In 2021, the Oceanside High School girls soccer team went 2-12, and the previous two seasons were even worse.
In 2019, the Mariners from Rockland-Thomaston were winless (0-14). The 2020 campaign was wiped out by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Junior varsity coach Nate Gorman was promoted to head coach before last season, and he implemented a different style of play, one that focused on ball possession and suffocating defense.
After a 1-3-3 start, the Mariners finished the 2022 season with six wins in their last seven games to earn the fifth seed for the Class B North playoffs. They ousted Waterville 1-0 in the quarterfinals before losing to eventual regional titleist Hermon 4-0 in the semifinals.
The Mariners have taken the momentum and winning culture they established last season and have climbed to the top of the Class B North Heal Points standings this season by following a season-opening tie at Medomak Valley of Waldoboro with 10 consecutive wins, including a 2-0 home win over Medomak Valley on Tuesday.
They have outscored their opponents 32-7 and have posted six shutouts.
“I’m not surprised where we are but maybe the girls are,” said the 47-year-old Gorman, who played for Waterville High School. “As a coach, you see the talent and you see the growth.”
Gorman, who has remained the junior varsity coach as well, said changing the style of play has worked out nicely.
“We own the ball. We don’t boot and run. We build from the back, we attack and we don’t give up goals. Every player knows what we’re doing this year and they have all been executing it, which has been nice,” said Gorman, who is assisted by Mike Tolman.
“We don’t dazzle you. We don’t score eight goals a game. We put up two or three goals, shut you down and go home,” Gorman added.
Growing up in a vibrant soccer environment in Waterville and being exposed to talented teams at Colby College and Thomas College were big influences for Gorman. His best friend’s father is Mark Serdjenian, the legendary Colby College men’s soccer coach for whom the school’s soccer field is named.
Gorman knew there was plenty of work to be done to restore Oceanside to prominence.
Prior to the 2019 season, Oceanside had won at least eight games in each of the eight previous regular seasons, including four with at least 10 wins.
He began a fundraising campaign that would allow his players to go to The Pitch, an indoor facility in nearby Warren, for free.
They raised $6,000 and his players took advantage of the opportunity.
“Most of the girls had never really utilized it. A lot of our players’ skills have doubled just from going to The Pitch,” he said.
The Pitch is owned by Robbie and Tammy Krul from the Dutch Soccer Academy and more of his players became involved with the academy as well.
Gorman’s philosophy was in line with the Dutch Soccer Academy’s, which provided his players with valuable continuity in the style they were playing. He also established the same blueprint at the middle school level so the players were accustomed to it when they reached high school.
“I didn’t want to have players who were just playing soccer to get in shape for basketball season. I wanted to create soccer players. Players who actually wanted to play soccer and make it their sport,” he said. “I think we’ve done a good job the past two years bringing a really good [soccer] buzz here.”
The Mariners, who have seven seniors and 14 juniors on the roster along with a sophomore and a freshman, have been rock solid in the back.
He said senior goalie Jillian Barnard has been “fabulous” and his four backs are also top-notch.
Senior Sophie Vose is a talented wingback who is their “unsung hero.” She had been a midfielder but Gorman moved her to the back where he wanted to utilize her speed to get involved in the attack.
“She could have scored 10 or 15 goals but she wants what’s best for the team and putting her back there has changed the whole dynamic of our team,” Gorman said.
Senior Natalee Hitz is the other wing back with junior Sienna Geretz, considered the fastest player on the team by Gorman, and senior Caitlyn Lamb in the middle.
Lamb and Hitz are also converted midfielders and are captains and outstanding leaders.
The Mariners use four backs, two midfielders, three midfielders and a striker, and the attacking midfielder is Ava Philbrook, the team’s leading scorer with 15 goals. She has been playing with a foot injury.
Junior Sara White is the defensive midfielder in tandem with Philbrook.
The three midfielders in front of them and behind senior striker Jordan Hoose are junior Nina Black, sophomore Laiken Parent and freshman Laiden Parent.
Hoose is an outstanding three-sport athlete who is the team’s second-leading scorer with nine goals and six assists.
The first three players off the bench are juniors Hannah Hall, Roison Hopkins and Liz Barstow.
The Mariners will travel to Augusta for a game with Cony High on Friday at 3 p.m.