some of the top 7 scoring gaps left vacant by last year's graduates.

“The 2023 team is up to that challenge,” the coach said. “To date, the team had a great showing at the Dan Dorr's Lake Region Invitational race where the girls were team champions, and the boys earned a respectful second-place finish.”

He said that the teams are looking forward to each race opportunity in front of them.

“They will compete in large invitational races again this fall including The Southern Maine Classic in Gorham and the Festival of Champions in Belfast to name a few,” Riddle said.

Among the top returning runners for Windham’s cross country girls’ team this fall are junior Tayla Pelletier and senior Beth Bearce, while the boy’s squad will feature senior Graden Joly and junior Andrew Young.

To date in her prep career, Pelletier has recorded a personal best time of 17:31.40 at 4,000 meters at the Freeport Falcon 4K Cross County Challenge, and Bearce has posted a personal best time of 23:17.00 for 5,000 meters at the SMAA Meet at Portland.

Joly has set a personal best time of 14:22.00 at 4,000 meters at the Freeport Falcone 4K Cross Country Challenge and Young was first in the State Championship meet in a time of 18:39.85 as a sophomore.

On Sept. 8, Windham will travel to compete in a meet at Biddeford and then journey to Narragansett for the Fleet Feet Classic on Sept 16.

On Sept. 22, the Eagles host Westbrook/Sanford/Thornton Academy and will compete in the Festival of Champions on Sept. 30. The Eagles then travel to face Scarborough on Oct. 6 before the regional meet on Oct. 21.

The State Championships will be held in Belfast on Oct. 28. <

Windham outdoor track and field team reaches great heights during Southwesterns meet

By Matt Pascarella

As both Windham High School’s outdoor track and field teams prepare for the state championship meet tomorrow at Mt. Ararat High School, Windham had an extraordinary showing at the Southwesterns championship meet on Friday, May 26 at Gorham High School.

The Windham girls came in third place with a score of 61 and the boys came in 13th finishing with a score of 14.

Windham sophomore Tayla Pelletier leaps over the hurdle
and out past the competition during the Southwesterns
championship meet at Gorham High School on May 26.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

Girls

“The team united, brought their synergy, ... and worked to meet our goal of reducing self-inflicted pressure [and] just have competitive fun performing in an earned championship meet,” said Windham girls’ outdoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle.

Riddle said strategies evolve over weeks prior to championship meets and during meets coaches offer feedback to players; the responsibility of the opportunity turns to the players. So, if they get elevated at this high level, things like a third-place finish manifest.

Sophomore Tayla Pelletier crushed it as she came in first in the triple jump, achieving her best distance ever of 37-02.00 feet and setting a new school record. She finished first in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 15.67 seconds; first in the high jump with a 5-02.00 height, and third in the 300 hurdles with a time of 46.50, which also set a new school record.

“Having the teammates there just hyped me up,” said Pelletier. “My goal was to not focus on what anyone around me was doing, but to focus on me and getting my best.”

Pelletier said the competition was tough, but it’s nice having competition that pushes you to be your best. She said everyone on the team was giving their all.

In the long jump junior Khalysa Hammith finished third with a distance of 16-00.25. Sophomore Ava Gerrity finished seventh with a 15-00.75 distance.

Gerrity finished second in the triple jump with a 33-08.75 distance.

Sophomore Addison Profenno finished third in the 1600 race walk with a time of 9:51.44 minutes.

In the discus, sophomore Marina Schwarz finished 12th with a throw of 77-05.

“There was a strong sense of team and unity throughout the entire meet,” said senior captain Elise Schultz.

Senior captain Adriyanna Edge said everyone there had the same emotions and anxieties which made it easy to come together. Many were competing to further the team to get to the state championship.

Boys

Windham finished third in the 4x100 relay with a 44.98 time.

Senior Derrick Stephens finished seventh in the 110 hurdles with a time of 16.16 and sixth in the 300 hurdles with a time of 43.03; his season’s best for both events.

Also in the 300 hurdles, sophomore Aiden Hanson finished ninth with a 43.92 time, a personal record.

Sophomore Carter Engelman finished sixth in the pole vault with a height of 11-00.00 – an improvement of 18 inches. He got a personal record in the 300 hurdles with a 44.81 time.

“I had a really good day today,” said Engelman. “I wanted to [achieve a] personal record today and I did, I was really happy with that performance.”

Engelman said it was cool to see opponents who have been competing longer than him and to see what their technique and form is. Windham has been really strong this year.

