BANGOR – The colorful, hand-lettered sign, stuck to a goal cage on the high school field hockey pitch, was one of many surreptitiously posted around Bangor High School late Thursday afternoon (and possibly Friday morning).

Other signs were attached to walls inside the classrooms, on doors and lockers. “Go varsity,” the poster attached to the goal cage read. “Way to stick with it.”

There were times, Bangor’s three senior captains said Friday, that sticking with field hockey was a struggle. But all that was forgotten Thursday afternoon, when the Rams ended a nearly four-year winless streak with a victory against Orono.

“There were definitely points where I wanted to know what it felt like to win … but yesterday that all converged in one massive win and put aside any negative feelings I’ve had,” said Kate Baldacci, a senior midfielder and one of three Ram captains.

The 3-0 win was Bangor’s first since they beat Brewer 2-0 in their regular-season finale on Oct. 16, 1997. Prior to Thursday’s victory, Bangor had gone 0-42-2 since ’97.

The Ram captains are thrilled, not only for the win, but also for the recognition the program got Friday morning, the encouragement from other teams, and the future of the squad.

During field hockey’s slide, the Bangor boys basketball team has won two state championships. Boys swimming has won four state titles. Football and baseball have won Eastern Maine crowns. Other teams have made it deep into playoffs and sent individuals and teams to state-championship meets.

That’s why the field hockey players appreciated the support from other teams. Coaches, teachers, and other student-athletes approached the girls with congratulations and someone – the players aren’t sure who – made all those posters.

“To be a field hockey player at Bangor, you almost have to be stronger than if you play other sports,” senior goalie Allison Frazier said. “We’re just as in shape, we’re just as focused, but it’s hard to go through loss after loss after loss and not have anything to show the school for all your hard work.”

The girls let out those years of frustration just after Thursday’s game, which ended on a penalty corner. The ball rolled out of bounds as the clock ran out.

“It was shock at first,” said Sara Boyorak, a senior midfielder who combined with Jessye Hand on a goal. “I was like, is it over, is it over? [The referee] blew the whistle and I just cried. It was tears of happiness. It was four years of coming here every day, not having a win.”

The Rams have also been energized by new coach Lisa Conley (their fourth coach in four years) and by the freshmen and sophomores who have been through the new middle school program.

Conley didn’t apply for the varsity position when it opened up initially (the then-James Doughty Middle School coach and former Lewiston player wasn’t sure she had enough experience). When preseason started she found the Rams had talent and experience (there are 10 seniors on the team), but had a history of losing and a lack of togetherness.

Conley saw a different squad on the field at Orono.

“I was completely impressed by how well they held position and communicated with each other,” she said. “That made the difference. They held their line the entire game, they didn’t panic in the [penalty] circle area either defensively or offensively. They showed a discipline that I saw for the first time in a game situation.”

Bangor, now 1-1, will face cross-town rival John Bapst Monday in an attempt to start a new kind of streak.

“We want to prove this was not a one-time thing,” Frazier said.