JV Trail Blazers battle hard, come up short in hockey championship

By Matt Pascarella

After reining victorious in the semifinal playoff round with a 5-2 win over Cape Elizabeth, the junior varsity Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle/Sacopee Valley Trail Blazers stepped onto the ice on Thursday, March 2 at the Casco Bay Ice Arena in Falmouth ready to go head-to-head against the Mount Ararat/Lisbon/Morse/Hyde Eagles in the Wakelin Cup Championship game. Unfortunately, the Trail Blazers weren’t able to catch up in time and lost, 3-1 at the final buzzer.

Windham JV junior Trail Blazer John Ulmer goes after the 
puck at the Casco Bay Ice Arena in Falmouth in the Wakelin
Cup Championship game on Thursday, March 2 against
Mount Ararat/Lisbon/Morse/Hyde.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“We wanted to win; I think we had a good group of kids that could win,” said JV Trail Blazer assistant coach Mike Fothergill. “What killed us was the penalties, too many penalties – and now we’re wasting energy on penalties and trying to recoup from all that. When you’re in the box that much, it’s going to hurt you.”

Fothergill said aside from penalties, the team played great. They battled, skated hard and were right on top of pucks.

After both teams went scoreless in the first period, Mount Ararat/Lisbon/Morse/Hyde scored two goals on power plays and then one more goal with roughly four minutes left in the second period. After two periods, they led 3-0.

The game was not over though; less than two minutes into the third period, Windham junior Tobias Perkins fired a shot that found the back of the net.

He said he was forechecking hard, went to get a shot, got the rebound and then his shot hit the bottom of the crossbar and went right into the net.

According to Perkins, the Trail Blazers hustled, forechecked, backchecked and went after rebounds, but didn’t come out as hard as they could. He said one thing that might have turned the tables was more shots on net and better passing. All in all, he said it was a good season and the boys played well.

Goalie and Windham junior Jake Marston said he felt good going into this game. While the Trail Blazers had a lot of shots on net, they were pretty high – if they had hit the net more, the game may have been different.

Marston said morale dipped a little for him after that second goal; he said he should have been able to block that one. He fought hard until the end.

“We had some really good movement throughout the game, a lot of good defensive work in front, we just let some plays get by us,” said Windham junior John Ulmer.

The Trail Blazer coaching staff is proud of everyone. The entire team worked hard for them. They did everything asked of them and put in a great effort. <

JV Trail Blazers advance to hockey championship game

By Matt Pascarella

After a first round bye, the Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle/Sacopee Valley junior varsity Trail Blazers hit the ice against Cape Elizabeth in the semifinal round of the playoffs at the Casco Bay Ice Arena in Falmouth on Saturday, Feb. 25. The Trail Blazers left it all on the ice and advanced to the Wakelin Cup Championship by beating Cape Elizabeth, 5-2.

Windham junior varsity sophomore Caleb McNulty works
the puck around a defender during a semifinal playoff game 
for the Trail Blazers against Cape Elizabeth at the Casco Bay
Ice Arena in Falmouth on Saturday, Feb. 25.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA    

“I thought we were ready to play,” said JV Trail Blazer coach Ben Haskell. “I think they knew they were going to have a battle ahead of them. That’s what was mentioned in the locker room beforehand; they are a good, decent team, and this isn’t going to be a cakewalk. We were prepared.”

Haskell said the Trail Blazers kept their composure, kept working hard, had a lot of shots and spent a lot of time in the offensive zone. Once the Trail Blazers settled down and looked to other areas to make plays, that’s when it started clicking. It all came down to the last two minutes.

Haskell is looking forward to the championship game and can’t remember the last time the Trail Blazers made it this far. He said the kids deserve it and have worked hard all year.

Both teams hit the ice with intensity and their defenses kept the first period scoreless. The JV Trail Blazer offense worked hard and gave Cape Elizabeth’s goalie a workout with several shots at the goal, even one shot that nicked the goal post.

“I think we worked hard the whole game, we kept it physical; we didn’t retaliate to them,” said Sacopee Valley sophomore James Ritter. “We kept our head in the game and it worked out for us. It feels great to be going to the championship.”

There was a little over a minute left in the second half when Windham sophomore Caleb McNulty scored.

The Trail Blazers had seen Cape Elizabeth earlier in the season in a close game that the Trail Blazers won.

Cape Elizabeth was quick to answer and tied the game 1-1 by the end of the second period.

The Trail Blazers stayed aggressive as the third period began. They were giving 100 percent and continued to play like they wanted to win. With 4:55 left in the game, McNulty scored again. With two minutes left Cape answered and the game was tied at 2.

As the clock wound down, McNulty got a hat trick. Then Ritter scored. Then McNulty again on an empty net.

“I think we come into every game expecting the best team,” said McNulty. “We go out there and try our best; get up one and play like it’s 0-0. We worked our systems really well, our forecheck was amazing, it was getting chippy out there and we didn’t take any stupid penalties.”

The Wakelin Cup will be played at the Casco Bay Ice Arena in Falmouth at 6:40 p.m. on Thursday, March 2. <

Oxford Hills turns back Windham boys’ basketball

By Matt Pascarella

In the final boys’ basketball games of 2022, Windham’s boys’ basketball first team, junior varsity and varsity squads fell to Oxford Hills at home on Saturday, Dec. 31.

Windham junior Quinton Lindsay rushes by two defenders 
before passing the ball during a varsity boys' basketball
game against Oxford Hills at Windham on Saturday, Dec. 31.
PHOTO  BY MATT PASCARELLA  

Windham’s varsity team started out in the lead but lost some of their aggressiveness in the second half and lost to Oxford Hills, 65-52. The JV team fell 65-63, and Windham’s first team were beaten, 53-29.

Varsity

Windham was ahead at the end of the first quarter. Oxford Hills tied the game at 13. Windham sunk a couple of three pointers and led 27-26 at the half.

Windham junior Quinton Lindsay said in the first half, they got a lot of steals which resulted in turnovers and easy, open baskets with good passes. He said in the second half they were trying to keep the lead but weren’t going for the win.

Even though Windham sunk several three-pointers in the second half, Oxford Hills pulled ahead as the clock wound down. There was no time for Windham to make up the difference.

