Bangor High School’s “junior misses” have played a key role in the softball team’s meteoric rise to prominence this season.

Bangor has vaulted from last place last year to sixth place in the lastest Eastern Maine Heal Point standings (May 20), thanks to key contributions from a core group of six junior players.

Coach Lisa Richards’ Rams have also improved their record from 0-16 to 9-6 (before Tuesday’s last game of the season with Hampden).

“This is the best team I’ve had since my first year coaching,” said Richards, who took over at Bangor in 1988 when the Rams compiled a 10-6 record and finished fifth.

The unofficial leader of the junior sextet is Dawn Libby. Libby (9-6) has pitched every game for the Rams since the second half of her freshman year. This year, she’s averaging just three walks and five hits a game.

Libby played through more adversity than most high school softball players last season. Libby found out her mother, Louanna Sawyer, had been diagnosed as having a brain tumor in early April. Doctors said they didn’t expect her to live much longer.

Libby’s mother passed away in mid-May.

“I’m very proud of her,” said Richards about Libby. “She’s a fighter. She’s been a great influence on the other players.

“I think her mother would have been proud of her, the way she kept playing, going to school, and everything.”

The other five junior starters are catcher Lee Wilson, center fielder Charlotte Cyr, third baseman Tina Keeling, left fielder Joni Fournier and first baseman Jen Patry.

Cyr is leading the group with a .400 average and nine RBIs. Fournier is hitting .340 with seven RBIs. Libby is batting at a .229 clip, Patry is at .214 with six RBIs, and Keeling is at .188 in the leadoff position, but has walked 12 times and scored 16 runs. Wilson is batting .143.

The other starters are freshman shortstop Michelle Puls (.488, nine RBIs), sophomore second baseman Carrie Caler (.324, seven RBIs), and senior right fielder Lori Currier.

Richards has been using a quartet of players in the designated-hitter spot for Currier most of the season, but Currier has earned her way back into the lineup with some hard hits the last two games.

Juniors Kelly Nickerson (.353), Patti Sawyer (.267) and Susie Bretthauer, and sophomore Kim Sherman (.385) have been used as designated hitters.

According to Richards, the three main factors behind her team’s success this year are the extra year of experience for the starting players, overall team attitude, and the unselfishness of the players.

“The best part has been our team attitude this year,” Richards explained.

“Everyone knows their roles and they’re real supportive. When we have a girl pinch-hit for someone, that player will yell for (the pinch-hitter) to get a hit for her. There’s no resentment.”

Team defense has been another strength, especially up the middle.

Despite her team’s big turnaround, its success hasn’t surprised Richards or assistant coach Dave Robertson.

“I’m not really surprised, with the talent we had,” said Richards. “I knew my juniors would be a strength, but Puls and Caler have been great surprises.”

Richards is looking forward to the postseason. She would like to get her team past the first round for the first time.

“However we end up, this has been a great season. And we lose only one starter, so we should be even better next year,” Richards said. “I’m excited about this team.”