WINDHAM – Despite rallying in the second half to shrink a nine-point deficit, the Bonny Eagle girls’ basketball team couldn’t secure the lead, ultimately losing to Windham by a score of 47-40. Bonny Eagle drops to 3-9 on the season, while Windham edges above .500 to 6-5.

Windham coach Brody Artes credited the victory to his backcourt.

“Our guard play was great tonight,” he said after the game, praising junior Sam Frost, sophomore Luisa Sbardella, and freshmen Ciera Berthiaume and Katie Herzig for their handling of pressure, as well as their penetration of the defense.

Bonny Eagle got on the board first, as senior captain Shannon Sanborn sank a pair of free throws two minutes in. Windham senior Lauren Coughlin promptly dropped a two, however, evening the score. From there, the first quarter belonged to Windham. The Scots could only tally three more points, two on a jumper by senior captain Jordan Ray and one from the line by sophomore Delany McCullough, while Windham managed to rack up an additional nine, including a three by Frost. After eight minutes, the score stood 11-5 in their favor.

The Eagles soared in the second quarter, too, putting up eight points in a span of just three minutes, including two at the line by junior Haley Batchelder and two off a steal by freshman Sadie Nelson. Nelson later drained another two, while also drawing a foul, allowing her to tally one more. At the half, Windham led 24-15.

But Bonny Eagle never gave up, which was coach Suzanne Rondeau’s message to her girls in the locker room.

“More energy, more hustle, more heart, just come out and play with passion, and whatever happens, happens,” Rondeau said she told them.

The Scots fell five points further behind to begin the third, with Nelson and Frost both adding Windham’s total. But Bonny Eagle soon made those points up and then some, scoring 12 in the last three minutes alone. By the end of the quarter, they had narrowed the Eagles’ lead by one, to 35-27.

“We knew that they were going to come out with a little more intensity in the second half,” Artes said of the Scots’ second-half fight, “especially being down with what they were in the first half. I expected them to make the run that they did, and they definitely are a scrappy team for sure. We were prepared for that.”

In the fourth, the Scots continued to regain lost ground. Seven seconds after Frost went 0 for 2 at the line to open the quarter for Windham, Bonny Eagle sophomore Samantha Maxfield went 2 for 2 on her own free throws. Ray then drained a 3-pointer to further bolster the Scots’ momentum. They couldn’t eliminate the Eagles’ lead entirely, however, and Windham fought back. The Scots’ needed a dramatic two at the buzzer to bring the final score 47-40.

Frost turned in 11 points for the Eagles, and Berthiaume added 10. For the Scots, both Maxfield and Sanborn contributed eight.

The Scots have eight underclassmen on their roster, and 10 of their players are under 5-foot-9. Asked if her squad’s youth and small size made the difference Tuesday night, Rondeau said, “Yeah, I think so. We have a mix of a few seniors and a lot of sophomores, so these girls continue to work and make their mistakes, but make good strides.”

The Bonny Eagle girls look to make more strides in their next matchup, at home versus Kennebunk (1-10 after a Tuesday night loss) on Friday, Jan. 18. The Eagles’ next game is at Cheverus, also on Friday night.

Windham freshman Ciera Berthiaume snatches the ball from behind before Bonny Eagle senior captain Shannon Sanborn can get her shot off Tuesday night.
Bonny Eagle freshman Cassidy Emery dodges a Windham defender Tuesday night.
Windham junior Sam Frost tries for two in the Eagles’ game against Bonny Eagle Tuesday night.
Windham sophomore Luisa Sbardella advances up the court against Bonny Eagle Tuesday night.
Bonny Eagle senior captain Jordan Ray knocks the ball away from Windham freshman Katie Herzig in the teams’ meeting Tuesday night.
Windham junior Haley Batchelder looks to pass in the Eagles’ game against Bonny Eagle Tuesday night.
Bonny Eagle sophomore Megan Morash launches a two against Windham defenders Tuesday night.
Bonny Eagle senior captain Marley Harmon attempts to block as Windham freshman Sadie Nelson claws her way toward the basket.
Windham junior Sam Frost skirts defending Bonny Eagle senior captain Jordan Ray in the teams’ match-up Tuesday night.