The Central High field hockey team is optimistic about its chances to go far this season. Factor in the Red Devils’ eight returning starters and main rival Dexter’s lack of experience in key positions, and coach Diane Rollins has good reason.

Now, all the Devils have to do is overcome a few injuries.

The Red Devils are missing two starters who are out due to injury – midfielders Traci Underhill and Jenny Rollins, Diane Rollins’ daughter and the leading returning scorer.

“We’re very deep,” said coach Diane Rollins, who is in her 15th season. “It’s just getting things back together and coming back from injuries. We’re looking for good things. We’re not sure how the beginning will turn out but we should be fine by the end.”

Jenny Rollins, a standout basketball player who was named to the All-Maine third team , twisted some cartilage in her knee last winter. She saw a doctor and continued to play, and led the Devils to the Eastern Maine Class C runner-up game where they lost to Dexter 58-48.

But during a summer field hockey game Rollins’ knee locked up. After more seeing the doctor, and a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test in late July she underwent surgery in early August. She saw her doctor last week and should be back on the field next week.

Underhill was to take over for Jenny Rollins at the center midfielder spot, but she twisted her ankle. So the Devils are on their third center midfielder, and have turned to Caitlin Elliott, a starter on defense last year.

Other key players for Central this year will be Kristina Gallagher, a speedy right wing who scored the game-winning goal against Winthrop in the regional semifinals last year, boosting the Red Devils into the final against Dexter.

Beth Dauphinee will start at left wing.

“We have a very quick forward line,” Diane Rollins said. “Those girls have been the key in our scrimmages so far.”

Sweeper Shannon Clukey returns for her third year while Tiffany Tilton and Kara Voisine, a freshman, will split time in goal.

The Red Devils feel this could be a huge year for a team that fell to Dexter in the Eastern Maine Class C final 4-0 last fall.

Things should be much more even this year as Dexter graduated standout players like Brittany Veazie, Keriann Patterson, Cindy Koscielny, Courtney St. Germain, Sarah Wyman and lost coach Margaret Veazie, who resigned from both field hockey and girls basketball positions last season.

The Tigers will still be a factor with Meagan Fogarty, who scored a state-record 42 goals in 2003. She scored both goals for the Tigers in their 3-2 season-opening loss to Nokomis Friday.

Dexter was riding a 62-game winning streak before the loss, which takes some of the drama out of the Dexter-Central games this year – the Devils would have loved to knock off the Tigers, who haven’t lost a matchup between the teams in at least four years.

Central hosts the Tigers Sept. 14 and travels to Dexter Sept. 25.

“Dexter has a great program but I think a lot of the core of that program left,” said Central coach Diane Rollins, who is in her 15th year and can’t recall the last time the Red Devils emerged with a win over the Tigers. “I think a game early in the season will be good for both Central and Dexter.”

And there are other teams out there who would love a shot at the Red Devils, too.

Diane Rollins said other teams like Stearns of Millinocket, which has several starters back, as well as Piscataquis of Guilford and Mattanawcook of Lincoln, which defeated Central 2-1 in overtime Friday, will all be tough.

Rees’ induction Friday

Dexter High golf coach Gary Rees will be inducted into the Maine Golf Hall of Fame Friday. Rees will be the only high school coach in the Hall of Fame.

Last year’s high school champions will also be honored at the ceremony.

The event will begin with a golf tournament at Sable Oaks Golf Club in South Portland followed by a reception, banquet, and induction at the adjacent Marriott Hotel.

Rees has a combined 334-48-2 record at Foxcroft Academy, Greely High in Cumberland Center and Dexter. He has coached teams to 17 league championships, 19 state championship berths, nine undefeated seasons and nine state titles.

Rees started his coaching career at Foxcroft Academy in 1971 with a 17-0 record.

He coached Greely to six state titles, three in Class A and three in Class B.

The pro at Dexter Municipal Golf Course, Rees has been a PGA member for 28 years.

Jessica Bloch can be reached at 990-8193, 1-800-310-8600 or jbloch@bangordailynews.net.