Located on the scenic Maine coast, Colonial Pemaquid State Historic Site is one of New England’s earliest European settlements, rivaling Jamestown Virginia.

The site originally was used as a seasonal settlement, if not year-round, by American Indians and later was colonized as a fishing station and then as a village in the early 17th century. Three forts were built at the site starting in 1677 and English soldiers were garrisoned there.

This treasure trove of history, located on the Pemaquid Peninsula, still exists today to educate visitors, through programs for young and old alike, about a time and a place so significant in the European development of the New World.

The Friends of Colonial Pemaquid are pleased to announce the summer 2014 calendar of events scheduled to take place at this historic site. Programming centers on the theme of Pemaquid’s Place in the Colonial World, using the site as a touchstone for further investigation into our collective past.

Living history events and lectures throughout the summer will explore different aspects of Pemaquid’s “place,” from a bagpipe concert reflecting the influence of the British Isles to a talk early cookery and the Indian Canoe Routes of Maine and a lecture about sectional identity in 17th century Maine. Likewise, on guided evening lantern walks, visitors will have the chance to learn about the archaeological remains at the site and plans for future excavations. On these evening tours, visitors will also make contact with some costumed 17th century inhabitants who are eager to tell their stories of life at Pemaquid.

Additional presentations during the summer will explore patriotism and the Declaration of Independence and the Forts along the Kennebec. Other lectures will consider further historical and archaeological findings from the Old Fields Sites and how the fort at Pemaquid was overrun, not once, but twice by Native forces.

A 17th Century Encampment will showcase civilian and military aspects of 17th century life and a living history day will focus on Family Life on the Colonial Frontier. To round out the calendar of events, there is a lively living history re-creation of the pirate Dixie Bull who attacked and sacked Pemaquid in 1632. The season will end with an outdoor concert of Celtic music by popular musical duo Castlebay.

Also at Colonial Pemaquid this summer, the Bureau of Parks and Lands has completed the on-site construction of a 12-foot by 16-foot wattle and daub structure with a thatched roof, representative of the early 17th century building techniques found in early European Maine.

Most living history events take place outdoors, and while there is no charge for these events, other than the customary state park fees. History lectures take place at the adjacent restaurant, Contented Sole, on Mondays at 7:30 p.m., with a $5 admission. The Friends of Colonial Pemaquid, the volunteer arm supporting the state historic site, works tirelessly to guarantee a slate of quality summer programs and welcomes fellow history lovers to join them in continuing this effort.

The park is open daily 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Park personnel and interpreters are available to answer questions and to direct visitors to the site’s museum, historic structures, gift shop and permanent exhibit entitled, “Guns, Politics and Furs” and a unique exhibit of coins found on the site. Also on display as of 2011 is a 379-year-old horsehide trunk that survived a 1635 shipwreck in Pemaquid Harbor, caused by one of the most terrific storms ever to occur along the Maine coast. Reservations for school or group tours can be arranged with the park manager at 207-677-2423.

For directions, more information about individual events and about Colonial Pemaquid in general, please visit our website at www.friendsofcolonialpemaquid.org

It has been more than two months since a Wiscasset High School sports team has played an official game.

Today, April 28, four Wiscasset sports teams will start their seasons.

The track team will get in on the action as well, albeit a day later. The team will hosts several schools at 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, April 29.

At 4:30 p.m., the baseball team will play on the road at Telstar. The baseball team won't have to wait long to come home, however: the Wolverines play Mountain Valley at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 30.

The softball team will also debut on the road when it travels to Telstar to play at 4:30 p.m.

The girls tennis team will play host to rival Boothbay Region when the Seahawks come to play at 4 p.m. The boys tennis team will travel to the Seahawks' home turf for a 4 p.m. start in Boothbay.

With three players absent (two players in France and one visiting a college) Boothbay Region High School boys tennis coach Mark Gorey lost some depth in Monday's season-opening match against visiting Wiscasset. The visiting Wolverines went on to win, 4-1, in matches.

"Wiscasset, to their credit, have strengthened their numbers and depth this year," said Gorey in an email to the Register. "Our number one doubles, number three singles and number two singles were all matches we were in until the end." Boothbay had to default its number two doubles match because of not enough players.

First singles player Nick Gorey got Boothbay's only win, 6-3, 6-3, over Nate Panarese.

Tom Anderson defeated Daniel Drummond, 6-2, 7-6 (8-2) in second singles.

