AUBURN — Kathy Little couldn’t help but think about what she’d lost from last year’s regional championship soccer team at St. Dom’s.

The Saints coach had graduated 11 seniors. Many of those players had been integral at getting St. Dom’s to its first Western C championship game and winning it in their second try, beating Waynflete in overtime last fall.

But  as early as last summer, Little wasn’t dwelling on what her team had lost. She was excited about what the club still possessed.

“When we were playing 11 vs.11 or one man short this summer, we knew we had a special core that was there,” said Little. “They’ve exceeded all expectations.”

Now St. Dom’s has reached the regional final for the third straight year. The Saints have gone 14-1-1 and allowed just two goals all season. St. Dom’s has posted 14 shutouts in 16 games. That doesn’t even include the 1-0 win in the Mountain Valley Conference championship game.

One thing that has made the Saints so successful this year hasn’t just been the play of the veteran players but younger players stepping into larger roles. They’ve excelled and fit right in. It was sophomore Kirsten Connor, coming off the bench, that scored the game-winner Saturday against Monmouth in the semifinals.

“As a returning sophomore and being on the freshman team, it was very fast moving and exhilarating,” said Connor of last year. “Just being back here again, it means that we have to work just as hard. We lost 11 seniors. We’ve picked up so much from preseason to now. It’s nice to be going back.”

The Saints host third-ranked Waynflete (10-2-4) today at 3 p.m. The Flyers are anxious for a rematch with the team that beat them in overtime last fall.

“We weren’t too happy with with way it ended last year,” said sophomore Flyer goalie Juliana Harwood. “We’re happy to try it again.

“Getting to the state game is something we’ve been talking about all year. It has fueled us every game.”

Last year, the Flyers were a team featuring Becky Smith, who had just scored her 50th career goal prior to the regional final last year. Waynflete is still a veteran team with  10 upperclassmen.  Senior Rhiannan Jackson anchors the defense and junior Walker Foehl leads the offense.

“We had a tough loss in it last year,” said Foehl, who had a goal and two assists in the 4-0 win over Lisbon in the semifinals. “I think we still have a good chance this year. We don’t have one person that does everything. We really spread it around.”

St. Dom’s is a similar team. They have some veterans up front like Kayla and Kelley McLellan leading the attack and senior defenders Emily Poulin and Katie Emery in the back, but the Saints are very much a team that does it’s best when they play together.

“It’s all 50-50 balls and possession,” said Poulin. “That’s the game we play.”

The Flyers play a tough Western Maine Conference schedule against some quality Western A and B teams as well as Richmond, the favorites to win Western D. Though Smith graduated, the Flyers still have an experienced club and players that were part of last year’s loss. Foehl had Waynflete’s best scoring chance late in regulation last year. Jackson was their top defender and even helped up front when needed. Harwood was the starting keeper.

“I’m sure they want revenge, but we’ll be ready to go,” said Little “I think it will be an exciting game. It will be a beautiful game of soccer to watch.

The Flyers are shooting for their second trip to the states in Class C. Waynflete won the state crown in 2008 and also won five state titles in Class C. St. Dom’s reached the state game last year and lost in overtime to Central.

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