Sometimes, the schedule can be the cruelest part of a sports season.

Take the Wiscasset High School girls varsity softball schedule for example.

During the week of Wednesday, May 6 to Monday, May 11, the Wolverines had to play three of Western Maine Class C's top four teams.

That presented the Wolverines (1-7) with a veritable gauntlet of some of the best softball teams in the state.

Wiscasset played Telstar (6-2) May 6 in Bethel, where the fourth-seeded Rebels were able to blank Wiscasset, 12-0.

Wiscasset then hosted Dirigo (6-2), but the third-seeded Cougars pulled out the 14-0 win Friday, May 8.

Wiscasset traveled to Hall-Dale's (7-1) turf on Monday, May 11, but the Bulldogs showed why they are the second ranked team with a 35-1 victory.

On the plus side, Wiscasset remains within striking distance of the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Class D playoffs, and the Wolverines won't face top-seeded Class C Monmouth Academy until May 20.

Baseball victim of hard-luck losses

Despite being outscored by only four runs total, the Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team dropped three games from Friday, May 6 to Monday, May 11.

The Wolverines (2-6) dropped a pair of one-run games, and lost a third game by only two runs.

Wiscasset traveled to Bethel to play a resurgent Telstar squad (2-6) May 6. Despite finishing in the lower half of the standings the last two years, the Rebels have shown some life in 2015, as they were able to upset Wiscasset by a 9-8 score.

The Wolverines came home Friday, May 8 to play the second-seeded Dirigo Cougars (7-1). Dirigo, usually a Class C powerhouse, actually fell behind, 2-1, to Wiscasset as the Wolverines were able to follow pitcher Tyler Bailey's lead.

But, the Cougars wouldn't stay down for long, and rallied to come away with a 4-2 win.

Wiscasset then traveled Monday, May 11 to play eighth-seeded Hall-Dale (5-3), where the Bulldogs were able to take advantage of playing on their home turf and won, 2-1.

Despite the losses, Wiscasset remains in fifth place in Western Class D. The Wolverines will have a chance to make up ground with four of the next five games coming at home.

Warren Cossette, coach of the Wolverine boys and girls track teams, is a believer. Work hard at practice, try your best on the day of a meet and good things will happen. They have.

With one qualifying meet left, all save one of Cossette’s charges have qualified to compete in the Mountain Valley Conference meet; six others have done well enough to qualify for the states.

Tuesday, May 12’s meet at Wiscasset High School featured high school athletes from Dirigo, Mountain Valley and Boothbay Region High School.

“Dirigo and Mountain Valley were two schools we haven’t faced this season, so it was interesting to see how we’d do against them,” Cossette said afterwards.

The Wolverines held their own in both the boys and girls competition, boasting two event winners: Ayanna Main in the high jump, 4”8” and Brandon Goud in the 1600-meter run. Goud crossed the finish line at 4:52 shaving about three seconds off of his best time of the season. Main was also second in the girls long jump at 14’7” and Goud placed fourth in the 3200 at 2:19.

If you’re curious about team scoring, five points are awarded for a first place finish, four points for second place, three for third, and so on up to fifth place.

The Wolverines had two additional second place finishers, Colin Viele in the 400-meter dash, 55.52 and Jake Traylor in the triple jump 35’1.”

The boys 400-meter dash was the most exciting race of the day. Viele ran neck-and-neck with his teammate Sam Storer who finished close on his heels with a time 55.66 and third place overall. A Dirigo competitor posted the winning time in the second heat.

It was a good showing for Traylor who was competing in his first meet. Traylor also placed fifth in the long jump, 15’11” and fifth in the 200-meter dash, 25.47.

Long distance runner Angus Putnam had another good performance. Putnam placed third in the 3200 run at 13:05.

Gabby Chapman competed in her first mile run and placed third with a time of 6:26. She was seventh in the 100-meter dash at 14:43, a personal best for her. In the long jump Gabby placed fifth at 14’5.”

Wolverine Keara Hunter had two fifth place finishes in high jump, 4’ and discus, 62’1.”

Competing in the shot put for the first time this season Andrew Lincoln got his best distance on his third and final throw, 21’3.”

“These kids have been an exceptional group to work with,” added Cossette. “They’re certainly not afraid to try a new event.”

Wiscasset High School will host its final home meet next Tuesday, May 19. The first events are scheduled to begin at 3:30 p.m.

In their third meet of the season, on Wednesday, May 13 in Wiscasset, the Wiscasset Middle School boys and girls track and field teams did an amazing job. Despite having the smallest competitive team in the league, the overall scores placed the girls team in 2nd place and the boys in 1st place

Some notable results include: 

Natalie Corson broke two Busline League records. She now holds the records for long jump (14' 2") and in triple jump (31' 4") and placed 1st in both events.

CJ Loyola now holds the Busline League long jump record (17' 1"). He is also only milliseconds from breaking the 100m record, where he also came in 1st place. Matt Chapman placed 1st in all his events, including a personal record in the 400m and a narrow victory in the 55m hurdles won by only 3/100th of a second. Caleb Gabriele placed 1st in the triple jump and it was his first time ever competing in the event.

The boys and girls relay teams for the 4x100m both took first place. The boys relay team also took 1st place in the 4 x 400m. Maria West and Jack Wehrle both "walked" away with 1st place in the racewalk. Lily Souza and Haiden Dunning placed 1st in the discus.

Every athlete has now qualified for the championship meet in at least one event. The combined boys and girls teams have 23 athletes and most other schools have over 50 athletes, some with over 100. Coach Josiah Winchenbach has coached track and field at Wiscasset Middle School for five years. This year is the biggest team he has had and he is very proud of the athletes and their performance so far this year.

The team has one more regular season meet at Medomak Valley High School on Wednesday, May 20 and is looking forward to the championship track meet in Belfast on Wednesday, May 27.

• 2014 – 22,490
• 2013 – 24,795
• 2012 – 21,553
• 2011 – 18,839 
• 2010 – 20,063 
• 2009 – 18,092
• 2008 – 21,062

You never know quite what to expect when Wiscasset High School goes up against up Hall-Dale on the court or athletic field. Such was the case Friday afternoon, May 15 when these longtime rivals met and the visiting Bulldogs ended a four-match winning streak by the Wolverine girls tennis team.

Coach Sue Shorey’s charges had been on a roll lately having recently won over Dirigo, Monmouth Academy, Madison and Lisbon. The Wolverines had evened their Mountain Valley Conference record to 4-4 as they entered the match.

It was the visitors who prevailed winning 4-1 by sweeping all three single matches and capturing one of the doubles.

The Wolverine duo of Hayhlee Craig and Brooke Carleton were their team’s lone winners when they defeated Autumn St. Pierre and Thea Sweet 10-4 in the first doubles competition.

In the second doubles, Hall-Dale’s Rose Warren and Becca Freed-Barlow won 10-2 to over Hannah Welborn and Ali Richardson.

Results of the singles competition were as follows: Clio Barr 10-3 over Miranda McIntire; Hanna Foye bowing out to Hall-Dale’s Nicole Pelletier after a 1-1 tie and Maeve Carlson losing to Rio Yokokawa 10-2.

Coach Shorey said the match of the day went to the Wolverine doubles team of Craig and Carleton.

Wolverines collar Greyhounds

At Lisbon High School Wednesday, May 13, the Wolverines swept the host Greyhounds 5-0.

In the first singles match Hanna Foye locked up in a close game with Lisbon’s Kathryn George. Foye was ahead 7-6, and won by forfeit continuing her unbeaten streak.

Miranda McIntire shutout Brianna Livingston 10-0 in the second singles and Maeve Carlson beat Jordan Fedrick 10-2.

In the doubles competition, the Wolverines’ team of Brooke Carleton and Hayhlee Craig won 10-1 over Alyssa Finley and Cheyenne Pesce. In the second doubles, Hannah Welborn and Sam Arsenault defeated Adrienne Bolton and Lexi Gamache 10-5.

WHS will travel to Winthrop Tuesday, May 26 for their final tennis match of regular season. The regional team playoffs are scheduled for June 2 and will be played at the higher seeded school. The regional quarterfinals are on June 4 and semifinals on June 6.

Join us on Memorial Day weekend to celebrate the return of the alewives. The eighth annual Damariscotta Mills Fish Ladder Restoration Festival will be held on Saturday and Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, May 23 and 24.

“We are holding the festival to celebrate the return of the alewives and the near-completion of the restoration work,” said Deb Wilson, one of the event organizers. “We are nearly finished, we just have a punch list to go — what a wonderful achievement thanks to neighbors and friends of the fish ladder.”

Thousands and thousands of alewives will be the stars of the festival and there will be viewing at both the bottom of the ladder and in Russ and Diana Williams’s yard at the ladder top. Festival events will take place in many locations around Damariscotta Mill — at the fish house at the bottom of the ladder, Mulligan’s Smokehouse, along Ladds Hill Road, at the top of the ladder, at Alewives Fabrics on Main Street, and on Town Landing Road. Look for signs pointing the way to activities and maps showing the location of all events.

Each day a special menu has been prepared. On Saturday, Chef Tom Wriggins will again put on his famous pig roast with all the fixins — a real treat!

And, thanks to the Damariscotta River Grill, Sheepscot Valley Brewing Company and D. L. Geary’s Brewing Company, you can enjoy your pulled pork sandwich with a cold beer — while alewives swim by and osprey dive to eat their lunch. The food on Sunday will be equally special. We’ll be serving lobster and crab rolls with chips and a pickle, and perhaps another cold beer. We’ll also have hot dogs, oysters, and ice cream on both days.

Mulligan’s smoked alewives, the best in the area, will be on sale all weekend at the smokehouse, or until they run out. The “Smokehouse Girls” will be serving food on Saturday and Sunday this year — their famous breakfast sandwiches, hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch. Paula Roberts’ fabulous donuts, plain, sugar, molasses, squash, and chocolate, will be on sale Saturday and Fondie York will be making her famous homemade donuts on Sunday at the smokehouse.

A poetry reading of “Alewives” and other poems by Joseph Coleman will held at the top of the ladder on Saturday at 2 p.m. The poems will be read by British actress and two-time Oscar nominee Janet McTeer and copies of the poem, beautifully illustrated, will be on sale following the reading as fundraiser for the fish ladder.

Children’s activities will be held near the fish house, on Ladds Hill Road and at Alewives Fabrics. The ever-popular osprey fishing game can again be played on Ladds Hill Road, while there will be a touch tank including tide pool creatures located near the fish house. And, there will be free face painting at Alewives Fabrics together with ice cream, soda, and viewing of video, “Closing the Circle.”

Finally, on Sunday there will be an Antique Car Show, which will include Model T rides.

The festival is sponsored by the Towns of Nobleboro and Newcastle and the Nobleboro Historical Society. Please join us for a wonderful festival and a chance to see alewives close up as they ascend the fish ladder to spawn in Damariscotta Lake. For additional information, check out www.damariscottamills.org or contact Deb Wilson at 207-380-6997 or deb.wilson@roadrunner.com or Russ Williams at rwilliams343@gmail.com.

If history repeats itself, it could be a very long season for the Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team.

In a good way.

The team snapped out of its midseason funk and handily defeated Mt. Abram, 7-2, on Monday, May 18. The win moves Wiscasset to 3-8 on the year, and allows the Wolverines to keep a tight hold on the number six spot in the Western Class D playoff picture.

The win was Wiscasset's first since May 4, when the Wolverines routed Carrabec 10-0. Since then the team fell to Telstar on May 6, Dirigo May 8, Hall-Dale May 11 and Madison May 13.

A year ago, the Wolverines had a similar midseason swoon before rattling off a win streak to make it to the Class D finals.

Wiscasset will look to copy their earlier success with homes games against Monmouth Academy May 20 and Winthrop on May 22 and an away game at Boothbay Region May 26.

Wiscasset drops two

The Wiscasset High School girls varsity softball team is still on the lookout for its next win after dropping two games against two Western Class C rivals.

The Wolverines (1-9) fell 12-0 Monday May 18 against the 10th-seeded Mt. Abram Roadrunners (5-6 overall record) and 23-1 May 15 against the top-ranked Madison Area Bulldogs (10-1).

The Wolverines will have a tough task on Wednesday, May 20, when they host the 6-5 Monmouth Mustangs. Things should get easier, however, when the team plays 1-8 Winthrop on May 22 and 2-9 Boothbay Region May 26.

The Midcoast United Soccer Club is now registering players, ages 7 to 13, for the fall 2015 league play.

For more information on registering, email mtilas.midcoast@gmail.com or call 207-380-4792. Visit the club’s Facebook page.

Over the May 16-17 weekend, 10 high school outing clubs came together in Caratunk at Adventure Bound for the 2015 Teens To Trails (T3) Spring Thing!, an annual gathering of high school outing clubs from all over the state for a weekend of camping, hiking, biking, canoeing, rafting, service projects and more.

This year, the outing clubs in attendance included Dirigo, Ellsworth, John Bapst, Mt. Ararat, Mt. Desert Island, Skowhegan, Windham, Wiscasset, Yarmouth and one member from Brunswick, totaling 92 participants (76 students and 16 chaperones).

On Saturday the participants spent a full day exploring The Forks and the Caratunk area led by experienced outdoorsmen and women volunteering their time and energy to get more teens outside and reaping the benefits of lifelong sports and connecting with nature.

One outing club canoed on the Dead and Kennebec Rivers with Maine Path & Paddle Guides, three outing clubs hiked on the Kennebec River Trail (part of The Forks Area Scenic Trail System) before heading down the Kennebec in Adventure Bound’s canoes, and yet another group hiked into Moxie Falls and biked with a Chewonki leader by Moxie Pond and Pleasant Pond using the Maine Winter Sports Center’s bikes from their L.L. Bean Healthy Hometowns equipment trailer rental program.

Two other groups hiked on the Appalachian Trail with representatives from the Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC) and the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC) enjoying views from Pleasant Pond Mountain, while two more groups experienced a guided hike to Grand Falls with a Maine Master Naturalist and did trail work with the Maine Huts & Trails trail crew.

