Laura Martel is back.

Held to a dozen games, five starts and three goals as a junior in 2008, the Lewiston High School graduate has bolted out of the ’09 starting blocks leaving no doubt about her status as the go-to player for University of Maine women’s soccer.

In fact, it’s easy to make a case for Martel as the premier player in America East. At least that was the verdict for the week ending Sept. 6, when the conference recognized Martel as its player of the week.

Remarkably, Martel reaped that honor without the benefit of Maine (2-3-1) winning a game over that stretch.

She scored the Black Bears’ lone goal in a 3-1 loss Sept. 4 at Dartmouth. Two days later, Martel connected for both Maine tallies to preserve a 2-2 tie with Iona in the team’s home opener.

Martel leads the league in scoring after her fourth strike — and Maine’s fourth straight goal — on Sept. 11. At that solemn stop on the calendar, Martel provided some eerie numerology by scoring at 9:11 of overtime to give Maine a 1-0 victory over Bryant College.

While she already has dwarfed last season’s frustrating figures, Martel proved her ability to lead the Black Bears in the past. She led the team with six goals and 13 points as a sophomore on the heels of three goals and an assist her rookie season.

Home fans have a chance to take a Sunday drive, enjoy the foliage and catch Martel in action on her home turf the next two weeks. Maine hosts Northeastern at 1 p.m. today before taking a week off and welcoming Maryland-Baltimore County to Orono for a conference game Sept. 27.

UNE’S STORM FRONT

Taryn Flagg appears to be putting all University of New England field hockey scoring records out of sight. The Nor’easters new all-time leading scorer might want to look over her shoulder and keep at least one eye on teammate Michelle Oswald, however.

The two former high school all-stars — Flagg from Livermore Falls, Oswald by way of Mt. Blue and living in Jay — are rattling the cage habitually for UNE. Flagg and Oswald have scored seven goals apiece in the Nor’easters’ 4-1 start.

Flagg won the Commonwealth Coast Conference’s highest weekly honor and smashed her school’s two most significant career offensive marks in the first two weeks of the campaign. She was named league player of the week for the period ending Sept. 6, chalking up four goals and two assists in victories over Southern Maine and Castleton State.

Oswald earned her place in the spotlight in UNE’s next game, producing a hat trick in a 7-0 rout of Anna Maria. Still, it was Flagg reaping the headlines.

By scoring a goal and adding an assist in the span of less than a minute, Flagg erased two standards set by former teammate Lisa Baillargeon. The goal was Flagg’s 33rd, breaking a tie for most all-time at the Biddeford school. And the assist moved Flagg ahead of Baillargeon with 81 career points.

Flagg, who redshirted in 2007 after a brilliant freshman season, is backing up an ’08 season in which she notched 16 goals and seven assists.

Four goals and three assists as a freshman merely hinted at Oswald’s offensive potential. She is tied with Flagg for the team lead with seven goals and is second with 16 points.

Also contributing for the Nor’easters is sophomore Brianna Tupper of Winthrop, who has collected two goals and assisted a pair.

WIND AT THEIR BACKS

In a word, unstoppable.

The Maine Maritime Academy football program is off to a record-shattering start, scoring a combined 103 points in two season-opening wins with the help of numerous local standouts.

Senior fullback Jim Bower of South Paris (Oxford Hills) rambled for 165 yards and his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the season Saturday in a 41-21 victory over Western New England College.

Bower was balanced nicely by Tyler Angell. The senior quarterback from Leeds (Leavitt) aired it out for an additional 150 yards.

Nick Bourassa of Jay also rushed for a touchdown for the Mariners, who amassed 615 total yards. That followed an opener in which Bourassa bolted for 180 yards, including an 82-yard score. Bourassa was named to the New England Football Conference honor roll for his exploits in that wild 62-39 win over Becker.

Not to be outdone, Bower rushed 22 times for 154 yards and three TDs last Saturday.

Lest you believe defense is a lost art for the Mariners, Travis Fergola of Mexico (Mountain Valley) begs to differ. Fergola has combined for a team-high 17 tackles through two weeks.

LET US KNOW

College sports information departments and the internet are great resources as we strive to stay in touch with top scholastic athletes from the Sun Journal coverage area who are excelling at the next level. But we know the list is never complete.

If you have a family or community member making the grade on the collegiate playing field and deserving to be recognized in this weekly space, please let us know. Send their name, school and a brief summary of their recent accomplishments to [email protected]. We’ll take care of the rest.

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