Ashland blossoms to title team after slow start

Ashland boys soccer coach Peter Belskis knew his 1997 team was going to be young. Three starters from the 1996 team had graduated, two returning seniors decided not to play and one suffered a broken collarbone before the start of the season.

That left the Hornets with two seniors, six juniors and a host of sophomores and freshmen – not the best situation for a team that was looking for a return to the regional Class D finals after losing in the semifinals in 1996.

Instead, the Hornets have turned what should have been a rebuilding season into an Eastern Maine title. Last Saturday, seventh-seed Ashland shocked No. 1 Van Buren with a 2-1 victory for the regional Class D championship. The Hornets will play for the state crown at 10 a.m. Saturday at Orono High School.

“It’s been strange,” said junior halfback Darren Belskis. “I know I have to try to lead by example. I can tell when [the freshmen’s] head are down and we try to pick them up.”

But even with two seniors – stopper Allen McCauseland and goalkeeper Aaron Bennett – starting for Ashland, Darren Belskis said he thought the Hornets would make the playoffs.

“I thought we’d be fourth or fifth at the end of the season,” he said. “I knew we’d be in the hunt. I knew that we had the talent for it.”

At the beginning of the season, Ashland wasn’t anywhere close to the playoffs. The Hornets were 1-3. The young defense was spotty and the offense wasn’t working.

Belskis made some changes, including shifting Bennett from ‘keeper to halfback and inserting freshman Jeremy O’Clair into the goal. The team startd to win, taking seven out of its next eight games. The Hornets beat Washburn 11-1 and 8-1, Central Aroostook 10-1 and Easton 7-1 and 7-2.

The team lost its last two games, including a 4-2 defeat to Van Buren. But that loss was notable for its second half, when Ashland scored twice and had three goals called back. The fullbacks held the Crusaders from scoring any more goals.

“We could see the fear in their eyes,” said Darren Belskis. “Once we started scoring they got really worried.”

Peter Belskis added, “The defense finally jelled. That made the difference.”

Ashland met No.1 Van Buren again in the Eastern Maine Class D finals and finally beat the defending state champs 2-1.

The Hornets head into the final with 66 goals. Junior forward Charles Robinson has scored 23 goals and Darren Belskis has 13. Sophomore forward Rustin Lovewell has tallied 10 goals.

“It was me and Charles early in the season,” Darren Belskis said. “Now that Rustin and [and right wing Randal Perry] have come on, teams can double team me or Charles and we can still score.”

Peter Belskis said he doesn’t know that much about third seed Monmouth, Ashland’s Western Maine opponent, but he likes the underdog role that the Hornets have played all season.

“I’m hoping that Monmouth thinks we’re a bunch of potato pickers up here.”