WINDHAM — With the clock on running time because of the lopsided score, the winning Windham girls’ lacrosse team keep attacking. But, with the outcome obvious, wasn’t it hard for the Eagles to concentrate?
“No!” seniors Carissa O’Connell and Emma Yale answered together. Of course, they were in unison. That is how this Eagles team has clicked along this season, moving to the verge of a historic next step.
Windham routed Oxford Hills 20-7 on Friday in a Class A North semifinal. Yale led with six goals and two assists. Senior Julia McKenna added four goals and two assists.
The second-seeded Eagles, who advanced to the North title game for the third time in the last four seasons, have never won a regional title. Now Windham (12-2) will play top-seeded Falmouth (11-3) on Tuesday in a rematch of the 2019 final, won by Falmouth, 13-6.
“It will definitely be one of our harder games, but I think we can stick with them,” senior Riley Beem said.
No. 3 Oxford Hills could not stick with Windham. The Vikings finished at 11-3.
“We had a great season,” said Oxford Hills Coach Jaimee Smith, whose team won a playoff game for the first time earlier in the week.
“This was not our ‘A’ game today, but Windham is definitely a strong program.”
Windham won the first two faceoffs and led 2-0 just 56 seconds into the game. But the Vikings briefly stayed close, trailing 3-2 after goals by Ella Kellogg and Celia Melanson.
“Sometimes, we had those moments,” Smith said. “We just needed to string them together.”
Kellogg led the Vikings with three goals. Melanson and Ashlee Farrar each scored twice.
Windham broke away, though, scoring the next eight goals on the way to a 13-3 halftime lead. Beem finished with three goals and an assist. Molly Black and Izzy Babb scored two apiece.
At the start of the second half, there was no letup. Windham was up 18-4 when the subs came in.
“We used this as a practice to get better and really work on what we need to,” O’Connell said.
What Windham is working on is winning the North. What stands in the way is Falmouth, a team the Eagles defeated 11-9 in the season opener.
“Beating them in our first game, we knew we have something special,” Beem said. “But we have to keep working.”
O’Connell appreciated that win, but it was the first game. “It doesn’t matter if we beat them at the beginning. Teams change throughout the season,” she said.
If Windham has changed, it is hard to notice. The team plays well together, showing the experience built with 10 seniors on the roster.
“We’ve been building up to this year for a while,” Yale said.
Matt Perkins, who is in his eighth year as head coach (adding to his head football coaching duties), has watched this team build into what could be the Eagles’ best ever.
“We have a ton of talent,” he said. “They play really well together. Great leadership. Hustle. Work. Committed in practice.”
Among the leaders is Yale, who broke the school’s career goals record (134) on Friday.
“She sees the game well,” Perkins said. “If she feels the double-team, she knows how to dish. She’s a team player, unselfish.”
Yale shrugged about Friday’s effort: “We just wanted to work hard.”
Send questions/comments to the editors.
