Though new at the helm of the Houlton High School boy’s soccer team, Peter Bates knows his squad well as he served as assistant coach and junior varsity coach for the last several years under Todd Willard, who resigned this year.
“Our team will miss coach Willard on the sidelines this year,” said Bates, “but the eight seniors have made it known that they will make sure the season is for him. We would like to congratulate Todd and his wife, Andrea, on their new addition to their family — their son Cooper.”
Like most years, the Shires will be looking to fill critical positions due to graduation.
“We are lacking experienced players in important positions and we are trying to fill those positions with underclassmen, who have never worn a varsity jersey, let alone played in a varsity game,” Bates explained.
The Houlton Shires will rely on a core group of seniors to aid them in their quest to make the playoffs.
“No certain individual will lead the team,” Bates said. “The entire senior class will. Their experience, as well as teaching the underclassmen what they have learned, will lead our team this season. Senior leadership is our dependability this year.”
Seniors taking on that role are Lowell Matthews, Patrick Longstaff, James Bates, Ryan VanBuskirk, Ashir Abouleish, Elliot Mooers and Justin Haggerty and Derek Thomas.
Bates, a Houlton High School graduate and a four-year player, along with his players are focusing on making a postseason appearance, but he knows his squad has to put in the effort to achieve.
“We would love to make the playoffs,” he said. “That’s our biggest goal. But, it is going to take a lot of hard work on and off the field. I have a great group of guys who are up for the challenge and want to be pushed every day in practice.”
The Shires had a telling preseason and Bates hopes to take those results and build a strong foundation.
“We came away with many positive things out of the Presque Isle tourney,” he said. “We tied Caribou and Fort Kent and lost by a goal to Madawaska in the last five seconds. We also are coming away with the boys being able to see for themselves that we still have a lot of work to do.”
The Shires opened their season with a 5-0 loss to host Madawaska – defending Eastern Maine champs and state runners-up — last Friday, and Houlton goalie Van Buskirk made 16 stops on 30 shots.
The Shires will take on the Madawaska Owls at home, 7 p.m. on Friday, at the high school soccer field in a rematch. The junior varsity boys will play Madawaska at 5 p.m.