Convening back at Adventure Bound on Saturday in the late afternoon the outing clubs benefited from unstructured recreation before setting camp, cooking dinner, making s’mores, and watching select films from the 2014-15 Maine Outdoor Film Festival (MOFF). The weekend came to an end on Sunday afternoon after a successful day on the Kennebec River rafting with Adventure Bound. The new friendships that were formed and the old ones that were solidified from this weekend spent in the outdoors were reflected in the laughter, smiles and teamwork seen in the 12 rafts of mixed outing clubs.

The Spring Thing! is all about outing clubs across Maine coming together to learn from each other and experience all that the Maine outdoors have to offer. Special thanks to the Plum Creek Foundation, the Davis Conservation Foundation, the National Park Service’s Cost Share Challenge grant, and individual donors for making this year’s Spring Thing! the most successful yet. Additionally, the weekend would not have been possible without our 

T3 Partners including: Adventure Bound, the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Chewonki, the Maine Appalachian Trail Club (MATC), Maine Huts & Trails, Maine Master Naturalists, Maine Outdoor Film Festival (MOFF), Maine Path & Paddle Guides, Maine Winter Sports Center (MWSC) and the L.L. Bean Healthy Hometowns Program.

For more information on how to support Teens To Trails and other exciting opportunities like the Spring Thing!, visit www.teenstotrails.org.

Pitcher Adam Sirois of the Damariscotta Newcastle Rotary Wheels Team pitched a perfect game on May 20, 2015. The Lincoln Little League team members of Maine Little League District 2 shut out Damariscotta Hardware at the team’s home field in Nobleboro, 9-0.

Sirois, age 12, struck out 17 batters and 1 batter grounded out to first. He accomplished this feat precisely within the allowed 85 pitches. His team and coaches swarmed around him after the last strikeout.

“He told me he could do it at the bottom of the fifth inning so I gave him a high five and he went out to the mound and got the job done,” said Wheels team manager Paul Miner. “I am thankful for Coach Jon Pinkham for keeping him in the game. Often times we pull out a pitcher after 50 pitches to save them for the next game.

“Adam pitched four perfect innings in a game against South Bristol Lions on May 2. Jon pointed out the stats and it was a no brainer to keep him in the game.

“I am always pushing team building but when the opportunity presents itself for a player to have a shot at accomplishing something really great, we are all in behind him. We were all cheering him on and I was watching the pitch count rise and he had his last batter up with five pitches left and I almost had to walk behind the dugout; I couldn’t bear it. He struck him out right at 85 pitches.

“We told him to write his name and date on his ball.”

Oscar Cronk has had many titles over the years, worm digger, hunter, trapper, dog trainer, husband, church elder, and renowned maker of hunting scents; just don’t call him legendary.

“I prefer to think of myself more as being the last of my breed,” he said. The original Cronk of Cronk’s Outdoor Supplies isn’t thinking of retiring, although he admits to slowing down a bit.

On June 12, he’ll celebrate his 85th birthday. On the morning he sat down for this interview, he’d just returned from a 250-mile trip to his camp in Northern Maine.

“People ask me where it’s located and I tell them Clayton Lake, but my camp is actually 10 miles beyond that on the road headed towards Daaquam, Quebec,” he said. Cronk had the rugged 16 by 30-foot camp and a smaller utility shed built in 1980.

Cronk has called Wiscasset home since 1942 when his family left Aroostook County and moved to the coast, first to Bucksport, then Newcastle before settling down in Wiscasset when he was 12.

Oscar, who was named for his father, is actually Oscar Cronk Jr. He was one of five children. He has a sister, Evelyn Grover, who lives with her husband Robert across town on the Birch Point Road. He also had three brothers, now all deceased. Two of his brothers, Wilford and Milford, were twins. His other brother was Raymond Gudroe. Wilford Cronk is remembered for having started the Wiscasset Speedway in the late 1960s.

The Cronk home was a rambling farmhouse at the junction of the Old Bath and Stage roads in the western part of town. In those days that area of Wiscasset was still very much rural and wooded. Oscar Sr. found work as a steel worker at Bath Iron Works during World War II while his wife Susie stayed at home managing the household and minding little Oscar and his siblings. Rural living in Maine was challenging in those times.

“There was no electricity in our home when we first moved there,” Cronk said. “We had running water, but like a lot of other families back then no bathroom, just an outhouse out back.”

“You know, in the 1940s there were actually a lot more businesses in town. I’m pretty certain there were four grocery stores downtown and all of them were pretty busy. Saturdays then was when people did their shopping and Saturday night was when the town really came alive.”

Everyone worked in those days and young Oscar was no exception. He could be found during the spring and summer months working on the mudflats alongside his brothers digging marine worms that he sold to local bait dealers.

After finishing school he enlisted in the U.S. Army. Following a 2-year tour of duty he returned home and went back worm digging. Wiscasset was famously known then as the “Marine Worm Capital of the World,” because more worms were shipped from here than anywhere else.

“It was good work, worm digging, and I enjoyed being outdoors. If you worked hard, the money was good, too,” he said.

Cronk preferred digging sandworms to the higher-paying bloodworms. Something that might surprise people is that Cronk stuck with worming for 25 years.

“My brothers and I dug the mudflats all over Maine, including Down East. I think my all-time record was 3,500 worms on one tide.”

Like many of the other diggers, Oscar sold his marine worms to two Wiscasset bait dealers — the late Frank Hammond and the late Stanley Fairservice. “Back when I first started digging they paid something like $1.40 a hundred for sandworms.”

Around the same time Cronk started digging worms, he took an interest in fur trapping. He talked a neighbor, Lawrence Croxford, into taking him along on one of his trapping trips. Cronk remembered Croxford as a skilled woodsman and pretty good mink trapper. In the 1940s quality mink pelts fetched as much as $30 to $40 a piece — good money then. Mink pelts are still in demand today from foreign buyers, mostly Russian and Chinese.

Cronk continued digging worms along the coast during the summer and trapping “upcountry” in the winter. He said he began getting more serious about trapping and soon found himself traveling the forests of Northern Maine in search of mink, fox, bobcat, fisher, otter and beaver. Everyone learns from someone else and Cronk credits Vince Hincks for showing him many tricks of the trapping trade.

“The first time I went out with him was in 1968. I was his assistant and we were trapping beaver. We trapped in December, January and February in every kind of weather imaginable. At night we slept in his camp, which wasn’t very big. It didn’t have a lot of luxuries, but it kept us warm. I think we trapped somewhere around 150 beaver.

“I’ll be honest with you,” Oscar said. “Watching someone who’s experienced at doing something is a lot different than doing it yourself. I watched Vince skinning and made the mistake of trying to match his speed and put a few holes in the pelt I was working on. I learned a lesson from that, to work at a slower pace until I developed my own technique.”

Cronk met Edye, the love of his life, in 1960. They met at his brother Milford’s home. Not long after they were married, they bought the 2-story house on Gardiner Road that they still call home.

Around this same time Cronk thought he might like to give scent-making a try. He decided to go into business himself and bought out Ed Howe’s scent-making business, the Howe Fur Company, located in Coopers Mills.

It was Howe who owned the rights to the scent formulas developed by the legendary hunter/trapper V.E. “Wildcat” Lynch. Cronk said he soon realized scent making was lot more difficult than he thought. Not sure what to do, he turned to Walter Arnold, one of Maine’s premier hunters, trappers and the maker of Arnold’s Hunting Scents.

Cronk said Walter Arnold had learned the art of scent making from his father, Lon Arnold, a pioneer scent maker who made a living trapping beaver, mink and other fur-bearing animals along with hunting deer, bear and caribou. The Arnold family has been making scents and animal lures since 1870 and were well known and respected by hunters and trappers throughout New England.

“I wrote to him asking for his help and advice and was kind of surprised when he wrote back inviting me to come spend a week at his cabin in Northern Maine. We became very good friends and I learned a great deal listening to, and watching him. One day he offered to sell me his business.

“I often tell people that you need more than just formulas to make these,” Cronk said. “It takes a certain knack to get it right.”

It wasn’t long before Cronk began experimenting by making his own hunting, trapping and dog training scents. He field-tested everything he made putting his scents and lures through what he called “Cronk’s Outdoor Test.”

In 1971 he built a rustic store resembling a log cabin next door to his home on Gardiner Road. Edye often tended the store while Oscar was hunting or trapping. Oscar and Edye named their business Cronk’s Outdoor Supplies. Inside the walls were filled with a variety of hunting supplies, pack baskets, skinning knives, beaver and other animal traps and a large supply of scents and lures including the ones bearing his name. Among his original deer lures are Cronk’s “Buck’s Joy,” “Ruttin’ Buck” and “Cronk’s Master Deer Lure.” All are well known to deer hunters across the country.

Cronk won’t share any of his scent making secrets, but said he does his brewing in the spring.

“My own products have done very well for us over the years. They’re sold in Maine from Fort Kent to Kittery and carried by two of the state’s biggest wilderness outfitters, L.L. Bean and the Kittery Trading Post,” he added.

Mentioning L.L Bean brings to mind a mountain lion on display there in the store’s hunting and fishing department. Cronk shot the huge cat during a hunting trip to Colorado.

“I was 77 when I shot it and actually, if I remember correctly, it was just over the border in New Mexico; I think maybe near the San Luis Valley region. It was rugged country. I was hunting with a 44-magnum rifle and one shot was all it took,” he said.

How did it wind up at L.L. Bean?

“Well, Randy Brook who was doing their taxidermy saw it he thought it would look pretty good there in the store. They had been selling my scents and lures for many years so I let them have it for display.”

Does he think about retiring? No, he replied, but he may someday sell the formulas for his trapping scents.

“I don’t really want to retire. I’ve always believed you need a purpose in life.

“I’ve tried to take good care of myself over the years and really feel that I’ve been blessed by the good Lord in that regard. I’ve had a good life and experienced some wonderful and amazing things,” he said.

Cronk is up early most days often before the sun rises. He begins by exercising and stretching. A spiritual man, he devotes a portion of each day to Bible study.

“I learn something new every day from reading it. Someone told me once, if you remain a student you can learn something new all your life,” he said.

St. Philip’s Church will be holding its 63rd annual Strawberry Festival on Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.

As part of the event, there is a craft fair with booths both inside the hall and on the grounds at 12 Hodge St. in Wiscasset. St. Philip’s encourages crafters wanting to make their wares available to the public to take part. Both inside and outside spaces are available. 

For an inside space, the charge is $35, while an outside space is a bargain at $25. Crafters are responsible for their own tables and awnings. Electrical outlets are available for both inside and outside spaces.

Definitely an institution at 63 years and counting, the Strawberry Festival is viewed by some as the unofficial beginning of the area’s summer season.

The star of the event, of course, is the very generous helping of luscious native strawberries dished up on a big, beautiful homemade biscuit and topped off with either locally made ice cream or real whipped cream. Who could resist?

The outdoor hot dog stand will again be in operation. It always does a brisk business, but save room for the shortcake!

Quarts of strawberries to take away, as always, will be available; let us do the picking for you. A bake table full of scrumptious homemade items, entertainment, a children’s area, plant table, the ever-popular Bargain Basement, and a silent auction event will help to make the day a merry one for the whole family.

Be sure to time one’s visit to be there at noontime when the attendee can take part in the good old-fashioned Pie Auction: great fun and with delectable, homemade pies going to the highest bidders. Last year, one group proudly walked away with four pies!

The Strawberry Festival is a major fundraiser that aids St. Philip’s in sustaining its presence in the community and its outreach programs. The Help Yourself Shelf Food Pantry, the Feed Our Scholars students’ weekend food backpacks initiative, the Bargain Basement where those suffering disruptions are able to outfit themselves for little or nothing, as well as being a meeting space for local groups, all are beneficiaries of the church’s Festival event.

To reserve a space, crafters should call St. Philip’s at 207-882-7184. Leave name, address and phone number where to be reached for Cathy Tyler or Gretchen Johnson, crafter coordinators.

This year, Harbor Fest takes place around Labor Day in September and lasts for a full 10 days, but the party is starting early down at Boothbay Craft Brewery and Watershed Tavern.

The brewery kicked things off the Saturday before Memorial Day with a “Declaration of Fermentation” party, with a beer tasting, regular lunch menu, caricature artist and games for kids and adults.

One of the games was designing a label for this year's Harbor Fest Ale.

“We've brewed a Harbor Fest Ale for the last two years,” co-owner Win Mitchell said. “This year, we wanted to have it on tap and in stores all summer long to promote Harbor Fest and encourage people who visit to plan on coming back in the fall.”

So the Boothbay Craft Brewery will have the Harbor Fest ale ready around mid-June, and according to Mitchell it will be a light, summer ale with a lower alcohol content and some orange zest.

“It's easy drinking, goes great with a lobster dinner,” Mitchell said.

Several kids and adults designed ideas for the cans on Saturday with ideas ranging from a can with a lighthouse on it to a gem-covered “Sparkle Ale.”

The beer will be on tap all summer at the brewery, and sold in local stores such as Oak Street Provisions and the Southport General Store. Mitchell said he might take a few cans down to Portland to promote the event.

Also at the event was Lori Reynolds, the Harbor Fest coordinator. A large display was set up outside the brewery, which included the grand-prize winning “Fishin' for Fashion” dress from last year. Reynolds talked to people about Harbor Fest and talked about the new “Fun Card,” which will have multiple offers from business around the region that can be used all summer long.

“For a small fee any local business can offer a deal on the card,” Reynolds said. “And it can be anything they want. It can last for a specific weekend, or the whole summer. It's not just for restaurants either; we want to get lots of different area businesses involved.”

Just some of the deals available include half-price desserts all summer long at the brewery, 15 percent off wine at Capers all summer long, and 25 percent off appetizers at the Whale's Tale. The card will be updating all summer long as more deals are posted.

People can get cards by buying a ticket for a Harbor Fest event or for $10.

The events planned (so far) for Harbor Fest include a Fishin' for Fashion show, a “Stroke of Art” tour and a “Meet the Artist” brunch, a “Taste of Local Flavor” where restaurants will be showcasing signature dishes, a 5k race and half marathon, Restaurant Week, Harbor Crawl, a best band contest judged by WCLZ, and a cocktail competition using Cold River Blueberry Vodka.

