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By MATT DiFILIPPO Staff Writer 09/18/2008

Gardiner hasn’t played the best of the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A, but even if the Tigers were playing middle school teams, the numbers would still be impressive. Through four games, Gardiner has scored 27 goals and allowed zero.
“We’re playing very well,” Gardiner coach Moe McNally said. “I’ve got great leadership. Our two backs are Lauren Gorham and Becky Pelletier. Lauren, she’s stepped up this year, and she’s scored three times already on corners.
“Becky Pelletier, we moved from a forward to a back last year, and she’s just been a tremendous asset back there. Our third captain is Hailey (Chadbourne), and we all know what Hailey brings to the table. Hailey’s a force to be reckoned with in the front line.”
Ashley Work, who has six goals this fall, and Ashley Hickey round out a talented senior class for Gardiner. They have made things easier for co-goalies Alley Beaulieu and Kaitlyn Morissette, both of whom are new to the varsity.
“We’ve got two goalies who are working their tails off right now,” McNally said. “They haven’t seen a lot of shots, but what they see in practice is as good as what they’re going to see in games. They’re playing equal time and loving it.”

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Messalonskee is 4-0-0 under new coach Brenda Beckwith, although the Eagles have yet to play any of the top teams in the KVAC Class A.
Beckwith said many of Messalonskee’s games could have gone either way.
“We understand what we have to do,” Beckwith said. “We don’t always apply that. I have kids who are pretty tentative about getting in there and mixing it up. It’s still a work in progress for us, but we’re getting it.”
The Eagles will get a test against traditionally strong Oxford Hills (although the Vikings dropped a surprising 2-1 decision to Bangor earlier this season). The real meat of the schedule starts Sept. 30, when Messalonskee faces Gardiner, Cony and Skowhegan in a span of eight days. All three of those games will be in Oakland.
On the field, center midfielder Holly Oliver, who didn’t play field hockey last fall, has impressed Beckwith with her leadership and knowledge of the game. Beckwith said senior forward Hannah Thornberg has improved her game and has also seen a transformation from senior back Miranda Tinsman.
“Miranda Tinsman has really come into her own,” Beckwith said. “She’s been very quick to the ball and really solidified our defense.”

• • •

Nokomis has hovered around the middle of the pack in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class B for several years now. The Warriors were never one of the top teams, but they were never at the bottom of the league, either.
This year, Nokomis is showing signs of moving uptown. Heading into today’s home game against defending state champion Waterville, the Warriors are 4-0-1 and own impressive Heal-points worthy victories against Mt. View and Winslow.
“When we started out (this season), the girls were already comfortable playing together,” Nokomis coach Katie Thompson said. “I think they feel it, too. They see where all the little adjustments can be made.
“It’s not like me constantly telling them the things that they need to do — they already know what they need to do, so they’re reminding each other. They’re communicating well and passing well.”
Another area of improvement for the Warriors this season is in the goal cage, where sophomore Maria Adams has taken charge of the starting job and allowed a total of three goals in five games.
“She has been huge for us,” Thompson said. “I have just been amazed with how good she is doing. Our team, we thank her every game, because she just does amazing things every game.”

Matt DiFilippo — 861-9243
mdifilippo@centralmaine.com

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