The Bucksport High School softball team found itself packing its equipment a week earlier than usual last season.
After Bucksport’s three consecutive appearances in state championship games, the Calais Blue Devils beat the Golden Bucks 4-2 in the Eastern Maine Class C championship game.
Bucksport had lost to Fryeburg Academy 5-2 in the Class B state final in 2011 before capturing state crowns in Class C in 2012 and 2013.
The Bucks topped Dirigo of Dixfield 2-0 in the 2012 title game and Madison 7-0 in the 2013 contest.
The Bucks are poised for another state championship run despite having just two seniors on their roster.
They are 14-1 and atop the Heal points standings with one game remaining against George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill.
They have strung together a 12-game winning streak since dropping a 7-4 decision to Dexter on April 25.
The Bucks have outscored their opponents 124-38 but have been in a number of close games, winning six contests by two runs or less.
“We’re very athletic, but we’re young. We’ve been getting better every game,” said coach Mike Carrier, who is in his 24th season at the helm. “Every game, each player works on making herself better. We need to climb that ladder until we get to the state game at the top of the ladder.”
Carrier has inserted freshmen at two of the most important positions on the field: shortstop and catcher.
The catcher is Makenzie Smith, and the shortstop is Darian Jellison, and both have made a positive impact.
“Makenzie is doing real well. She has a very strong arm and has just started to throw out real fast runners,” said Carrier. “She’s a very good catcher. She frames the ball well and stops anything [pitcher Sami Goode] throws.”
Jellison has made a few errors, but Carrier pointed out that “she still has a fairly good fielding percentage, and she’s one of our best hitters.”
Jellison, who hits second in the lineup, is batting .432. She is one of six Bucksport regulars hitting over .400.
Junior third baseman Julia Zavalza and sophomore left fielder Madysen Robichaud are hitting .451 to share the team lead. Robichaud leads the team in runs batted in with 16. Junior center fielder Eliza Hosford is at .440, Goode is hitting .439 with two homers and 14 RBIs, Jellison is at .432 and designated player Tyler Dupont, a junior, is a .412 hitter.
The other starters are senior first baseman Kim Nason, junior right fielder Kaylee Grindle and sophomore second baseman Emily Hunt.
Defensively, Carrier said, “we have our moments.”
“We have three new infield starters. Julia [Zavalza] was a JV last year; Darian is a freshman, and Emily Hunt started four or five games at the end of the year, but she’s like a new starter there. Kimmy [Nason] really holds the infield together at first,” said Carrier. “She keeps the errors down.”
Senior Goode has pitched every game and has been getting “stronger and stronger,” according to Carrier.
“She started out the year with back problems, and they lingered for six to eight games. She wasn’t up to par,” said Carrier. “She struck out 17 the other day against Sumner.”
Goode throws six pitches: a fastball, drop, rise, curve, changeup and screwball.
Carrier, who has led the Bucks to 16 Eastern Maine title game appearances, five regional titles and three state championships, said there are a number of teams who will be in the title chase, including 13-1 Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln and No. 4 Piscataquis Community High of Guilford, which is 10-2.
“Mattanawcook has a good pitcher, [Courtney McIntyre], and some good hitters, and I was also impressed with PCHS. They’ve got some kids who can hit. They’re very strong. I saw them play a team with a pitcher who was quick and they were on it. The were pulling the ball against her,” said Carrier.