Logan Grover defeated Ray Perry, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0, in third singles.

In first doubles, Ridge Barnes and Andrew Walton defeated Duncan Drapeau and Vincente Haro Hortelano, 6-4, 6-4.

"Ray and Daniel surged in their second sets," Gorey said. "Duncan and Vincente communicated well as a team; they are working on improving their serving and net play. And it was great to see the sportsmanship in Nick and Nate's (first singles) match."

Playing in the first official game of the season, the Wiscasset High School softball team couldn't overcome several early-season missteps, and fell to Telstar, 18-5, Monday, April 28.

The Wolverines (0-1) were able to keep the game close for most of the contest, but the Rebels (1-0) were able to capitalize on walks and errors when it mattered for Telstar's first win of the season.

Telstar jumped out to an early lead in the first inning after the bases were loaded then cleared with a double by left fielder Maisie Griffith.

Telstar would score four runs in both the first and second innings before Wiscasset could keep them off the board in the third inning.

But, the Rebels would cross home three more times in the fourth inning and score another seven runs in the fifth.

Wiscasset was able to plate one run in the second inning, two more runs in the third and another two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Senior Briana Goud clubbed a loud double in the fourth inning, but it was erased on a double play. Third baseman Hannah Campbell walked twice, with both free passes eventually resulting in runs.

Donny Dunning, Joey Ranco and Thomas Wilcox have been selected to represent Maine in swimming at the National Summer Special Olympic Games that are being held at Princeton University in New Jersey. The games will be held June 14- 22.

Toby LeConte has been selected to coach the swimmers from Maine. These area swimmers are being joined by five other selected swimmers from around the state. The swim team has been practicing since fall and will compete in two of the three categories offered. Joey and Thomas will compete in category 3 and Donny will compete in category 2.

Joining them will be teammates Ronda and Brenda LeConte. They were selected for the male/female basketball team. There were only three females who qualified. The rest of the team is make up of males. The basketball team is being coached by Brian Hamel from Presque Isle, Deidre Hines from Bucksfield and Ronda Lausier from South Paris. They have held practices in Orono.

Maine is sending 57 members to the Games. Other sports represented are golf, bocce, athletics and bowling. Bowling and bocce will also have some Unified Partners attending.

Boothbay athletes will be accepting donations to help with their trip. Contact Boothbay Region Special Olympics at Boothbay Region Elementary School, 207-633-3930.

Lincoln County area nonprofits and their supporters may want to consider joining a crew of pirates this June, but they needn’t worry about sea battles, rum drinking or becoming marooned on a desert island. Instead, they can look forward to raising money in support of their efforts while helping out at the Kid’s Pirate Camp located on Water Street during the Damariscotta River Pirate Rendezvous coming Saturday, June 21.

“We’ve been looking for way spread our umbrella a bit wider when it comes to assisting charitable efforts in the community, and this seemed like a great way to do it,” said Event Director Greg Latimer.

The Pirate Rendezvous is the primary fundraiser for Lincoln County Family Holiday Wishes, a food and gift drive that benefited over 500 local children and their families during the Christmas season last year. Many area residents are familiar with Family Holiday Wishes through the pink and blue wish tags they distribute each year, with each tag representing the hopeful wish of a local child in need.

“Last year we worked out a new system with Boy Scout troop 213 and the Great Salt Bay Community Field Hockey Team, and the effort benefited everyone involved,” Latimer said. “This year we’re opening that invitation up to any interested party, knowing that more revenue generated at the Kid’s Pirate Camp means more revenue for all of the participants in this effort.”

The system works the same way that treasure was divided up on pirate ships; everybody gets a share based on their level of participation. In this case participation is based on helping out with the children’s games and activities at the Kid’s Pirate Camp by filling 4-hour shifts. The shifts will be open directly to nonprofits, and also to individuals who want to cover a shift and donate their share to a favorite nonprofit.

When the event is over and the “treasure” counted, it will be shared out based on shifts covered by the nonprofits and their supporters.

Nonprofits will also be welcome to distribute information while working at the event.

A complete written outline of the share out system and how nonprofits and their supporters can join the crew may be obtained from Pirate Rendezvous Co-Director Sally Lobkowicz by telephoning 207-380-3806.