Trees may be the foundation of forestry, but in a state like Maine, which is over 90 percent forested, landowners often want to consider other aspects of forestry. Hidden Valle Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson is a great example of how forests can be managed with diverse goals in mind. In June HVNC is offering two workshops featuring particular approaches to forest management that may be of interest to landowners, land trusts, town property managers, foresters and others.

Join HVNC for “Forestry for the Birds,” Saturday, June 6, 8:30-11:30 a.m. HVNC staff will be joined by Susan Gallo of Maine Audubon, Amanda Mahaffey of the Forest Guild, and Andy Shultz from the Maine Forest Service. The workshop is designed to give forest managers and landowners some of the tools they need to design their plans to accommodate and directly benefit all kinds of wildlife, especially birds.

Timber management, recreation, and great wildlife habitat can all coincide with careful planning. Anyone interested is encouraged to join Susan at 7:30 a.m. at the main gate for a short birding walk before the class. The cost is $12 for HVNC, DRA, SVCA, PWA, DLWA, and SWLA members, $15 for all others.

On Friday, June 12, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., join HVNC for a workshop called “Forest Trails.” HVNC staff, Steve Spencer from the Damariscotta River Association, and Keith Kanoti from the Maine Forest Service will lead participants on a tour of trail types, and water crossings at HVNC. The goal of the class is to give property and trail managers of all kinds the tools they need to design and implement recreation trails that meet their needs. We’ll discuss cross country ski trails, mountain bike trails, designing walking paths and much more. Some of the workshop will be hands-on. The cost is $15 for HVNC, DRA, SVCA, PWA, DLWA and SWLA members, $20 for all others.

For more information: info@hvnc.org, www.hvnc.org/registration, or 207-200-8840.

Seventeen gymnasts from the CLC YMCA gymnastics team, along with approximately 1,100 gymnasts from over 30 YMCAs from six states in the northeast, attended the 2015 YMCA Northeast Regional Gymnastics Championships in Amherst, Massachusetts. The three-day competition held the weekend of May 15, 16 and 17 took place at the Mullins Center at UMass.

Competing athletes represented USAG (U.S. Association of Gymnastics) levels 3 through Levels 10 and Xcel. In order to participate, each athlete must be a YMCA team member and must qualify by earning with a specified all-around score twice at a competition during the regular season.

Meet highlights

Kadence Rogers, Level 3 placed 1st is NorthEast Regional Champion, Maddy Russ, Level 7 placed second all around, Leah Wilcox is 2nd all around, Jhordaynia Ebanks, Level 3 placed 2nd all around; Reed Gulden, Level 7 placed 3rd all around, Katie Colomb is 3rd all around.

“This team has had amazing results against a tough field of competitors,” Coach Janice Cormier-Hay said. “The girls continued to put up personal best scores and even those who did not climb the podium had the meets of their lives. Coach Valerie Jackson attended the meet with me and she and I are very proud of their hard work and grace under a lot of pressure.”

Reed Gulden (lvl 7) is beam and floor regional champion; Maddy Russ (lvl 7) is bars regional champion; Erica Johnson of Nobleboro (lvl 4) is vault and bars regional champion, Leah Wilcox, (lvl 4) is beam regional champion, Abby Harrington (lvl 2) is vaulting regional champion.

Individual results

Maddy Russ of Damariscotta: Level 7, Age 11, 3rd on vault with an 9.325, 1st on bars with a 9.7 (PB), 3rd on beam with a 9.3, 3rd on floor with a 9.4, placing 2nd all around with a personal best score.

Reed Gulden of Walpole: Level 7 - Age 11, came in 5th on vault with a 9.2, 4rd on bars with a 9.325, 1st on beam with a 9.525 (PB), 1st on floor with an 9.55, placing 3rd all around with a PB score.

Katie Colomb of Alna: Level 7, Age 14, came in 7th on vault with an 8.8, 2nd on bars with an 9.25 (PB), 4th on beam with a 8.75, 3rd on floor with an 8.875 placing 3rd all around.

Erica Johnson of Nobleboro: Age 10, is vaulting champion with a 9.0,  3rd on bars with a 9.275, beam champion with a 9.65 (PB), 10th on floor with an 8.225, placing 4th all around.

Dakota Gregory of Newcastle: Level 4, Age 10, came in 8th on vault with an 8.3, 8th on bars with an 8.85, 5th on beam with a 9.1, came in 6th on floor with an 8.7, placing 8th all around.

Ava Carmolli: Level 4, Age 12, came in 7th on vault with an 8.4, 10th on bars with an 7.65, 9th on beam with an 8.725, 11th on floor with an 8.7 placing 11th all around.

Leah Wilcox of Warren: Level 4, Age 14, came in 5th on vault with an 8.2, 2nd on bars with an 8.9, 1st on beam with a 9.475 (PB), 8th on floor with an 8.5, placing 2nd all around.

Kadence Rogers: Level 3, came in 4th on vault with a 9.275, 1st with a 9.35 on bars, 3rd on beam with a 9.2, tied for 1st with a 9.5 placing 1st all around.

Jhordaynia Ebanks: Level 3, came in 2nd on vault with a 9.275, tied for 7th with an 8.55 on bars, 2nd on beam with a 9.225, tied for 3rd with a 9.225 placing 2nd all around.

Sarah Goldrup: Level 3, came in 10th on vault with a 8.9, tied for 13th with an 7.95 on bars, 2nd on beam with a 9.3, tied for 5th with a 9.2 placing 10th all around.

Reece Instasi of Waldoboro: Level 3- came in 9th on vault with a 9.125, 3rd with a 9.35 on bars, 5th on beam with an 8.875, tied for 5th on floor with a 9.15, placing 5th place all around.  

Kayla Reardon of South Thomaston: Level 3, tied for 7th on vault had a 9.075, 2nd on bars with a 9.55, 3rd on beam with an 8.925, 12th on floor with a 7.65, placing 8th all around.

Madalyn Mercer: Level 3, 6th on vault had a 9.275, 7th on bars with a 8.95, 13th on beam, 10th on floor with a 9.0, placing 13th all around.

Kate Campbell of Boothbay: Level 2, tied for 9th on vault with a 8.6, 6th on bars with a 9.125, tied for 10th on beam with an 8.35, 13th place on floor with a 8.075, placing 10th all around.

Charlotte Hilton: Level 2, came in 9th on vault with a 8.625, 5th on bars with an 8.75, 11th on beam with a 8.3, 8th place on floor with an 8.1, placing 11th all around.

Morgan Bathgate: Level 2, came in 12th on vault with an 8.2, 6th on bars with a 9.05, 5th on beam with a 9.25, and 6th on floor with a 9.25, placing 8th all around.

Abby Harrington of Nobleboro: Level 2, placed 1st on vault with a 9.075, 5th on bars with an 8.6, tied for 2nd on beam with a 9.075, 5th on floor with an 8.95, placing 4th all around.

The Northeast Regional Championship completes the competitive season for the team. The team will be performing for the community at their annual Exhibition, June 22 at the CLC YMCA. Everyone in the community is welcome to join in seeing the girls' tumbling routines while enjoying refreshments on the main floor of the Y.

We were out on Monhegan Island over Memorial Day weekend. After a wild boat ride out courtesy of very strong northerly winds, it was a pleasure to arrive on the island to be greeted by lots of migratory birds.

One of the species that we saw a lot of was the blackpoll warbler, a bird that deserves a “thank you” from auto mechanics — blackpolls have a high, ringing song that sounds so much like squeaky brakes that there may well be a surge in automobile brake servicing work in the last two weeks of May when the birds arrive!

The song is a series of high-pitched, drawn-out “seet” sounds that start soft, get louder, and then get softer again. For birders, the arrival of these “squeaky brake” sounds is a signal that we’re getting closer to the tail end of spring migration.

Along with having a song that could be missed and dismissed as part of the jumble of sounds constantly around us, the male blackpoll warbler, at first sight, might be dismissed as a black-capped chickadee. Blackpoll actually means “black cap,” hence the potential confusion.

There are a number of features on a blackpoll warbler that are very different from a chickadee, including the streaked back, lack of a black throat, and streaked undersides. One of the most striking differences, though, are the bright yellow legs and feet of the warbler.

Most blackpoll warblers that we are seeing now are on their way north to the Boreal Forest of Canada and Alaska, where the bulk of them nest. We do have some that nest here in Maine, primarily just in the high-elevation stunted spruce forests on the tops of the higher mountains of the state. In fact, blackpoll warblers nest in these islands of northern-like habitat on the highest elevation mountains as far south as the Catskills of southern New York State.

Blackpoll warblers are famous among birders and ornithologists for their long-distance migratory feats. These tiny, chickadee-sized birds spend their winters in South America, primarily in the Amazon Basin. To make it even more remarkable, in the fall they take off from Maine and the Maritimes and strike out over the ocean on a bearing toward Africa.

After flying for many days, day and night with no place to stop for rest, food or water, they are pushed westward by the prevailing winds so that they make landfall in northern South America. In the spring they fly a more direct, but still amazing, route north across the Gulf of Mexico to the U.S. and then hopscotch northward.

All of this had been inferred from observations of birds and specimen records but had not been directly proven until this past year. In summer 2013, researchers caught blackpoll warblers in Vermont and Nova Scotia and attached devices called geolocators to them. They retrieved them from five birds the following summer and published a paper last month describing the details of the migratory journeys of the birds.

The research confirmed that the birds traveled up to 2,000 miles in their fall migration and flew up to 72 hours of nonstop flight in what is the longest recorded nonstop over-water flights by a songbird yet recorded!

Consider that this is a bird the size of your thumb and you easily realize why they are superstars of migration!

Some people enjoy spending a day outdoors at the beach, others by playing a round of golf; then there are those who spend their leisure time embarking on quests to find benchmarks, a hobby akin to geocaching.

Benchmarks, more commonly called survey markers, are 3-inch wide bronze discs pegged to the ground, dated and stamped: “U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey.” They turn up in the most unlikely places, from deep in the woods to city streets to rocky peaks.

Hunting benchmarks, or “benchmarking” as it’s called, isn’t a new activity; it’s been around since the mid-1990s. The hobby gained new popularity with the arrival of handheld GPS devices.

Before these amazing devices were widely available, benchmark hunters had to rely on topographic maps, a compass and coordinates supplied by the government. Many benchmarks are in plain sight but finding others can be pretty challenging.

Easy to find are the ones located alongside Wiscasset’s historic Powder House, the little brick building that sits on a stone outcropping overlooking Churchill Street. There are three benchmarks there, all dated 1934. It’s quite unusual to find three benchmarks at one location. It’s a mystery why the government surveyors chose to do this.

Many of these survey markers were set close to a hundred years ago, during the years from 1930 to 1950. They were placed in hundreds of thousands of locations across the country by the teams from the National Geodetic Survey, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). As to their purpose, without getting too technical, benchmarks serve as sort of starting points for surveyors and mapmakers.

Typically, when benchmark hunters find one, they usually photograph it and post the picture online. They often include directions for others who might enjoy searching for it. There are a number of websites devoted to the hobby. Removing or in any way altering a benchmark is prohibited by law.

Benchmarking grew out of another outdoor activity called geocaching, a high-tech scavenger hunt relying on handheld GPS units and satellite positioning. Teams hide everyday objects or packages of items someplace, then list its geographic coordinates for others to seek out and find.

A number of websites exist listing geocache locations in Maine and elsewhere. The hidden caches could be almost anywhere from a park to deep in the wilderness.

To learn more about benchmarking and geocaching, the more technical name is “geolocating,” we turned to Dave Kepler of Woolwich.

Kepler is a familiar face at the L.L. Bean retail store in Freeport. He’s worked in the store’s camping department for many years and enjoys geocaching with his daughter. For the Keplers, the hobby has turned into a year-round activity. They’ve sought out over a hundred different geocache locations in Maine.

“Geocaching’s been around since the late 1980s but has become more popular since cell phones have gotten more sophisticated. People can get started by downloading a GPS app,” Kepler said.

They can also buy handheld GPS units sold at outdoor outfitters. “The handheld units are still better and can be used almost anywhere in the world,” Kepler said.

Kepler said he’d heard of benchmarking and was interested in trying it. Together we embarked on a search for one of the more elusive benchmarks located in Wiscasset. The one we were searching for is located on Cushman Mountain, a part of the Cushman Preserve now owned and maintained by the Chewonki Foundation. Readers of the Wiscasset Newspaper will recall we featured this hiking trail in a story in our April 23 edition “Hikers will enjoy Cushman Preserve.”

Locations and directions to benchmarks are available online, while approximate locations appear on topographical maps. Even with the proper coordinates, the one we were looking for proved pretty elusive. Kepler’s GPS got us within about two yards of its location.

After poking around a bit we finally discovered the distinctive bronze disk in a stone outcropping hidden beneath a carpet of rock moss. The disk was stamped “Cushman” and dated 1933. It marks the hill’s highest point.

Using his GPS, Kepler calculated the elevation here was 253 feet. Before the trees grew up here, this spot must have afforded a nice view of the surrounding area, including the Back River far below.

If you take to the woods in search of benchmarks, Kepler recommends you go prepared by wearing proper footwear, carrying a cell phone and/or a GPS, bottled water, and a trail or topographical map. Insect repellent to ward off ticks and black flies is a good idea too. Remember some benchmarks and geocaches may be on private property and shouldn’t be explored without prior permission of the property owner.

The surprising thing about benchmarks is they’re usually in plain sight and quite easy to find, unless, like the one on Cushman Mountain, they’ve been obscured by Mother Nature. Finding these historic surveying discs can be quite challenging, but rewarding if your search is successful!

The 47th annual Special Olympics Maine State Summer Games are fast approaching. Over 1,500 athletes, ages 8-88 have been training, planning, and now packing for this exciting event. They will represent approximately 125 teams from Kittery to Presque Isle and will compete in a variety of Olympic Style sports at the University of Maine in Orono June 5-7.

