Scarborough edges Windham boys’ soccer in overtime

By Matt Pascarella

Windham varsity boys’ soccer held Scarborough scoreless for 80 minutes on Tuesday, Oct. 1 at Scarborough High School but less than a minute into overtime, the Red Storm got the ball in the net for a 1-0 win.

Windham senior Sam Rogers goes full speed after the ball
during a prep soccer match at Scarborough High School
on Tuesday, Oct. 1. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

“We knew coming into this game we had a target on our back,” said Windham senior captain Luke Cunniffe. “Being undefeated prided us, but we knew teams were going to come at us hard. Coming into this game we knew we had to give it our all because Scarborough is no-joke of a team. Today, the ball didn’t bounce our way; we had plenty of chances to score. We lost a game but there are a few positives to come out of it – we showed we could play with big teams for 80 minutes, but the extra minutes just got us. Our defense, Lukas (Hammond) proves he’s the best keeper in the state, Zach Noonan just leads us every game, we have so many solid players, but today wasn’t our day. We were two evenly matched teams ... certain plays and certain things we could have adjusted on, but you can’t change it now. The good thing about high school season is we have games back-to-back-to-back, so (the next game) will be a good chance for us to bounce back and prove we are a good team.”

Windham started the game going hard after the ball. Windham’s defense cut down Scarborough’s offense.

WHS senior Sam Rogers took a shot at goal that hit the post and bounced back. The Eagles pressured and hustled.

Windham senior goalie Lukas Hammond had a nice stop. Windham offense had several more shots at goal, but nothing landed.

“All game long we chased and didn’t play to our capacity of what we can do,” said Windham varsity boys’ coach Jeff Neal. “We pride ourselves on winning 50-50 balls, challenging on first and second balls; we let them step in and win a lot of second balls. We pride ourselves on being a possession team that moves the ball around. We had a little bit too much ... individual play as opposed to making the easy pass and trusting the players and the system around us. Playing Scarborough – they’re always going to battle, they’re a perennial team. You go this long undefeated without giving up a goal and psychologically ... people are talking and ... everyone’s going to bring their ‘A’ game. We can try to downplay it as a coaching staff, but it’s still there. That’s a lot of pressure and we didn’t react or adjust to that; the good news now is it’s done. As a coaching tool and a motivator, it could be the best thing for us. We’ve been having that discussion with the boys; giving up goals is part of the game. We’re going to bounce back better, we’re going to learn from it, we’re going to grow from it.”

The Eagles’ didn’t dip in the second half, but the offense struggled to score. Hammond recorded save after save.

Windham was aggressive and senior Carter Engelman took a shot at Scarborough’s goal, just barely missing it.

At the buzzer, it had been 80 scoreless minutes but 56 seconds into overtime, Scarborough scored.

“Going into overtime I don’t think we were really focused,” said Rogers. “There’s definitely a lot we need to work on defensively and midfield-wise. I think we need to stay more composed in the back when the ball comes against good teams. If we are calm and can find feet off the ball, that way we can build up instead of just panicking and kicking it out of bounds and forcing a turnover, because that’s when it gets dangerous. Winning our first balls in the air (was good). We’re going to go into (the next game) positive and trying to make a statement. After (other teams) see this, they’re going to think we are some easy team to beat – which is not true.” <

Trail Blazers hockey falls to Knighthawks in overtime

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle Trail Blazers came out strong with continued effort for three periods in their game against the Marshwood/Traip/Sanford/Noble Knighthawks on Saturday, Jan. 7 at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham but ultimately dropped a heartbreaking decision in overtime.

Windham varsity Trail Blazers sophomore Sam Foley keeps
his focus on the puck as he stays ahead of his opponent and
heads toward the goal in a hockey game on Saturday, Jan.
7 at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham against the
Marshwood/Traip/Sanford/Noble Knighthawks.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

The Trail Blazers had a 1-0 lead after the first period which quickly became a 2-0 lead early in the second period. They were unable to hold off the Knighthawks who tied the game 2-2 after the second period.

A scoreless third period sent the game into overtime where the Knighthawks scored the tiebreaker to win 3-2.

“It’s the same stuff we’ve been dealing with all season, passing, clearing the front of the net, basic stuff we need to work on,” said Trail Blazers goalie Westbrook senior Isaac White, who had an impressive 31 saves on 34 shots at goal. “We ... have good moments, but we got to keep doing that, we can’t just have one good moment and then give up. I know we can beat that team we just got to get our head in the game.”

In the first period the Trail Blazers were aggressive and moved the puck well. They began with an immediate shot at goal. Trail Blazers offense was unable to get a number of consistent shots on the Knighthawks’ goal. However, Trail Blazers defense kept the Knighthawks scoreless the entire period.

Some 2.8 seconds remained in the first period when Windham sophomore Sam Foley found the back of the net.

Foley said they need to play better defensively. According to him, a positive of the game was getting the puck down deep and working it towards the net as well as finding people in the slot.

Three minutes into the second period, Trail Blazers Bonny Eagle freshman Mason Caron fired the puck between the posts and the Trail Blazers led 2-0. The Knighthawks tied the game 2-2 after two periods.

In the third period, the Trail Blazers were aggressive, defense held the Knighthawks in place and forced overtime.

