WINTHROP —Winthrop was one game from winning a state championship last season, but with almost a completely new roster, the Ramblers started this season thinking that if they did return to the Western Class C playoffs, they would just squeak in.

But with the way they’ve been playing in recent weeks, the Ramblers are heading into the playoffs roaring like a lion, not squeaking like a mouse.

“We got off to a rough start, then things just started coming together for us,” Winthrop coach Joel Stoneton said. “Right off that bat, we knew we had a lot of talent. We just weren’t sure it was going to fit in. It’s starting to fall into place for us.”

The Ramblers went from a wealth of varsity experience to a virtual absence of it in one calendar year. Last September, 14 seniors headed the roster. This September, only two with significant playing time, including just one starter, Corey Staples, suited up. 

“We knew it was going to be a transition year for us,” said junior quarterback Travis Luce. “Graduating all of them and having the JV players step up is quite a step until eventually we get into a groove and we start getting going again like we are now.”

Where they are now is the Campbell Conference quarterfinals, where on Saturday they will meet Lisbon in a rematch of the 2008 conference championship game.

Winthrop won two of its first three games, but those wins came against the new Madison/Carrabec co-op team in the season opener and a Sacopee Valley team in its first year of varsity football. A 58-14 loss to Livermore Falls led the coaching staff to do some self-scouting at the season’s midpoint and make needed adjustments.

“We were able to take a look at our strengths and weaknesses through the first four weeks of the season and we scrapped some things that weren’t working and we started putting some more time into some other things,” Stoneton said. “One thing that was really evident just being young was we weren’t able to tackle well, so we really focused on that.”

A 12-8 win over Maranacook followed by a 27-0 loss to Oak Hill showed the Ramblers were still spinning their wheels on offense. While the running game, led by Cory Harris and Ryan Conant, had been productive for much of the season, the passing game needed to provide more balance.

Prior to a crucial Week 7 game against Jay, Stoneton told Luce it was time to make more plays through the air.

“I feel like he has a lot more confidence in me,” Luce said. “It’s a whole different ballgame playing varsity and it took some time to get used to that. When he says he wants to pass the ball more, I feel like it’s a good responsibility for me to have.” 

The offensive line had its own responsibility to keep Luce upright if the passing game was going to emerge. With three juniors and two sophomores along the line, it took the group some time to jell, but hard work with offensive line coach Miah Clark paid off.

“We also have a lot of trust in our players,” said junior guard and defensive end Travis Sherman. “We really don’t get down on each other. We just regroup after every play, whether it’s a bad one or a good one.”

There were plenty of good ones, as Luce threw for 111 yards and a touchdown in the playoff-clinching 26-14 win over Jay. 

“I can’t say enough about the offensive line,” Stoneton said. “I don’t have one senior on the line and they’ve really stepped it up.”

Of course, recent success in Winthrop has been built on a foundation of rock solid defense. This unit has had its own ups and downs and appears to be peaking at the right time after posting its first shutout last week in a 7-0 win over Lisbon. The Greyhounds only went inside the Rambler 40 twice all night.

Speed is once again the defense’s calling card, but it took some time for that speed to translate into play-making. By paying closer attention to the fundamentals, the defense has begun to resemble a more typical Winthrop defense when the Ramblers need it most.

“We’ve been tackling a lot better the last couple of weeks,” said junior outside linebacker and guard Travis Hutchins. “It helps us become one as a unit and not get down on anybody. Plus our coaches have a really good game plan for defense. With the athletes we have, we just have to try our hardest.”

Stoneton said he is glad last week’s win is still fresh in the Ramblers’ minds, not just because they played well, but because they will remember the fine line between winning and losing. He said Lisbon dropped two passes that could have been touchdowns, and that one or two plays could have season-ending implications this week.

“We’re very aware of how fortunate we are,” Stoneton said.

Good teams tend to make their own breaks. They also tend to feed off their own confidence, which usually breeds even more confidence. 

“The team chemistry is up,” Luce said. “Everyone on the team has their heads high and we’re heading into the playoffs with our heads high.”

Three of the key players for Winthrop’s playoff hopes are linemen Travis Sherman, left and Travis Hutchins, right, and quarterback Travis Luce, back.

Three of the key players for Winthrop’s playoff hopes are linemen Travis Sherman, left and Travis Hutchins, right,  and quarterback Travis Luce, back.