“Oxford Hills is one of the top teams in the state,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “We talked about controlling the basketball and didn’t do a great job of that, but our guys fought hard. They stuck together ... the ball didn’t move as well in the second half.”

Pulkkinen said they played hard and bothered Oxford Hills’s two best players. Windham took charge and when they moved the ball, they got good shots. Windham is trying to figure it out and making progress every day.

Junior Varsity

Oxford Hills jumped to an early lead. Windham grabbed several rebounds but was getting beat to the ball. Windham made some headway. At the half, Oxford Hills led 36-31.

Oxford Hills’ lead grew in the second half. Windham sunk a couple three-pointers. With 36 seconds left, eight points separated the teams. Then with 15 seconds left, Windham trailed by two.

“We are inconsistent with our effort,” said Windham JV boys’ basketball coach Geoff Grigsby. “We know Oxford Hills is going to play with amazing effort ... you can’t wait to play with effort.”

Grigsby said your body and brain have to both be engaged and ready to apply effort; Windham was just not engaged all the time. That’s what they have to work on.

Windham sophomore Braycen Freece said they came back from a big deficit to play their game at the end, but it was too little, too late. Windham lacked energy in the beginning. Freece said they should play a lot better than that. They did force turnovers at the end and hit three-pointers.

First Team

“This group is young; they’re learning how to play together, how to win together,” said Windham first team coach Noah Estey. “We came out with really good intensity ... we’re just trying to figure things out; we got better on the defensive end ... we’ll get there, it’s early in the season.”

Windham moved the ball well but gave up a lot of turnovers in the first quarter. Windham trailed by one point after one quarter.

In the second quarter Oxford Hills expanded their lead, but Windham continued to fight for the ball and had a few turnovers go their way. Windham defense did stop a few Oxford Hills baskets. Oxford Hills led 32-14 midway through.

In the second half, Windham snagged rebounds, but Oxford Hills held onto their lead. Windham had caught up a little, but still trailed by 16 after three quarters. They continued to work hard, but shots weren’t falling.

Windham freshman Devin Zachary said Windham ran their offense well, had stretches of intensity on defense and the bench was very engaged. <

Varsity volleyball posts first win; JV continues to improve

Windham freshman Josephine Sibley tips the ball over the net
during a varsity volleyball game on Monday, Sept. 12 in
East Waterboro against Massabesic High School.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

By Matt Pascarella 

Windham varsity volleyball and Massabesic entered their games together with recent losses, but on Monday, Sept. 12 at Massabesic Middle School in East Waterboro, the varsity Lady Eagles got their first win of the regular season when they beat the Mustangs, 3-1.

The Windham junior varsity team had three intense sets where they showed they have made progress but ended up falling, 2-1.

Varsity

The teams played a best of three sets match. In Set One, Windham jumped to a 5-0 lead with solid rallies or volleys.

Massabesic slowly gained, but Windham continued to dominate and soon it was set point. Massabesic was able to hang on for a moment but served the ball out of bounds and the set was over; Windham had won 25-21.

In Set Two, Massabesic took the lead early, but it was Windham senior Bella Lorenzatti whose serving tied up the game. Windham pulled ahead. Then Massabesic tied the game at 8. The Mustangs pulled away. Windham came close but lost this set 25-20.

In Set Three, Lorenzatti quickly put Windham on the scoreboard. Windham had the lead. Windham freshman Josephine Sibley scored multiple points for the Lady Eagles. Windham led by 10. Windham captain and senior Odessa Files got set point and secured the win, 25-11.

Set Four started with great rallies and nice serves by Windham. Files scored multiple points. Captain and Windham junior Savannah Heanssler served two aces, when a serve directly results in points. Sibley also got several aces. Lorenzatti propelled the team to be up by 10 and Windham took this set 25-10.

“This game we just upped our confidence by 100,” said Lorenzatti. “I think last time we went into it thinking Scarborough’s a really big competitor and this time Massabesic has always been a big competitor and we realized that regardless of the name of the team, we know how we can play. We walked in with straight confidence with this one.”

Lorenzatti said there was a lot more communication which was key and more consistent playing with bump, set, hit.

Windham varsity volleyball coach Chuck Fleck said the team went into the game with a much better mindset this time and played their game. This was accomplished through lots of drilling and discipline. He said the team is coming together on serve receiving, transitioning and communication on the court.

JV

JV volleyball is best two out of three sets. In Set One, Windham freshman Rowan Cummings scored four points. Massabesic caught up and tied the game at 9. Then Massabesic led. Windham servers were strong and helped Windham move ahead. Windham got set point and a 25-21 victory.

In Set Two Windham took the lead early, but Massabesic gained control. They ran away with the set from there to claim a 25-13 win.

In Set Three Jezabelle Pinto put Windham on the scoreboard. Cummings tipped the ball over the net and the game is tied at 9. Massabesic got ahead and took this set 15-9 to win the match.

“Junior varsity has come a long way,” said Windham JV coach Chuck Fleck. “They are getting better every day. Our serves are very much improved.”

Fleck said they are transitioning well, and they did have a couple of pass, set, hits which is good to run a stronger offense.

Cummings said one of the highlights of the game was winning the first of their sets; this was the first game they went out strong. Cummings has seen a lot of improvement and effort. They’ve cleaned up mistakes like hitting into the net, foot faults and not trying for the ball. While improvements can still be made, overall, she thought they did well. <

Windham girls’ soccer play strong games against Scarborough

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s girls’ varsity and junior varsity summer soccer teams played two very close games against Scarborough at Windham on Monday, July 25.

Windham varsity senior Abbey Thornton stays ahead of her
Scarborough opponent in a summer soccer game on Monday,
July 25 at Windham. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

The girls’ varsity team was down 2-0 at halftime and came back in the second half to put three goals between the posts. Unfortunately, Scarborough stayed ahead to win 4-3.

Windham’s JV team was tied at 1-1 at the half and came back to outscore the Red Storm and took home a 3-2 victory.

Varsity

Windham was a little slow to start in the first half, but they would find their momentum later on. Scarborough scored twice early in the game.

Windham had multiple shots at goal and was aggressive during parts of the half but not able to score.

The Windham defense stopped a couple scoring opportunities for Scarborough who led 2-0 at the half.

