LEWISTON – As a young softball player, Maria Labbe was enticed to try playing catcher. Her father, Tony, had experience at the position, and when he made the suggestion, his daughter was intrigued.

“It was one of those things where my Dad was a catcher, and he was like, ‘You want to try it?'” Labbe said. “I was like, ‘Sure.’ It went from there.”

She was lured to the position solely because of her father’s experiences, but the Lewiston senior has made the position her own. She played second base as a freshman, but has been the Blue Devils’ starting backstop the last three seasons.

“There’s always something going on compared to the field where it might be hit to you,” Labbe said. “At catcher and pitcher, you always have action, guaranteed. I think that’s what caught me. I was always doing something. I always had a major role.”

Labbe has played four sports at Lewiston. She’s been a constant with the soccer team and played three years of basketball before playing hockey this winter. Softball is her love and the sport she’ll continue playing at St. Joseph’s College next year, where she’ll major in biology with aspirations of nursing school.

“There’s no question in my mind that she’ll fulfill all those goals,” Lewiston coach Fred Royer said. “She’s going to be one that I’ll miss. She’ll be a friend of Lewiston softball for a long time after she leaves. She’s done a lot to contribute to our success.”

The Blue Devils are off to one of their best starts in recent years. Lewiston is 8-2 and ranked sixth in the latest Eastern A standings. Labbe and her long-time battery mate, Danielle Willey, are key components of that success.

After learning the position from former Blue Devil catcher Allison Coleman as a freshman, Labbe moved behind the plate, where she’s been catching Willey for three seasons.

“From sophomore year, it’s been me and Danielle,” Labbe said. “We’ve been together since seventh grade. We know when each other is down.”

They also know how to work together. That has been a vital aspect of their progression as Lewiston’s battery.

“That catcher-pitcher relationship there is very strong,” said Royer, who has allowed Labbe and Willey to work together to call pitches. “We hope that continues to get positive as the year goes on. Her role on working the pitches and framing the pitches and her techniques have improved.”

Labbe is also one of Lewiston’s most potent hitters. She bats cleanup and is one of the KVAC South’s most feared hitters. She was hitting .500 through the first six games and had 12 RBI, including five extra base hits out of her 11 hits.

“She’s done a good job getting her bat on the ball,” Royer said. “I think that’s improved quite a lot.”

With four seniors on the team, Labbe is one of the leaders. She, Willey and shortstop Sam Morency are tri-captains. Royer says all three bring different personalities and leadership styles to the team. Labbe leads by example. She works hard and is committed to the sport. It is a role she takes seriously.

“When you’re a senior, all the other kids look up to you,” she said. “So you have to play that role well. Senior year, you want it to be the best of the four.”

Currently, the Blue Devils season is on pace to reach that goal. Lewiston are in the running for a high seed in the Eastern A playoffs. They’ve beaten many of the teams they face down the stretch but still have tough rematches with Cony, Oxford Hills and Edward Little.

“We’re working well together,” Labbe said. “We all know our roles. We’re all playing them well. Hopefully, we can keep it up.”