The week prior to the games, June 2-5, nearly 600 members of Maine Law Enforcement will be carrying the Olympic Torch, the Flame of Hope, across the entire state. These members of law enforcement will be trying to raise funds for and an awareness of Special Olympics Maine. The run will begin in Berwick on Tuesday, June 2 and will conclude on Friday with a Final Leg entering the UMO campus late afternoon.

Competition will actually begin on Thursday (June 4) at 9 a.m. with Bowling and Unified Bowling. (Unified events bring together athletes with intellectual disabilities and those without for an opportunity to compete together on the same team.) On Friday the excitement continues with more bowling, time trials, bocce competitions and relays.

Friday evening, June 5 always proves to be a fun-filled night with our annual Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg arriving around 4:30 p.m., an outside picnic for the athletes, our parade at 6 p.m., followed by our Opening Ceremonies at 7 p.m.

On Saturday morning Track and Field events begin at 8:30 a.m. and run until approximately 3:30 p.m. In addition to the competition, athletes will be treated to an Olympic Village full of games and entertainment, as well as Unified Volleyball. Saturday night includes our annual Victory Dance in the field house. The theme for this year's dance is Disco Dance Party; our athletes will be getting their groove on to the music of Motor Booty Affair (please note that the dance is a private function for the athletes and coaches, and is not open to the public). On Sunday morning the events conclude with Walk and Mile Run finals and closing ceremonies.

An added bonus for our athletes is the Healthy Athletes program. Special Olympics Maine athletes will have the opportunity to be seen and evaluated in free dental, and hearing screenings. Special Smiles, under the direction of Dr. Scott Trowbridge, has offered free screenings for the past 14 years. Healthy Hearing, under the direction of Amy Booth from the Hearing Institute at UMO will offer free hearing screenings. Each of these directors have attended a National Special Olympics Directors Training in order to become certified Directors of the Healthy Athletes program.

For more information on the Summer Games or Special Olympics, call Lisa Bird at 207-879-0489 or on her cell at 207-839-5578 or email her at lisab@somaine.org.

The First Tee of Maine will be offering sessions for youth and teens at the Boothbay Harbor Country Club on Saturdays in June from 3 to 4:30 p.m.

Another session will begin the first of September and running for four weeks, with dates and times to be determined.

For more information, visit www.thefirstteemaine.org/club/scripts/public/public.asp.

Get your tickets soon for the June 24 drawing of a canoe package raffle valued at $2,500 being offered by the Wiscasset Rod & Gun Club.

The winner will receive a classic 16-foot Grumman flat stern canoe, an 8hp Johnson outboard and a Caravan galvanized trailer — plus two fuel tanks, life jackets, paddles, anchor and more.

The canoe and accessories will be on display at Ames True Value Hardware on Saturday, June 6. Raffle chances, $5 each, will be sold there.

All proceeds from the raffle will benefit the WR&G Scholarship Fund. The scholarship grant is awarded annually to a graduating senior from Wiscasset pursuing a degree in agriculture, forestry or conservation.

The drawing will be held at the Wiscasset Fish & Game, Route 27, Wiscasset.

A fun-filled evening of food, drink, music, art, and just plain mingling with friends will take place Saturday, Sept. 12 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. at the Westport Island property of Joan and William Sartoris, and Joan's sister, Lorraine Tregde.

The occasion is the seventh annual "Champagne on the Sheepscot," the Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association's major yearly fundraising event. The mission of the local nonprofit organization is to conserve the natural and historic heritage of the Sheepscot Watershed.

The Sartoris/Tregde property contains a large patio, the width of the house, that overlooks the Sheepscot River at Greenleaf Cove — a perfect spot for people to mingle and observe the scenic beauty. Several tents will be set up on the surrounding property for food, drink and displays of artistic renderings of the Sheepscot River Valley by local artists.

The artwork will be for sale, with a portion of the proceeds to benefit SVCA. In addition, there will be a raffle for one painting. Two Lincoln Academy Jazz Combos will perform throughout the evening, and Lincoln Academy students will serve as wait-staff at the event, enabling them to fulfill their school's community service requirement.

Work on the event continues almost year round, with a group of dedicated SVCA members planning the food, arranging for the music, scouting out appropriate river view properties, and sending out mailings.

To become a patron of the event costs $125, which in addition to admission includes public acknowledgment of your name or business. Event tickets cost $45 each and invitations will be mailed out in early August.

For more information please contact SVCA at 207-586-5616 or svca@sheepscot.org.

Grandmother (she was always known as “Nanny” to us) Audrey Giles Chase was an avid observer and student of nature, especially birds, as well as a lover of language.

She always insisted that the word “guillemot” in the name of the bird known as the black guillemot should be pronounced “geel-ee-mow” to honer what she felt were the word’s obvious French roots.

While some among us may completely forgo the official name and instead know the bird as the “sea pigeon,” those who do use the official name usually pronounce it like “gill-a-mot.”

We’ve tried to do a little investigating ourselves and so far have found only that name is thought to be a derivation of the French word for William — Guillaume.

Why a seabird would be called “William” is lost on us! If any readers can shed any light on this mystery please let us know.

We were out on Monhegan recently and spent some time enjoying the antics of black guillemots as they bobbed in the water just off Lobster Cove and disappeared into the rocks on nearby Manana Island.

Black guillemots are members of the auk family, which means they are the less heralded cousins of the more ostentatious Atlantic puffin. Unlike puffins, black guillemots are much easier to see because they prefer to stay close to shore and, here in Maine, can be seen year-round.

Maine has the distinction of being the only one of the 48 continental states where black guillemots nest (they also nest in northern Alaska), although they have a large global breeding range that extends northward across to Greenland, Scandinavia, Russia, and on the other side of the Atlantic, south to Scotland and Ireland.

At this time of year, black guillemots are well-named as they are all black with striking white wing patches. If you see one up close you may note its bright red legs and bright red mouth lining, most evident when two birds get into a squabble.

Like Maine’s Atlantic puffins, black guillemots nest in under jumbles of boulders along the shore, but unlike puffins they will nest along shores of many islands, as well as on some parts of the mainland where they are not disturbed.

They lay 1-2 eggs that take three to four weeks to hatch. The parents bring small fish to the chicks, which may not leave the nest until 5-6 weeks old. Clearly this is not a species that can increase its population numbers quickly. Any changes that cause decreases in food availability can have disastrous consequences for the young.

In the fall, the adult black guillemot molts from its sleek black plumage to a mostly white plumage with dark mottling on the back and wings. It will remain this way for the winter. Immature birds look similar to the winter adults.

Watch for black guillemots in our area around places like Ocean Point, Linekin Bay, Southport, and throughout the Maine coast, especially in areas closer to open ocean. And remember to point out to visitors this Maine specialty bird that breeds nowhere else in the U.S. except northern Alaska!

The Wolverine girls tennis team qualified for the postseason but bowed out in the first round to top-seeded Hall-Dale High School at Farmingdale Monday, June 1.

Coach Sue Shorey reported the hosts swept WHS winning all five matches. Miranda McIntire lost to Clio Barr 6-1 and 6-2 in the first singles match. In the second singles, Hanna Foye retired after being behind 5-1 to Nicole Pelletier. Maeve Carlson lost to Rio Yokokawa 6-0, 6-2 in the third singles

WHS’s Hayhlee Craig and Brooke Carlson were defeated by Autumn St. Pierre and Thea Sweet 6-4, 6-3 in first doubles, while in the second doubles, the team of Hannah Welborn and Alisyn Richardson lost to Rose Warren and Addie Davis 6-1, 6-2.

The Wolverine girls tennis team earned their post-season berth after finishing the regular season with a record of 5-7.

Wiscasset qualified for the playoffs with a 4-1 over Mountain Valley.

WHS swept the single matches with Miranda McIntire beating Emma Somers 10-2 in the first singles and Hanna Foye and Maeve Carlson each shutting out their opponents 10-0 in the second and third singles.

Brooke Carleton and Hayhlee Craig lost to Mt. Valley’s Brooke Carven and Julia Sirois 10-5 in the first doubles. In the second doubles Wiscasset’s Hanna Welborn and Alisyn Richardson defeated Megan Philbrick and Natalie Inglis 10-2.

A select group of racers in Wiscasset's history draw the attention from drivers and fans similar to that of Scott Chubbuck.

The former six-time track champion rolled into Wiscasset Speedway for the first time this year and proved once again that he is still the man to beat, besting a strong field of Prostocks Saturday night at Maine's fastest oval.

A sunny and pleasant early summer evening welcomed a large crowd of race fans with Group 1 divisions on the agenda, including Prostocks, Thunder 4 Minis, N.E.4-cyl Pros, Napa Super Streets. The "Flex" class was the 3rd appearance of the season for the Amsoil Nelcar Legends.

Official finish for May 30

NAPA SUPER STREETS, 35 LAPS

7. #5 Cody Billings, Hartford

7. #54 Noah Haggett, Wiscasset

6. #1 Jeff Burgess, E. Madison

7. #32 Mike Orr, Wiscasset

8. #0 Dale Swaboda, Hermon

15. #7 Steve Benincasa, Buxton

Despite the recent rain, there might be a little sunshine for the Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team.

The Wolverines (5-10) are coming off an 8-7 loss at the hands of the Lisbon Greyhounds on May 28, and were scheduled to play Class B Oak Hill (6-9) June 1. That game was pushed back to June 2, then finally to June 4 because of rain.

But regardless of the Oak Hill game's final score, the Wolverines are likely headed back to the Western Class D playoffs.

Wiscasset currently sits in seventh place of eight playoffs places. At the top is 13-3 Richmond, while 6-7 Forest Hills School takes the eighth and final spot.

Because the Wolverines again played a full Class C schedule, each of their five wins and the 10 losses have counted towards 21.5 Heal points in the Maine Principal Association's tournament index, which determine what teams will make the playoffs.

More Heal points are awarded to teams that play against stronger opponents. Because Wiscasset is classified in baseball and softball as a Class D team, it plays “up” in its schedule, which comprises mainly Class C teams.

The two teams behind the Wolverines — eighth-seeded Forest Hills (13.15 Heal points) and 4-11 North Yarmouth Academy (11 Heal points) — each play one final game June 3.

The first round of baseball playoffs will be June 9 with the quarterfinals coming June 11. Last year, Wiscasset knocked out Valley High School in the first round, then upset Richmond in the second round and toppled Buckfield in the Western Regional Final. The team's streak would end at the state title, however, as Bangor Christian was able to rally for the win.

The Heal Point Tournament Index is less bullish on the softball team's chances.

The Wiscasset High School girls varsity softball team is unlikely to make the playoffs after posting a 1-13 record, which gave the Wolverines 3.32 Heal points with only the Oak Hill game remaining.

To make the playoffs, the girls squad would have to leap-frog eighth-place Temple (1-8 record, 11.21 Heal points) and move 5-8 Forest Hills (21.06 Heal points) out of the seventh and final playoff spot.

Both Wiscasset baseball and softball teams are scheduled to play Oak Hill at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 4.

Midcoast United, the local travel soccer club, is looking for fall soccer players. We will be hosting a club open house at Clifford Field in Boothbay this Sunday, June 7 at 2 p.m. Parent information will be available and player skills taught following games with our under 14 and under 10 teams starting at 10:15 and 11:45 a.m. Come on out and support us.

Currently serving over nine towns in the Midcoast region, we are registering players for our upcoming fall 2015 season.

For more information and to register, email mtilas.midcoast@gmail.com or call Marcy Tilas at 207-380-4792.

The 53rd Windjammer Days Festival taking place June 21-27 has new events this year: a paddle board race, lighted boat parade and the first ever tug of war across the harbor. That's right — a tug of war across the harbor.

The tug, comprising five pulls and 10 teams of 10-12 individuals, will happen on the last day of the festival, June 27, at 5 p.m.

Participants will gather on the north side at the parking lot near the footbridge and on the east side in the parking lot of Steve and Margaret Branch on Atlantic Avenue. The total distance is 700 feet. The water depth will be five to six feet (low tide is at 2 p.m.).

The Friends of Windjammer Days have waived the registration fee, so you could say that money is no object! Let the team assembling begin.

Teams that traditionally pull during the region's annual Fishermen's Festival tug, might want to try their hand — and strength — over the water.

Other matches could be between shipyards, fire departments, local businesses, nonprofits, lobster wharves — or towns? Boothbay against Boothbay Harbor, Boothbay Harbor against Wiscasset or Southport versus Edgecomb?

Another idea from a Friends of Windjammer Days member is for those attending family reunions take the celebration to the water - as participants!

After all, tugs of war were once thought of as, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, “the decisive contest.”

Participants should have footwear with good traction for the event.

Friends of Windjammer Days board member Mark Gimbel also recommends pullers wear gloves to protect their hands from the rope.

That recommendation was supported by Tom Yale of Yale Cordage. Yale and his wife Debrah have donated the 1,200 feet of rope for the tug, which arrived on June 2.

Yale developed the rope 17 or 18 years ago for the first tug of war across the water in Annapolis, Maryland, where the towns of Eastport and Annapolis pull for charity and bragging rights.

“The rope had to float and stretch across Spa Creek (inner Annapolis Harbor),” Yale said. “I was lucky to get the support of Honeywell Fibers. The rope is high strength (can withstand 100,000 pounds).”

Gimbel's idea for a tug of war event during Windjammer Days was inspired by the Annapolis event, known as “slaughter across the harbor.”

The Yales are sponsors of the a tug of war event along with Federal Distributors, Tindal & Callahan Real Estate, and the Branches' Boothbay Harbor Electric.

This will be the first tug of war for Windjammer Days.

Back in 2000, when the Real World Road Rules Challenge played out at the Co-Op, based on Fishermen's Festival games, a tug of war was not one of the events. This makes this tug the first for the Harbor as well.

Oh, and if the fear of getting wet is what's keeping you from assembling or joining a team, forget about it. Yale says no one has gone into the drink in Annapolis. Ever.

So, stay dry, stay focused and pull your way into Windjammer (and Boothbay Harbor's), history.

Download registration forms and waivers at www.windjammerdays.org. Packets for pullers will be provided at registration including parking areas, details about the pull, etc.

For more information on the festival, visit www.windjammerdays.org and www.boothbayregister.com.