Yet Windham continued to take shots at goal in the second half. Windham sophomore Stella Jarvais sent the ball in the net.

Later in the game, Windham senior Abbey Thornton scored off a corner kick from Windham senior Liz Levesque.

Thornton said the team had a good connection during the game; they are close, and communication

went well. Windham’s goal in the second half was to get out there and work harder to go after the win.

Windham defense kept Scarborough’s score low. Although the Red Storm did score twice in the second half, Windham contended when sophomore Jaelyn Poitras scored later in the game.

“We connected a little bit more in the middle,” said Windham varsity girls’ soccer coach Deb Lebel. “We started going to the ball better at times; some of the upperclassmen really stepped up and decided they were going to take over.”

Lebel said the summer season shows where the team might need work in a fun relaxed manner.

JV

Windham pressured early but Scarborough scored. Then Windham freshman Sydney Broadbent found the back of the net.

Windham continued to move the ball well. They took several shots at goal. Windham had solid defense and communication.

The game was tied at one at the half.

Windham JV girls’ soccer coach Lisa Anderson said communication and teamwork were key in this

game because they had to play a hard defense. They had leadership from goalie to sweeper to stopper.

Anderson said the season has gone very well. A lot of the players have played together over the years, and this puts them in a good spot for the upcoming fall season.

In the second half, Windham didn’t let a momentary downpour stop their efforts. Windham kept the pressure up until the final whistle.

Scarborough scored.

Broadbent scored again, assisted by freshman Brianna Duarte.

“We played our hardest and made sure to pass-defeat instead of playing straight up the field,” said Broadbent. “We all wanted to win so we put our effort into it.”

Broadbent said passing and communication were big factors in Windham beating Scarborough.

Later on, Windham freshman Neve Ledbetter got the ball by the goalie to send Windham past the Red Storm. <

After strong effort JV hockey Trail Blazers fall to Poland/Leavitt

Junior varsity Trail Blazers junior Wyatt Carpenter of Windham
moves quickly up the ice while keeping the puck away from
the Poland/Leavitt Kings during a first-round playoff game
at Casco Bay Arena in Falmouth on Thursday, Feb. 24. 
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

By Matt Pascarella

The third-seeded junior varsity Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle/Sacopee Valley Trail Blazers hit the ice in the first round of playoffs against sixth-seeded Poland/Leavitt Kings on Thursday, Feb. 24 at the Casco Bay Arena in Falmouth and although the Kings jumped to an early lead within seconds, the JV Trail Blazers held their heads up and kept after it for three periods.

The Trail Blazers would find the back of the net twice, but the Kings scored four more times after that first goal win the game 5-2.

“Their effort was there, their intensity was there,” said Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle/Sacopee Valley JV Trail Blazers coach Ben Haskell. “It came down to some little details of decision making; making bad passes or not having our sticks down in the offensive zone and being ready for the rebound – not crashing the net.”

Haskell said the attitudes of the team were great, they just came up short.

After the Kings scored in the first period, the Trail Blazers moved the puck and worked to be first to it. The Trail Blazers took multiple shots at goal. After one period, The Kings led 2-0.

The Kings fired a shot into the net shortly into the second period. The Trail Blazers answered when Bonny Eagle junior Darren Haskell put the Trail Blazers on the scoreboard. The Trail Blazers worked to find the back of the net and stayed aggressive. After two periods it was 3-1, Kings.

“I think we had a lot of good sticks,” said Haskell. “Keeping the sticks covering the passing lanes, getting in the shots; getting shots to the net [all went well].”

The Trail Blazers wasted no time in the third period when Windham junior Wyatt Carpenter immediately fired one in goal. The Trail Blazers dominated the first half of the period and worked hard to tie the game.

“We had decent communication; I think one of the biggest things we had to work on was passing,” said Carpenter.

The Kings scored again. The Trail Blazers kept their heads up but couldn’t get by the Kings ahead of the final buzzer.

Windham sophomore Tobias Perkins said everyone was trying really hard and working as a team. They battled and did their best, but the puck just didn’t go in the net. <

Windham girls’ basketball shows improvement against Bangor

Varsity senior Sarah Talon heads to the hoop mid-air
during Windham's girls' prep basketball game against Bangor
at home on Jan. 14. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham girls’ varsity and junior varsity basketball teams played two great games against Bangor at home where they fought until the end on Jan. 14.

After Bangor beat the varsity team by almost 30 points at Bangor in a year-end game, the Lady Eagles showed the Rams that would not happen again. In a very close game, Bangor tried but Windham held them off and won 46-40.

The JV team wanted to take home a win too and worked hard to do so. Bangor jumped to an early lead and could not be caught. Windham did not get down on themselves and stuck with it until the end. Bangor got a 50-22 win.

Varsity

Windham senior Kayla Flanders got the game going with a three-pointer. This was followed up quickly by junior Elizabeth Levesque who sunk another three-pointer.

Windham was quick to grab rebounds and jumped out to an early lead.

The game turned close when Bangor pulled ahead by one. After Windham senior Carly Morey and Flanders each hit three-pointers, Windham pulled away again. Windham led 29-20 at the half.

Windham sophomore Brooke Gerry sunk a three. Bangor was grabbing rebounds and catching up.

With 1:44 left on the clock Windham led by five. With 5.7 seconds left they led by six and stayed ahead until the buzzer.

“I think we knew what happened last game and we wanted to ... move on,” said senior Sarah Talon. “We had all this week to make adjustments and learn from our mistakes last game. It was a really good team win.”

Windham girls’ basketball coach Brody Artes said going into this game they knew they needed to be tougher physically and mentally. Artes said Windham executed, defended, and rebounded better this game. He was very happy with the team for the turnaround and said a lot of kids stepped up and made big plays.

Junior Varsity

Bangor took an early lead. Windham worked well as they passed, but this led to turnovers as Bangor was quick to interfere.

Windham freshman Dakota Small added points to the scoreboard. So did freshman Chloe Edwards. Windham defense was better in the second quarter, as they allowed Bangor fewer scoring opportunities. At halftime Bangor was ahead 23-11.

“We moved the ball really well and did a good job working as a team,” said sophomore Alyssa Conley. “We talked a lot on defense and were a cohesive unit; never getting down on one another, always picking each other up.”

