Beth Murphy retired as Westbrook’s coach after last season, but her time away didn’t last long.
Beth Murphy was done. Retired.
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10 Field hockey teams to watch
1 Scarborough: The Red Storm keeps rolling along. Eight starters return from last year’s team that reached the state finals, making Scarborough the favorite to get there again this year. The offense is loaded, with Kristen Murray (21 goals), Abby Walker (seven) and midfielder Maddy Dobecki (12) returning. Kaitlyn Prince is the leader on the defense. The Red Storm are balanced and deep, with several talented sophomores ready to step into starting roles, including Kristen Levesque, Ashley Levesque, Tori Timm and Lily Nygren.
2 Marshwood: The Hawks got to the regional semifinals a year ago and could advance even further. They have a nice balance, not only up and down the field on offense, midfield and defense, but among the players as well. While returning all-state player Lindsey Poirier will command much of the attention, Marshwood has talent elsewhere. Goalie Cassidy Smith is starting her third year. Sophomores Hannah Costin (midfield) and Elaine Bachelder (back) are very strong, dependable players.
3 York: The Wildcats should continue their dominance of Western Maine Class B, where they’ve won eight of the last 10 titles. Sophomore Lily Posternak is not only one of the state’s best players, but one of the nation’s best – she’s a member of the U.S. U-17 national team. Seniors Kara Kelly and Kayla Kelly (twin midfielders), Livy Golini (goalie, 11 shutouts last year), Hannah Panteleos (midfield/forward) and Mallory Connolly (defender) and junior forwards Devin Datsis and Allie Jones provide talent and experience.
4 Gorham: The Rams return seven starters from a team that reached the Western Class A quarterfinal last year and they have high expectations this year. Senior right wing Charlotte Smith is a returning all-state player. Senior center midfielder Andrea Stemm and goalie Megan Baker provide skill and experience. Look for an aggressive, confident team that should contend for a regional championship.
5 Cape Elizabeth: The Capers lost four starters from a 2013 team that won 11 games and advanced to the Western Class B semifinals. Defensively they’ll be solid, with returning goalie Mary DiPietro (a four-year starter) and center back Julia Ginder, who is skilled enough to play any position. The Capers need to develop some scorers among their young players, including sophomores Hannah Bosworth and Taylor Young. They’re capable of going far in the playoffs.
6 Biddeford: The Tigers return eight starters from last year’s 7-8 team that lost in the Western Class A preliminary round and could be a dark-horse contender to go deep in the playoffs. First-year coach Caitlin Albert has a strong returning nucleus, led by center midfielder Abbie Paquette and forward Mallory Mourmouras – both four-year starters. Senior Jess Laverriere and juniors Charlotte White and Taylor Turgeon are also strong players.
7 Thornton Academy: The Trojans return nine starters from last year’s playoff team, led by a strong midfield of seniors Dorina Sirois, Carli Legere and Fran Petrucci and junior Grace Pickering. Junior Libby Pomerleau, the leading scorer last year with 14 goals and two assists, is also back. The Trojans have to fill holes on the defensive end, where they will be very young. Should still contend for a playoff berth.
8 North Yarmouth Academy: The Panthers return eight players, including five starters, from last year’s team that reached the Class C state championship. The defense should be strong, led by goalie Elizabeth Coughlin and back Alex Barnes (both four-year starters). Senior midfielder Marina Poole has scored 18 goals the last two seasons and senior Charlotte Eisenberg, who plays wherever she is needed, seems to always come up with big plays.
9 Falmouth: Falmouth advanced to the semifinals in its first year in Western Class A and looks to have similar success this year. The Yachtsmen lost some key players, but return a strong nucleus led by senior Ellie Fitzgerald and sophomores Maddie Rouhana and Sydney Bell. Coach Robin Haley is moving a couple of players to new positions and if they can adjust, Falmouth can challenge the big schools once again.
10 Oceanside: The Mariners return nine starters from last year’s Eastern Class B quarterfinalists. Center midfielder Jackie Thorbjornson, one of the state’s top players, is back from an ACL injury suffered in the seventh game last year. She had two goals and 13 assists at that point. She’s joined by senior center defender Amanda Hoppe (six defensive saves), junior forward Mary Allen (eight goals, two assists) and senior goalie Zoe Billington.
After 22 years and 201 career victories, she would no longer coach the Westbrook High field hockey team.
She told her players and school officials as much last fall after the 2013 season ended. Her players cried. School officials began a search for her replacement.
Turns out the best replacement for Beth Murphy was … Beth Murphy.
Last May, after school officials said they couldn’t find a suitable replacement, she agreed to come back, much to the delight of everyone.
“We had hoped this is what would happen,” said Lea Hopkins, a senior halfback for the Blazes. “I had a feeling it might happen. I’m glad it did.”
“I had promised those kids when I retired that I wouldn’t leave them hanging if they didn’t get the right candidate,” said Murphy. “I’m happy to be back because I know these kids are going to come out and play hard every night.”
Under Murphy, Westbrook has earned a reputation as one of the most consistent, fundamentally sound, competitive and well-coached teams in the SMAA. The Blazes have never won a regional title, but are consistently among the top playoff contenders.
“Her return is great for the whole league,” said Portland Coach Beth Arsenault. “For people who have been around here for a long time, if you played field hockey or softball in southern Maine, you knew who Faith Littlefield (the late Bonny Eagle coach) was, whether you played for her or not.
“I think Beth has that same iconic coaching image. All my girls have always known who she is. She commands respect, and she’s a very respectful coach.”
And, said Hopkins, she’s a great teacher.
“She knows the game,” said Hopkins. “She’s really good at noticing what we’re doing wrong and helping us fix it.”
When she told her players she wouldn’t be returning this fall, they worried about what would happen to the program. And not just because she is a good field hockey coach.
“She doesn’t only get close to you on the field,” said Kerigan Demers, a senior halfback for Westbrook. “But she’ll get close to you personally, too. She’s someone we all look up to.”
Murphy, 53, is a physical education teacher at the high school and feels that gives her a chance to know her players in a different way.
“That’s the relationship, the bond that you get,” she said. “There are kids out there who don’t have home lives and I’m there for them to talk to.
“It goes beyond field hockey.”
Murphy decided a couple of years ago that she wanted to stop coaching soon, not because of problems with parents or players, or because she was tired of the sport.
“I felt times had changed and I wanted to see if someone else could come in and better the program from where I had it,” she said. “I guess the reputation is that Westbrook is always there, but I didn’t get (the program) to the next level.
“I just wanted to see if someone else could come in and do it, take it to the next level.”
She’s back with a young team. The Blazes made it to the Western Class A quarterfinals last year but graduated nine seniors. She’ll carry two freshmen on the varsity team.
And that’s all right with her.
The players have the passion to play and are willing to learn. So does she.
“I still have the passion and I still feel I can give something to these kids,” said Murphy.
She said she doesn’t know how long she will coach, just that “I’m there for as long as needed.”
Demers hopes that’s for a long time: “I think she should keep coming back until she hits 300 (wins).”
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