Senior Connor Langstaff finished eighth in the long jump with a distance of 19-04.75 and seventh in the triple jump with a 38-05.00 distance.

Langstaff wanted to compete better than he had been in the past. He said he achieved that and is proud. He said competition was intense, and Windham competed very well.

Junior Ezra Foster threw 134-00 in the javelin and finished eighth; a season’s best for him.

Senior Scott Ingalls finished eighth in discus with a 116-06 throw.

Senior Max Arbour finished sixth in the shot put with a distance of 40-09.25.

“Our goal going into Southwesterns was to get more individual qualifiers for [the] state meet and for all the athletes to step up their performances for the big meets,” said Windham boys’ outdoor track and field coach Paula Pock. “We had a lot of athletes who are new to track and field and they ... had some incredible performances. The team did great at cheering each other on and helping each other perform to the best of their abilities.”<

Windham track and field team finds success at Cheverus meet

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham girls and boys outdoor track and field teams showed strength in a meet against Cheverus, Westbrook and Massabesic at Cheverus on Thursday, May 4. Both Windham teams finished first. The boys had a score of 102 and the girls a score of 121.50.

Windham senior Derrick Stephens leaps over the hurdles
during an outdoor track meet against Cheverus, Westbrook and
Massabesic on Thursday, May 4 at Cheverus High School.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 
 

Boys

“Out of the 38 participants, 37 of them had personal records for the season,” said Windham boys’ outdoor track and field coach Paula Pock. “After working on some technique after our first meet, it really paid off.”

Senior Max Arbour qualified for the state meet and finished first in shot put with a distance of 43-02.00 feet.

Freshman Nick Verrill finished second in the high jump with a height of 5-08.00.

Senior Connor Langstaff finished third in the javelin with a 114-01.00 throw.

Freshman Karl Longstreth qualified for the state meet when he finished third in the 200 with a 24.19 second time and fourth in the 100 with a time of 11.78.

Junior Aiden Hanson finished first in the triple jump with a distance of 36-09.00 and first in the long jump with a distance of 17-10.00. Hanson finished third in the 300 hurdles with a 43.86 time and qualified for the state meet.

Junior Jinqi Li achieved a personal record when he came in second with a height of 9-6.00 in the pole vault.

Li said the 150 pole is the one that got him over and he’s very happy with that. He hadn’t gotten any personal records in the pole vault, so he’s really happy with the improvement. He said the team did great, especially under the dreary weather conditions; Li is happy to be on such a good team.

Senior Scott Ingalls came in first in the discus with a distance of 127-00.00 which was a personal record and qualified him for the state meet.

Sophomore Erik Dupont finished fourth and set a personal record with a javelin throw of 114-01.00.

Dupont set a goal to qualify for states next meet.

Senior Derrick Stephens finished first in the 300 hurdles with a 43.22 time and in the 110 hurdles, Stephens finished second with a time of 16.25.

Girls

The girls are currently undefeated in regular season meets.

Junior Khalysa Hammith finished first in the 100-meter dash with a 13.36 second time. She finished first and qualified for the southwesterns and state meet with a 16-03.00 jump.

Sophomore Ava Gerrity qualified for state and finished first in the high jump with a 4-10.00 height. She was first in the triple jump with a distance of 32-05.50.

Freshman Nealie Morey had a personal record and a second-place finish in the triple jump with a distance of 29-08.50. Morey finished second in the high jump with a 4-06.00 distance. She finished first in her heat of the 400.

"I assumed the people I was racing against were right behind me, so I kept trying to push myself,” said Morey.

Morey was pleased with how she performed during the meet. She knows there are improvements that need to be made that she’ll work on in practice. She said it’s fun to cheer on her teammates and watch them improve all-around.

Freshman Sydney Broadbent qualified for southwesterns in the 200 when she finished sixth with a 29.93 time. She came in second in the 400 with 1:08.29-minute time.

Sophomore Addison Profenno finished first in the 1600 race walk with a 10:26.96 time, which dropped 40 seconds from last week.

During the race, Profenno didn’t know what her pace was. She said knowing she is capable of dropping 30+ seconds from her last meet, she will push extra hard in practice to hopefully accomplish sub-10 minutes in order to be in provisionals for states.

“These players are giving their all yet again,” said Windham girls’ outdoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle. “Our earned results are positively evolving because our young players and veterans alike are building self-confidence and belief and are just so coachable and trusting in what we are offering them.” <

Windham indoor track and field team soars in late-season meet

By Matt Pascarella

As the end of the indoor track and field season is approaching with the Southern Maine Activities Association (SMAAs) championship and state meets on the horizon, Windham’s indoor track and field teams performed well at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham on Saturday, Jan. 14 against Marshwood, Portland and Westbrook.