Windham made a bit of a comeback in the second half as they slowly gained; the effort was there, but not all shots were falling. Windham stayed positive but couldn’t catch Bangor.

“We really have been focusing on rebounding in that getting second chance opportunities on offense and limiting their chances on defense,” said Windham JV coach Gretchen Anderson. “Bangor’s press caused us a little bit of trouble, but again, we are learning and adjusting. I’m really proud of how ... they played, they kept their heads up and played really hard.” <

Windham boys’ basketball varsity and junior varsity fall to Edward Little; first team gets first program win in three years

Windham senior Matthew Fox gets off a shot in mid-air during
the Eagles' boys' varsity basketball game against Edward Little
at Windham High on Thursday, Dec. 23. Edward Little won, 
63-31. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s boys’ basketball teams took on Edward Little before the holiday break and while the varsity lost 63-31 and EL beat the junior varsity 55-39, Windham’s first team got the program’s first win in three years against the Eddies.

The first team played a strong game and came out on top 52-35 on Thursday, Dec. 23, at Windham.

Varsity

The game was tied at seven early on. EL broke away but Windham’s defense kept their lead small. Windham took advantage of EL errors to bridge the gap. Windham senior Will Mannette sunk a three. EL’s offense surged and led 33-16 at the half.

"It’s a reality check ... right now,” said Windham varsity boys’ basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “We’ve got to find a way to compete and get better ... guys got to come to work every day and improve and stick together no matter what.”

Pulkkinen said some of Windham’s younger players have stepped up and taken advantage of opportunities they’ve been given.

“We’re giving up early,” said Windham senior Matthew Fox. “We need to find something in us – mental toughness to pull ourselves out ... we need to work together and play as one.”

Fox added Windham is good enough to where they can get open shots, not just the first ones they see.

Windham put 15 points on the scoreboard in the second half, but EL took this one.

Junior Varsity

Although Edward Little had a small lead early on, Windham was not far behind. They were quick to get rebounds and gained on the Eddies. Windham shots weren’t landing.

Windham’s defense kept EL from scoring a lot in the first half. Windham freshmen Conor Janvrin and Joseph Blige both scored three-pointers. As did Windham junior Chase Wescott. Two points separated the teams shortly before the end of the half, but EL edged out 28-23 before the buzzer.

“We could play a lot better as a team,” said Windham freshman Landen Leavitt. “Just moving the ball around better and taking better shots.”

Leavitt said they had good defense at times, but overall, they need to play better as a team.

The Eagles worked hard to catch up in the second half. Windham fought, but EL got by.

Windham boys’ basketball JV coach Geoff Grigsby said the team did better seeing those areas that need work and fixing them in the moment. He said there are some talented players on the team, but they need to pay better attention to detail. The team took a step in the right direction today toward understanding what it takes to improve.

First Team

Windham was up by two after one quarter. It was close, but Windham maintained their lead for most of the game.

Windham freshmen Braycen Freese and sophomore Owen Dakin sunk three-pointers. Windham sophomore Stevie Stewart sunk two three-pointers in the first half.

Windham moved the ball well and got rebounds. Windham sophomore Dan Mitchell scored at the buzzer and Eagles led 26-19.

The Eagles kept up their intensity in the second half. Windham’s communication had them up by 10 at one point. They pressured and continued to be first to the ball. The Eagles would not be caught by the Eddies.

Mitchell said they got the win through a lot of team effort and playing together.

“These kids show up every day working their butts off,” said Windham boys’ basketball first team coach Noah Estey. “[This win] is them putting in the hard work ... and trusting in each other and going out and doing what they need to do.” <

Windham High girls’ basketball turns in solid effort against Gorham

Windham varsity senior Sarah Talon gets above a Gorham
defender to take a shot at the basket during the Lady Eagles' 
home basketball opener on Dec. 10.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA   

By Matt Pascarella

Windham’s junior varsity and varsity girls’ basketball teams both put in solid efforts against Gorham in the home opener on Dec. 10. Both Windham teams fought hard to make up the difference in games where the Rams had pulled ahead early.

The varsity team had a better second half but eventually lost 66-47. The Lady eagles JV team improved as the game went on, but the Rams won by 61-7.

Varsity

Gorham pulled ahead early on. Windham was quick to get rebounds. A couple foul shots by senior Sarah Talon put Windham on the scoreboard.

The Lady Eagles were aggressive, but Gorham had a 10-point lead after one quarter.

Windham junior Elizabeth Levesque stole the ball from Gorham and passed to senior Carly Morey who put two more points on the scoreboard.

Once Windham gained momentum, they began to close the gap. They took multiple shots at the basket, but not everything fell. At the half, it was 43-19, Gorham.

In the first half I think we came out slow-ish,” said Levesque. “We wanted to adjust, and we knew we could come back and get better. I think we really worked hard defensively, like pushing the ball. We knew that Gorham could run, so we really hustled [in the second half].”

Although Gorham was still ahead in the second half, more Windham shots fell.

Windham senior Sarah Talon put 13 points on the scoreboard in the second half.  Windham kept up their efforts until the final buzzer.

Windham varsity girls’ basketball coach Brody Artes said the team pressured and moved the ball better defensively in the second half. Artes said they need to do a better job executing and focus on getting better.

Junior Varsity

Gorham took the lead early and although Windham tried hard, as they went after the ball and captured rebounds, they remained scoreless. Windham defense did tighten up on the Rams and allowed less points to be scored in the second quarter. At intermission, Gorham led 27-0.

Windham freshman Grace Joly said the third quarter was the team’s best because the team realized how much energy they needed to make baskets. They figured out their offense and had good passes and drives, plus good defensive stops.

Windham stayed with the ball in the second half. Freshman Afomiya Timerga put Windham on the scoreboard. The Lady Eagles continued to get rebounds, but Gorham pulled away. Joly scored twice plus sunk a foul shot in the third quarter. Windham did not get down on themselves and kept up their efforts until the end.

