When Lauren Labbe was a freshman on the Brunswick girls’ hockey team, the Dragons struggled to a 3-12 season. So what Labbe, now a senior, and her teammates are doing this season is the culmination of a four-year climb.

Brunswick beat the Biddeford co-op, 7-2, on Tuesday to improve to 4-0 heading into a challenging stretch in which the Dragons face Penobscot, Cheverus and Penobscot again in seven days, beginning Dec. 11. Scott Rousseau, the coach of the Cheverus team that has won the last two state titles, said he thinks Brunswick is the team to beat in the North division.

“I think honestly, it’s just a lot of team bonding and a lot of hard work overall. It’s not a one-man show out there, it’s a team effort,” said Labbe, who has 12 goals already this season to pace the Dragons, including a hat trick in the win at Biddeford. “Coming from freshman year where we barely won to now, it’s a great success for us.”

Over the first four games of the season, the Dragons outscored opponents 30-4. Even down two goals against Biddeford in the first period, Brunswick felt in control of the game. The Dragons were peppering Tigers goalie Mariah Villandry (who completed the game with an astonishing 62 saves) with shot after shot. Brunswick took the lead for good late in the second period, then added four goals in the third.

“When you’re not getting a lot of puck luck, the only solution to that is to keep shooting,” said Coach Chris Ledwick, now in his third season leading the Dragons. “That’s a character win for us. We didn’t have to reach deep in the last two games, but this one we did.”

A former Bowdoin College player who also served as an assistant coach with the Polar Bears, Ledwick took over Brunswick for the 2022-23 season, when the current seniors were sophomores. That season, the Dragons improved from three wins to 12, reaching the North semifinals. Last season, Brunswick won 10 games, again reaching the regional semifinals.

“Freshman year to sophomore year, there was a huge difference,” said senior defender Lisi Palmer.

Experience is now a strength for the Dragons. Palmer was an all-state selection by the coaches association last season, while Labbe, junior Solveig Ledwick, and Gillian Countway were named all-region. Senior Sensia Ley is a veteran in net, and knows it’s OK if she lets in a goal or two. Her explosive teammates are likely to give her more than enough offensive support, and they’ll get back on defense to prevent Ley from facing a barrage of shots.

“I have complete faith in them. I never have to worry that there’s going to be that many breakaways, or 1-on-1 situations. I can trust them,” Ley said.

Brunswick is the only high school girls’ hockey team left in the state that is comprised of players from one school.

“We are just Brunswick. It’s just us. They’ve had opportunities to go to prep school but stayed here. Their friends are on the team. Their classmates are on the team. I think that makes a big difference for us,” Ledwick said.

Ledwick and his team know the path through the North division to the state championship isn’t easy. Two-time defending regional champ Yarmouth/Freeport will be a contender again, along with Penobscot, last season’s regional runner-up.

“We expect to win every game that we’re in. It’s not a shock if we pull it off, but there are some very good teams in the state. (Biddeford) was one, right there,” Ledwick said. “I’m trying to stay out of their way as much as possible.”