Prostock (30 laps)

1.     #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset

2.     #32 Mike Orr, Wiscasset

3.     #28 Bill Penfold, Oxford

4.     #01 Joe Decker, Chesterville

5.     #39 James Osmond, Wiscasset

New England 4 cylinder prostock (25 laps)

1.     #24 Jeff Prindall, Lisbon Falls

2.     #8 Craig Dunn, Strong

3.     #14 Bob Patten, Westbrook

4.     #98 Kamren Knowles, Farmingdale

5.     #38 Ryan Hayes, Jefferson

Napa Super Street (25 laps)

1.     #1 Adam Chadbourne, Woolwich

2.     #2 Josh Bailey, Wiscasset

3.     #05 James Osmond, Wiscasset

4.     #51 Bryan Robbins, Montville

5.     #48 Dan Nessmith, Wiscasset

Outlaw minis (25 laps)

1.     #06 Ryan Glover, Mexico

2.     #51 Mike Mason, Skowhegan

3.     #10 Jimmy Childs, Leeds

4.     #13 Nate Tribett, Richmond

5.     #53 Nick Bissell, Lewiston

Late model sportsman (35 laps)

1.     #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset

2.     #28 Jr Robinson, Stueben

3.     #04 Allen Moeller Jr, Dresden

4.     #14 Dave St Clair, Liberty

5.     #25 Will Collins, Waldoboro

Thunder 4's (20 laps)

1.     #5 Ryan Chadwick, Wiscasset

2.     #13 Cody Tribbet, Richmond

3.     #7 Bill Grover, NA

4.     #04 Curtis Anderson, Richmond

5.     #88 ME Mike Mathieu, NA

Mini truck (20 laps)

1.     #0 Kris Knox, Sanford

2.     #12 Jerry McKenna, Milton

3.     #22 Jeff Schmidt, Mechanic Falls

4.     #5 Brian Darling, NA

5.     #86 Richard Sirois, Norridgewock

Strictly street (25 laps)

1.     #26 Corey Morgan, Lewiston

2.     #83 Dan Brown, Union

3.     #43 Ben Erskine, Skowhegan

4.     #32 Tasha Dyer, Freedom

5.     #85 Jairet Harrison, Freeport

Come support the community effort for a new track by registering for the 5th Lobster roll 5k! The scenic 5k walk/run will begin at 8 a.m. on Saturday, July 26, with a kids “lobster dash” at 9 a.m. followed directly by awards and raffle prizes.

Register now at www.lobsterroll5k.weebly.com or runreg.com by July 20 to receive a technical T-shirt with your entry, or register on-site starting at 6:30 a.m. the day of the race. The race fee is $20 for the 5K and $5 for the kids lobster dash. Race day registration is $25. This race is professionally timed and is certified by the USATF.

All proceeds go towards the construction of an 8-lane outdoor track facility to be used by student athletes as well as all community members. Last year almost 200 runners joined this community effort.

Awards will be given to the top two overall male and female finishers and the top three finishers in each age group. An added feature is the team challenge. Friends, organizations and businesses can form a team of at least three people and compete for the team challenge trophy and a gift certificate to an area restaurant.

All participants will also be entered in a raffle for items donated by area businesses. So mark your calendars or go to www.lobsterroll5k.weebly.com to find out more information about the race and view the course map.

Despite being within a few runs for most of the game, the Hall-Dale Bulldogs were able to pull away late Monday, May 5 against the Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team.

Hall-Dale would rally to a 9-3 win to drop the Wolverines to 2-2 overall (3-2 if the Telstar forfeiture is counted).

Wiscasset held onto a narrow 2-0 lead after one inning, as Dylan McMahon and Tyler Bailey each knocked in a run to stake starter Chandler Longfellow to an early lead. McMahon scored his second run, and Wiscasset's third, in the third inning to break what had been a 2-2 tie.

Bailey took over for Longfellow on the mound and was masterful, keeping the Bulldogs off the board until the sixth inning.

Hall-Dale would plate six runs in the top half of the sixth to push its advantage to 8-3 and take its first lead of the game. A security run in the seventh gave the team its final tally.

For Wiscasset, catcher Darren Wood scored a run, stole a base and had a walk, and McMahon had a double and pair of walks and runs.

Wiscasset won its Friday, May 2 home game against Mt. Abram, 5-3, as Longfellow bashed a bases-loaded double for an early lead behind a masterful pitching performance by McMahon.

