If the 2007-08 Winthrop Ramblers had to be summed up in a word, that word would probably be unflappable.

That would be the English version, at least.

Asked to put a bow on their remarkable season, the Ramblers’ coach preferred some basic French.

“The way I phrased it was ‘Comme ci, comme ca.'” Dennis Dacus said. “Whatever happens, happens.

What happened was a 21-1 record, a state championship, and a season where seemingly impossible expectations were met, if not surpassed.

The Ramblers were typically unflappable Wednesday night, beating a Calais team that had won its previous 63 contests in every facet of the game en route to a 72-62 coronation.

They did it shorthanded. Starting forward Tim Gingras was suspended for the game due to a violation of the school’s code of conduct. But Winthrop didn’t dwell on the loss of their defensive stopper.

“Once we found out it happened, we moved on,” senior guard Sam Leclerc said. “We had to still take care of business. We couldn’t let it affect our play.”

They had several often overlooked role players make significant contributions, from Andrew Smithgall, who filled Gingras’ spot in the starting lineup and scored 10 points, to Zach Farrington, who was often the forgotten fifth starter in a heralded lineup that featured Leclerc, Gingras, Ezra Damm and Larry Foster.

Farrington had a unique perspective on the Ramblers’ season, having transferred from Mt. Blue. He saw that the team had its sights set high even before observers placed them as the favorites to win Western C.

“I knew there was a lot of talent, so there was going to be a lot of pressure on me to step up,” said Farrington, who hit three big 3-pointers in the title game.

In hindsight, Winthrop’s schedule required its players to raise their game often.

“I told these kids, you played a Dirigo, a Boothbay, a Traip, a great Hyde team,” Dacus said. “We beat three Class A teams during the year (in a Christmas tournament). In our own (preseason) tournament, we beat the state Class B champion, Maranacook. We played some great talent this year.”

The Ramblers lost twice to Dirigo, once at home during the regular season and then in the MVC championship game. The season wasn’t without some other warts.

“We wouldn’t have good practices a lot of the times. We beat teams by 20 we should have beat by 60. We got a lot of bad habits in those games,” Dacus said. “But when it came time to play, they came to play.”

They followed the lead of four-year starter Sam Leclerc, the MVC Player of the Year and a Mr. Basketball finalist.

“Right when I met him, he said we were going to be state champions,” Farrington said. “I’m just glad that I had the opportunity to play with him.”

The point guard led his conference in points (20.7) and assists (6.2). He saved his best for the biggest game, scoring 28 points, grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out seven assists while playing effective defense on Calais’ star point guard, Sam Bell.

“I pulled him aside before (Wednesday’s) shootaround and told him ‘This is your stage. You’ve got one game left. I’m pretty sure you’ll be a Mr. Basketball finalist. I think they look at these games as an indicator of who gets that award, so hey, step it up.’ And that’s what he did,” Dacus said.

“I was just taking what they were giving me,” Leclerc said. “And I was just trying to create for everyone else.”

Next year, Leclerc could be creating for others at a small Division I school. Damm, Foster and Gingras will also graduate. As of now, defending the state title appears unlikely.

But then, as Dacus would say, whatever happens, happens.