BELFAST – Allen Holmes looked more like one of his field hockey players than their coach Wednesday after his Belfast Lions’ Eastern Maine quarterfinal game against Hampden Academy.

Of course, a 6-0 romp like the one No. 4 Belfast enjoyed over No. 5 Hampden can lead to all kinds of peculiar rituals.

So Holmes’ dirty outfit, fashioned during his celebratory 50 pushups in the mud, aptly symbolized the Lions’ Eastern Maine Class B quarterfinal victory that earned them the right to play No. 1 Foxcroft next Wednesday.

It was the biggest win in Holmes’ 26 years as coach and it was the kind of turnaround performance he wanted from his team.

“We wanted to get out in front,” Holmes said. “We wanted to take control early. We’ve been working on deflections. Today we put on a clinic.”

After Belfast fell 1-0 to Winslow on Saturday, the Lions labored to perfect their deflections, which is taking a pass near the goal and redirecting it in. One mistake changed the team.

“Against Winslow we had a chance to score that we missed,” Holmes said. “Their goalie was out of position and we weren’t ready for it. We’ve worked hard so that doesn’t happen again.”

Wednesday, Belfast displayed its new skill in Carrie Caputo’s two goals, and the goals from Ashley Randlett, captain Liz Kelley, and Anne Crosby.

In fact, five of the six goals resulted from a cross and a deflection into the corner of the goal. The one that wasn’t directed in by a lurking Lion was Sarah McIntire’s blast from near the 18-yard line.

As far as staying intense, Belfast played the second half as if it didn’t have a 4-0 halftime lead.

The Lions changed directions and executed give-and-go’s like they were playing on Astroturf. They jumped on the ball in the circle and found alleys to put it closer to the goalmouth at every chance. In the end, they outshot Hampden 22-5.

“Coach Holmes told us in the circle to push it because we don’t have time to take a back swing,” Caputo said. “We knew we couldn’t let up. Our goal in playoffs is to stay focused.”

Of course, emotions were intense on both teams during Wednesday’s game that improved Belfast to 11-4 and left Hampden at 10-5.

Afterward, Hampden senior captain Christina Congleton was only one of many crushed Broncos.

“It’s hard. I’ve been playing field hockey seven years,” Congleton said. “I might play in college, but it’s hard to leave this team. We’ve put a lot into this season.

“Toward the end of the game [I knew they had it won],” Congleton added near tears. “But I just wanted to play the game I love.”