They grew up learning to play hockey at the Westbrook Skating Rink on Pool Street in Biddeford. A decade or so later, brothers Trevor and Brady Fleurent are still skating together – about four miles away at the University of New England’s Harold Alfond Forum.

UNE is off to the best start in its seven-year history, taking a 6-4-2 record into Friday’s 7 p.m. home game with Castleton State. Brady Fleurent, a freshman, leads UNE with 18 points (seven goals and 11 assists). Junior Trevor Fleurent is third with 13 points (seven goals, six assists).

“It’s been fun,” said Brady Fleurent. “Absolutely.”

Of course, playing hockey at UNE has been a tradition for the Fleurent family. Their father, Steve, played at the school when it was known as St. Francis College. And their older brother, Tyler, played four years at UNE, graduating in 2013.

Their sibling bond has certainly helped the Nor’easters get untracked this winter.

“We just usually know where he’s going to be and I pass it to him,” said Brady Fleurent. “We just know where we are.”

And it’s always been that way. “We started out at a young age,” said Trevor Fleurent, 23. “We were the youngest two in our neighborhood full of hockey players. Obviously the older guys used to team up on us. Eventually they kept the youngest two together and we developed that (bond) at a young age and it took off.”

Kevin Swallow, the first-year coach for the Nor’easters, saw that very early and put the two together on the first line, Brady at right wing and Trevor at left wing. But they struggled early on – “Bounces weren’t going our way,” said Brady Fleurent – and he considered splitting them up. Instead he inserted Dylan Bengston, another freshman, between them at center. And the line took off. Bengston is the team’s second-leading scorer with 14 points (five goals, nine assists).

“We figured it out,” said Trevor Fleurent. “I think the Bowdoin game here was the game where everything just clicked (an 8-3 win in which Trevor Fleurent had three goals and an assist, and Brady Fleurent and Bengston each had three points). That gave us confidence and the line kind of just took off.”

“I had seen them both play before, in junior hockey (for the Portland Junior Pirates),” said Swallow. “I knew they were both good. But they both have definitely surpassed my expectations, and have been the heart and soul of this team so far.”

The brothers were on Biddeford High’s Class A state championship team in 2010 when Brady was a freshman and Trevor a senior – the third of three state championship teams that Trevor played on – and played one year together on the Portland Junior Pirates. And while Trevor said coming to UNE was more about being part of an emerging program than family ties, Brady said his brother’s presence on the roster was a big factor.

“I lived at home and it’s not too far from our house. We talked every day,” said Brady Fleurent, 21. “I was coming to all the games. He was the first person I told when I committed. He knew all about it.”

Although Trevor is a little bigger – 6 foot, 190 pounds compared to 5-9, 170 for Brady – they both play with a physical edge. They’ll dig in the corners, fight hard in front of the net and are willing to take a hit to make a play.

Trevor Fleurent said he’s learned to trust in his little brother more.

“I’ve definitely toned myself down,” said Trevor Fleurent. “I remember back in high school playing with him, the moment someone touched him I was all in their face, trying to do everything I could to hit the guy. Obviously he can handle himself now.

“It’s fun making passes and making good plays out there, and putting the puck in the net.”

Swallow said having them together makes the team better.

“They’re tremendous kids,” he said, noting Trevor is an assistant captain. “I can’t say enough good things about them.”

They are inseparable on and off the ice – both are majoring in sports management with a minor in business – which leads to ribbing from teammates.

“I know the guys always give Brady a hard time for following Trevor around,” said Swallow. “And they give Trevor a hard time for being the protective older brother. They’re best friends.”

As well as the Nor’easters are playing, Trevor Fleurent expects more in the second half of the season.

“We’re only halfway through,’ he said. “We would like to finish the second half strong. We’re 6-4-2 and I think we can do a lot better than that.”

BASKETBALL

Bowdoin senior forward Shannon Brady, of Scituate, Massachusetts, was named New England Women’s Basketball Association player of the week. Brady averaged 18.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in leading the Polar Bears to two victories over the holiday break. Bowdoin is ranked 24th in the D3hoops.com national poll.

• Bentley University’s 9-2 men’s basketball team is fueled by several Mainers. Senior forward Tyler McFarland of Rockport (Camden Hills) is leading the Falcons with 23.2 points per game, followed by grad student Keegan Hyland of South Portland at 16.8 points and senior guard Alex Furness of Wells at 15.8. In addition, three other Mainers are on the roster: freshman forward Kyle Bouchard of Houlton, sophomore Nick Burton of Falmouth and freshman Zach Gilpin of Hampden Academy.

• Sophomore guard Allie Clement of Falmouth (McAuley) is the third-leading scorer on the 3-9 Marist College women’s team. Clement is averaging 10.1 points per game. She is leading the Red Foxes in 3-point shooting at 41 percent.

• St. Joseph’s College freshman guard Kelsi McNamara of West Newbury, Massachusetts, was named the Great Northeast Athletic Conference women’s rookie of the week for the fourth time this season. She had 22 points, three rebounds, three steals and two assists in St. Joseph’s only game.

SWIMMING

The men’s and women’s teams at Wheaton College have both had strong starts to the season, both led by swimmers from Maine. The Lyons, coached by former Deering High and Wheaton star Barrett Roberts, set six school records in their last meet in December, an invitational meet at MIT. Sophomore Jenna Hayden of South Berwick (Berwick Academy) set records in the women’s 200 free (1:56.59) and the women’s 200 backstroke (2:09.88). Sophomore Jon Dunnett of Cumberland (Greely) set men’s records in the 100 butterfly (51.62 seconds) and 200 butterfly (1:57.44) while freshman Jacob Cost of Brunswick set a record in the men’s 50 backstroke (23.89 seconds). The men’s 200 medley relay team of Cost, junior Sam Zarfos (Waterville), Dunnett and Frederick Garneau (Glastonbury, Connecticut) also set a school record in 1:34.57.

 

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