There is a point during the season when coaches need to step back and assess the team’s progress and make necessary changes.

Two weeks ago, Mountain Valley field hockey coach Melissa Forbes was faced with the question about how to improve the Falcons. The team appeared to be playing well and was in contention for a Class B playoff berth.

The news came as a shock to senior captain when it was recommended that she move from the center midfield to a fullback position. This was quite a transition for her because she was being moved to a strictly defensive area. “She would get caught up in the scoring aspects of the game and forget to fall back and play defense when she was at center mid,” Forbes said. “I also had Mallory Thurston take off to a show at the fairs for about three weeks.”

Johnson was the logical choice because she knows that any mistakes in the defensive end results in a corner for the other team. She is also a defensive rusher and it can be tiring if a team member keeps making errors back there.

Johnson wasn’t overly receptive about the move, but agreed for the good of the team. The switch would take advantage of her strengths like her excellent stick skills and game sense.

Johnson isn’t afraid to mix it up and she knows how to direct her teammates on the field. She must have cleared eight balls out of zone at in a 1-0 win against Telstar.

Greyhounds keep rolling

Lisbon will enter the Class C playoffs on a high after pulling off two upsets to end the regular season.

Lisbon pulled together and beat eventual MVC champion Winthrop and then Mountain Valley by identical 2-1 scores. The wins proved to be positive and gave the team confidence to beat the top teams in the league. “The team has been strong all year,” Lisbon coach Mark Stevens said. “We had a good preseason; they played some good programs and hung tough with the best in August. We had five overtime games for the second year in a row. That has to make a team tougher.”

Lisbon isn’t just one dimensional. The players have adapted to different styles of play. The scoring has come from several players, led by junior Emily Polquin and sophomore Erica Merrit in the Mountain Valley game. Freshmen Brittany Doughty and Kelsay LeGloheceach scored goals against Winthrop. It was the first time Lisbon has beaten Winthrop in the last 15 years.

Saints keep marching in

It has been said that good things come in threes and St. Dom’s has concentrated on making that happen. The Saints won their third-straight Western Maine Conference championship and also has an opportunity to complete its third unbeaten season against North Yarmouth Academy Auburn Tuesday.

St. Dom’s has proven to be an offensive juggernaut the past three seasons by scoring approximately 247 goals. Last season produced a Class C state record 89 goals. This year’s team has continued to exceed expectations by stepping up on both offense and defense. Junior goalie Ilissa Vallee has allowed less than one goal a game. The offense has scored 72 goals led by Erica Dorso (30 goals, 29 assists), Elisha Dorso (14, 16), Catlin Rutt (nine, 26) and Michela Fyler with 11 assists.

“The entire team, on both sides of the ball have done a great job,” Saints coach Brian Kay said. “Catlin Rutt has been a key; she’s one of our captains along with Erica and a team player. She really helps out and is the best player in the middle of the field that I’ve had here since Andrea Deschambault a few years ago.”