The Wiscasset High School Wolverines brought home six ribbons at the Mountain Valley Conference championship meet hosted by Cony High School Tuesday afternoon in Augusta. It was an impressive showing considering WHS only had eight students competing.

WHS Coach Warren Cossette said Ayanna Main, Brandon Goud, Sam Storer and Jake Traylor all placed and will be heading to Yarmouth Academy on Saturday to compete in the State Class C meet, which starts at 10 a.m.

The weather at yesterday’s meet was dismal, wet and raw with temperatures in the 40s — the coldest day on record in Maine for June 2.

Freshman Ayanna Main had a career day placing in three events including finishing second in both the high jump, 4’6” and triple jump, 32’3”. She was third in the long jump 14’6.”

Brandon Goud, a sophomore placed fourth in the 1600-meter crossing the finish line with a time of 4:54.

Junior Sam Storer placed sixth in the 400-meter race, 56.82 and freshman Jake Traylor came in seventh in the triple jump 35’5”. Storer and Traylor also competed in the 100-meter dash placing 14th (12.54) and 18th (12.64) respectively.

Other Wiscasset competitors included Keara Hunter, 19th in the 100-meter hurdles, 21.74; Gabby Chapman, 10th in the 100-meter dash, 14.8; Max Sampson, 16th in the long jump 16’2”; and Storer 18th in the long jump 16’1.”

“These young athletes are everything a coach would want. Hardworking with great listening skills, and very respectful which is everything Wiscasset sports has always stood for,” Cossette said. “I really believe that these young people deserve a lot of credit for just going out there and competing for the fun of competing!

“I’m very proud of all of them,” the coach added.

On Sunday, June 14, 9-11 a.m., join Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson for an in depth look at the fascinating world of bogs. “Bog Life: Curious Plants and Unusual Adaptations” will offer visitors an opportunity to observe and learn about carnivorous plants, floating mats of moss, beautiful orchids, and so much more.

Dr. Robert Zottoli, Professor Emeritus at Fitchburg University in New York, and Master Naturalist Chuck Dinsmore will lead visitors on a walk along the margins of the bog and on the 220-foot boardwalk extending into the heart of the wetland. The bog boardwalk allows visitors to take a very close look at this iconic habitat without damaging it.

All are welcome to attend. The cost is $10 for HVNC, SVCA, PWA, SWLA and DLWA members; $12 for all others. Come prepared to walk about one mile on well-maintained trails, and dressed for the weather.

For more information about HVNC’s events, or to find out how you can support HVNC visit www.hvnc.org, write to info@hvnc.org, or call 207-200-8840.

The Wiscasset High School class of 2015 didn't go out quietly.

Playing for the either the last time ever or the last time this season, the Wiscasset High School girls softball team and boys baseball teams played Oak Hill on Thursday, June 4 on senior appreciation day.

While the softball team fell to Oak Hill, 22-0, in five innings, the boys baseball team, which will likely play again in the playoffs, lost a dramatic game that took extra innings to play.

The two teams played a 1-1 nail biter for four innings, until Oak Hill was able to bust out and score two runs in the fifth inning. Oak Hill southpaw Matt Arnold was able to keep Wiscasset off balance for most of the afternoon.

With Oak Hill leading 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning, senior Matt Craig was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning.

Junior Daren Wood reached on an Oak Hill error, and both moved up a base on a passed ball. Sophomore Conlon Ranta then spanked a line drive up the first base line that rattled around in the outfield, and both Wood and Craig would race home to tie the game at 3.

Oak Hill would wriggle out of a jam, however, and prevent a Wiscasset walk-off. In the top of the eighth, Oak Hill would win the game on a controversial call.

After an Oak Hill batter was hit by a pitch, a runner took out Wood at first as the Oak Hill runner was able to make it around the bases. Several fans in attendance yelled that it was interference, but the run counted, and it gave Oak Hill the 4-3 win.

But seniors Craig and Tyler Flavin will likely play another game in the red and black. Wiscasset finished the year 5-11, which placed them seventh among eight Western Class D playoff teams. Local rival Richmond (13-3) finished in first place while 2014 opponent Buckfield was second with an 11-5 record.

For Oak Hill, the win likely wasn't enough to propel the Raiders into the playoffs — they finished 11th, with the 10th and final playoff spot belonging to Gray-New Gloucester.

As of Thursday, June 4, Gray-New Gloucester possessed 39.64 Heal points, which determine the playoff bracket, while Oak Hill finished with 38.7.

The first round of the playoffs is scheduled for Tuesday, June 9 with the quarterfinals game on Thursday, June 11.

For the softball team, the 22-0 loss was bittersweet, as it was also the last game for seniors Kayla Gordon (who tried her hand at pitching in the fifth inning), Tylan Onorato (who caught Gordon) and Charlene Reed. All three seniors and their parents were honored following the game.

The Wolverines are unlikely to make the playoffs as they finished 10th in Western Class D. Like the boys, it was local rival Richmond who took the top spot, as the Wildcats finished with a spotless 15-0 record. The softball playoffs begin Tuesday, June 9.

The Wiscasset Wolverines redemption tour begins June 10.

The Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team plays at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 10 against Searsport District High School in Searsport.

If the Wolverines want to go on a 2014-esque run, they will have to begin with a tough Vikings team.

Searsport earned the No. 2 spot in Western Class D after finishing the year with 12 wins against four losses. Neither the Vikings nor the Wolverines shared a common opponent in 2015, but Searsport twice blanked 2014 Class D champion Bangor Christian with wins April 29 (5-0) and May 11 (4-0).

Richmond, buoyed again by ace Mike Stewart, sprinted out in front and never looked back this spring, as the Wildcats finished with a 13-3 record and the top spot in the playoffs. They will play in the first round against eighth-seeded Forest Hills School (7-9). Last year, Wiscasset was able to upset Richmond in Richmond to move onto the Class D West regional finals.

Rounding out the rest of the bracket will be fourth seed Greenville (12-4) against fifth seed Valley (8-6) and third-ranked Buckfield (11-5) against six seed Rangeley (3-8). Wiscasset knocked perennial power Buckfield out of the playoffs last year in the regional finals before falling to Bangor Christian in the state finals.

On the other side of the bracket are several familiar teams, including Bangor Christian, which made the playoffs despite a down year. The eighth-seeded Patriots (9-7) will play against nine seed Woodland (9-6) in the preliminary round June 9. The winner of that game will play top-seeded Southern Aroostook (13-2) June 11.

Further down the Eastern Class D bracket will see June 9 preliminary games like fifth seed Hodgdon (8-6) taking on 12 seed Schenck (6-10) with the winner facing fourth-seeded Washburn (10-4); six seed Shead (13-2) taking on 11 seed Katahdin (5-9) with the winner facing Ashland (11-5) and seventh seeded Fort Fairfield (9-5) playing against 10 seed Penobscot (7-9) to decide who will play second seed Stearns (13-3) in the quarterfinals.

Official results

1. #55H Kurt Hewins, Leeds
2. #51 Kyle Hewins, Leeds
3. #83 Dan Brown, Peru
4. #51X Bryan Robbins, Montville
5. #8X Ethan Dinsmore, Hope
6. #26 Corey Morgan, Lewiston
7. #03 Jerry Robbins, Montville
8. #84 Kenny Harrison, Durham
9. #00 Kimberly Knight, Chesterville
10. #85 Chanler Harrison, Freeport
11. #15 Cody Robbins, Winslow
12. #29 Tom Young, Freeport
13.  #14 Dave Brannon, Lisbon

1. #38 Mathew Bourgoine, Newport
2. #84 Matt Grant, Windham
3. #70 Tylar Braunschwieg, West Newfield
4. #10 Ed Getty, Gray
5. #33 Alan Smith, Lincoln
6. #17 Terry Kirk, Durham
7. #19 Kevin Girard Jr., Old Orchard Beach
8. #399 Bob Weymouth, Topsham
9. #29 Austin Teras, Windham
10. #8 Matt Chagnot, Derry, New Hampshire
11.  #7 Steve Bemincasa, NA
12. #92 Colby Meserve, Buxton
13. #72 Michael Humphrey, Cornish
14. #80 Dylan Varney, Windham

1. #34 Justin Trombley, Winter Harbor
2. #81 Bryan Lancaster, Skowhegan
3. #83 Brady Romano, Livermore
4. #41 Dixon Smith, Sidney
5. #84 Mike Bolduc, Palermo
6. #13 Cody Tribbet, Richmond
7. #19 Shane Kaherl, Jay
8. #61 Chris Morris, Poland
9. #53 Nick Bissell, Palermo

1. #21 Shane Clark, Winterport
2. #25 Will Collins, Waldoboro
3. #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset
4. #17 Chris Thorne, Sidney
5. #28 Steve Minott, Windham
6. #14 Dave St. Clair, Liberty
7. #34 Tyler Robbins, Montville
8. #04ME T.J. Watson, Cundy’s Harbor
9. #4 Ben Erskine, Farmington
10. #33 Josh St. Clair, Liberty
11. #51 Puncin St. Clair, Liberty
12. #30 Ryan St. Clair, Liberty
13. #3 Richard Jordan, Kingfield
14. #7 Jay Bailey, Wiscasset
15. #6 Chris Bowie, New Glouster
16. #00 Alex Waltz, Walpole
17. #26 Andrew McLaughlin, Harrington
18. #5X Bryan Robbins, Montville

1. #5 Mark Lucas, Harpswell
2. #20 Gary Thorne, Sidney
3. #85 Jairet Harrison, Freeport
4. #3 Scott Chubbuck, Bowdoin
5. #8 Richard Jordon, Kingfield
6. #96 Todd Lash, Farmington
7. #18 Kevin Douglas, Sidney
8. #61 Shawn Austin, Norridgewock

Paul Coulombe’s goal for the Boothbay Harbor Country Club is to make it the state’s top golf course. Coulombe, 62, is a Lewiston native who made a fortune running the family business: White Rock Distilleries. He sold the business in 2012. Coulombe is now retired, but he remains busy. His daily ritual for the past 2.5 years is remaking the local country club.

Coulombe moved to the Boothbay region in 2008. As a child, he grew found of the Boothbay region as it was his family’s main vacation destination. Coulombe now lives in Southport where he leases Oliver’s at Cozy Island, a lunch and dinner cafe.

An avid golfer for the past two decades, Coulombe purchased the Boothbay Country Club in 2013 for $1.4 million. The bank had foreclosed on the property. Coulombe was the only bidder at the auction.

The first major change he made was the name.

The previous owner retained legal rights to the name: Boothbay Country Club. One-third of the golf course is located across the town line, so Coulombe renamed his new property: Boothbay Harbor Country Club.

A lot has changed to the one-time nine hole course established in 1921. During the past three years, the country club has gone through its first major expansion since 2000. Fifteen year ago, the course expanded to 18 holes.

The latest expansion dwarfs the previous one. Coulombe has invested an estimated $30 million to refurbish and expand the country club’s offerings.

He began redesigning the course shortly after purchasing it. There is a new green on No. 11. The tee box on No. 9 has been rebuilt. Coulombe also installed a new water recycling system capable of pumping 750,000 gallons per day. The system recirculates water into various creeks around the course.

“There are natural creeks on No. 1, 2 and 8, but they only flowed when it rained,” Coulombe said. “So now the water is always babbling. It is a great sound effect for golfers. It is also aesthetically pleasing visually.”

The creeks are located at holes No. 1, 2, 8, and 12. A creek will be added to the 17th hole later this year.

The golf course renovations are nearly done. Coulombe expects completion in August. But the golf course renovations are just the start of his plans. The new club house construction began in October 2014. The new structure is more than 10 times larger than the current one, according to Coulombe.

The new two-story clubhouse is an estimated 32,000 square feet. It includes a dining area the same area of the current one, but with a “gigantic” kitchen, according to Coulombe. There are men’s and women’s locker rooms, a first floor space to charge electrical golf carts equipped with Global Positioning Systems, and office space for Coulombe and his executive staff.

The new dining area and bar is located on the second floor. It stands about 100 feet above the grounds offering a glorious view of the course. Several trees were removed to see play on holes No. 2, 3, and 4 from the overhead view.

The picturesque view isn’t contained to the new clubhouse. The 11th hole was elevated and trees were removed for a better view of the surrounding landscape.

“On a clear day, you have a nice view of the ocean. You can also see a far as the White Mountains,” he said.

The refurbished country club will also include a new entrance. A rock wall is being constructed on Route 27 to make the course more inviting. According to Coulombe, the current entrance fails to attract tourists to the course. Coulombe expects the new entrance’s construction to finish this year.

The new club house will have the look of an old-New England style mansion. The entrance will have mahogany floors, antique golf course paintings hanging on the walls, a six-foot chandelier, and a long shingled-styled roof.

Coulombe has been involved in planning every detail of the club house construction.

“I’ve sat in every chair. I’ve picked out the wall colorings. I’ve even decided on the density of ice cubes, including how long it takes for one to dissolve,” he said.

Next year, Coulombe plans on adding four tennis courts, two swimming pools, spa, health club, and villa-style condominiums on the property.

The improvements are designed to attract both golfers and others he referred to as “social members.” The Boothbay Harbor Country Club has 280 members this season. Membership has seen a steady increase since Coulombe took over. In 2013, membership was 180. Last year, it increased to 220. The membership ratio between locals and summer residents is about 50:50, according to the country club’s head golf professional Chad Penman.

The country club offers a reduced membership fee for Maine residents. A single-year membership fee for locals is $1,650. A non-resident pays $3,900. A family membership for locals is $2,950 and $4,500 for non-residents.

The additional amenities are for those who wanted to join the country club, but didn’t golf.

“A lot of people asked why they couldn’t join,” Coulombe said. “They play tennis, swim and want to enjoy the dining hall. So it made sense to increase the offerings and  include a social membership.”

But the main attraction remains the golf course. Coulombe has played courses around the state and the U.S. His goal is to host Maine State Golf Association events. He also wants the Boothbay course to emulate his favorite: Augusta National Golf Club.

“That’s the goal,” he said. “I played there three weeks before the (Masters) tournament. A course like that is why were are making all these improvements.”