“I think the girls started to get a little bit more confident and a bit more comfortable in the second half,” said Windham JV girls’ basketball coach Gretchen Anderson. “For a lot of the girls this is their first high school experience [on the court]. I’m proud of the turnaround in the second half; we were able to push the ball a little bit more, keep within our offense and the girls stayed positive on the bench.” <

Windham boys’ basketball tunes up for new year with preseason wins against Gray New Gloucester

Windham senior Will Mannette sinks one of his four
three-pointers during a preseason game against Gray
New Gloucester on Dec. 6 at Windham High School.
Windham won, 60-50. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

In the final preseason game before the start of the regular season on Friday, Dec. 10, the Eagles’ junior varsity and varsity boys’ basketball teams hit the court against Gray New-Gloucester in preseason matchups on Monday, Dec. 6.

The Windham varsity team pulled ahead early in the game and held on to that lead for four quarters with Windham wining 60-50.

Although GNG took an early lead, that did not last long during the JV game. The Eagles turned it around to win 72-62.

Varsity

Windham won the tip off and scored immediately. Windham senior Nick Garrison hit a nice three-pointer as Windham began to pull away.

The Eagles dominated the first quarter and kept up the pace for the remainder of the game. There were several times GNG closed the gap a little, but Windham was quick to widen it again.

Windham senior Will Mannette sunk two three-pointers before the end of the first half and Windham led 34-27 at the intermission. 

In the second half, the Eagles kept the pressure up.

“I knew [Gray New Gloucester] was going to come in hungry ... and try to get a win tonight so they could get ready for their season as well,” said Windham varsity basketball coach Chad Pulkkinen. “Our guys played together, very unselfish.”

Pulkkinen added they preach to the team to trust each other on the floor and good things will happen. That was the case during this game.

The Eagles continued strong passing as Windham held a pretty consistent 10-point lead for a majority of the second half.

Windham junior Owen Combes sunk a three-pointer in the third quarter. Windham junior Sonny Elder sunk a three in the fourth, followed by Mannette who put two more threes in from the top of the key.

“A lot of our guys were hitting our shots,” said Windham senior Nick Garrison. “Everyone was moving through the offense. I would drive and [my teammates] would be there in their spots. Everyone was working on a great team effort overall.”

Junior Varsity

Windham scored right at the start of the game. GNG got a little ahead in the first quarter, but Windham quickly responded. Windham freshman Creighty Dickson sunk a three as Windham worked to get ahead in the first half.

Dickson said the team shot the ball well and had great defense and energy.

Windham pressured; junior Jacob Chouinard blocked a shot from GNG and then he put the ball in the hoop.

Elder sunk four three-pointers in the second quarter.

Four minutes left in the half and Windham was up by one. Eagle’s defense turned up the heat and increased their lead. Windham led 41-33 at the half.

Windham sophomore Blake McPherson sunk a three-pointer. Elder sunk another three, too. As the clock wound down, Windham would not be caught.

“It’s hard when you are one or two practices in and another team is kind of your equal,” said Windham JV coach Geoff Grigsby. “We have some pretty tough kids, not just talented but tough-minded kids. I was proud of the way they responded and ... played together.” <

WHS volleyball continues to improve

Windham varsity volleyball junior Victoria Lin returns a volley
from Greely during a match on Oct. 8 at Greely. Windham
fought hard, but Greely won the match 3-0.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham varsity and junior varsity volleyball teams continue to improve and show they are getting stronger.

The varsity team lost 3-0 to Greely on Friday, Oct. 8 at Greely and JV lost 2-0, but both coaches and players are seeing an increase in Windham’s abilities as we near the end of the regular season.

Both teams really fought, as they showed the Rangers that they were worthy competition.

Varsity

In Game One of this best of five matches, Windham got on the scoreboard right away. They kept up their energy and effort. Windham had excellent serves and volleys.

A block by the Lady Eagles denied the Rangers and gave Windham the opportunity to serve. Windham stayed aggressive for the entire game. Windham junior Victoria Lin scored several points. Greely pulled ahead and while Windham fought, Greely got the win, 25-13.

Greely took the lead in Game Two, but Windham put themselves on the scoreboard a short time after. Greely had a significant lead, and Windham slowly gained on the Rangers.

Windham junior Odessa Files scored multiple points. Greely had a big lead, but Windham came back from behind and really closed the gap. Greely took this one 25-15.

In Game Three, Greely jumped out in front right away, but a stellar return by Windham tied the game up early. Windham took the lead with strong volleys. The Lady Eagles were not about to give up.

A block from Windham senior Samantha Murphy kept Windham in the game. After Windham stuck with it and battled, Greely got the win 25-12.

The Rangers won the match three games to none.

“I think the effort was pretty good, the energy was definitely up,” said Windham varsity volleyball coach Chuck Fleck. “We fought them … pretty hard, we just need to end up on top next time.”

Fleck saw a lot of trust and teamwork on the court. That hasn’t always been present and is a big plus.

Everybody makes the playoffs and Fleck is hoping to surprise a few first rounds; if Windham wants it, they can do it.

“I think we did really well today … I don’t think I’ve ever seen us push that hard before,” said Lin. “We played smarter. We were really good at not getting ourselves in a rut.”

Lin said she saw teamwork and trust, which makes for a better team.

Junior Varsity

In Game One of this best of three matches, Windham sophomore Kailyn Webster got things going with a strong serve.

Greely took the lead, but not before Windham freshman Kaitlyn Webber put a few points on the scoreboard. The game was tied at seven.

Greely pulled away again, but Windham was not going to give up. Windham sophomore Lilly McLean scored several points for the Lady Eagles. Windham was aggressive and did not quit, but Greely got the 25-14 win.

In Game Two, Windham scored immediately and pulled ahead. Soon the game was tied at five.

Windham’s serves were backed with a lot of force. Game Two was tied at 10.

With Greely up, Windham began to make a comeback. The game was close, but Greely got by in the end, 25-20.

This gave the Rangers the 2-0 games to none match win.

Webber said she’s seen a lot of improvement over the season. Many players can get their serves over and can get passes straight to each other. Webber said the team wasn’t in the game 100 percent, which contributed to the loss.

“They definitely have improved over the season,” said Windham JV coach Megan Fleck. “Their serves have been amazing, it’s impressive to see from JV players. Our team is working on getting a bump, set and a hit and I think we really got that going in the game even though it might not win points, it’s something I want them to work on.” <

WHS boys' soccer turns in solid effort against Gorham

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham varsity and junior varsity boys’ soccer teams went head-to-head at home on Saturday, Oct. 2 against rival Gorham in a game where both Windham teams played hard but ultimately came up short.

