Winthrop is showing how a subtle change can pay big dividends in field hockey.

The Ramblers entered last Saturday’s game at Mountain Valley with a 9-1 record and sitting alone on top of the MVC standings, so some might conclude that it would be better to maintain the status quo.

Coach Sharon Coulton recently moved Elyse Cole from wing to left inner, and Cole promptly delivered two goals in a 3-0 win over the Falcons.

Nicole Emery scored a goal 2:45 in to the contest, and Cole tallied a goal 3:30 later. Cole was a key through out the game, utilizing her quickness to corral loose balls and then rush directly toward the crease.

“She had been getting too far outside, so moving her inside allowed her to carry the ball in to the cage,” Coulton said. “She scored two goals in the game, but we’re hoping she can do that again.”

Defending MVC champion Winthrop entered the game on a mission after Mountain Valley beat Hall-Dale three days earlier. The lone blemish on Winthrop’s record is a 2-1 loss to Hall-Dale in the season opener. The two teams will settlee the MVC crown when they play each other in the regular-season finale Oct. 12 in Winthrop.

Winthrop has rallied this season around players who mostly saw only junior varsity action last season. There were 11 seniors on the team in 2002.

“It’s not surprising,” Coulton said. “They have been playing so well because they have been working together for so long. The girls are athletic, and they are very determined. In addition, they’re all excellent students. These things add up in the ability to get things accomplished.”

Goalie Tabitha Therrien is the only senior on the varsity, which includes one freshman, one sophomore and 15 juniors. In the past three years, Winthrop hs a 35-7-2 record.

Therrien has been a cornerstone during that run. This year, she has allowed only seven goals and has three shutouts.

“Yes, absolutely it’s a relief with her back there,” Coulton said. “Tab has been a strong captain and leader for us. She is not afraid to speak up to her teammates. She is serious about keeping our traditions going and has a great sense of humor. Tab has worked very hard and improved tremendously over four years.”

The Ramblers play a 4-2-3-1 or a 3-3-3-1 system, depending on the game or field. A constant has been sweeper Megan Lynch, who saved at least one goal on Saturday, one that got past Therrien. The halfbacks are equally strong with tri-captain Ashley Burgess in the center, sandwiched by Steph Curtis and Anna White.

“Ashley is very, very strong,”Coulton said. “She is our first rusher on defensive corners, and Mountain Valley took a dozen against us. The other starters both played JV last year, so it was a big step up for them, and they were more than ready.”

The offense is led by Emery, a junior tri-captain, with 13 goals and six assists, including four goals on penalty strokes. Cole has five goalsa nd five assists. The Ramblers’ second line consists of left link Kenzie Demkowicz (four goals, three assists), who puts the ball into play on offensive penalty corners.

That winning feeling

A trio of local teams have struggled to find the win column this season, but in recent weeks, Poland, Oak Hill and Dirigo finally finished on the favorable side of things.

The moment was a long time coming for Class B Poland and Oak Hill, neither of whom had won a game since 2001. Poland beat Traip 2-1, while Oak Hill nipped Lincoln 4-3 in overtime.

“The win didn’t give us the shot in the arm that we had hoped,” Poland coach Drea Beale said. “We lost to Waynflete 4-1 two days after our Traip win.”

The Knights are heading in the right direction, though, as a majority of the scores have been closer this season. The front line includes junior Becky Lindquist and sophomores Chelsea Gerard, Jessy Hodgkiss and Mallory Huskins. Each of them just began playing field hockey last year, and Gerard played one year prior to that.

“We are young, with a shallow bench,” Beale said. “Our focus has been more on building skills, but also (assistant coach Jen Small) and I are trying to teach them how to be intense athletes. Much of that, unfortunately, takes time. They are progressing but still have a ways to go.”

Oak Hill came from behind to tie the Eagles before Mae Nadeau scored the game-winner. The Raiders have a balanced scoring this season with Lena Dietrich and sisters Jill and Julie Lizotte leading the way. The Raiders followed up the win by tying Rockland.

Dirigo hadn’t tasted victory in 2003 until beating Georges Valley 3-2 last week. Sheena Hanmer, Sarah Oakes and Amanda Kimball each scored a goal off a penalty corner.

The Cougars suffered a double-overtime loss to Lisbon next time out.