Coulombe’s goal is not only to make the course more picturesque, but one which tests a golfers’ ability to hit a variety of shots. Improving the fairways has been one of his top priorities. He installed a new irrigation system, purchased new mowing equipment, uses the best fertilizers and dress coats the fairways.

Penman describes dress coating as an expensive process used to firm up the fairway. According to Penman, the top dressing has made a significant difference in the course’s condition.

“Nobody wants to hit their ball and see it stop. They want it to roll,” Penman said. “The top dressing allows for better drainage. This creates a firmer fairway and allows the ball to roll. As far as sheer playing conditions this is probably the best course in the state.”

At age 62, Coulombe doesn’t believe he will see a monetary return on his investment. He does foresee his investment enhancing the local economy.

“It really doesn’t benefit me directly in any way. It’s not a financial investment per se, but rather one of self satisfaction,” Coulombe said. “I want to come and see everybody enjoying themselves. The country club will become a destination for golfers, which is good for the local inns and restaurants.”

Coulombe has purchased properties bordering the golf course. He believes these properties would be an excellent location for shops and restaurants. His immediate plans include creating more parking around the Boothbay Commons. Otherwise, he’s not sure what he’ll do with the recent acquisitions.

“That’s an excellent question. We haven’t made any final decisions,” Coulombe said. “We’d have to see what would work there. And that would take input from the community and selectmen.”

Coulombe said the bordering properties provide him with more options. Among those are constructing a secondary entrance for those who living in the country club’s condominiums.

Saturday’s triple jump was one for the record books for Wiscasset High School’s Ayanna Main. A freshman, Main represented the Wolverines girls track team at this year’s Class C state track meet on June 6 hosted by Yarmouth High School.

Main placed in two of the three events she competed in taking fifth in the high jump and fourth in the triple jump. But what really put a smile on Main’s face was breaking the WHS record in the triple jump.

Main scored the only points for the Wolverines who went up against the best boy and girl athletes from Western and Eastern Conference high schools. The weather for Saturday’s meet was ideal — sunny and clear with only a light breeze to contend with.

Her morning started off with the high jump competition. On her first jump she easily cleared the bar at a height of 4’8.”

“I felt really confident after that,” she told the newspaper.

In the next round the bar was raised to 4’10.” Main said she was the first competitor called. “On my way over the bar I hit my hip and bruised it,” she said. She failed to clear the bar in her final two jumps.

Yarmouth’s Emma Egan won the event by clearing 5’5” and tying the state record.

Things didn’t go well for Main in her next event, the long jump. She reached a distance of 14’7.5” but finished far down in the field, 18th overall. The winning jump went to a girl from Washburn who jumped a distance of 17’9”.

With two events down that left only the triple jump.

“My goal was to hit my personal best,” she said.

On her first attempt she reached a distance of 33,’ her best jump of the season. She then broke the WHS record on her third and final jump at 34’1 and a quarter inches.

Seacoast Christian’s Kylene DeSmith had the winning triple jump of the day a distance of 37’1,” Boothbay Region’s Morgan Crocker placed second, 34’2,” Hannah Nightingale of Traip third, 34’1.5.” Just a quarter of an inch separated Nightingale from Main, who was fourth.

Main was ecstatic about breaking the WHS triple jump record that stood at 33’8” since 1982, when Lori Blake set the record at the Class C Regional meet.

Warren Cossette, her Wolverine track coach was pretty excited to see the record fall as well.

“The real funny part of the story is Main was lamenting that someday she wanted to break the school record. I said to her why wait, you might as well do it today! Just relax and go have fun.”

Main has now set her sights on breaking the WHS’s high jump record of 5’2.” She hopes to get a few pointers this summer by attending a track and field clinic hosted by Bowdoin College.

Cossette said he was also very proud of his three boys competing at the states on Saturday. Although none placed, all three achieved a personal best.

Sophomore Brandon Goud ran his best 1600-meter race finishing with a time of 4:50. To illustrate how tough the competition was, the winning time of 4:32.15 was a scant 7/10ths of a second better then the second place finisher. Both the one and two finishers were from Eastern conference schools. The third place finisher from Yarmouth finished two seconds behind them.

Wiscasset Sam Storer and Colin Viele hit their personal bests in the 400-meter race. The top finisher was a runner from Telstar who sprinted across the finish line with a time of 51.86. 

Saturday, July 25 is the 6th annual Lobster Roll 5k and kids fun run. The race begins at 8 a.m. and is followed by the kids fun run. Sign up as an individual or join the team challenge with a group of three or more runners.

There will be awards for overall winners (male and female), the first two finishers in each age group, and the team challenge.

Registration is now open at www.imathlete.com. Or go to www.lobsterroll5k.weebly.com for more information. All proceeds support the Community on Track program and its quest to build an athletic facility that includes a track and turf field for the Boothbay region.

Sponsorships are still available; call Liz Giles Brown at 207-633-6834.

We always called them “partridges” growing up here in Maine. Probably most people still know them by that name.

But the official American Ornithologists’ Union name for them is ruffed grouse, and that’s what you’ll find then called in your bird book.

We were in the Wiscasset Town Forest on a recent weekend morning when we heard the unusual and often overlooked sounds of a displaying male ruffed grouse. It’s incredibly easy to mistake the sound for a distant tractor engine—very low frequency thumps, starting off slow then speeding up to a whir. The sound is so low-pitched that it can get lost in  background noise or leave you wondering if your ears are malfunctioning. Often, the bird is much closer than you would think, based on the sound.

Despite the confusion it may cause, the sound of a ruffed grouse drumming is a much-loved and sought-after sound in a Maine forest. Male ruffed grouse create it by standing on a fallen log, stump, or an open mound in the woods and snapping the wings forward and back. High speed photography proved that the sound does not come from the wings striking anything but rather from the noise of the air rushing in to fill the vacuum that results from the incredibly rapid wing movements.

The males do this drumming to attract females and convince them that they are the best male with whom to mate. Ruffed grouse have a polygynous mating system in which a single male mates with multiple females. Often a number of male grouse will have drumming platforms within earshot of each other, a type of communal breeding display called an “exploded lek.”

In more typical leks, like those of prairie chickens and sage grouse, all males come to the same central location and display at the same time. If a female ruffed grouse approaches a drumming male, he will do a display not unlike a wild turkey, spreading his tail, fluffing his black ruff, and strutting around like he is the bird to mate with — and he may well be!

After mating, a female grouse will go off on her own to find a suitable place to lay her rather large clutch of 9-14 eggs, which she places in shallow depression on the ground. Typically here in Maine, the peak of ruffed grouse drumming takes place in late March and April with nesting well underway in April. There is often a small, secondary peak in drumming activity in June that may be spurred on because females lost a clutch of eggs and are trying again.

The eggs typically take just over three weeks to hatch, but the young are “precocial,” meaning they hatch fully feathered and able to walk and feed themselves within minutes. When all the eggs have hatched, the female grouse leads the young birds away to places that provide abundant food and cover from predators. If a predator approaches, she gives an alarm call to alert the chicks to hide and stay still while she attempts the risky business of luring the predator in the other direction.

The male, meanwhile, is not involved in any way and may even be drumming again to attract another female and convince her that he has the best genes to be carried into the next generation.

Who would have thought that right here in Maine, we’d have a bird with such an exotic mating system!

There will be no repeat champion in the Western Class D.

The Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team fell, 3-0, on Wednesday in Searsport to the Vikings to end the Wolverines’ season.

Wiscasset Head Coach Ryan Michaud wrote in an email that Searsport won behind a strong pitching performance.

“Tyler Reynolds of Searsport threw seven innings of shutout ball, giving up two hits and striking out 13 Wolverines,” Michaud wrote. “Ben Grant of Searsport scored twice for the Vikings while also collecting a triple.”

For Wiscasset, junior hurler Tyler Bailey matched-up with Reynolds and threw six innings, while only allowing three hits and three runs, two of which were unearned. Senior Matt Craig collected a hit in his last game, and junior Daren Wood added the only other hit for the Wolverines (5-12).

Searsport will move on to face the winner of the Buckfield-Rangeley game in the quarterfinals June 11.

For Wiscasset, the early exit comes a year after riding late-season momentum to the state finals, where they lost to Bangor Christian, which has claimed the last three Class D titles.

This year, the Wolverines had to overcome a coaching change and several injuries that hobbled the team. The Wolverines were also a young team — after losing three starters to graduation a year ago, this year's team will lose Craig and Tyler Flavin.

Next year's team will be senior-heavy with starters second baseman Brycson Grover, catcher Grant Hefler, pitcher Bailey and first baseman Wood.

Next year will also see another large change: after spending the last few years as a Class D team playing a Class C regular-season schedule, the Wolverines will move up to Class C, full time. The move won't affect the Wolverines’ regular season schedule, but Wiscasset will play in the Class C tournament next year, should they qualify.

Wiscasset wasn't the only local team in the tournament, however. The top-seeded Richmond Wildcats remain and were scheduled to play the eighth-seeded Forest Hills.

In the East Class D bracket, Bangor Christian won its opening round game against Woodland. The Patriots will face off against top-seeded Southern Aroostook on June 11.

To help you avoid becoming a U.S. Coast Guard statistic, BoatUS Foundation recommends a new version of the familiar KISS principle (Keep it simple, stupid!), with a bent for boating safety:

Keep your life jacket handy. This means readily accessible and within reach, not in its plastic bag or behind compartment doors buried under junk. Better yet, wear it. You’d be surprised at how comfortable and slim today’s inflatable life jackets are.

Instruct your passengers on where to sit and how to move about the boat safely. This applies to all boats, but the smallest ones can have the biggest problems: swamping, large wakes and overloading can turn your day into one you’d rather forget.

See that all passengers are briefed on where emergency equipment is kept and how to use it. Demonstrate how to use the VHF radio, and explain what everyone needs to do in case someone falls overboard (designate a spotter).

Share your float plan with someone ashore; include where you’re headed and when you expect to return. The simple act of telling someone has been demonstrated to greatly reduce a rescuer’s response time. 

With bowling-pin-shaped bodies, big striped beaks, and markings of vivid orange, crisp white, and icy jet black, the Atlantic puffin is adorable and unmistakable.

Pemaquid Watershed Association invites the public to its annual Puffin Sunset Cruise with Hardy Boat Cruises on Friday, June 26, to sneak a peak at these natural beauties. The two-hour cruise will begin at 6:45 p.m., departing from Shaw’s Wharf in New Harbor.

The planned route includes sailing to Eastern Egg Rock, circling the island for great views of puffins, and then passing by the Pemaquid Point lighthouse at sunset.

Eastern Egg Rock is a 7-acre granite island about 5 miles east of New Harbor that hosts more than 100 pairs of nesting puffins. In addition to puffins, passengers have an opportunity to view Maine's largest colony of endangered roseate terns and lots of other seabirds, as well as porpoises and minke whales.

Although the experienced Hardy Boat Cruise captain often is able to bring guests quite close to puffins, binoculars are highly recommended, as puffins are relatively small birds, standing only ten inches tall.

The tour will sail rain or shine, so it is important to bring appropriate attire, including a sweater, and a windbreaker or raincoat. Cruise participants should plan to arrive in New Harbor by 6:15 p.m. so that they can park at the ball field east of Shaw’s on Route 32 ($4 parking fee per vehicle), which is about a 5-minute walk to the dock. For directions, visit www.hardyboat.com/directions.htm.

There will be complimentary desserts by Damariscotta River Grill and a cash bar. Tickets are $35 each and are available by calling PWA at 207-563-2196 or via the PWA website www.pemaquidwatershed.org. Proceeds from the event help fund PWA’s mission to conserve the natural resources of the Pemaquid Peninsula through land and water stewardship and education.

The Maine B.A.S.S. Nation is holding an adult/youth bass tournament June 27 on Damariscotta Lake at the public ramp in Jefferson.

Entry fee is $25. Tournament hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Teams must include one adult (18 & older) and 1 or 2 youth (17 & under).

For more info, see www.mebass.com/tournament/applications/index.html

How many stories have we all heard over recent years about people buying a house at the height of the market when prices were overinflated and then having to deal with the financial consequences for years to come? There are probably also stories about someone selling a house at the height of the market and making a hefty profit.

Either way, the outcome is all about timing.

Not long ago, the warm days brought the crabapple tree in our yard into its full spring flowering glory — an explosion of deep purple-pink blossoms. There, along with the many bumblebees and other insects taking advantage of it, was a ruby-throated hummingbird hovering and zipping from blossom to blossom.

Now that’s a creature that has to get the timing right!

Imagine leaving the warm, humid Central American wintering grounds, presumably ripe with many flowers, and striking out for parts north. When the first ruby-throats leave Central America, it’s way too cold up here in Maine; there aren’t likely to be many flowers here if they arrive too early — there simply will be no food for them, and cold conditions will weaken or even kill them. If they arrive too late, some of the flowers that they rely on could have already blossomed. They may start nesting too late in the season to catch the peak of insect abundance they’ll need to feed their tiny nestlings.

On the other side of the ecological community equation, there may be a particular plant that relies on hummingbirds as pollinators that would not have successful seed production if the hummingbirds were not there at the peak flowering time.

That’s just one example of how the timing of complex interrelationships in the natural world impact species. The study of the timing of natural events and cycles is called “phenology.” Over the last decade or so, phenology has attracted many researchers, especially as the world struggles to better understand the impacts of our changing climates.

The annual spring alewife run is another fascinating and vitally important natural cycle that has a ripple effect in the ecology of the natural world in our area. Bald eagles are likely feeding nestlings at about the time the alewives hit their peak abundance.

Osprey eggs may not have hatched when the alewives first start to migrate back, but the fish will be a vital food source for the adults while they are brooding the eggs. In early June, as Osprey eggs hatch, the adults will certainly look to alewives as a food source for the young in places where the fish are still running.

The ash trees that are always the last to leaf out each spring traditionally are local hotspots of insect abundance, providing essential food for the last remaining migrant warblers on their way north as they arrive from tropical wintering grounds.