The Windham girls finished second with a score of 103. The Windham boys also finished second with a score of 84.

Windham High sophomore Andrew Young gets some
distance in the long jump at the University of
Southern Maine in Gorham during a multi-school
meet on Saturday, Jan. 14.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

Girls

Windham had several first-place finishes. Sophomore Tayla Pelletier finished first in the 55-meter hurdles with a time of 9.68 seconds, which qualified her for SMAAs. She placed first in the high jump and set a personal record height of 5-feet. Pelletier finished first in the triple jump with a distance of 33-03.75 feet.

Pelletier said she thought everyone did really well; a lot of people gave it their all. They all pushed each other and gave each other strength.

Junior Khalysa Hammith finished first in the 55-meter dash, senior division with a 7.60 time which tied Windham High School’s record, a goal she set for herself. She also finished first in the long jump with a distance of 15-03.00 and in the triple jump with a 31-0.175 distance. She earned senior MVP of the meet.

Freshman Myla Vercoe finished first in the 55-meter dash, junior division, with a time of 8.25. Vercoe earned junior MVP of the meet.

Sophomore Ava Gerrity finished first in the long jump with a 15-05.00 distance.

Sophomore Sarah John qualified for SMAAs in the shotput when she threw 26-1.50 feet and finished second.

She said the day was great; their team dynamic was amazing.

Freshman Sydney Broadbent finished second in the 400 and qualified for SMAAs with a time of 1:09.13 minutes.

Junior Elizabeth Bearce qualified for SMAAs in the 800 with a 2:40.65 time.

“Our players implemented our team-set-goal to target and work on their meet day confidence and composure skills,” said Windham girls’ indoor track and field coach Jeff Riddle. “Our team is unified,

confident, and won’t quit. It was an amazing regular season meet with quality results.”

Boys

The boys had 16 athletes out of 20 get personal bests for the day.

Freshman Nick Verrill finished first in the high jump with a height of 5-06.00.

Verrill said the whole team did really well. He said Windham did well in the 200s and 55s. He thought the team had a really good day.

Freshman Karl Longstreth finished second in the 55-meter with a 7.17 time and in the 200-meter with a 25.01 time.

Sophomore Andrew Young finished third in the 1-mile run open division with a time of 5:19.52 and first in the long jump with a 16-06.00 distance.

Also in the long jump, freshman Samuel Hutchinson finished fourth with a distance of 13-00.75.

Senior Derrick Stephens placed fourth in the 400 with a 1:00.83 time.

Senior Roman Thomas finished fourth in the 1-mile run open division with a time of 5:40.07.

“Every week the kids are seeing some big improvements,” said Windham boys’ indoor track and field coach Paula Pock. “We hope to carry that through for the next two weeks and get a few more kids qualified for SMAAs. We have a very young team, and they are a cohesive group so they’re fun to work with.” <

Windham boys’ cross-country ends season on high note

By Matt Pascarella

It was a nice wrap-up to the season on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Twin Brook Recreation Area, a 5K course in Cumberland as the Windham boys’ cross-country team competed in the Class A State Championship.

Windham junior Graden Joly keeps up a good pace as he
nears the end of the race in the Class A cross country state 
championships on Saturday, Oct. 29 at Twin Brook
Recreation Area in Cumberland.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Windham placed eighth at the Class A South Regional Championship and the top nine teams won the right to move on to the State Championship.

The Class A State Championship featured runners from all over Maine and the Windham boys’ team placed 12th in the state.

“We have been trying to progress this team back to varsity level, varsity expectations and today and last week they exceeded it,” said Windham varsity boys’ cross-country coach Jeff Riddle. “For a lot of teams it’s hard to perform two weeks in a row and Windham did not look like that in any way. They met and exceeded expectations both as a team and individually.”

Sophomore Andrew Young finished first for Windham with a time of 18:39.85 minutes. Senior Caleb Young finished second with a time of 19:07.15. Windham junior Graden Joly finished third for the Eagles with a time of 19:17.03.

Andrew Young said the course was a lot wetter and more difficult than the previous week, but it’s still the same amount of fun. Young said the team ran really well. As Young looks to the future he said things will only improve.

Windham senior Roman Thomas wanted to go hard and really get into it for his last race. He wanted to make sure he was up there with the top couple runners and with them until the end.

