There is a tremendous sense of excitement when you prepare to play in a state championship game.
For Ashland senior Amber Chasse, Saturday’s Class D state championship game against Richmond at Hampden Academy was extra special, even though the Hornets lost 2-1.
Chasse has undergone five knee surgeries. They limited her to two soccer games during her first three seasons, both during her freshmen year.
The first four operations were to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament in her right knee and the other, on a torn ACL in her left knee, came 14 months ago.
The center midfielder admitted that as much as she loves soccer, her favorite sport, she had reservations about playing this season.
“There was one point when I questioned whether it was worthwhile,” said the 17-year-old Chasse. “My left leg was so much weaker than my right leg.
“But my coach at the Dutch Soccer Academy, Tammy Krul, sent me a video last November of a girl who was still playing college soccer after four surgeries,” said Chasse. “After finding out that other people had gone through just as much as I had and were still able to play at a competitive level, I knew I could do it. I didn’t want to give up on my dream.
“And it was always a dream of mine to play in a state championship game.”
Chasse played a vital role in realizing her dream by scoring 31 goals and assisting on 22 more to help her Hornets overcome the loss of school career scoring leader Mackenzie Carter, who racked up 112 goals in three seasons, 52 in 2016.
Carter missed this season, her senior year, with a torn ACL.
The County is pleased to feature content from our sister company, Bangor Daily News. To read the rest of “This high school soccer player overcame five knee surgeries to realize dream of playing in state championship game,” an article by contributing Bangor Daily News staff writer Larry Mahoney, please follow this link to the BDN online.
