AUBURN — Saint Dominic Academy girls hockey coach Paul Gosselin is willing to give a pass to Gabby Allen, Abby Titus and Aiva Dorman for not showing up to the first day of practice Monday.
The three players are currently busy trying to win a couple of championships this week as members of the Saints’ girls soccer team.
“We have three girls missing; with the event happening in Lewiston, the (soccer) playoffs got pushed back,” Gosselin said. “The first time since I have been coaching, the sports have overlapped and I am missing three girls.”
The Maine Principals’ Association pushed back some of the playoff dates for most of the fall sports when the manhunt for Robert Card took place and there was a shelter-in-place order for residents of Androscoggin and parts of Sagadahoc counties.
The St. Dom’s girls soccer team is scheduled to take on Buckfield on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. for the Class D South championship at Gardiner High School. A win will put the Saints in the Class D state championship on Saturday at Messalonskee High School.
Allen, Titus and Dorman’s hockey teammates are cheering the trio on while the winter season gets underway.
“I am so proud of them,” senior forward Lauren Hanlon said. “I am so happy to see soccer doing well this year — compared to last year and the years before. I am happy to see them doing what they love.”
The girls soccer team is 11-3-1 this season after going 2-11-2 in 2022.
“We are obviously going to wish them well,” junior forward Emily Andrews said. “I am excited for them to come back and start getting on the ice.”
Gosselin said when the three soccer players do finally trade in their cleats for skates, they will be ready to go despite missing the first few practices.
“The first week is just getting your coordination and (conditioning down),” Gosselin said. “I think these girls have been working all fall, so I think they are in decent shape.
“The game plan is to see them next Monday.”
The soccer trio is three of the 14-15 players on the girls hockey roster this season after the team only had 12 players during the 2022-23 campaign. Unlike in the last few years, when St. Dom’s had to participate in a cooperative agreement with area schools like Gray-New Gloucester, Monmouth and Winthrop, the Saints will no longer be a co-op program this season.
“It’s an added luxury that we aren’t used to,” Gosselin said of the number of players this season.
The players are excited to no longer be a co-op team anymore.
“Honestly, it’s so wonderful just to see St. Dom’s out there,” Hanlon said. “I love the girls from the other schools, but it’s just nice to be St. Dom’s and not St. Dom’s/Winthrop/Monmouth/GNG type of deal.”
Senior forward Georgie Davidson said no longer having a co-op will help with team chemistry.
“I think it’s good. It’s hard with a co-op to come together because you only see them for practices and games,” Davidson said. “Just being with our school, it’s easier, I feel, to get together.”
Andrews said having 14-15 players will help the skaters catch their breath with more line changes this season.
“It’s definitely relieving; we are going to have a full team. It’s going to be super nice because we will have actual subs,” Andrews said. “Last year and the year before, we were actually gassed, and we were looking for players. This year, it’s going to be nice having other girls to rely on.”
Depth on defense has been an issue, with only three defensemen on the roster last season.
The players are unsure if there will be more true defenders this season, but know Gosselin will make adjustments when needed.
“Coach Paul always likes to mix up the lines,” Davidson said. “I think it will be good to have a bunch of different combinations we can try to use.”
The Saints will be young again because they are using some eighth-graders this season after using four in 2022-23. Gosselin expects St. Dom’s to be in playoff contention after missing out last season after going 6-12.
“Last year, we had a really young team, we got to use eighth-graders and we just missed the playoffs,” Gosselin said. “I think, this year, we have a nucleus of girls back, and we got-eighth graders as well. We have a new goalie (Alana Wheeler) this year. We will see, but although young, I feel like, they are excited and hopefully competitive.”
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