In a rematch of the Class A state title game last season, Windham reversed its fortunes by manhandling visiting Thornton Academy through the first half of the teams’ matchup on Friday night, Sept. 25, going up 24-0 by the break on touchdowns by Kyle Houser, Desmond Leslie and Griffin Jacobsen.

The Trojans largely owned the second half, but despite their determination couldn’t come back, ultimately falling to Windham 24-14.

“We’ve been working for this all off-season,” Windham senior Tyrell Gullatt. “This was the result of all the effort and hard work we’ve put in. I’m so proud of these guys right now.”

The Eagles’ opening drive died on the table, but their defense sacked Thornton Academy QB Austin McCrum twice on the Trojans’ follow-up series, then pressured him into airing out a long ball, forcing a punt.

“I think we pressured him well all game,” said Windham head coach Matt Perkins of McCrum. “I think we gave him different looks all game, I think he was confused. He was not comfortable where he was throwing; we had our hands on the ball probably three or four times tonight.”

Knuckles cracked, Windham capitalized on their next opportunity – and the three after that, too. Kyle Houser kicked off the scoring, breaking away on first and 10 from his team’s own 47 and dashing 53 yards up the left side for a sudden six points. Robert Innis nailed the PAT kick to give Windham the early 7-0 advantage.

Four plays into their next series, TA fumbled at their own 17 and Windham’s Gerry Valliere recovered. A couple snaps later, the Eagles found themselves at third and seven on the Trojans’ 14, whence QB Leslie rushed into the end zone for another six points. Innis demonstrated his reliability with another clean PAT, and Windham went up 14-0.

But a 14-point lead on the Trojans is practically nothing. Everybody – and especially Windham – knows how dangerous TA is, having lost to TA at last year’s Class A state championship game. So the Eagles pounded their guests without mercy, next tallying a field goal early in the second quarter. Griffin Jacobson advanced them to the TA 33 on a 20-yard run up the middle. Leslie and Jacobson then combined to claw their team to fourth and three at the 10, where Innis took over once more, splitting the uprights for 17-0.

“The mentality of the defense was the mentality of the team: We wanted to come out and play physical and just go 100 percent all game,” said Gullatt of the Eagles’ total shutout of the Trojans through the first half. “We were so poised to win this game.”

With roughly two and half minutes before the break, the Eagles still refused to relent, snatching back the ball once more when Mitch Eskilson intercepted a McCrum pass intended for Corey Hart.

Jacobson piled run on run from there, beginning with a staggering 20-yarder up the middle and eventually arriving at the TA five on a 14-yarder. He got up looking a little wobbly after earning that first and goal, but dipped into his juice reserves on the next snap and crossed the goal line. Innis tacked on his third PAT for an even 24-zilch.

“I think we got downhill,” said Perkins of the Eagles’ dominance in the first half. “Last week, Portland got us in the backfield and they stunted us and everything else and we really cleaned some things up tonight.”

TA adjusted admirably in the second half. The Trojans managed to hold Windham’s offense totally silent through the latter 24 minutes, and put 14 points of their own on the board. The Eagles’ defense, though, made TA grind out every yard, and in the end, those 14 points wouldn’t be enough.

McCrum connected his passes more reliably in the third and fourth, especially with Ben Lambert – who caught a five-yarder for the team’s first TD – but Windham also intercepted him twice more. Blake Houser grabbed one of the balls, with roughly two minutes remaining in the fourth, and Cam Hoffses grabbed the other, a game-clincher in the last second.

Greg Ruff earned the Trojans’ second TD, a four-yard rush score with 3:48 left to play.

“I think they were going deep in their playbook,” said Perkins of TA’s changes in the later going. “And we were playing pretty conservative, we were playing smart. We were taking control of the clock; we didn’t want to take any risks that were not wise.”

“Obviously they adjusted,” Gullatt said. “All we could do was keep playing our hardest. We had to hold it down, just had to get it on defense, and that’s what we did tonight.”

Windham improved to 3-1 on the win. The Eagles are currently third in A North; Portland, the only team to beat Windham thus far, is in first at 4-0, and Cheverus is in second. The Stags are also 3-1.

The Eagles travel to fourth-place Edward Little (2-2) on Friday, Oct. 2.

Of special note: Windham played as well as they did despite being down two of their ace performers, namely runningback Dylan Koza and wide receiver Eric Webb, both injured. Should one or both of those boys heal up and retake the field before the end of the season, the Eagles will only be the better for it.

But a spate of injuries gives a team the chance to plumb its depth, which Windham did. “We had a freshman that was on certain personnel packages for us tonight, and we had a junior who’s never played varsity step in for us,” said Perkins. “To say I’m proud is an understatement.”

Perkins was not only satisfied with his players, but also his assistants. “I’m so pleased, and proud of our coaches. They worked their tails off all week with game plan,” he said. Richard Johnson, Don Ledbetter, Chris Davis, Jason McLeod, Pete Cekutis, Galen Gullatt, Mike Martin and Rick Forbush round out the Eagles staff.

TA, now 3-1, falls to second in A South. Scarborough, 3-1 themselves, occupy first. The Trojans host the Red Storm on Saturday the 3rd.

Windham linebacker Patrick Leavitt latches onto Thornton Academy QB Austin McCrum in the first half of the teams’ matchup on Friday night.The Eagles’ QB Desmond Leslie pushes through a mass of bodies – some out to get him, some looking to defend him – in pursuit of every yard, foot, inch he can get.Griffin Jacobson carries the ball for Windham while on either side of him his teammates and his opponents line up to help carry him forward or help carry him back.TA’s Ben Lambert wraps Windham’s Mitch Eskilson around the waist after Eskilson picked up a pass from teammate and Eagles QB Desmond Leslie.A leaping Blake Houser intercepts a pass from Thornton Academy QB Austin McCrum. Trojan Ethan Wiggan can’t get a hand on Houser to defend.The Eagles celebrate after their 24-14 victory over TA on Friday night.

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