WASHBURN, Maine — Goal scoring has been a major problem for the Washburn Beavers throughout the season.
The team has been an offensive powerhouse for the past four seasons, but two players who were members of those teams and did a majority of the scoring have graduated. Mackenzie Worcester scored over 100 goals during her career and had 42 in 2014, while Joan Overman netted 26 a year ago.
Through the first 11 games this season, however, the Beavers have won only once (over Van Buren Aug. 19), tied another (against Southern Aroostook two days later) and have been shut out seven times, including Monday’s 1-0 loss at Easton. The team is now off until Oct. 15 due to the upcoming harvest recess. The Beavers will have three games after the break — against Southern Aroostook, Van Buren and Fort Fairfield.
Youth is a major reason behind the struggles. The team’s roster of 20 players includes 10 freshmen. Coach Marcie Barbarula said that finding players eager to score and not afraid to take shots has been an issue early on and something that needs to develop the rest of the way.
“Having a young team, I knew it was going to take some time to feel comfortable and confident on the field,” said the coach. “But the players have been working hard on jelling as a team and working a lot on communication with each other.”
Barbarula said that while the offense lost its key players, Mikayla Churchill and Tyra Shaw were others who graduated and formed the backbone of the team’s defense over the past couple years, including the state championship season of 2013.
Taylor Howe, a senior, returns to the team after spending her junior season in Easton and she is the starting goalkeeper. Sophomore Katie Easler will play sweeper, while senior Jessica Aube and junior Makenzie Vaughn are the fullbacks. Washburn uses a double stopper formation, with senior Grace Braley and junior Mariah Davis playing those positions.
Senior Emmy Churchill plays center midfield and senior Brooklyn Plummer and sophomore Macey Barker are the outside mids.
The strikers are junior Kristen Sarmiento and freshman Kassie Farley, who both possess speed and an offensive mindset to contribute on that end of the field.
Sam White, Sam Churchill, Alexis Carney and Bobbi-Lee Campbell are all freshmen who will contribute off the bench at midfield positions.
Other players who could see a lot of playing time are freshmen Julia Dahlgren, McKenzie Rossignol and Hannah Dow at the fullback position and freshmen Molly Clark and Jayden Harris at midfield.
Megan Farley and Sydney Chavez are the managers and Crystal Hobbs is this year’s assistant after Scott Olson stepped down after five seasons.
Barbarula knows the team has work ahead to still have a chance to reach the post-season.
“The keys are aggressiveness, communication and the ability to beat our opponents to the ball,” Barbarula said. “The team has set a goal of wanting to do whatever it takes to make the playoffs and with that in mind they know they are going to have to play hard for 80 minutes every game.”
