When the Dirigo girls’ soccer team needed a new coach this fall, it wasn’t hard to find one that had some familiaity with the players and the program.

Dave Buck took over as the third different coach in three years. He’d been a long-time assistant to Art Chamberlin, who retired after the 2012 season.

“I had been doing middle school off and on and some youth league things with my son,” Buck said. “When this came up, I didn’t want to see it go away.”

Buck had been the JV coach with the Cougars for over a decade. His knowledge of the program and the players made for an easy transition.

“Some of these kids I had in middle school, and some I had in cross country skiing,” Buck said. “They knew me, so it wasn’t a tough adjustment. I’ve had them all but one or two as students as well.”

What does make for a challenge is getting accustomed to the role of varsity coach as opposed to JV coach. Buck was used to the role of a developmental coach at the subvarsity level.

“It’s been an adjustment,” Buck said. “As the JV coach, you’re really not afraid to put a kid into any situation. You want them to see those situations. You want them all to see that and see what they’ve got and who steps up. It’s a little different situation here with team management. You’re trying to get the kids the time they’ve earned. It’s a different mindset.”

Sara Thurston coached the team last year. The Cougars went 4-10 last fall after making the playoffs in Chamberlin’s final season.

Dirigo is a young squad with only five seniors. The Cougars are built mostly around 10 juniors and four sophomores.

Though Dirigo has had its ups and downs this season, the Cougars are progressing. Dirigo won the first two games before losing three consecutive games, then won two of the past three to pull even at 4-4.

“I’m getting into it and I’m kind of getting used to it. The kids have been fantastic,” Buck said.

A boost of confidence

Oak Hill won its first two games of the season last week. Those came after an 0-4 start.

The Raiders beat Winthrop, then came from behind to edge Carrabec. The winning streak was a much-needed boost for the Raiders.

“They’re getting settled,” said Oak Hill coach Nicole Camire. “They’re getting used to playing with each other. The communication is a lot better since the beginning of the season.”

The Raiders have only four seniors on the roster, which features 22 underclassmen.

“We’re pretty excited about the potential that we have for the next few years,” Camire said. “It’s a young team. There’s something to build on.”

After the back-to-back wins, Oak Hill lost to Hall-Dale and Madison. The Raiders are seeing the improvement and learning how to play together. It is showing in games and in some of the results.

“We’re definitely getting to know each other better,” said sophomore forward Hannah Nadeau. “We’re more comfortable around each other, and it shows on the field.”

The Raiders are also building some confidence as they go, as a team and as individuals.

“It makes us a stronger team,” said freshman midfielder Sydney Drew. “We’re not as shy. We’re able to communicate without hesitation.”

MVC showdown

Two old rivals meet this week in an MVC battle with lots of playoff implications. St. Dom’s hosts Monmouth Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. The Saints (7-1) are ranked second in Western C while Monmouth (6-0-1) was seeded third entering the weekend. The Saints rallied to beat the Mustangs last fall and then eliminated Monmouth in the Western C quarterfinals, 1-0.

This season, the Mustangs have been one of the hottest teams in the MVC, scoring 40 goals while allowing only six, including four shutouts through the first seven games. The Saints have scored 25 and allowed seven.

Scoreboard

The athletic complex at Lewiston High School debuted some upgrades this past week.

The girls’ soccer game betweeen the Blue Devils and Mt. Blue featured the new scoreboard and sound system. The baseball field also has a new scoreboard and a new irrigation system has been put into place. They were just the first steps in many new improvements to come.