Mariah Larsen learned just how fast circumstance can change.

The senior defender on the Dirigo girls’ soccer team was ready for the start of last year’s campaign when life changed in a hurry.

She was in a car accident that led to a bad ankle injury that subsequently forced her to sit out the season.

“It was a week before school started and a week before the regular season,” said Larsen. “It’s crazy that life can happen like that.”

It was a cruel blow. As a key defender on a young up-and-coming team, Larsen was only able to sit and watch the season unfold from the sidelines. Dirigo went 10-4-1 and lost in the Western C quarterfinals.

“I went to home games, but it was hard because my heart is with my team,” she said. “It was hard to sit and watch and see everyone happy on the field, and I couldn’t be out there.”

That experience made her that much more motivated for this season. The Cougars have everyone back from last year and were able to plug her back on a stellar defensive line.

“It made me want to play and made me want to have the heart to be here,” said Larsen.

Larsen is a captain with the unbeaten Cougars and relishing being back. What she missed most isn’t the game and playing but sharing that experience with her team.

“I missed the fun we had on the field,” she said. “We can be serious and still have fun at the same time and still go somewhere.”

The Cougars have high hopes this season. At 7-0-1, Dirigo should be a team to watch in the Western C tourney. After losing the last two years in overtime on penalty kicks, Dirigo is motivated, and Larsen is excited to be part of it again.

“It’s pretty crazy to think that everything happened the way it did,” said Larsen. “We’re a good team this year. I’m very excited.”

Larsen’s addition has solidified an already formidable defense. With juniors Michelle Morrison, Ambyr Wilson, Samantha Morse, Kayla Gaudin and sophomore Bryce Parent in front of keeper Natasha Derouche, the Cougars have as good a back line as they’ve ever had. Dirigo has allowed just two goals this year. One of those was a penalty kick scored by Hall-Dale on Monday.

“I’m really proud of that backline,” said Dirigo coach Art Chamberlin. “There isn’t much that gets behind them.”

MVC Showdown

Two of the top squads in the MVC and Western C meet Thursday in Dixfield at 4 p.m.

Dirigo hosts St. Dom’s in what could be an excellent showdown. Dirigo is unbeaten and ranked first in Western C while the Saints are 6-2 and ranked fifth. Dirigo has scored 31 goals and allowed just two while the Saints have scored 15 goals and allowed seven. The Saints have also won three straight.

After edging Hall-Dale Monday, 2-1, the Cougars get to test themselves against more of the league’s top teams. In addition to Thursday game with St. Dom’s, the Cougars host second-ranked Madison on Oct. 11.

“This is a big stretch this week,” said Chamberlin, whose club edged Hall-Dale, 2-1, on Monday. “Then we’re at Mountain Valley and Spruce Mountain comes to our place under the lights to finish off. So we’ve got our work cut out for us.”

Devil of a winning streak

After starting the season 0-4, the Lewiston girls have produced three straight wins. The Blue Devils got their first win in a 5-0 rout of Skowhegan led by Maegan Mathon’s two goals and a goal and an assist each from Kayla Hamel and Kenzie Sullivan.  Lewiston followed that up with a 3-0 win over their rivals from EL. Sullivan had a pair in that win while Shae Godbout added a goal and an assist. Lewiston made it three in a row with a 3-1 win over Brewer last weekend. Emily Dixon posted the two shutouts in goal.

The three wins already surpass the two Lewiston managed last season.