Birds like blackpoll warblers that have just made their way north from the Amazon of South America search out those ash trees after a long nocturnal migration flight.

Right now, most birds are in “child rearing” mode when timing may mean the difference between their young getting enough food to carry on as the next generation of their kind. When it’s a matter of life or death, timing really is everything.

It’s become one of the rites of spring, the launching of boats built by students of the Woolwich Central School who are engaged in the Discovery Boatbuilding Program.

On Thursday morning, June 18, moms, dads, grandparents and many other well-wishers gathered at the waterfront park behind the Woolwich Town Office. They were there not only to celebrate the launching but to see and touch the handiwork of the sixth, seventh and eight graders.

One of the small boats has already been sold.

A collaboration between the K-8 school and Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, the Discovery Boatbuilding Program is celebrating its seventh year.

Principal Jason Libby called it an “incredible program” where kids develop skills they’ll use the rest of their lives. Over the past seven years, 99 WCS students have taken part in it.

Amy Lent, Maine Maritime Museum executive director, reminded those gathered that boatbuilding has been going on in Maine for 400 years; it’s a long and storied tradition that the Woolwich Central School was carrying on.

“These kids are really doing it, building boats,” she added. “It’s an experience the participants remember for a lifetime.”

This year’s participants were introduced by their advisor Kurt Spiridakis, Maine Maritime Museum boatshop manager.

Spiridakis noted this year’s boatbuilding class of 15 students was the largest one yet. He said how much he enjoyed working with the students and volunteers, but added his favorite part was the boat launching itself at Nequasset Brook.

This year’s student boatbuilders were: Hannah Card, Jared Arnold, Angus Brown, Nadia Leiner, Kaleb Jackson, Taylor Ramsey, Tea Kepler, Naomi Cummings-Tremblay, Mollie Mougalian, Elizabeth Thibeault, Olivia Harper, Haily Harper, Elizabeth Schotten, Helena Eich and Josh Taylor.

Volunteers helping with the WCS boatbuilding program include: Steve Caulfield, Nick Locsin, Kelly Watt, Rick Marco, Rick Cliffe and Richard Spear.

Contributors helping to fund the Discovery Boatbuilding Program include the Bank of Maine, PC Construction and the town of Woolwich.

On Aug. 8 and 9 at Wiscasset Community Center, Wiscasset Rod & Gun Club will hold an event that club president Ed Goud hopes will become an annual one. The half-century-old club will host its first-ever gun show.

Organizers expect to attract dealers from around Maine to rent tables for buying, selling or trading firearms. About 50 tables are planned, with some dealers taking up multiple tables, club member Jim Beam said.

Beam lives in Edgecomb and has a gun shop on Edgecomb’s McKay Road. He has been contacting fellow gun dealers to let them know about the upcoming show.

Gun shows are about more than the buying, selling and trading, according to Beam.

“It’s a coming together of like-minded people, getting to be with people who like the same thing, just like you’d have at a horse show or a dog show,” Beam said June 21.

The gun show, a fundraiser for the club, was Goud’s idea.

“I thought  it would be a good money-maker, and get more people interested in the club,” he said June 18.

A monthly meeting that night had a bigger turnout than many Wiscasset selectmen’s meetings garner. Among attendees were new members that Goud showed around the grounds of the club’s approximately 30-acre, Gardiner Road property.

Goud explained to the group that the position a red flag is in at the driveway entrance lets people coming onto the property know whether or not shooting is going on.

“It’s a nice range,” one man on the tour said.

“Yeah, it’s come a long way,” Goud said.

Membership is on the upswing; there are currently about 220 members, including many women, who represent a large part of the increase, Goud said.

In addition to maintaining the property, the club gives an annual scholarship to a graduating high school senior and does other community work.

The gun show will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 8 and from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 9. Admission is $5 per adult. Children under 12 are free and must be accompanied by an adult. Tables are $40 to rent.

For more on the show, call 207 882-7805.

Although the calendar says summer, it's time for Wiscasset High School to think winter.

This summer will be packed full of basketball for both the girls and boys varsity basketball teams, as the teams look to get ready for the upcoming season.

This summer the WHS gym will undergo repairs, and the school consolidation will also limit the amount of gym time each team receives.

The boys basketball team will look to get back to the playoffs a year after finishing 4-14 in 2014-15. The team will practice at 6 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and will also travel to the Monmouth tournament July 17 to 19.

The team is also scheduled to have scrimmages with Richmond, Boothbay and Monmouth.

The girls basketball team will also have a busy season ahead.

Head coach Ben Clark and the Wolverines will look to rebound from a 4-14 season beginning with a Thursday, June 26 meeting to install the offense.

At 6 p.m. on Tuesday, June 30 the team will welcome Richmond for a home scrimmage then at 6 p.m. July 2 it will travel to Erskine Academy. On Tuesday, July 7 at 6 p.m. the Wolverines will play at home against the Lisbon Grayhounds before a Thursday, July 9 scrimmage against Erskine at home, also at 6 p.m.

On Friday and Saturday, July 10 and 11, the team will compete in the Madison tournament, then on Tuesday, July 14, Wiscasset will compete in the St. Dom's round robin tournament.

Waldoboro Day 5k race director, George Gould, has many memories of past races that he organized over the last 15 years.

“We changed the course at least 10 times,” said Gould who has been the Medomak Valley High School track coach for the last 34 years.

"We tried to find the perfect course,” he said as 20 or more runners ages 17 to 70 took the 2015 round town trail that ended in the center of town on Saturday.

Occasionally, instead of a loop, Gould devised a course that ran out of town to a certain point, turned around and came directly back to the finish.

One year he decided to take the course out on the road to Friendship.

"We sent 21 runners out and nobody came back,” he said.

After many anxious minutes some stragglers came in well after the expected finish time.

“We were ready to call out the police to look for them,” Gould said.

It turned out that someone had thrown the “turn around” sign into the bushes. 

“Some of them might have run all the way to Friendship,” Gould said. "Some of them turned left and headed out for nowhere.”

This year, however, the course proved to be better defined and all racers completed it without getting lost.

MVHS student Daniel Bubar won the race.

Bubar and Gwen Moiles were the top male and female runners, respectively.

Waldoboro Day 5k results 2015

1. Daniel Bubar (17), Waldoboro, 20:14
2. Nicholas DiNardo (20), Reading, Massachusetts,  21:01
3. Jeff Hilt (43), Union, 21:28
4. Cameron Leach, (16) Warren, 22:21
5. Steve Cartwright, (63) Waldoboro, 22:36
6. Jonathan Bubar (44) Waldoboro, 22:43
7. Richard Bissett (41) Waldoboro, 22:47
8. Gwen Moiles (22) Waldoboro, 23:05
9. Keegan Dunican (17) Damariscotta, 23:48
10. Clint Hartzell (31) Waldoboro, 25:20
11. Lucas McNally (36) Waldoboro, 25:32
12. Steve Frampton (53) Warren, 25:58
13. Patricia Leach (43) Warren, 25:59
14. Alaina Bissett (14) Waldobroro, 26:57
15. Arla Casselman (26) Warren, 27:25
16. Amos Hinkley (14) Waldoboro, 28:23
17. Emily Carver (28) Rockland, 28:26
18. William Hinkley (42) Waldoboro, 28:44
19. L. Betke-Brunswick (26) Wiscasset, 28:45
20. Art Warren (80) Camden, 30:30
21. Patricia Maguire (59) Wiscasset, 33:42
22. Alaina Ennamorati (28) Rockland, 34:27
23. Vicky Bissett (62) Waldoboro, 38:22
24. Laurie McBurnie (63) Nobleboro, 49:32
25. Rayanne Leach (16) Waldoboro, INJ

In recognition of the 35th Annual Boothbay Region YMCA Rocky Coast Road Race on Saturday, June 27, 9 a.m. this year's event needs no preregistration. Simply show up the morning of the race and make a donation to run or walk — your choice.

One hundred percent of the donations will go toward Friends of Windjammer Days and Boothbay Region YMCA youth programs.

Both the 5k and 10k run as well as the 5k walk will commence at 9 a.m. All children and families are encouraged to participate together in the 5k run or walk. A family that works out together stays healthy together!

Similar to the very successful annual Boothbay Region YMCA Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning which collects donations for the local food pantry, the Y — this year as a trial run — is implementing the same structure for the Rocky Coast Road Race.

Those who had already registered for a fee can either use that as their donation or have it returned and can make any size donation of their choice. Simply stop by the Y front desk.

Invite your friends, family, co-workers, neighbors and visitors to join you shortly before 9am this Saturday, June 27 in the YMCA parking lot to run or jog the 10k loop or run, walk or jog the 5k loop.

If you would like to volunteer for the event as road crew giving directions, handing out water or supporting the participants, please contact ahamblett@brymca.org.

The 11th annual Healthy Kids Strawberry Shortcake Shuffle is fast approaching on Saturday, July 11 at Great Salt Bay School in Damariscotta. Come join us to run, walk, have fun and enjoy delicious home made strawberry shortcake with shortcake made by Hootenanny Bread.

Registration starts at 7:30 a.m. for the 5k and 3k walk with the race beginning at 8:30, followed by the kids' Fun Run. Remember to come dressed as your favorite super hero! Free strawberry shortcake for all during the awards ceremony after the event.

Top prize for overall man and woman are $50 gift cards for Fleet Feet Sports. Sponsored by Renys and Kieve/Wavus.

To pre-register and for more information visit: www.healthykidsmaine.com. All proceeds benefit Healthy Kids, the Child Abuse and Prevention Council for Lincoln County.

Sign up soon for the 2015 Bob Meade Classic, a 10k road race and one mile fun run for ages 14 and younger, in Woolwich on Saturday, Aug. 1. The Classic is part of the annual Woolwich Day Celebration.

The fun run and 10k walkers will start at 8 a.m. and the 10k (6.2 miles) run starts at 9 a.m. Registration is at Nequasset Park in Woolwich beginning at 7 a.m.

Entry fee: For the 10k, $10 for pre-registration (non-refundable) and $12 on race day. Entry fee for the fun run is $5. T-shirts will be provided to the first 50 people who register. Please make checks out to the Town of Woolwich. Call 207-442-7094 for a registration form or email administrator@woolwich.us.

Awards: 10k race awards will go to the top finishers (male and female) in two categories (ages 12-21 and 22 and over). For the fun run, awards go to the top finishers (boy and girl) in two categories (ages 9 and under, and ages 9-14).

Race director is Hans van Willigen.

Growing up in London, Morgan Curtis picked up an early love of the natural world. She would go around the house unscrewing light bulbs and hiding them.

“And I was maniacal about recycling. I was just this really strange, 11-year-old environmental activist,” Curtis said at the Wiscasset Newspaper office June 29.

She and her travel companion Garrett Blad hit town Saturday,  June 27 on touring bikes. The climate-conscious 23-year-olds are riding an average of 40 miles a day; along the way, the two are spreading word about the need to address climate change for economic and other reasons that go beyond nature’s sake.

Curtis said her understanding of climate change evolved when she was a student at Dartmouth College, to a point where she could see its connections to human rights. “I now see it as this kind of keystone issue where if we solve climate change, we’ve also gone a long way toward solving racism and economic inequality.

“If you look at fossil fuel extraction in this country, it’s often happening in rural areas, and if you’re talking about fossil fuel refining, it’s happening in inner-city neighborhoods and low-income areas where people don’t have the political voice to stop it. And so a lot of our health impacts are concentrated on those that don’t traditionally have power in our society.”

Like Curtis, Blad said he was fortunate to have the natural world as his playhouse. He grew up on an Indiana farm, next to a pair of large forests. Later, Thomas Friedman’s book, “Hot, Flat and Crowded,’ had an impact on him.

“That was the first time I had seen the depth and really the level of the crisis we were entering as a species. And I felt responsible for my part in that. I saw how I was connected, from the small things, like the palm oil in the food that I ate from the grocery store, to deforestation in Indonesia; and from the gas I put in my car to the rising of petro dictators.”

The cycling that Blad and Curtis are doing through New England, into Canada and, later, Europe is a 10,000-kilometer trek they are calling “Climate Journey.” Every pedal push gets them closer to a major event they plan to attend, the 21st United Nations Climate Change Conference in Paris this December.

Curtis and Blad are youth delegates for SustainUS. The group has had delegations at UN conferences dating back to 2003, according to a press release Curtis sent ahead of her and Blad’s arrival in Wiscasset.

The two didn’t know each other until Curtis got the idea for the trip and put out word on the internet. She first thought up the bike expedition to the conference while serving as the 2014-15 sustainability fellow at Chewonki Foundation’s Semester School.

The bike trip began in Vermont; Curtis and Blad planned to leave Wiscasset later Monday, headed for New Brunswick. Curtis wanted to include Wiscasset on the itinerary due to her experience at Chewonki Foundation; and the foundation has made a contribution toward the trip’s costs, she said. Other groups in Wiscasset have also shown an interest in the environment and related issues, Curtis said. Among them, the citizens group Wiscasset Sun Cats is working on a possible proposal to get Wiscasset’s municipal building on solar power.

For updates on Curtis’ and Blad’s trip, information on the cause and how to donate, find Climate Journey on Facebook or visit www.climatejourney.org.

Wiscasset Speedway presented some action packed racing entertainment for the gathered fans June 27. Fans were not disappointed by the group one racing division which included the Thunder 4 Mini’s, Napa Super Streets, New England Four Cylinder Prostock, and the flex race of the week, which was the Amsoil Nelcar Legends.

First on the track were the spotlighted group of the evening, the Thunder 4 Mini’s in a 30-lap feature. Starting at the pole was the #54 of Noah Haggett. Beside him was the #74 of Aaron Sevigny. Behind him was Michael Golding of the #26. There was shuffling during the opening lap, with leader changes. By the conclusion of lap one, Curtis Anderson of the #04 was leading the pack. Sevigny was still holding second, and the #48 of Michael Harrison was in third. 

There was a caution during lap three, and on the ensuing restart, Sevigny got a good jump off the start and took the lead.  However, Sevigny began drifting back during lap four and Anderson moved into the lead. 

