The seeds of this season were planted almost a year ago for the Westbrook field hockey team.

A heartbreaking 2-1 overtime loss to Bonny Eagle last October in the Western Maine final ended the Blue Blazes quest for their first state title in the sport since 1981. But the girls who’ve returned this year are even more determined to make their mark.

“We’ve been saying that we’d get back (to the Western Maine finals) since we lost to Bonny Eagle,” senior Meaghan Murphy says. “We have the drive to go after it. We just want it.”

“We’re definitely making it to the state final,” says Alicia Wescott, also a senior. “We’re out to get what is ours.”

Westbrook lost a half-dozen players from last year’s squad to graduation, but stepping up right behind them is another outstanding bunch of athletes. The 17-member team includes seven seniors and eight juniors.

“This is probably one of the most talented groups I’ve had in my 15 years of coaching,” says Beth Murphy. “We’ve got speed, we’ve got some great stick-work skills and hopefully we’ll put it together.”

The girls have comes through to start the season, losing only to a tough Gorham team by a goal. At home Monday, the Blazes ran their record to three wins in four games with a dominating 3-0 victory over McAuley.

“What’s been working has been getting the ball up the field to our forward line and having people control it,” says Meaghan Murphy, the coach’s daughter, who was all-state last season.

Her sister, Erin – the lone freshman on the team – has already made her presence known, scoring three goals in the team’s 7-0 win over Marshwood last week.

Besides the Murphy girls, a number of other players have the ability to get the job done on offense. Senior Vanessa Enman, junior Erin Knott and sophomore Alyssa McCarthy have each scored a pair of goals so far.

“It’s not one or two that can carry us,” Coach Murphy says. “We’ve got six or seven that are right up there.”

The team has a pair of goalkeepers – senior Katie Lybrand and junior Jacquie Potvin – that have been alternating, giving both plenty of experience. Each played a half in Monday’s game.

“Jacquie has the skill, but Katie has the game sense,” says Murphy. “Right now I’m going to play them both and see where the cards fall.”

There’s still a month to go, and quite a few games to play, before the state tournament begins, but the Westbrook girls expect to be there right to the end. The players who were on the team last year, especially, don’t plan on letting this opportunity slip away.

“It’s going to be how well they gel as a team,” says Beth Murphy. “We have the skills, but we’ve got to make sure that we put it together with teamwork.”