Portland football runs wild in blowout victory over Windham
Portland Bulldogs rout Windham Eagles 39‑13 in dominant opener
Portland, ME – The Portland Bulldogs capped a flawless start to their football season with a convincing 39‑13 victory over the Windham Eagles on Friday night at the Bulldogs’ home field. The win—Portland’s third straight—keeps the Bulldogs undefeated and bolsters their standing as one of the top teams in the state, while the Eagles drop to 1‑2 on their road trip.
The game opened with a brisk run from Portland’s senior running back Alex Martin, who carried the ball 23 times for 219 yards and a touchdown. In the first quarter, Martin broke through the line for a four‑yard gain that gave the Bulldogs a 7‑0 lead. Portland’s offense, led by the duo of Martin and sophomore David Gomes, accumulated 313 rushing yards between them and scored four touchdowns—two for each player.
Gomes, who usually lines up as a tailback, was called in at the H‑back in the second quarter. “I’m usually just playing running back. They asked me to go out there and play the H. I just did what they wanted me to do,” Gomes said. “They trusted me there to catch the ball.” The adjustment paid off when Gomes caught a 50‑yard touchdown pass from quarterback Reece Wildes, giving the Bulldogs a 23‑6 edge with 13.5 seconds left in the half.
The Bulldogs’ defense also played a major role in the shutout, with Will Lukoki making several key stops and forcing punts. Defensive end Quinn Derrig added a 20‑yard interception return for a touchdown early in the third quarter. Portland’s defense forced Windham to punt three times on the first half, limiting the Eagles to just 13 points.
Windham’s offense found its footing only once, with a one‑yard touchdown run by Tegan Perkins that pulled the score to 7‑6. The Eagles’ only other points came from a 3‑yard run by Ronin Rotaru. Windham’s coach Matt Perkins was candid about the team’s performance. “Whatever could go wrong went wrong,” he said. “That’s part of the young guys on the field trying to figure it out, and then getting away from technique, trying to be a hero and trying to do too much. That’s just part of the growing pains right now.”
Portland’s senior quarterback Reece Wildes finished the night with five completions on 11 attempts for 105 yards and a touchdown, while also throwing a long pass that set up Gomes’s catch. The Bulldogs’ kicking game was also reliable, with Justin Bouchard connecting on a 25‑yard field goal to push the score to 36‑6 before the final touchdown.
Senior running back Alex Martin praised his backfield partner in a post‑game interview. “Me and him in the backfield, I think we might be the best running backs in Maine,” he said. “We really locked in on what we needed to do. It was the game of the week. Everyone was talking about it.” Coach Dylan Rottkov echoed that sentiment, noting the complementary styles of the two players. “Alex is as instinctual of a football player as they come,” Rottkov remarked. “He knows when to cut, he knows when to lower his shoulder, knows how to make guys miss.” He added that the pair’s rapid yardage had created a “Pony Express” situation for the team.
Windham’s offensive line and skill players had mixed success. Wide receiver Landon Wyman hauled in five catches for
