The Rams took control early in their Tuesday matchup at Westbrook – and never looked back: Mackenzie Collins sparked the Gorham offense and led them onward, notching four goals and two assists as the Rams walloped the Blazes 14-3.

“We are coming from – not our best games, this last week,” said Gorham head coach Mary Guimond. “So we really focused on passing and catching and getting open for each other at practice yesterday. I told the girls today that that’s what our goal was, to pass and catch better and to get open for each other.”

“We had our top scorers score quite a lot of goals, and we wanted to let everybody score – we even got defenders scoring,” said Ram Marina Pappalardo, who finished with three goals and three assists. “So it was a busy game on attack.”

The result bumps Gorham to 4-4 on the season. The Rams are currently sixth in A West, behind Biddeford but ahead of South Portland. Their season has been a bit “touch-and-go,” as Guimond puts it, so the victory at Westbrook was encouraging.

The Blazes dropped to 0-8 on the loss. Struggling Westbrook lingers in A West’s last-place slot. The Blazes seem to have themselves a building year on their hands, though the team has talent and energy, no doubt.

First-year head coach Kevin Roy stressed as much. Roy noted that his girls have burgeoned a great deal since the start of the season, and that their developing skills showed through at times on Tuesday, even in the wide defeat.

“I’ve been very vocal about offensive movement – passing the ball more, don’t rush the shot, move with the ball, move without the ball,” Roy said. “At times, [we] looked really good doing it. There were a couple moments where our girls got open, made good cuts and the pass was there.”

The Rams went on the attack early, and wasted little time capitalizing. Collins put the team up 1-0 on a free position, and 30 seconds later, Pappalardo made it 2-0 when she curled around the back of the Westbrook cage for a shot across to the far top corner.

“We got a little bit of our stride back [today]; we weren’t feeling super-confident after our loss on Friday and needed to get our groove back,” said Guimond. Gorham fell 14-6 against Falmouth at the end of last week.

“I think the girls were a little shocked to know, we’re on the back side of our season now; season’s almost over. So we don’t need to peak right now, but we need to start getting things done. We sat back on our heels a little bit.”

Collins, Athena Pappalardo and Jen Darasz each hashed a Gorham point as the next several minutes elapsed, putting the Rams on top 5-0. Westbrook spoke up just then, however, Delaney Derrig scoring a pretty point as she cut across from left to right in front of Gorham keeper Allison Sinnett – one of those key moments Roy talked about.

It was among the few balls to get past Sinnett, who’s been the team’s rock all season long. “Allison’s always a staple for us in goal,” said Guimond. “She’s come up with some huge saves this year. If your goalie’s off, your team is off, and Allison has stepped up to the plate. Whether she has five saves, whether she has 15, she always comes up big for us, and the girls rally around that.”

Sinnett enjoys her spot on the field, and feels the responsibility it brings quite acutely. “It’s a very – not powerful, but a leadership position,” she said. “You have to worry about yourself, but also everyone else. But it’s fun.”

Marina Pappalardo added two more for the Rams after Derrig’s tally – and then Derrig did it again, setting the score at 7-2. Derrig would, in fact, score the third Westbrook point as well, but her efforts wouldn’t ultimately be enough.

The Rams continued to pile on goals as the first half passed into the second and the second sped toward its conclusion. Brooke Greatorex, Delaney Shiers, Gabby Burke, Reagan Emerson and Andi Vandenburgh earned a goal apiece by the final buzzer, and Vandenburgh had three assists, Burke two, Shiers one, and Maggie Shields and Emma Smith one each as well.

It was a complete victory for Gorham, one in which they trumped their opponents across the field. Darasz described a defender’s role: “You’ve always got to keep on your toes. You’ve got to keep your head spinning – we call it ‘head on a swivel’; you’ve got to keep an eye out for the cutters and make sure you’re keeping connected with all your defenders.”

Amelia Pappalardo described a middie’s role: “Mainly, you’ve got to pace yourself, going back and forth. We have lots of different opportunities to do what we can do and can’t do; so, push yourself, but don’t go too hard. It went well.”

Of course, there is a danger for any team with such a convincing upper hand – the danger of getting complacent. The Rams recognize as much. “You have to be patient with yourself – use your head. You have to play at your own game; you can’t go down to their game,” said Athena Pappalardo.

Gorham meets their next opponent – McAuley, 3-3 and No. 8 in A East – on Thursday, May 21. A stronger, more cohesive unit than ever, the team is looking forward to their upcoming challenges.

“We just played some really hard teams, and we hope that, during this week, we can build our confidence up and try our hardest,” said Audrey Perrault. “Just work as a team, because sometimes we get down. We have to stay together.”

Westbrook continues to hunt after its first win. The Blazes have four games remaining, the next of which is at Deering, also on the 21st. Roy believes wholeheartedly that his girls have the potential to win one – or more – of the bouts they have left, but he also acknowledges they face significant obstacles.

One of these is their low numbers; the squad has just a handful of girls available to sub at any time. “It’s very taxing, physically. Lacrosse is a sport where you run, a lot, regardless of where you are on the field,” Roy said. “So to have a short roster hurts us a little bit in that respect.”

Another is their relative youth. The Blazes have only two seniors this year; luckily, those two seniors – Zoe Shields and Liana Enright – have led admirably, and the younger girls have responded.

“I’m impressed with the way some of the youth on this team has stepped up,” Roy said. “It’s a young team. We’ve got two seniors. They’re great leaders – great with encouragement, trying to help bring the younger players along.

“This is Zoe’s first year stepping into goal and starting full time, and I can’t say enough good things about her. Both of our seniors, Liana and Zoe, I can’t really say enough good things about them.”

Marina Pappalardo had a trio of goals and another of assists at Westbrook on Tuesday.Jen Darasz squares up for a shot against Westbrook on Tuesday. Darasz added one goal in Gorham’s 14-3 win over the Blazes.Logan Letourneau outpaces a Westbrooker to a runaway ball on Tuesday.Liana Enright keeps a step ahead of a Gorham defender at home on Tuesday.Westbrook’s Liana Enright chases down Gorhamite Kaylin Apt – and a ground ball – in the Blazes’ 14-3 loss to the visiting Rams on Tuesday.Jenessa Corbett keeps her body between the ball and a pair of Gorham defenders.