Ashland High School girls soccer coach Peter Belskis turns 64 next month but has no intention of retiring.
He was the Ashland High School boys soccer coach for 27 years, leading them to four Eastern Maine championships and a state Class D title in 1997.
He also coached the boys basketball and baseball teams.
Belskis began his 10th season coaching the girls on Tuesday when they played Easton in their season opener.
Ashland is coming off an 18-0 season which was capped by a 2-1 overtime win over Richmond in the state D final. It was the Hornets’ first girls state soccer crown since 1989.
“I love it. I still get excited about watching them improve and I enjoy seeing them get excited when they do something good,” said Belskis.
“It’s not all about winning. It’s also about teaching life lessons and watching them grow from young kids into adults,” said Belskis. “Coaching is an extension of my youth. It keeps me young. It keeps me going.”
“He is definitely a good coach,” said Ashland senior striker Savannah Flint. “He has taught everybody how to stay positive and become a team.”
“He knows the game,” said senior midfielder Caitlin Paradis. “He has a lot of experience.”
Belskis and his Hornets are eager to defend their title and there is no shortage of weapons in their cache. They graduated just one starter, striker and captain Marissa Chasse.
“We’re definitely motivated to defend our title,” said Flint, a 30-goal scorer last season. “We’re pretty confident but we know we have to stay focused and we can’t be overconfident.
“We have all improved,” added Flint.
“It would be unbelievable to win it again,” said Paradis. “It’s going to be a lot tougher this year. We’re just going to have to come out stronger.”
Belskis says they have the potential to be better than last year’s team.
“We have some good young players who will give us more depth than we had last year. And we will have more experience because our seven or eight freshmen are now sophomores,” said Belskis.
He said teams such as Penobscot Valley of Howland, a 1-0 victim of Ashland in the regional final, and Madawaska, which was in Class C, are among the top threats to dethrone them.
Scoring shouldn’t be an issue with Flint returning along with Mackenzie Carter who, as a 13-year-old freshman, scored 22 goals including the game-winner against PVHS and both goals vs. Richmond.
“Mackenzie is more mature, stronger and more confident,” said Belskis.
Paradis, who had around 15 goals and 33 assists a year ago according to Belskis, and sophomore Morgan Doughty will also be offensive catalysts.
Senior Erica Cyr, sophomore Lexi Craig and potentially impactful freshman Kassandra Nelson will be among those who will accompany Paradis in the midfield. Junior sweeper Cassidy Pelletier and exceptional sophomore marking back Micayla Driscoll headline the fullback corps along with seniors Chelsea Vaillancourt and Laura Sturgeon.
Sturgeon was a heroic figure in the state game as she replaced injured goalkeeper Megan Cote just 8:15 into the game and made six saves on 13 shots to backstop the win.
Former Hornet Samantha Watt, who moved away after her freshman year, has returned and will be a senior back.
Promising freshmen Olivia Tardie and Camryn Deabay can play in the midfield or as backs. Sophomore Cote is healthy and back in goal.
Juniors Hannah Stratton (midfield) and Gabby Wortman (back) and sophomore Briana Harris (back) also will vie for playing time and freshman Valerie Burby is a goalkeeper. Senior back Cassandra Bolstridge is recuperating from a car accident.