ASHLAND – Long after the games were played, the fire was still burning.

More than two hours after the Ashland boys soccer team won the Eastern Maine Class D championship Friday afternoon to make it a sweep of the boys and girls titles for the Hornets, people were still gathered at the high school as a bonfire burned on the field complex.

Cars still lined Route 163 along the fields and the fire department was at the ready in case things got out of hand.

Around 400 Hornet fans and Ashland residents turned the rare two-game day into a sort of town party. School was let out early so students could watch the girls beat Bangor Christian 2-0 followed by the boys’ 5-2 win over Machias.

It was the first time Ashland has had two No. 1-ranked soccer teams and hosted Eastern Maine finals on the same day. The girls game started at noon followed by the boys game at 2:30.

Although it was hard to distinguish the Ashland fans from the Machias fans – both schools use orange and black as their colors – there were probably around 400 people sitting and standing on the strip of grass between the boys and girls fields.

The Ashland players were in awe of the turnout.

“It’s amazing,” said Whitney Flint. “It’s like the whole town is here today. It’s such a small town that people just show us a lot of support.”

Things in town should be very quiet next Saturday, when both teams play in the Class D state championship games. The Hornet squads will face Richmond High’s girls and boys teams.

The Maine Principals’ Association will determine the site for the games early this week. Last year’s Class D state finals, which involved schools from Van Buren, Lee and Richmond, were held in Hampden.

On Friday, Ashland had a pep rally at around 10 a.m. and students in kindergarten through 12th grade were released at noon in time for the girls game.

“We usually have a lot of parents, but today all the kids were here,” said Jacky Raymond, a senior on the girls team. “When you’re young, sometimes you don’t really understand, but they knew it was important.”

The town office also closed at noon.

Early Friday morning fans had already parked cars at one end of the girls field.

After the game and before the bonfire was lit, both teams got on a school bus for a trip around town.

“This is like a football game-type deal,” said sophomore Jessica Jimmo, who scored a goal in the girls game.

Of course, the day wasn’t complete until the boys beat Machias for their first trip to states since 1997.

“It’s awesome to be involved in this day,” senior Nick Gimbel said after the victory, as a town firetruck and another truck parked at the high school traded loud blasts of their horns.

The doubleheader was also notable because it was the last time the fields will be used for soccer. Ashland’s new school, which is scheduled to be in construction next fall, will be built on top of the fields.

“We decided to end it with a good old bonfire,” said senior Mindy Chasse.

Girls remember Long

As the Ashland girls gathered in front of their home bench for a team photo Friday, an orange and black soccer ball had a prominent place in the photo.

The undefeated Hornets have used the ball to remember teammate Mindy Long, who died in a car accident April 17, 2006, and would have been a senior this year.

“We’ve worked completely and totally all year for this and this is why we’re here,” said senior Whitney Flint of the memory of their classmate. “That’s who we’re working for.”

Ashland, 15-0-2 after the win Friday, faces Western Maine champion Richmond for the state title. The 12-3 Bobcats beat Greenville 3-0 Friday.

Flint is wearing Long’s No. 20 jersey this year. Crystal Cook, a junior, wore No. 20 for part of the season last year.

Long, who was also a third baseman on the softball team, died in the accident on Route 11 along with her three sisters. She was the starting sweeper on the soccer team.

Long’s stepfather, Joey Basso, is an assistant coach to Peter Belskis. Basso is working with the defensive unit – which, by the way, recorded its fourth straight shutout and eighth of the season Friday.

Nemer nearing career mark

Junior striker Carl Nemer scored two goals Friday, which put him in a tie for the school’s single-season scoring record of 27.

Now he may be two goals away from setting the school’s career mark, and he’s only a junior.

Andrew Sjogren, who graduated in 1995, holds the record of 61 goals. Nemer is now tied with 1998 graduate Charles Robinson at 60 goals.

Nemer is on pace to shatter the record. He has one more game to go this season, as well as his whole senior year in front of him.

That game, more than any of his records, is on Nemer’s mind.

“They’re nice, but I want that gold ball,” he said.

Nemer shares the single-season record with Darren Belskis, who set it in 1998. Sjogren had the previous single-season record of 26, which he set in 1994.

Been there, done that

Even though the Ashland boys were in a 1-0 hole to Machias early in Friday’s game, the Hornets knew they could rally.

After all, they’d done just that in their EM Class D quarterfinal game against No. 8 Katahdin of Stacyville.

The Cougars had a 3-0 lead in the first half, but Ashland scored four goals in the second. Tyler Cote scored the first, followed by Nemer to pull within two goals. Nick Gimbel tied it, and Jeremy Tarr converted a penalty kick with 1 minute, 48 seconds left in the game for the win.

“We know we can come back if we have to,” Gimbel said Friday, “and now we’re in the state final.”