WINDHAM — Windham High has come a long way since the beginning of the season. In its first season in Eastern Class A since the state football realignment, the third-seeded Eagles made the playoffs.
And now they’re moving on to the semifinals with a convincing 54-14 victory against sixth-seeded Edward Little in the quarterfinals Saturday night.
Liam Sullivan scored two touchdowns and rushed for 160 yards as Windham (5-4) took control after some early ball-handling problems.
Sullivan is one of only six seniors on the team. Sophomore running back Griffin Jacobson added three touchdowns for Windham.
“Our whole deal going into the game was to make sure we subbed me and Griffin out so we would be fresh,” said Sullivan.
Sullivan said the early mistakes were due to nervousness. Windham fumbled at the Edward Little 6 on its second drive and had a high snap on a punt, resulting in a fumble that the Eddies recovered.
But after that, the Eagles started rolling.
“We have a lot of guys who had never been in a varsity playoff game before,” said Sullivan. “They definitely stepped up to the plate after the first series or two and I’m proud of them. We kept plugging away.”
After the traditional handshakes, the Eagles celebrated prior to their team huddle. It’s been four seasons since Windham won a quarterfinal game. The Eagles will face Portland in the semifinals Friday night.
After a scoreless opening quarter, Jacobson scored on a 25-yard run to make it 6-0.
Sullivan’s 13-yard run made it 13-0, and he scored again on a 1-yard dive for a 20-0 halftime advantage.
The points kept on coming for the Eagles in the second half.
Edward Little (3-6) lost starting quarterback Ian Mileikis to a leg injury in the first quarter. He was replaced by Matt Verrill, who threw for the Red Eddies’ first touchdown.
Windham quarterback Tyler Johnson passed for a touchdown and defensive back Eric Webb returned an interception 60 yards for a score, adding to the advantage.
“Many people before the season were questioning whether we would win a game,” stated Edward Little Coach Dave Sterling. “We ended up making the playoffs. It’s something to build on for next season.”
Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:
tchard@pressherald.com
Twitter: TomChardPPH
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