Just like that, Irondale’s Meghan Lorence has gone from a seventh-grader who led the Knights’ resurgence, to a senior charged with giving a new crop of youngsters some direction.

Most of the veteran hockey players who helped Irondale reach the past two Class 2A tournaments are gone, leaving Lorence to rally a new group of girls — many of whom watched those successful teams from the bleachers.

Lorence has forced coach Tom Rodefeld to write school scoring records in pencil. She tallied a program-best 50 points as an eighth-grader, followed by totals of 58, 82 and 86. The Gophers recruit scored 50 goals as a junior last season.

The most telling numbers this season are the ages of the other forwards: one seventh-grader, one eighth-grader, two freshmen and two sophomores.

“She holds all the records, so that isn’t the focus,” Rodefeld said. “The challenge this season is, what can she do to make these young girls better? On any given shift, Meghan can dominate. But the young ones have to learn to go with her instead of being spectators.”

Lorence spoke with Star Tribune reporter David La Vaque about the Knights’ solid 3-1-1 start, why she feels old and how she will help mold teammates.

Q What’s your take on this team five games into the season?
A There’s definitely some surprise going on. The veterans have stepped up like I hoped they would, and the younger girls have been working hard. We don’t have the depth of some teams, and we might not be as skilled, but we’ll work hard to the final horn.

Q After going to state for the past two seasons, are the expectations still the same?
A Obviously we want to go back, but the expectations have changed a little because we lost three forwards. There’s a lot of pressure on me to keep it going. The younger girls are looking up to me. But we’re trying to take it one game at a time, and we’re pushing to get better.

Q You’ve been such a big-time scorer for so long. Does it seem strange to be in the final season of your high school career?
A Yeah, it’s hard to believe. I’m still trying to get the hang of being the old one on the team [laughs].

Q How is it possible to make an 18-year-old feel old?
A I was talking to one of our ninth-graders, and she told me she remembers watching me back when we first played in the state tournament two years ago and now she’s skating with me on the team.

Q What are you trying to teach the younger girls?
A I try to play at my tempo, but I also understand that I have to be there to help them because there’s a lot to learn. I was there at one point, and I have to help them build confidence.

Q You could have come in thinking, “Well, I’m a senior with all these records, I’ve been to state twice and I’m going to the Gophers,” but you seem to have a pretty good attitude.
A I’m definitely not settling for any losses. I’m playing to win every game. And this year has been our toughest schedule yet. It should be a real challenge, but it should be fun. I want to make the best of it while I’m here and make it enjoyable for the rest of the girls.