Caron said they had too many people in front of the Trail Blazers net, with no one pushing them out and the Knighthawks got a lucky tip to end the game.

“The effort’s there it’s just we’ve been working on shooting more,” said Trail Blazers varsity coach Bobby Fothergill. “I thought our first period defensive zone coverage was really good. We got away from it and started running around and that’s when lanes opened up and [Knighthawks] were able to bury pucks. We have to get better on the long chain side of things.”

Fothergill said they are not going to win hard games if they shoot under 15 shots a game. They learned a lot from this game, and they get better every time they touch the ice, but it will take time. <

Trail Blazers’ hockey turns up defense to tie Knighthawks in OT

Trail Blazers' senior Cole Washburn of Windham High School
is first to the puck at the University of Southern Maine in 
Gorham during an ice hockey game against Marshwood/
Traip/Sanford/Noble on Saturday, Jan. 22.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

By Matt Pascarella

In February 2020, the Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle Trail Blazers faced off against the Marshwood/Noble/Sanford/Traip Knighthawks with the game going scoreless for two periods and ended up with a 1-0 win for the Knighthawks. Flash forward two years and the same two teams faced each other again in yet another hard-fought contest at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham on Jan. 22.

This game was almost identical except for the final result, which ended in a 1-1 tie after three periods and an overtime.

Trail Blazers’ defense, coupled with the quick hands of junior Bonny Eagle goalie Porter Krause who helped keep the Knighthawks scoreless for two periods.

Trail Blazers senior Aiden Hartwell of Windham scored with the clock winding down in the third period.

The Knighthawks answered to tie up the game. After a defensive overtime period where the Trail Blazers worked hard to get the win, this one ended in a tie.

According to Krause, going into overtime, he wanted to hold down the net. If he could keep the Knighthawks from scoring, the Trail Blazers had an advantage. Although the result wasn’t what Krause may have wanted, he said he played like he wanted to in overtime.

The Trail Blazers intensity really picked up in the second period. They passed the puck and pressured the Knighthawks right in front of the net, with several substantial shots at goal early on in the second period. The Trail Blazers kept shots coming at the Knighthawks’ goalie.

Hartwell fired the puck between the posts in the third period. A short time later the Knighthawks answered to send the game into overtime.

Hartwell said their defense was solid and their goalie played phenomenal in overtime. They got pucks out and did what they were supposed to do, holding the Knighthawks back.

Trail Blazers Windham senior Cole Washburn said positivity on the bench was part of what helped hold off the Knighthawks in overtime.

“Marshwood always plays hard, and we struggle to match that,” said Trail Blazers coach Bobby Fothergill. “As the game went on, I thought we matched Knighthawks’ physicality and their intensity a little more. [The Trail Blazers] are a young team; we’re learning and growing. We’re trying to build a program that’s going to be competitive in the next few years.”

Fothergill said the seniors really wanted this game and power play possession was really good. The Trail Blazers got the puck to the middle and got good chances. He added they competed for 53 minutes and did not want to lose this one. Fothergill was proud of how they played. <

Trail Blazers earn 2-1 hockey win over Gorham in overtime, remain undefeated

Trail Blazer and Windham High senior Aiden Hartwell glides
toward Gorham's goalie to take a shot at goal on Wednesday,
Dec. 22 at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham
during the Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle Trail Blazer
hockey game. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA  

By Matt Pascarella

The Windham/Westbrook/Bonny Eagle Trail Blazers had quite a game in their first home game of the season against Gorham. The Trail Blazers tied the game after two scoreless periods. Trail Blazers Bonny Eagle senior Logan Caron scored with 46 seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime.

The Trail Blazers’ Sacopee Valley sophomore James Ritter fired the winning shot in overtime for the 2-1 win on Wednesday, Dec. 22 at the University of Southern Maine in Gorham.

The Trail Blazers moved the puck early on and were aggressive. Gorham had a few shots on goal, but Trail Blazers’ defense kept the Rams scoreless.

The two teams took roughly equal shots at their opponent’s goals and remained scoreless in the second period.

Windham’s Aiden Hartwell said the Trail Blazers started slow, but once Gorham scored, Trail Blazers gained momentum and knew they needed a goal.

The Trail Blazers turned up the intensity in the third period and matched Gorham’s goal with Caron’s to tie the game 1-1 with less than a minute remaining.

Caron said he was pretty sure he got the pass from Hartwell and saw an opening in the net. He let the puck rip and saw it bounce in the back of the net.

Windham freshman Sam Foley said Gorham was beating the Trail Blazers to a lot of puck battles and the Trail Blazers were not ready in the first two periods. In the third period they won more puck battles which got them more opportunities.

Ritter shot the puck past Gorham’s goalie 4:36 into overtime assisted by Hartwell and Bonny Eagle senior Bobby Fothergill.

“There was a lot of bodies in front, and I knew the goalie couldn’t see much,” said Ritter. “So, I tried to put it low ... and it just went in.”

Ritter said they lifted each other up, whether in the locker room or on the bench and that led to this win. They realized what they had to do, and they did it.

“They came out a little flat; it’s their first home game in two years,” said Trail Blazers coach Bobby Fothergill. “I think it took them a couple periods to settle in. Ultimately, they executed; they dug deep ... they wanted it, they worked it and they willed themselves that win. It’s a good character win – I’m very proud of them.” <

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.<