Hornet girls boast talented roster
ASHLAND, Maine — From a talent standpoint, Peter Belskis admits he has a hard time matching this year’s roster to those from his first eight years as the team’s head coach.
The Hornet girls are loaded, thanks both to an excellent group of returnees and a brilliant freshman class.
So far, the results have been impressive. Through the first six games, all victories, Ashland has outscored its opponents by a margin of 39-7. Ten of the 19 players on the team have scored at least one goal.
Pointworthy victories have been recorded over both 6-3-1 Easton (twice) and 7-2 Washburn, with a rematch against the defending Class D state champion Beavers set for Thursday on the road.
Belskis admits there have been some early-season struggles and that there is still plenty of room for improvement.
“We’re still trying to find the right combinations,” said the veteran coach. “We’ve had a couple games in which we’ve struggled to finish our scoring chances and have had more individual play than team play, but the last two or three games, I think we’re starting to figure it out.
“When we put it all together, it will be scary,” he said.
Ashland lost three starters (goalie Macie Bellanceau and field players Rachel Gillis and Allyx Beaulier) to graduation while a fourth, junior Leann McNally, takes the 17 goals and eight assists she logged from her sophomore season with the Hornets as a transfer to Class B Mountain Valley in Rumford.
Still, the Hornets possess a stable of solid players. Marissa Chasse is one of the two senior starters and plays striker. She had 26 goals and four assists last year, has totaled 54 for her career and is five goals away from surpassing Brooke LaBelle as the school’s all-time leading scorer.
She starts up front along with junior Savannah Flint and freshman Mackenzie Carter on the wings. Flint is another capable scorer with 41 in her career. She scored 20 goals as a freshman and although she dipped to 10 last year, has already scored 11 so far this season. Carter is one of five freshman starters and scored six goals in the first four games to begin her varsity career with a bang.
The midfield corps is anchored by junior Caitlin Paradis, who plays in the middle. She is the field general and like many of the players on the roster is capable of playing multiple other positions. Paradis is flanked by junior Chelsea Vaillancourt on the left and freshman Morgan Doughty (three goals) on the right.
On defense, junior stopper Laura Sturgeon is called upon by Belskis to mark the opponent’s most physical player, while freshman wing back Micayla Driscoll generally shadows the most athletic player. Sophomore Cassidy Pelletier (10 goals in 2013) is back at sweeper despite batting some injuries. Sophie Theriault, the other senior starter, gets the nod at the other wing back slot.
The other freshman starter is Megan Cote, who replaces four-year starter Bellanceau as the goalkeeper.
Working her way into the lineup after sitting out the first four games while still recovering from knee surgery last spring is freshman Amber Chasse. A huge offensive weapon, Chasse scored 111 career goals as a middle school player and despite limited action has scored twice since returning to the field Sept. 8 in the win over Washburn.
Belskis said Chasse will eventually be a starter, most likely at forward but also possibly as a midfielder.
Ashland’s reserve players are senior back Brittany Harris, junior back Cassie Bolstridge and junior forward Erica Cyr, sophomore midfielder Hannah Stratton and freshmen mids Alexis Craig and Emilee Lothrop and back Briana Harris.
Carly Fredericks, a sophomore, is the manager and Holly Chasse is Belskis’ assistant coach.
Ashland has reached the Eastern Maine finals in five of eight years and Belskis is “cautiously optimistic” that the squad can get at least that far again this fall.
