ASHLAND, Maine — After struggling to an 0-18 record two years ago, the Ashland Hornets’ boys basketball team simply wanted to find their identity on the court during their 2016-17 basketball season, and maybe garner a few wins along the way. What they got was an eight-win improvement, a spot in a Class D North prelim game, and some validation for the licks they took the year before.
This season, with a top heavy class led by seven seniors and four juniors, Head Coach Lucas Belanger has his sights set a little bit higher.
“It’s going to be a packed Class D schedule for a lot of people, but we’re expecting to hopefully climb into that 5-7 spot where we can host a prelim or even possibly earn a bye,” Belanger said. “That’s what we’re aiming for.”
The Hornets will have to contend with a tougher schedule than in years past thanks to Class C opponent Fort Kent along with Katahdin being added to their calendar, but the experience his team earned on their way to an 8-10 record, the experience they gained in their close loss to Greater Houlton Christian Academy in a road prelim game, and the implementation of a summer program this year are all things Belanger believes will keep his program on its current upward trajectory.
“They know what to expect from me now, and they know what to expect from themselves,” he said. “There are a lot of learning curves still to go through, but with this senior group I have now, we feel like we’re in line for another jump.”
That senior class is headlined by forward Steven Bellanceau, who led the team in both scoring and rebounding a year ago and will be the Hornets’ main threat inside. He will be aided in the frontcourt by fellow senior Baily Clark, a lanky big that can stretch the floor and contribute on the glass. Senior guard Rylee Albert also is expected to provide some perimeter scoring from the backcourt.
Ashland will be without their two senior captains from a season ago in Kyle Beaulier, a stat sheet stuffer and Aroostook League All-Star last season, and floor general Lucas Craig. Belanger expects junior Dylan Haley to continue to take on more of a role as his lead guard and fill some of the void that both Beaulier and Craig left behind.
“Lucas was very key at facilitating ball movement – getting the ball to guys in the right spots where they could be successful,” Belanger said. “Kyle did a little bit of everything for us, including scoring the ball. Dylan Haley is more than capable of filling both of those roles this year.”
Unfortunately for the Hornets, they will be without senior Mason Deabay, who tore his ACL during soccer season and who Belanger says will be sorely missed. Junior forward Jesse Wortman will take up some of those minutes along with newcomer Drew Condon, a senior getting back into organized basketball after not playing at all his first three years of high school. Belanger expects him to acclimate quickly and be a contributor by season’s end.
Senior guards Reggie Berry, Nathaniel Thompson and Asher Valone, juniors Dylan Fisher and Jack Routhier, sophomore guard Drew Doughty and freshman Josh Celestre round out the varsity roster.
Ashland will be tested early, with six of the squad’s first eight games happening away from home. Belanger is assisted by Timothy Tarr and Cody Blair.
