1-man construction crew; Auburn's Bowes again building up hockey program.

Byline: Jennifer Toland

Bill Bowes is at it again.

Back in the 1990s, Bowes resurrected the Wentworth men's hockey team, bringing the program from the bottom to the best during his 10 years. Bowes, now in his third season as the Castleton State women's coach, is doing the same up in Vermont.

The Spartans had never won more than seven games in any of the seven years before Bowes' arrival in 2011.

With a 16-9-2 record this season, Castleton has set a program record for wins -- as well as goals, assists and points -- is fifth in the regional rankings and will make its first appearance in the ECAC East championship game. The Spartans will play at Norwich, the nation's No. 3 team, at 3 p.m. Saturday.

"It's really great to see and to be part of,'' said Bowes, an Auburn resident and Worcester State Hall of Famer. "It's been a lot of fun. I took over a team that was very bad, that was at the bottom of the league for seven straight years. Obviously, you know it can become better than that. That it has happened so soon has gone above my expectations.''

Bowes, a 1979 Worcester State graduate, coached at Wentworth from 1995 to 2004. He took over a team that had won five games in its three years of existence and guided the Leopards to five conference championships and four NCAA Division 3 playoff appearances.

Castleton won 10 games in Bowes' first year and nine last season. The Spartans got their 2013-14 season going by winning seven of nine around the midway mark.

Bowes said there's no secret formula to the success he has had turning teams around.

"My assistants and I work very hard recruiting,'' Bowes said. "It has to start with that. We try to get not just the best talented kids we can, but the best people we can find, too, and then you hope to get them to all fly in formation.

"I just personally kind of like the challenge of trying to help a team be good. I like the challenge of being able to try to do that. I've had a lot of good fortune and a lot of good kids that have made that happen and I feel really lucky.''

Bowes previously coached the Assumption men's team for nine years and the Worcester Academy boys' team for seven. He spent seven years on the staff of Holy Cross women's coach Peter Van Buskirk before taking over at Castleton, which plays in the same league as HC.

"I love playing for Coach Bowes,'' Castleton freshman forward Lisa Kilroy of Leominster said. "He really explains everything and lets you know what he wants you to be doing. He...