Thomas said that he felt like he achieved what he wanted. Thomas finished fourth for Windham with a time of 19.22.46. <

“We were looking to come out here and show people what Windham can do,” said senior Caleb Young. “We were a team people weren’t expecting to see and when we came out of that start, people were surprised to see Windham up front. What stands out to me the most is our progression from the seniors ... to the freshman. The improvement we’ve had throughout the season is unmatched.”

According to Riddle, Windham’s capacity to perform and not have to learn lessons in the race went well. It was about team; they prepared, talked it over and Riddle thinks that was the biggest thing. They came in with a mission, they kept it important, they kept it composed and performed for Windham. He couldn’t ask for anything more.

“Everybody ran their hardest, we did pretty good,” said Windham senior Derrick Stephens, who finished with a time of 22:18.43.

“We all pushed each other and I’m proud of everybody,” said Stephens. <

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 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.” <

Where Are They Now: Windham track star Vanessa Rallis

A 2008 graduate of Windham High School,
Dr. Vanessa Rallis competed in indoor and outdoor
track and field and also played soccer while a 
prep athlete here. She went on to compete for the
track team at the University of Chicago and is
now a pediatrician and lives in Massachusetts
with her dog, Zazu. SUBMITTED PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

In track and field, it’s a given that a good hurdler has to be completely familiar with everything so if something adverse happens they can adjust quickly. That’s probably what allowed Windham’s Dr. Vanessa Rallis to make the transition from competing in hurdles and the long jump for the Lady Eagles to a career in medicine.

A 2008 graduate of Windham High, Rallis competed in indoor and outdoor track and field and she also played soccer while in school. She started training and competing with the track team at Windham Middle School and says she was fortunate to have had such a supportive environment to grow up in.

“My favorite part of competing with the Lady Eagles was the community,” Rallis said. “My teammates were my friends, those friends not on the team came to games and meets to support us, teachers came out to support us, the town came out to support us. It’s something that just wasn’t the same in college and something that I don’t think I fully appreciated until I left.”

After graduating from Windham, Rallis attended the University of Chicago taking pre-med classes and graduating in 2012 with degrees in Biology and Comparative Human Development. At the school, she competed in NCAA Division III indoor and outdoor track and field meets, running the hurdles, long jump, in the Pentathlon and the Heptathlon events, although she had to make the transition from prep to collegiate sports.

“I had to find my niche on a new team both socially and competitively,” she said. “In short, I’d say everything at the University of Chicago felt bigger and more exaggerated, but once I found my spot, they felt very similar because they were my team and my social circle. It was a bigger time commitment, practices were longer, much more time was spent in the weight room, and we traveled much longer distances for meets, making the balance between academics and athletics even more difficult.”   

Rallis went on to complete medical school at St. George's University in Grenada and a pediatric residency at The Children's Hospital of Illinois in Peoria, Illinois. She now lives in Osterville, Massachusetts on Cape Cod and works as a pediatrician for Briarpatch Pediatrics.

She credits numerous coaches for helping her improve athletically, but two in particular stand out the most.

“I started high jump at some point in middle school because I could charge at the bar and muscle my
way over pretty well. I only had the pleasure of having Coach Peter Connolly my freshman year, but I’ll never forget the patience he had with an anxious freshman trying to figure out track and field,” Rallis said. “He took a girl charging at a bar and attempted to teach timing. High jump is very much a mental game, and I can still picture him standing in the aux gym and the Expo coaching me over the high jump bar each and every time. He definitely taught me to slow down and have patience both by instruction and example, things many others have reiterated over the years, but he was the first and most successful when it came to high jump.”

Rallis also praised Coach Jeff Riddle for helping he understand the concept of teamwork.

“Track is a strange sport where we are competing both individually against our teammates, and as a team to tally enough points to beat other schools,” Rallis said. “When I decided to join the track team, it was a way to stay in shape for soccer, I did not understand the concept of team with track and field. Coach Riddle made Track and Field a team sport for me; he made it a community.  I think the thing I learned most from Coach Riddle is to take everything in stride. He celebrated accomplishments, but did not shy away from fears and disappointments, acknowledging them and then helping to move on.”

Riddle said that by the end of her high school athletics career playing soccer, indoor and outdoor track & field, Rallis was named 12 times as a WHS Scholar Athlete. He said during her senior year she was named a SMAA Scholar Athlete in all three senior sports seasons, and over time while contributing to 12 WHS different teams, she was named six times as the Most Valuable Player award on some of those teams and fittingly she was team captain on her track teams starting in her junior and then continuing through her senior year of play.

