WHS softball heads to Class A State Championship Game

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High’s varsity softball team has been playing together since they were in Little League. In addition to a strong season, it makes these last few games together much more special. Windham earned the spot to play one more time as they won the Class A regional title against top-ranked Cheverus 1-0 at Saint Joseph’s College on Tuesday, June 17. This was second-place Windham’s second regional title win in the program’s recent history and is headed to the Class A State championship for the second time in the last three years.

Windham High School's softball team defeated Cheverus,
1-0, to win the Class A Regional championship and 
advance to the Maine Class A State Softball Championship
Game at Saint Joseph's College on Saturday afternoon.
 

Until now, Cheverus has been a challenge for Windham during the 2025 season; the Lady Eagles had lost twice to the Stags before the start of playoffs. Windham also found themselves in a similar situation last year in the regional playoff game up against the first-place team, but that time Windham lost.

“When we ended last year’s regional final game, it didn’t feel like we got beat by the other team, it felt like we got beat by ourselves,” said Windham varsity softball coach Darcey Gardiner. “Since that moment there has been a hunger inside these girl’s bellies to be right back here (at the regional championship). And it’s not like they wanted to be back here facing any old team; they wanted to be back here facing the best. To see them step up to that challenge, that’s the confidence that we’re looking for when you talk about teenage girls and sports, that’s that kind of steady confidence that we try to build with them all year long throughout practice.”

This Windham team has been together, playing in tough championships – and winning them – since playing together in Little League. This group knows each other, knows what it takes to win a state championship and is up to the task of a state championship win.

Gardiner said that while the game is fun, the girls treat it as a job and come out and to do it to the best of their ability no matter the stakes.

Starting pitcher and senior Kennedy Kimball had pitched very little against the Stags this season and pitched this entire game.

“I was definitely nervous because I hadn’t seen them,” said Kimball. “My mindset was to go at a lot of the hitters and let them get themselves out almost. Like hit ground balls and pop-flies because I trusted my defense behind me. It was really to try to not walk a lot of people and really go at them – make them be able to hit.”

It's meaningful for WHS seniors to end the season on a high note.

“As a senior, I can’t be more grateful,” said Windham’s Chloe Edwards, who scored Windham’s run. “We knew going into this it wasn’t going to be an easy game, now that we’re here and (I’m wearing this medal), I can’t wait for the next one. Being here again and with this group of girls ... and the fact that we’re here again on that same motivation I have no doubt that we’ll succeed at what we did here today. We knew coming into this it wasn’t going to be an easy game, but from last year we had so much adrenaline and drive, and we came for the win. We got off that bus excited and there was no stopping us once we started going.”

Kimball said she’s glad they’ve made it to this point in their senior year; since a lot of them have been playing since Little League for so long – it’s a really cool experience for the seniors and she’s really glad this is how they get to end their last year.

Windham has worked so hard for so long, and players say they are ready for the State Championship Game. They’ve had a phenomenal season and are ready to make this season special, like it was in 2023, when they won their first State Championship ever. They’ve got the skills and team chemistry to do so.

“They know each other better than they know themselves,” said Gardiner. “The comradery, they respect each other, how they play off each other’s strengths and weaknesses, again they’ve been doing this since Little League and I’m here to kind of help steer the ship. This team has been so equipped for this state championship since they were in fifth and sixth grade.”

Edwards said they’ve got to go into Saturday ready to have fun, stay loose and be themselves.

Windham (17-2) will take on Edward Little (13-6) in the Class A State Championship at Saint Joseph’s College at 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 21 <