The #5 of Ryan Chadwick had been moving up through traffic from his seventh place start, and took third during lap four. Chadwick advanced to second during lap six when he bumped Harrison and ran past him on the back stretch. Chadwick headed to the outside and pulled up along the side of Anderson to race for the lead during lap nine, but a caution was thrown during lap ten before he could complete a pass. When racing action resumed, Chadwick leaped to the lead and Anderson fell to second. The #113 of Cody Tribbet advanced to third. Tribbet was unable to hold his position however due to an unfortunate mechanical issue during lap thirteen. A caution was called, and during the caution, Tribbet headed for the pits. 

When green flag racing resumed on the track, Chadwick bounded to the front. Behind him were Anderson and Harrison racing for second. The #91 of Jamie Heath took it three wide heading into turn one, sliding in between the pair. When the trio came out of turn two, there was contact on the back stretch, bringing out a red flag caution, with cars into the wall. The three cars all went to the pits, with only Anderson able to return to the track before caution end. 

Lap thirteen began with a new running order on the track. Chadwick was in the lead. The #31 of Leandra Martin was in second. In third was the #74 of Sevigny. When racing began Martin got a good start and went to the lead, but Chadwick fought back and resumed first place the following lap.

During lap twenty-one Haggett began racing side by side with Sevigny for third, while up ahead Chadwick and Martin battled for the lead. During lap twenty-two Haggett got a car nose ahead of Sevigny on the outside and took the lead. The pair battled door to door until lap twenty-eight, when the #68 of Jeff Minchin Jr, joined the quest for third. Minchin took it three wide on the front stretch, but lost control going into turn one and crashed into the turn one wall.

The final restart of the race, during lap twenty-eight, saw Chadwick go to the lead, with Martin fighting for first beside him. Behind Haggett slipped back, and Sevigny claimed third.  Chadwick made this his fifth win of the season, coming in just ahead of point leader Martin. Chadwick was second in points, just ten below Martin’s 244 points. In third place was Michael Harrison, fourteen points below Martin.

The Napa Super Streets provided a 25-lap show, and kept fans on the edge of their seats until the finish. Starting at the pole was the #12 of Dave Patten. In second was Brandon Sprague of the #23. Behind Patten was the #06 of Zac Poland. When the green flag came down over the track, Patten advanced up the track, Sprague fell back and Poland moved to second.  The #1 of Adam Chadbourne raced to third. Poland passed Patten on the inside during lap two and took the lead. Behind, Chadbourne looked ahead for his chance to progress up the track, and during lap three, moved to the inside and passed Patten for second.  Patten then fell to forth as Mark Lucas of the #5 passed on the inside for third.

Moving up from his ninth place start was the #85 of Kenny Harrison. Harrison passed Lucas on the inside of turn three for third, taking third. Harrison then had to hold of Lucas and the #2 of Josh Bailey to keep his position. Lap fourteen saw Lucas once again take third. There was a caution during lap twenty-two when Bailey spun on the track and went onto the infield.  He headed to the pits with a flat, but was able to make it back onto the track before the caution ended. On the ensuing restart, Chadbourne shot to the lead, but Poland and Harrison were involved in a caution. Poland spun on the track and the result was a jumble on the track with multiple cars involved. A red flag caution was called while drivers were checked on and the debris was cleared. All drivers were okay.

There was a new running order for the lap twenty-two restart. Chadbourne was still in the lead, but Sprague moved to second, and Bailey moved to third.  Sprague fell off the pace on the restart.  Harrison shot from the back of the pack to second on an inside line. Bailey had third. The trio was in close contention as they sped around the track. Then Harrison moved up the track on the last lap, pushing Chadbourne to the very top of the track. Bailey had an opening down low, and he took it. The cars went three wide, roaring around the track. Bailey went to the lead, taking the checkered. Harrison finished second. Chadbourne placed third. 

Bailey was current point leader with 240 points. Chadbourne was right behind him, only twelve down, with 228 points. In third was the #02 of Jason Curtis with 192 points. 

The flex race of the week was a 25-lap Amsoil Nelcar Legends feature. This was the Amsoil Nelcar Legends fifth visit to Wiscasset Speedway this season. Kevin Girard of the #19 scored his fourth win this Saturday, and Mathew Bourgoine of the #38 has won once. The Legends provide a high-speed, high-excitement racing experience for the fans.

Starting at the pole was the #00 of Philip Brackett. Beside him was Alan Smith of the #33. Behind Brackett was the #10 of Ed Getty. When the green flag flew over the track, the cars accelerated quickly, but it was not until lap six that there was a leader change in the top three. Smith passed Brackett on turn three to take the lead, then during the same lap the #399 of Bob Weymouth passed Getty for third. Weymouth then got caught in some traffic and Getty was able to reclaim his spot. However, during lap ten Weymouth went to the inside of turn two and passed Getty once again for third.  

The #19 of Kevin Girard had been weaving through lap traffic from his sixteenth place start. During lap eleven, Girard passed Weymouth for third on the inside of the front stretch. Girard continued his advance up the track and passed Brackett on the outside of the front stretch the following lap for second. Following Girard up through the pack was the #38 of Mathew Bourgoine. Bourgoine passed Brackett on the outside of the backstretch to claim third.

Girard looked ahead for his opportunity to take the lead. His chance came during lap eighteen when he passed Smith on the outside of turn three for first. Then, during lap twenty-three, while racing for position, Smith and Bourgoine made contact on the track coming out of turn three. A caution was called and both Smith and Bourgoine went to the back of the pack. Girard still had the lead, but Weymouth moved to second place and Brackett advanced to third. Race leaders remained constant until race conclusion with Girard claiming his forth Wiscasset Speedway win. Weymouth finished second. Rounding out the top three was Brackett in third.

The next crowd pleaser was a 25-lap New England Four Cylinder Prostock feature. Starting at the pole was the #9X of Brooke Knowles. Beside her in the second place starting position was the # 42 of Mike Kibbin. In third was Tyler Bailey of the #15. When racing action began on the track Bailey passed Kibbin for second on the back stretch. During lap two, the #0 of Alex Waltz passed Kibbin on the outside for third. Waltz looked ahead for a chance to advance up the track. During lap four Waltz found his chance and headed to the inside, passing both Bailey and Brooke Knowles. Bailey followed Waltz and took second, and Brooke Knowles moved to third. 

Moving up from his tenth place start was Kamren Knowles of the #98. Kamren Knowles took and inside line and passed Brooke Knowles for third during lap five for third. Knowles stayed down low and passed Bailey on turn three to claim second. 

There was a caution during lap eleven, and the resulting restart saw Kamren Knowles take the lead. However, Waltz fought back, and got under Kamren Knowles and took the lead back. Then, Brooke Knowles spun on the track bringing out a caution. The #27 of Jacob Hendsbee advanced to third. The restart saw Hendsbee on the inside pass Kamren Knowles for second. Craig Dunn of the #8 followed Hendsbee and passed Kamren Knowles for third.

Kamren Knowles, current point leader in the division, rallied and passed Dunn on the inside during lap thirteen for third. There was a caution during lap twenty-one. On the restart, Hendsbee got a good jump off the start, but Waltz was quickly able to resume the lead. During lap twenty-three Kamren Knowles passed Hendsbee on the inside of the back stretch for second.  Race leaders remained the same until the race concluded. 

Waltz took home his first New England Four Cylinder Prostock win of the season. Kamren Knowles placed second. Hendsbee finished in third. Hendsbee was second in points coming into Saturday’s race, thirty-two points below Kamren Knowles. Third in points was John Shorey, who did not race Saturday night.

A 40-lap Prostock event concluded the evening. Like the races preceding it, this feature was a nail-biter for the fans, filled with leader changes and action on the track. As of press time, the results of the Prostock race are unofficial, pending further review. 

Starting at the pole was Mike Moody of the #1M. Beside him was Maggie Ferland of the #77. In third was Ellsworth’s Wyatt Alexander driving the #96. When the cars roared off the start, Ferland went loose and Alexander passed her for second. Alexander advanced up the track and raced for the lead with Moody. The #32 of Mike Orr began racing Ferland for third. The #09 of Justin Drake joined in the battle for third, and got under Ferland and made contact coming out of turn one and a jumble on the track resulted. The #1 of Jeff Burgess, and the #05 of James Osmond were also collected and both went into the turn one wall. A red flag caution was thrown so the drivers could be checked and the debris cleaned up. All drivers were okay. Ferland and Drake went to the back of the pack. Both Burgess and Osmond went to the pits but were able to return to the track before caution end.

The restart had a new running order. Moody was still in first. Alexander was in second. Orr was in third. Before the lap was completed, Alexander passed Moody on the back stretch for the lead. Orr then passed Moody during lap one for second. There was another caution during lap three when Ferland hit the wall. Yet another caution was called during lap four when the #19 of John Rideout made heavy contact with Osmond. Rideout was towed off the track with serious body damage to his car. Osmond made it back onto the track before caution’s end. 

When green flag racing resumed on the track, the #99 of Ajay Picard passed Moody off the start for third. Picard headed inside and passed Orr during lap eight for second. Moving up from his ninth place start was Andy Saunders of the #01. During lap eleven, Saunders passed Orr for third. Then, during lap twenty-one Ferland and the #31 of Casey Nash made contact coming out of turn one, and Nash went into the infield. The yellow was thrown again. The restart saw some racing action, but a red flag caution was called when Orr, Ferland, the #15X of Scott Chubbuck, and Moody all got into it on turn three. Officials declared that the next flag, checkered or caution, would end the race.

When racing action resumed on the track during the lap twenty-two restart the racing order was Alexander in first, Saunders in second, and Burgess in third. Saunders and Alexander raced door-to-door, Saunders was in the lead by less than a second. For seven laps the pair fought for the lead when suddenly the pair made contact coming out of turn three, bringing out a caution, and ending the race. Saunders went sideways. Alexander swerves and slows. Burgess surged ahead over the finish line in first for the win. The #05R of Philip Richardson finished second. Third over the line was Chubbuck, placing third.

Burgess was point leader going into Saturday’s race, with 266 points. In second was Saunders with 256, only ten points down. Osmond held third place with 250 points.

Wiscasset Speedway resumes racing action, Saturday, July 4, 2015 with its group two lineup of divisions: Late Model Sportsman, Strictly Street, Outlaw Mini, and Modfieds.  Next week the flex race of the week is the Amsoil Nelcar Legends. The Wiscasset Speedway website is packed with information, including schedule of events, division rosters and rules, race results, and driver profiles.  Head on over to take a look.

WISCASSET SPEEDWAY OFFICIAL FINISH JUNE 27, 2015

THUNDER 4’S (30 LAPS)

1. #5 Ryan Chadwick, Wiscasset
2. #31 Leandra Martin, Richmond
3. #74 Aaron Sevigny, Windsor
4. #04 Curtis Anderson, Richmond
5. #54 Noah Haggett, Wiscasset
6. #26 Michael Golding, Pownal
7. #68 Jeff Minchin Jr., Pittston
8. #58 David Greenleaf, Brunswick
9. #113 Cody Tribbet, Richmond
10. #48 Michael Harrison, Durham
11. #91 Jamie Heath, Waterford
12. #71 Brent Freve, Livermore

NAPA SUPER STREET (25 LAPS)

1. #2 Josh Bailey, Wiscasset
2. #85 Kenny Harrison, Durham
3. #1 Adam Chadbourne, Woolwich
4. #23 Brandon Sprague, Edgecomb
5. #06 Zac Poland, Wiscasset
6. #32 Tasha Dyer, Arrowsic
7. #13 David Doherty, Palmyra
8. #5 Mark Lucas, Harpswell
9. #04 Zach Bowie, Greene
10. #88 Jamie Norton, Farmingdale
11. #12 Dave Patten, Westbrook

AMSOIL NELCAR LEGENDS (25 LAPS)

1. #19 Kevin Girard Jr, Old Orchard Beach
2. #399 Bob Weymouth, Topsham
3. #00 Philip Brackett, South Portland
4. #10 Ed Getty, Gray
5. #72 Mike Humphrey, Cornish
6. #8 Matt Chagnot, Derry, NH
7. #29 Austin Teras, Windham
8. #70 Tylar Braunschweig, West Newfield
9. #7 Steve Benincasa, Buxton
10. #80 Matt Grant, Windham
11. #92 Colby Meserve, Buxton
12. #33 Alan Smith, Lincoln
13. #38 Mathew Bourgoine, Newport
14. #17 Terry Kirk, Durham
15. #67 Zackary Godbout, Mt Vernon
16. #14NH Thomas Everson. Gilmanton, NH
17. #85X Thomas Saari, Rindge, NH
18. #4 Peter Craig, Poland

NEW ENGLAND FOUR CYLINDER PROSTOCK (25 LAPS)

1. #0 Alex Waltz, Walpole
2. #98 Kamren Knowles, West Gardiner
3. #27 Jacob Hendsbee, Whitefield
4. #8 Craig Dunn, Strong
5. #24 Jeff Prindall, Lisbon Falls
6. #9X Brooke Knowles, West Gardiner
7. #42 Mike Kibbin, South China
8. #14 Bob Patten, Westbrook
9. #5 Cody Billings, Hartford
10. #4 Connor Wenners, Edgecomb
11. #54 Cam Corbin, Farmingdale
12. #15 Tyler Bailey, Wiscasset
13. #99 Cameron Folsom, Augusta

PROSTOCK (40 LAPS) (UNOFFICIAL RESULTS)

1. #1 Jeff Burgess, Fairfield
2. #05R Philip Richardson, Hermon
3. #15X Scott Chubbuck, Bowdoin
4. #05 James Osmond, Woolwich
5. #29 Kevin Morse, Woolwich
6. #57 Zig Geno, Canterbury, NH
7. #01 Andy Saunders, Ellsworth
8. #96 Wyatt Alexander, Ellsworth
9. #99 Ajay Picard, Palmyra
10. #32 Mike Orr, Wiscasset
11. #1M Mike Moody, Topsham
12. #77 Maggie Ferland, Auburn
13. #31 Casey Nash, Richmond
14. #09 Justin Drake, Burnham
15. #19 John Rideout, Washington
16. #5 Joe Morey, Lisbon