Ashland High School appears to be a solid favorite to defend its state title in Class D girls soccer next season while the Fort Kent girls look like a strong contender in Class C.
“We have all the pieces [to defend]. We really do, as long as we can stay healthy and our team chemistry is good again,” Ashland coach Pete Belskis said. “But soccer is a game in which you can dominate and still lose.”
However, Belskis said, “if I had my choice, I would take my team.”
The Hornets beat Richmond in the state final Saturday.
Captain Marissa Chasse is the only starter who graduates, but she could be replaced by her cousin, Amber, a freshman who sat out this season with knee surgery. Amber Chasse, a striker, scored 111 goals in middle school, and she will complement 30-goal scorer Savannah Flint and 22-goal producer Mackenzie Carter.
Caitlin Paradis, Erica Cyr and Morgan Doughty return in the midfield, and Micayla Driscoll, Laura Sturgeon, Chelsea Vaillancourt and Cassidy Pelletier will be back as the defenders in front of goalkeeper Megan Cote, who suffered a broken collarbone during the state game and needed to leave after just 8 minutes, 15 seconds. Sturgeon replaced her and turned in an outstanding performance.
Fort Kent coach Robby Nadeau will need to replace five starters but pointed out he needed to replace seven from last year’s team.
“We had some people step up and do tremendous jobs for us this year,” said Nadeau, who will look for the same thing to happen next fall.
Sacopee Valley of South Hiram edged Fort Kent in Saturday’s state final.
Standout goalie Alexa Pelletier, midfielders Hailey Nadeau and Danielle Pelletier, striker Erin Chasse and outside back Kendra Raymond will depart, but sweeper Sadie Desjardins, stopper Allie Daigle, wing Alisha Guimond, striker Valeri McBreairty, midfielder Cassidy Lovley and back Jessica Morin will return. Morgan Roy, who is a sophomore, probably will replace Pelletier as the goalkeeper.
Desjardins and Morin were the only juniors on this year’s team.
Nadeau said the other two Aroostook County teams, Houlton and Madawaska, will be two of the primary challengers for the regional title along with Orono.
“Houlton was very young and very talented, and Madawaska was also very young,” Nadeau said.
Houlton graduates just three while Madawaska loses four.
Ashland has family ties
Ashland’s state championship had a family tie to its last title in 1989, Belskis pointed out.
Holly Chasse, his assistant coach, and Hope (Chasse) Doughty, are twins, who played on that 1989 team.
Holly Chasse’s daughter, Amber, who needed to sit out after having knee surgery, and Morgan Doughty, Hope’s daughter, were on this year’s team.
Both are freshmen.