Windham varsity boys' soccer player Tyler Johnsen pushes
back against a Gorham defender as he races to the ball during
Windham's home game against Gorham on Oct. 2. Gorham
defeated Windham, 4-0. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

Gorham’s varsity defeated Windham 4-0 and the Eagles’ fell to Gorham 3-0 in the JV game.

Although these were two losses, the Eagles will pick themselves up, learn from this and return to the field ready to go. There is plenty of season left for both teams to show they are even stronger because of these losses.

Varsity

While Gorham found the back of the net twice almost immediately into the start of the game, Windham worked to keep their heads up and kept fighting.

After those Gorham goals early on, the Rams had an opportunity to take a couple shots at an unprotected goal and Windham junior Owen Weatherby blocked them both.

Goalie and Windham senior Colby Connolly had save after save throughout the game.

Windham did go after the ball and took shots on goal in the first half but could not put the ball in the net. At the half, Gorham was up 3-0.

“We had a couple chances, we tried to stay motivated, but I guess we couldn’t really pull it together as a team,” said Windham junior Tyler Johnsen. “We need to come out stronger, faster, better and not get down on each other.”

Johnsen added Gorham’s two goals at the start was discouraging for Windham, but they tried to stick with it.

Windham fought hard in the second half and their defense did keep Gorham’s goals to a lower number but could not get ahead at game’s end.

“We were [seven wins, zero losses] coming into the game,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Ben Schulz. “We still think we’re a good team, we just got punched in the mouth by another good team. You have games like this ... the most important thing for us is recognize we’ve got work to do and come back ready to go.”

Junior Varsity

Windham started with good passing and had strong defense that held off Gorham for most of the first half.

With about 12 minutes left in the half Gorham fired two in the net consecutively and led at halftime.

Windham kept going. They worked hard to be first to balls. They pressured. Windham goalie and junior Sam Plummer had several nice saves.

Windham freshman Levi Hayman took a shot at goal. So did Windham sophomore Jacob Gagne. The Eagles fought until the end.

“We had good passing and good communicating,” said Windham freshman Matteo Sandora. “We couldn’t really get the ball past [Gorham].”

Windham JV coach Nick Dubay said Windham came ready to play, though a little flat early on. Dubay said it took them a little bit, but the JV team was able to settle in. Gorham got the upper hand.

Dubay said the team can learn to focus on the game more seriously, so they’re ready when the pressure comes. <

Windham Lady Eagles' soccer shut out Noble with unselfish play

Windham High junior Abbey Thornton is about to send the
ball directly at the goal during the Lady Eagles' varsity girls'
soccer game against Noble in North Berwick on Saturday,
Sept. 18. Windham defeated Noble, 6-0.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

By Matt Pascarella

Junior Abbey Thornton scored twice in the first half when Windham varsity girls’ soccer outplayed Noble. She was followed by several teammates and the Lady Eagles beat the Knights with a 6-0 win.

Windham’s junior varsity freshman Jaelyn Poitras scored early in the game and twice more in the first half. After Poitras scored, Windham kept up the intensity and walked off the field with an 8-0 victory.

At the final buzzers Windham girls’ varsity and JV soccer teams played two intense games at Noble on Saturday, Sept. 18 with Windham varsity and JV teams remaining undefeated with 5-0 records.

Varsity

After losing to Noble two years ago 1-0, Windham took the field ready to show they weren’t looking for a repeat of that game.

“I think I always work hard and people around me work hard,” said Thornton. “We have energy, and it feeds off of each other. We’re all really driven and want to succeed.”

The Lady Eagles moved the ball well and were hungry for this win.

“We knew [Noble] was going to be tougher competition than we’d seen so far this year and a team we couldn’t take for granted because they beat us two years ago,” said Windham varsity coach Deb Lebel. “I’m really happy we came out and played really well.”

Lebel added that the team had tremendous passing and unselfish play which she said will take Windham very far against tougher teams.

After freshman Caitlyn Marsh found the back of the net Windham led 3-0 at the half.

Thornton barely let the second half start before she headed the ball into the goal in the first 14 seconds.

Windham’s hustle and intensity remained until the buzzer. Windham owned the field. Many Windham players passed to teammates when they had an opportunity to take a shot at goal.

Senior Sarah Talon got one just by the goalie and junior Elizabeth Talbot also scored. Windham stayed with the ball and kept the pressure on until the end.

Junior Varsity

Windham began with solid defense. They also exhibited sharing of the ball as multiple Lady Eagles took shots on goal.

Poitras was first to score. Junior Delana Perkins scored next. When a penalty kick in the first half could have put Noble on the scoreboard, freshman goalie Ali Tetrault made a great save.

Windham led 4-0 at the half.

Offensively, Windham could not be caught. Junior Sarah Bell booted the ball just over the goalie’s head into the corner of the goal.

Windham Freshman Tayla Pelletier kicked the ball just out of reach of the goalie and scored. Freshman Olivia Shaw scored as did senior Marion Duyck.

Poitras said communication and passing helped the team get the win. Bell said when she scored it felt great because she knew her team had her back, and they are really fun to play with.

“[Windham] had to be unselfish the entire game,” said Windham JV coach Lisa Anderson. “Even in the last eight minutes of the game we had five or six passes right at the 18 [yard line] and that was them proving we’re not just going to put it in the net, put it in the net, put it in the net.” <

Lady Eagles’ field hockey teams grab big wins over Marshwood

Windham senior Ellie Miller charges toward the net before
scoring the winning goal in overtime and breaking a 2-2 tie
against Marshwood on Tuesday, Sept. 14 at Windham.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

After forging a tie with time running out in regulation play against Marshwood, Windham’s varsity field hockey forced overtime before senior Ellie Miller scored a late goal to secure a 3-2 come-from-behind win for the Lady Eagles.

During the JV game, Windham scored early and kept the goals coming one after another after another. At the final buzzer, they walked off the field with a 10-0 win over the Hawks.

When all was said and done, Windham’s junior varsity and varsity field hockey teams played two very impressive games at home against Marshwood on Tuesday, Sept. 14.