“Beyond those incredible earned accolades, Vanessa Rallis was named as the 2008 Towle Award winner, an incredibly honorable achievement/award and a historic award given at WHS from a vote by all WHS Varsity Head Coaches,” Riddle said. “As a dedicated track athlete, Vanessa was a ‘Jill’ of all events over the years, she high jumped, long jumped, triple jumped, ran 200-meter dashes, but her trademark was her hurdling ability; competing in the 55-meter hurdles, 100-meter high hurdles, and 300-meter hurdles, this is where she contributed the most to her teams, and to progress as a hurdler is a significant process, one which she set as a goal and met head on.”

He attributes her success as a student-athlete to being relentless and fearless in the pursuit of excellence, even if failure would creep in once in a while; and doing it all with tremendous humility and style, and with a can-do attitude beyond compare. 

“A true model for all teammates back then to learn from and now many years later, she’s a model to all still to continue to learn from, her drive toward success is unmatched,” Riddle said. “Vanessa brought her authenticity to her teams:  her humor, her positive attitude, her fun style, her work ethic, her dedication, her desire to solve problems, her ability to unify, and we even appreciated her sarcasm, and
of course her incredible smile and laugh.” 

For Rallis, her greatest memories of competing in track and field are a relay meet in Scarborough and another on the day of the prom.

“Never would you think hurdles could be a relay event, but it was always the most fun,” she said. “The meet really took us out of our comfort zone, you needed so many people to participate in each event so people got shuffled where they were needed.”

It also seemed that the prom always fell on the days of either the Southwestern meet or the State Track and Field Championships.

“I remember that feeling of excitement from the meet itself and knowing we were all going to rush home and get ready just to gather again at prom,” Rallis said. “Getting my hair done in my track uniform and trying to shower after without messing it up is still a great accomplishment.” <

Athlete of the Week: Coronavirus Ended Her Season, Not Her Spirit

Windham High Senior Hannah Langstaff
Photo by Bill Knight Photography

By Matt Pascarella

Senior Hannah Langstaff has been running since she was very young. Her parents signed her up for a summer track program when she was 5 or 6, and by middle school she loved the sport and began running cross country. Langstaff says she finds joy in running and its something she looks forward to every day.

Like many athletes, the loss of the 2020 Spring season was discouraging; Langstaff had many goals she wanted to accomplish. However, she came to terms with it by taking a step back and looking at all she had accomplished.

“I had accomplished so many other goals since my freshman year,” she said.

And she’s training as if the season is still happening; she’s doing workouts and running with her dad.

When Langstaff was a freshman she describes herself as being super shy and never really leaving her comfort zone. Running and athletics changed that. She slowly gained the confidence to push herself to that next level in her races.

“I became a lot more confident in myself not just on the track but in the classroom and at home,” she said.

When it comes to competing, she loves the rush of adrenaline and that fact that anything can happen during a race. “You find yourself doing better than you would have ever thought. Racing is...very mentally challenging, which I find rewarding.”

Her favorite part about being on a team are the friendships she has made.

“My senior year of cross country, the girls on the team had created this idea of family and it was so amazing to be around,” she said. “It didn't matter what grade you were in or where you placed on the team, we all became so close.”

By having teammates around who constantly push her to become a better runner and athlete, Langstaff said an atmosphere of achievement was created.

“I would not have become the runner I did without them there supporting me,” she said.

She has learned lessons through her teammates and coaches that have made her a better person. She always tries to be positive, push herself, and never take the easy way out.

Langstaff, along with other seniors, and Coach Jeff Riddle have brainstormed ways to keep the Outdoor Track team connected during this time. The seniors are ‘Eagle Nest’ leaders and have the responsibility of making sure everyone in the group is doing ok. The seniors are there if teammates need someone to talk to.

There is also a ‘Nest Group Competition’ where the team is broken into two groups and Riddle sends out a challenge, not necessarily physical, just something to keep the team engaged.

Her advice to athletes who may feel a bit defeated during this season is to get started and stay motivated. She says having a routine is helpful.

She suggests start with a run, but if that’s not your speed going to YouTube and finding a body workout to do. She advises taking an hour a day to do some kind of exercise.

“Now is a great time to get in shape or put in extra work towards your sport,” she said.

Langstaff likes to hang out with friends go on hikes/walks and she also loves to go to the beach and read.

Next year, she will attend the University of New Hampshire and major in Nursing. She also plans on running track and field and possibly cross country.  <