Marissa Chasse fills several roles for the Ashland High School girls soccer team.
Alexa Pelletier has one primary chore for the Fort Kent girls but it is probably the most important job on the field.
The versatile Chasse is a striker who scores goals and also can move back and anchor the defense when the Hornets are trying to protect a lead.
Pelletier is the goalkeeper for the Warriors and has been immense in backstopping upset wins over Orono (2-1 in overtime) and Houlton (1-0 in penalty kicks).
The two seniors hope to lead their Aroostook County teams to a state championship on Saturday when the four title games are held, two at Hampden Academy and two at Deering High School in Portland.
The 17-0 Ashland girls will take on a 16-0 Richmond team that claimed state titles in 2010, ’11 and ’12 before losing to Washburn 2-1 a year ago. They will square off at 12:30 p.m. in Hampden.
Fort Kent, 10-4-3, will face 13-2-3 Sacopee Valley of South Hiram in the 5:30 p.m. final in Portland.
The Class B final between 17-0 Waterville and 12-4-1 Cape Elizabeth, a rematch of last year’s final won by Cape Elizabeth 2-1 in penalty kicks, will start at 12:30 p.m. in Portland, and the Class A final between 13-1-3 Edward Little of Auburn and defending state champ Windham, 16-0-1, will be contested at Hampden beginning at 5:30 p.m.
Chasse, who has scored 26 goals this season, said it has been “my dream to play in a state championship game. I’ve been waiting since my freshman year.”
She doesn’t mind playing several positions.
“Wherever I can best help the team at that time is where I’ll go,” she said.
Chasse is an exceptional all-around player and a tremendous leader, according to Ashland coach Peter Belskis.
“She is also a hard-nosed player with a lot of determination who can shut down the other team’s top player,” he said.
If the Richmond game turns into a physical affair, Chasse will be in the forefront of the action.
“It wouldn’t be soccer if it wasn’t physical,” said Chasse. “Playing with my older brother [Alex] and my twin brother [Mark] has been very helpful in making me a physical player.”
Chasse has plenty of support up front with 30-goal scorer Savannah Flint and 20-goal producer Mackenzie Carter.
But the Hornet back line of Chelsea Vaillancourt, Laura Sturgeon, Micayla Driscoll and Cassidy Pelletier will be severely tested by the Richmond trio of Meranda Martin, Camryn Hurley and Kelsea Anair, who combined for all eight goals and five assists in the 8-1 win over Searsport in the WM final.
Ashland is looking for its first state title since 1989.
Fort Kent has never won a state championship but has come close, losing 3-2 in double overtime to Waynflete of Portland in 2012 and 2-1 in overtime to Sacopee Valley in 2010.
But Pelletier has led a solid corps of seniors into the state game as she made 13 saves in the overtime win over Orono and 15 against Houlton, including two in the penalty kick shootout.
“She made a lot of point-blank saves against Orono and she also covered the ball,” said Fort Kent coach Robby Nadeau.
“She has started every game since her freshman year and has always made big saves for us,” Nadeau added.
He said Pelletier is an aggressive goalie with outstanding instincts.
Nadeau said his team has been blessed with terrific leadership from the seniors: Pelletier, Erin Chasse, Dani Pelletier, Hailey Nadeau and Kendra Raymond.
Nadeau scored the game-winner vs. Orono and has been the offensive catalyst in the playoffs while Chasse has been influential in the midfield by serving as a link between the backs and strikers.
Fort Kent has received balanced scoring. Nobody has more than 10 goals.
Sacopee Valley features Olivia Ridley, who scored two playoff game-winners off passes from Courtney Ryan, and goalie Madison Day, who has three playoff shutouts.
Waterville won its last state championship in 2008 when it was in Class A. Coach Ian Wilson’s Purple Panthers are in their second season in Class B and feature Pilar Elias, who has scored more than 80 goals the past two seasons, speedster Sarah Shoulta, Lydia Roy and center back Morgann Tortorella while the Capers feature goalkeeper Tessa Goldstein along with Kathryn Clark and Maria Descino.
Edward Little has never won a state girls title but coach Craig Latuscha has a balanced team that has only lost to Bangor. Olivia Paione, Piper Norcross, Emily Jacques and goalkeeper Molly Murray have been the catalysts for the Red Eddies.
Windham had a remarkable WM tourney in which the Eagles erased 2-0 deficits in their first two playoff games and a 1-0 halftime deficit in the final against Scarborough. Ciera Berthiaume and Jenna Soucy have combined for seven of their eight playoff goals.