Varsity

“We kind of had a shaky start [to the game] in terms of cohesively being together as a team,” said Windham varsity coach Cory DiDonato. “So, what the girls were able to do was to figure out the kinks on their own ... we just came off two losses and I think they were really hungry to turn it around.”

DiDonato added a player like Miller who is so hungry for a win and that hunger bleeds into the rest of the team and they all feel it. DiDonato was really excited and proud of the way Windham picked it up and played until the end.

Windham pressured early on. The Lady Eagles were passing nicely and had strong hits that moved the ball well. However, Windham wasn’t able to score until the end of the first half when freshman Zoe Dries put the ball between the posts. Marshwood led 2-1 at the half.

In the second half, Windham’s defense stopped Marshwood from scoring more goals. With 3:42 left in the game, Windham sophomore Emma Morrison tied the game at two. This sent the game into overtime.

There was less than 18 seconds left in overtime when Miller shot the ball from the corner of the field, and it had just enough space to roll into the net.

“I didn’t think it was going in, but it just squeezed in between the goalie and the side of the cage,” said Miller. “We all worked really well together in overtime and gave it our everything.”

Junior Varsity

Once Dries scored for Windham early on, their aggressiveness did not stop. Windham had excellent passing with strong defense.

Windham freshman Piper Chicoine scored next followed by Dries again. Windham led 3-0 at the half.

At the start of the second half, Chicoine scored twice. Windham’s aggressiveness increased as they headed toward the final buzzer. They went after and stayed with the ball, as they took shot after shot after shot on goal. Sophomore Elizabeth Gurney scored back-to-back goals, then again before the end of the game. Dries scored once more. Windham freshman Zocia LaWind pushed Windham’s score into double digits.

Gurney said Windham had good passes and communication. She added it felt good to score as much as she did but thought overall it was a good team effort.

“The team really had a chance to work on our offense,” said Windham JV coach Lyndsay Stretch. “The forwards did really well with using their eliminations to get past the Marshwood defense. We were able to use strong passes successfully and keep the intensity and focus strong.” 

Stretch added the forward line stayed strong in the circle with many shots on goal and was able to be there for the rebound shot. Defensively they were able to hold back Marshwood and keep the pressure on with great teamwork.<

Windham coed golf teams make improvements in every match

Windham varsity golf's Logan Marden, a junior, stays focused
while making a nice putt during the Eagles' match against
Gorham on Monday, Sept. 13 at Riverside Golf Course
in Portland. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

It’s early in the season, and there is room for improvement with Windham’s young varsity and junior varsity golf teams. On Monday, Sept. 13 at Riverside Golf Course in Portland, Windham faced Gorham and showed off some of their improving skills.

On the Riverside North Course, a par 36, Windham sophomore Brady Harvie shot a 43; and Windham junior Logan Marden shot a 45.

On the JV team Windham freshman Addison Leger and sophomore Nathan Jordan defeated Gorham in the matches.

Gorham beat the varsity team with team totals of 204-244 strokes and a match total of 13-0.

The JV team lost to Gorham with a match total of 2-1.

Varsity

“The first two holes I tripled and doubled,” said Marden. “Then I started to lock in, I bogeyed the par three and followed that with a birdie on the par five. Then I’ve been playing par-bogey golf for the rest of the match.”

Marden said he was only a few strokes behind where he liked to be shooting. He added the season’s been going well. He’d like to fix up his short game, but other than that it’s going alright.

“This year is all about progressing as the season goes on,” said Windham varsity golf coach Adam Manzo. “We have 13 total kids between JV and varsity and eight of them are freshman. We’ve got a lot of young kids and this year is about making progress each match and getting better.”

Manzo said each match this season the scores are dropping. He added there is room for development.

Other scorers for Windham were freshmen Phillip Traina and Fiona Harmon who both shot 50s. Freshman Joseph Donnelly shot a 56 and freshman Addison Profenno shot a 58.

Junior Varsity

The junior varsity team played a two-man scramble during their matches where they were playing off each other’s shots.

Leger had a nice drive on one of the final holes.

“On this last hole I made sure to breathe when I got up and take my time and keep my eye on the ball to make sure that I had the best hit possible,” said Leger.

Leger said her drive went right up the middle of the fairway, near the green. The end result of that hole, a bogie, was better because of her drive.

Leger saw improvement as she progressed through the course.

“The kids worked hard today,” said Windham JV coach Brody Artes. “[Windham] is working on just improving each and every day. It’s a really, really good group of kids and were just out here having a lot of fun.”

Gorham defeated Windham sophomore Shamus Morrison and freshman Cole Heanssler.

Gorham defeated Windham freshmen Ben Shaw and Nolan Cyr.

Artes said the team is young and still learning various aspects of the game and are looking to get better individually and as a team. He added he definitely saw improvements during the match. <

Windham High boys’ soccer shows promise for upcoming season

Junior Tyler Johnsen, drives the hall for Windham's varsity
boys soccer team toward the goal during a preseason match
against Freeport on Tuesday, Aug. 31. Johnsen scored which
tied the match at 2-2. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

By Matt Pascarella

The varsity and junior varsity boys’ soccer teams took on Freeport, at Freeport on Tuesday, Aug. 31 in a preseason game before the start of the regular season next week and both teams showed the potential to enjoy solid seasons this fall.

Windham gave strong efforts against the Falcons and Windham’s varsity and JV teams each walked off the field with 2-2 tie games as their final results in the preseason matches.

Varsity

Freeport took control early and scored. Windham worked to be first to the ball.

Freshman Luke Cunniffe put Windham on the scoreboard when he scored to tie the game. Windham moved the ball nicely. Freeport pulled ahead 2-1 before the end of the half.

In the second half Windham continued to go strong and took multiple shots on goal. Windham freshman goalie Lukas Hammond did not let the ball get by him the entire half.

At one point, the ball got away from the Freeport goalie and

Windham junior Tyler Johnsen capitalized on this error to score and tied the game at 2-2, where it stayed until the final buzzer.

“I think we did ok,” said Cunniffe. “I think we could have possessed the ball better; we also could have made less mistakes on defense. Overall, I think it was okay.”

Cunniffe said a couple things that went well were the team’s cross passes and when Windham got the ball wide and gained possession in the final third of the game to tie it up.

