When the Oxford Hills girls’ soccer team glances at the most recent standings, the Vikings see something  quite unfamiliar.

With a 2-1-1 record, the Vikings were ranked fourth in the Eastern A Heal Points entering the week.

“I was talking with some of them (Monday) and they were commenting on how they haven’t been in 10th place let alone fourth place since the seniors were freshmen,” Oxford Hills coach Cortney Sirois said. “It is great to see them happy and having fun again and this program having some success again.”

Oxford  Hills won two games last year and have struggled to get out of the bottom of the Eastern A standings in recent seasons. With a strong group of returning players, led by all-conference midfielder Kiersten Zufelt and the boost from some new talent, Sirois hoped to make strides this year. The Vikings have certainly done more than that.

After opening the season with a respectable 1-0 loss to unbeaten and top-ranked Brunswick, the Vikings tied Edward Little 1-1. Then came a 1-0 win over Lewiston. Abbie Eastman had the lone goal while keeper Breanna Martin had 11 saves for the shutout.

Oxford Hills followed that up with a 1-1 tie against Mt. Ararat, another traditional KVAC powerhouse.  Freshman Mikayla Morin scored the tying goal as the Vikings rallied from behind in the second half. The Vikings capped off last week with a 2-1 victory over Erskine. Ellex Loper’s second-half tally broke a 1-1 game and helped the Vikings equal last year’s win total.

“I think it has boosted the girls’ confidence and shown that we can play with the top teams in the league,” Sirois said. “They have meshed well this year and with the addition of some key players this season, we have really started playing well.”

The Vikings added to that win total Tuesday with a 2-0 victory at Cony. With winless Skowhegan at home Thursday and Messalonskee, with one win, on Friday, the Vikings hope to keep rolling, especially with the likes of Brunswick, Mt. Ararat, Waterville and Lawrence ahead on the schedule.

“We have winnable games this week and if we can do that, it will be huge for the girls and the program,” Sirois said.

Making adjustments

St. Dom’s already had some holes to fill after graduating a wealth of talent from last year’s 15-1-1 team that lost in the Western Class C finals. Then the Saints learned in the preseason that they’d have to play without senior midfielder Stephanie Costello.

The all-star midfielder injured her knee in preseason scrimmage against Gardiner and is lost for the season.

“It’s a key loss to the team but the team is trying to adjust,” St. Dom’s coach Kathy Little said. “People are stepping up in different positions and taking on new roles.”

Costello was a key cog in the midfield last year with veterans like  Hailey Girardin, Meagan Lawrence, Taylor Paquet and Sophie Goulet up front. The Saints are missing all those players this year.

Marley Byrne and Dayle Jordan have stepped into larger roles in the midfield, while Kelley McLellan, Kayla McLellan and Courtney Costello have all helped out in the midfield as well.

“We’ve had five or six playing and filling in in the midfield,” Little said. “We’re adjusting. We’re coming together and playing the hand we were dealt.”

With recent wins over Mountain Valley and Hall-Dale, the Saints have gotten some strong play in the midfield, which has helped boost the offense. St. Dom’s had two early losses, after not losing in the regular season the past two seasons in the MVC. Now the Saints feel some good things happening as the team evolves.

“I definitely feel like we’re picking it up, and we’re going to keep the momentum going, hopefully,” Byrne said. “The losses weren’t a letdown, but more like a wake-up call. I think we’ve picked it up. We’re making the passes, and we’re learning where players are this year.”

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