Sue Tyler’s field hockey coaching resume is impressive.
She coached at the University of Maryland, and served as the University of Maine’s athletic director in the 1990s.
Three years ago, when she arrived at Bangor High School as an assistant coach, the field hockey team was struggling to win games.
But Tyler, now in her first season as head coach, has helped instill a winning attitude within the program, and the Rams earned a No. 6 seed in a tough Eastern Maine Class A playoff field last fall. The Rams, with a healthy cast of juniors and seniors, appear poised for another postseason run this season.
Meegan Bolduc, who scored her first two varsity goals in a recent 4-1 victory over Brewer, remembers exactly how things were before Tyler arrived.
“She took over my freshman year and ever since, Bangor’s not a joke anymore,” said Bolduc.
The Rams’ competitiveness and toughness was evident in their first match of the season, as they played perennial power Skowhegan tough in a 3-0 loss.
“They think they have a shot [in every game] and they know they have a reasonable shot,” Tyler said. “3-0 sounds like a runaway, but we were in shock at the different pace the first 15 minutes of the first half, and then the second half they held them.”
Against Brewer, Bangor showed it’ll be one of the quicker teams in the region this year, particularly up front where it features senior forward Brittney Chapman, one of the state’s fastest girls who owns a personal-best of 59 seconds in the 400 meters on the school’s track and field team. Bolduc, Ashley Higgins, Alexis Casey, Casey Pray and Hillary Throckmorton also give the Rams plenty of punch.
“I really like the way my girls are playing, they’re playing at a much faster pace, using a lot more finesse moves,” Tyler said.
Bolduc, who spent her freshman and sophomore campaigns at the junior varsity level, certainly made a statement against Brewer.
“She was the leading scorer on JV last year and she [hadn’t] put one in yet, so that’s important for her to do that,” Tyler said.
As the program has improved, the Rams also received new equipment, such as a new scoreboard and goal cages at their home field.
“It really shows how much Bangor’s improving,” said Bolduc.
Bangor is 2-1 heading into today’s game at home at 4 p.m. against Lawrence of Fairfield.
Ready to soar?
Hermon has had a difficult time amassing wins in the Class B girls soccer ranks over the last few years, but coach Ben Poland has a huge hunch that will chance if not this season, then sometime in the near future.
The Hawks are playing with renewed passion early in the season, and Poland thinks that will reap rewards soon.
“This is a team that has had a few unsuccessful seasons,” he said after a recent game against Bucksport. “The girls are happy with the way they played [against Bucksport], but they know they can play better, and as a coach that’s all I can ask for.”
Hermon played hard, aggressive, clean soccer against Bucksport, something that opponents around Class B should come to expect from the Hawks.
“If we continue to play the way we’ve been playing and we play as aggressive as we did [Wednesday] night then we’re going to be a team that people are going to want to beat,” said senior forward Jamie Treadwell.
Hermon has a couple solid all-around offensive threats in Treadwell and Lindsay Allen, a junior forward and toughness in goal in senior Sara Bishop.
The Hawks also have a couple talented freshmen in Jessica Allen and Gabrielle Bryant.
First win for Lynx
The first win in program history is in the books for the Mattanawcook Academy girls soccer team.
The Lynx of Lincoln, playing in their first varsity season in the Eastern Maine Class B ranks, recorded their first victory Friday with a 4-2 decision over neighbor Penobscot Valley from Howland.
Katie Krapf scored a couple of first-half goals to power the Lynx with Brittany Libbey and Nicole Ravosa-Riordan providing insurance in the second half.
Taylor Blood played a solid game in goal, coming up with 11 saves on 14 PVHS shots.