“I thought we were pretty flat,” said Windham varsity boys’ soccer coach Ben Schulz. “I have higher expectations than what we showed on the field. If our effort doesn’t pick up, it’s going to be a long season.”

Schulz is confident the team’s effort will pick up and they are going to have a good week of practice leading up to the start of the season. He also said several younger players rose to the challenge and delivered needed efforts.

Junior Varsity

Windham freshman Sam Rogers scored less than five minutes into the game. Windham passed nicely and went hard after the ball. The game was tied at one at the half.

Windham pressured in the second half after Freeport scored early on. Windham’s defense did a nice job of holding Freeport at two.

With a little over five minutes left, Windham was down by one. Rogers rocketed the ball between the posts again and tied the game. As the clock wound down, Windham continued to take shot after shot on goal.

Rogers thought Windham did pretty well. He said they could work on distributing the ball. Rogers added shooting and short passes went well. His goal is to improve as a team and get to know other kids and how they play in the upcoming season.

“I think they did well,” said Windham JV boys’ coach Mitch Hodge. “Their best moment was the last 10 minutes. We tied it up, but then didn’t quit, didn’t leave our half. They finished strong and that’s nothing but promising.”

Hodge said he’s positive about the upcoming season. <

Varsity, JV girls’ soccer claim win against Thornton Academy

Windham varsity girls' soccer junior Abbey
Thornton gets by her opponent before scoring a
goal during the Lady Eagles' preseason match
at home against Thornton Academy on Tuesday,
Aug. 24. Windham won, 4-1.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s varsity and junior varsity girls’ soccer teams owned the field in back-to-back preseason games against Thornton Academy at home on Tuesday, Aug. 24.

During a very, very hot afternoon both teams took control of the field early on and scored multiple times. Windham’s defense made it close to impossible for TA to come back and grabbed the lead, with the varsity eventually emerging with a 4-1 win over the Trojans, while Windham’s JV turned back TA, 2-0.

Varsity

The Lady Eagles were aggressive right away and did not let the heat affect the start of their game. Windham took several shots on goal and junior Ashley Clark scored early on. Windham’s defense held off TA and prevented them from making much progress in the first half.

As the sun bore down, Windham pressured. The Trojans did manage to get one in the net, but that’s as far as the Lady Eagles would allow them to go.

Windham sophomore Ashlee Sawyer scored before the end of the first half. At halftime, Windham led 2-1.

“Playing TA in the past has been kind of difficult; we know how they play,” said Windham senior Sarah Talon. “They’ve always been great competition and I can’t wait to play them again.”

Talon said there are some new faces on the team this season which she said was really awesome.

Windham was more aggressive in the second half than they were in the first. They took repeated shots on goal and junior Abbey Thornton scored. Then Clark scored again.

“That’s a good preseason game,” said Windham varsity girls’ soccer coach Deb Lebel. “I really feel like we’re starting to come together well; we’ve got a really strong junior class. We had some spots to fill, but we’ve had some freshmen step up and fill in really nicely.”

Junior Varsity

Windham’s JV started strong and kept that strength going through the entire game. They moved the ball well between each other and communicated early on. The Lady Eagle’s defense had control of TA and prevented scoring opportunities. Windham’s offense kept the Trojans’ goalie busy.

Windham sophomore Abby Llyod scored in the first half, followed by freshman Caitlyn Marsh. At the half, Windham led 2-0.

“I think we played really well,” said Llyod. “It was one of our first times playing with the incoming freshmen and I think ... we played really well as a team and we’re going to have a great season.”

Windham continued to command in the second half, being first to the ball in many instances and did not let up. They held off TA.

“[Windham] definitely commanded the field and the positive thing about this group ... is that they’re really just working to figure out their roles on the team and I think they’re doing a fantastic job,” said Windham JV girls’ soccer coach Lisa Anderson.

Anderson said that she has a very positive outlook for the upcoming season. <

Varsity and junior varsity basketball keep Bonny Eagle from getting win

Windham High sophomore Blake McPherson takes a shot
in a varsity summer basketball game against Bonny Eagle
on Monday, July 19 at Windham High School. Windham
defeated the Scots 59-54. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s varsity and junior varsity basketball teams have been practicing and preparing for their regular season during the summer basketball season.

Both the varsity and junior varsity teams got out ahead of Bonny Eagle during summer scrimmage games on Monday, July 19 at Windham High School and then held onto those leads throughout their games. Windham’s varsity team beat the Scots, 59-54, while JV posted a 42-39 win.

Varsity

The game was close to start but Windham pulled away as senior Will Mannette sunk several three-pointers in the first half. The team was quick to get several rebounds, which helped Windham build and sustain their lead. As the half wound down, Bonny Eagle couldn’t catch Windham and the Eagles led 32-27 at intermission.

Windham’s offense and defense were strong. At the start of the second half, Bonny Eagle tied the game at 34. The Eagles moved the ball nicely and Windham moved back into the lead. The Scots were not able to hold any kind of lead for long. With a little over a minute left in play, Windham was up by four points. Once the game was over, Windham walked off the court with a "W."

Windham senior Will Ledbetter said he thought the varsity team played solid team basketball, saying that it was a fun game where they all passed the ball around and got open looks. Ledbetter said it was evident how several players on the team helped contribute to getting that momentum going that would eventually lead to the win.

“The guys played with a lot of effort; they’re starting to trust each other as a team,” said Windham varsity Coach Chad Pulkkinen. “These guys are doing a great job working on what we need to do ... to reach the potential they want to reach in the regular season.”

Junior Varsity

In the first half, Bonny Eagle jumped to an early lead, but it was short-lived. While the game remained close, Windham took the 22-16 lead after the first half.

In the second half, Windham maintained their lead, but Bonny Eagle wasn’t far behind and worked hard to close the gap. Ultimately they could not and lost by three points.

Windham sophomore Noah Mains said working together as a team coupled with sharp passing led to the JV win.

One minute was left in play and Bonny Eagle had an opportunity to tie the game. Windham gained possession and prevented the Scots from the possibility of tying the game. Windham was able to hold on to the lead as the clock ran out.

“Bonny Eagle is a really tough team; they’re physically tough and mentally tough. They make you work for everything,” said Windham JV Coach Geoff Grigsby. “As the game went along (Windham) slowed down and began to work on the few things we’ve tried to work on this summer.” <