ORONO – Shaunessy Saucier and Kasey Spencer have known each other forever.

They grew up a few blocks from each other in Old Town.

They are best friends. Their families are close and, in fact, their fathers (Garry Spencer and David Saucier) are golf buddies.

Kasey’s mom, Debbie, babysat for Shaunessy when she was a baby. Both played for Shaunessy’s mom, Dodi, at Old Town High School, although she was an assistant when Shaunessy played.

After earning all-state honors in field hockey at Old Town, they both decided to attend the University of Maine where their careers have flourished.

Spencer, who has been moved from her natural forward position to center midfield this season, is tied for the team scoring lead with 21 points on eight goals and five assists. Right wing and captain Saucier is third with 16 points on six goals and four assists.

They have helped lead the Bears to a share of the America East title, the first time in the school’s 17-year history in the league they have won or shared the conference field hockey championship.

Maine, 12-6 overall and 4-1 in the conference, is the second seed for the America East Tournament and takes on Albany (9-8, 3-2 AE) in Friday’s 2:30 p.m. semifinal at Jack Barry Field in Cambridge, Mass.

Top seed Boston University (13-5, 4-1 AE) meets No. 4 Vermont (6-11, 2-3 AE) in Friday’s noon opener. The championship game is Saturday at 3.

“It has really been a thrill to watch those two players grow and develop,” said Maine coach Terry Kix. “They are local kids and having the community so behind them and watching them improve over the years to the point where they’re carrying our team right now is pretty exciting.”

It has been quite a ride for the two of them and the fact they have been teammates has made it that much more enjoyable.

“It’s been awesome. We’re close friends. We’ve been with each other for a long time,” said Spencer.

“We’ve had a lot of fun being able to play together at Maine,” agreed Saucier. “We played a lot of sports together growing up.”

Their familiarity with each other has also been advantageous on the field.

“It definitely helps a lot. We’ve been reading off each other ever since she got here,” said Saucier.

Both became regulars last fall and Saucier responded with eight goals, including four game-winners, while Spencer produced five goals, including two game-winners, and five assists.

An ironic twist is Saucier, who was a grade ahead of Spencer in high school, was a right wing at Old Town until the speedier Spencer came along a year later and assumed the position. Saucier was switched to center midfield.

This season, Saucier is at right wing because Spencer had to replace the injured Katie Flaherty at center mid.

“Kasey has done an amazing job adjusting to center mid. We’re real lucky she has done so well. She has always been so athletic and she can run for days,” said Saucier.

Kix said Spencer has sacrificed a lot and been the consummate team player in filling Flaherty’s shoes.

“She’s very explosive and very strong around the cage,” said Kix.

Saucier, according to Kix, is an intelligent player who has been effective on the wing and is a skillful and creative member of the penalty-corner unit.

Saucier and Spencer have worked out together and hit balls back and forth during the summer months and that has also been beneficial.

“It’s always nice to have someone close by to push you,” said Saucier.

The two girls would love nothing better than to end their careers with an America East championship.