PCHS boys remain perfect with Homecoming victory over Ashland

GUILFORD — The Piscataquis Community High School 8-person boys soccer team kept its perfect record intact with a 10-3 victory vs. Ashland District School on Oct. 3 in a game that served as both the Homecoming contest and the senior game for three players who are part of the Class of 2027. During the day’s three games each Pirate team wore pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

PCHS improved to 11-0 by reaching double digits in goals for the third time this season. Senior Chase Lander, who last month reached the 100-goal milestone, scored a career-high eight goals with five in the first half and three more coming in the second.

“I don’t try to score that many goals but it’s hard when I’m wide open in front of the goal and not shoot,” Lander, who assisted on one of sophomore Nate Beckwith’s two goals, said. 

“He generates a lot of his own opportunities, he gets a lot of the long balls — I call it run and gun,” head coach Graham Goulette said. “We like to slow it down and pass more but sometimes you just go for it because it’s there.”  

He said the 11-game winning streak has included matches with five or six different goal-scorers and a home victory against Shead High School of Eastport had more than a dozen. The Pirates defeated Ashland 8-0 on the road on Sept. 12.

PCHS has now won 29 in a row overall dating back to the start of the 2025 season,

The Pirates were in position to end the game 15 minutes early, leading 9-1 approaching the midway point of the second half with many reserves getting some minutes. Ashland (1-6 following a fifth straight loss) scored twice in several minutes. The Hornets moved freshman Carson Howes out of the goal following a contest-best nine saves and he quickly produced at the other end of the field.

The three goals allowed equal the total PCHS had given up in the first 10 games, with the team entering Oct. 3 having recorded three consecutive shutouts. Now the Pirates have a 96-6 goal differential.

“We just have to know that we need to stay focused and keep pushing harder,” Lander said.

“We have six bench players and they have skills as well and being able to get them in and get them touches is going to help us further down the line,” Goulette said.

“Everybody wants to play all the time,” he said. “They put in a lot of work preseason and every practice so far they show up, they put in the effort. They all want to be out there and obviously they can’t all be out there at the same time. I feel better when we get everybody involved and it just keeps the whole team going.”

Following the win, PCHS has a layoff before traveling to Greenville High School on Friday, Oct. 9 and then has a week before a scheduled trip to Eastport for the team’s penultimate regular season game on Saturday, Oct. 17. 

“They’re in good shape but we want to try to take it to the next level, push it a little bit so there’s no slowing down,” Goulette said.

The Pirates will almost certainly open the 8-person North postseason at home but seniors Phoenix Brown, Jacob Knowles and Lander were honored before their final regular season game in Guilford.

“The fans are awesome and I love playing here,” Lander said.

Lander and Knowles have played all four years of high school. Brown joined the team this season.

“We were excited he came out, as you can see he has some speed,” Goulette said. “They have all got speed, they can all make shots. But other than that, their skills, their leadership really brings out the best in our players. We are lucky to have all three of them.”

BOYS SOCCER

PCHS 10, Ashland 3

ASHL 1 2 – 3

PCHS 6 4 – 10

First: P – Lander (Thurlow); P – Lander (Currier); P – Beckwith (Lander); P – Beckwith (Goulette); P – Lander; A – Philbrook (Janoch); P – Lander (Beckwith)

Second: P – Lander; P – Lander; P – Lander; A – Howes; A – Howes (Paul); P – Lander 

Saves: A – Howes 9, Soucy 5; P – Currier 4, Gilbert 2

Corner kicks: A – 2, P – 4

Records: A 1-6, P 11-0