Wiscasset will play at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7 at home against St. Dom's.

maine baseball

The Hall-Dale Bulldogs girls varsity softball team didn’t waste any time in waking up their bats May 5.

In fact, they never went to sleep.

Hall-Dale was able to beat the Wiscasset High School Wolverines, 32-0, Monday in Wiscasset.

Wiscasset’s Abby Dunn again toed the rubber for the Wolverines and pitched a complete game, and left-fielder Katie-Lynn Mills put in a solid effort.

The Wolverines will next play at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 7 at home against St. Dom’s.

If the tall fir outside Wiscasset's town office poses a visibility issue when emergency vehicles are heading onto Route 1, removing the lower branches might remove the problem, a resident suggested on May 6.

“You'd still have the tree and nothing more than the width of a telephone pole as an obstruction,” George Green told Wiscasset selectmen.

“That tree is beautiful,” Green said.

He asked the board to consider his suggestion for the approximately four-decade-old tree as an alternative to removal. “If you trimmed it and it didn't work, then take it down,” he said.

On April 15, the board approved the tree's removal. Fire and ambulance officials had made the request so that drivers of the emergency vehicles can better see the Route 1 traffic they are entering, and so motorists can better see them.

Taking out the tree would also make room for the personal vehicles that crew members arrive in when responding to an emergency, officials said. Green questioned whether there would be as many parking spaces as projected.

The fir and a willow tree near the police station will likely be removed sometime this spring, Wiscasset Road Commissioner Doug Fowler has said.

Green made his comments during the public comment portion of Tuesday night's meeting. The board took no new action on the matter.

George Green

For a day that couldn't decide whether it wanted to rain or shine, several local athletes shined through on their own.

During the May 6 track and field meet at Wiscasset High School, there were several standout performances and several personal records bested.

In the girls 100-meter dash, Kristen Cavanaugh finished sixth with a time of 15.67 seconds, while teammates Amanda Johnson (16.67 seconds) and Keara Hunter (17.15 seconds) finished 10th and 14th, respectively.

In the boys 100-meter sprint, Sam Storer finished fifth with a time of 12.93 seconds, Colin Viele was 10th with 13.85 seconds and Josh Kramley (14.12 seconds) was 15th.

Freshman Brandon Goud again hanged tough in the 1600-meter run as he was able to complete the course in five minutes and 22.35 seconds, which was a five second improvement from last week and good enough for seventh place. In the 3200-meter run Goud finished fifth in 13 minutes, 11.57 seconds.

Viele finished in seventh place in the 400-meter dash with a time of one minute, 1.29 seconds.

In the 200-meter dash, Amanda Johnson was eighth with a time of 36.56.

Storer was seventh in the 200-meter dash with a time of 27.19 seconds and Viele (28.41 seconds) was 12th.

Cavanaugh again jumped four feet, two inches in the long jump, which placed her sixth.

Freshman Gabby Chapman, long-jumping in her first meet of the season, finished second with a 13-foot, 8.5-inch leap. Fellow freshman Hunter was 11th with a 10-foot 11.25-inch jump.

Hunter would also throw the discus 46 feet and eight inches, which placed her ninth overall.

In the boys long jump, Storer was fifth with a 16-foot, two-inch jump and Viele was 10th after jumping 13 feet and half-an-inch.

Michaela Trudeau chucked her javelin 54 feet, seven inches which was the tenth-longest distance in the girls throw.

For the boys javelin throw it was Nate Austin (68 feet, four inches) in 13th place and Josh Delong (66 feet, 11 inches) in 14th place.

Austin threw the discus 81 feet, one inch to place seventh in the event and again stood out with the shot put; he threw it 38 feet, eight inches which was best on the day. Andrew Lincoln threw for 22 feet, 10 inches, which placed him 17th.

Samantha Arsenault improved in the shot put, as the sophomore was able to send it 15 feet, seven inches, which placed her 11th.

At the conclusion of Wednesday's softball game, Wiscasset Coach Glenn Powers called his team into a brief huddle after the last out.

He had to award the game ball to the day's top player and had several options: Give it to an offense player, like Briana Goud, who had another multi-hit game, or maybe Abby Dunn, who pitched her best game of the year in blanking St. Dom's, 4-0.

In the end the game ball went to Tylan Onorato, who sparkled on defense. But, it wasn’t just Onorato who stood out in the field; the Wolverines only committed one error in its first victory of the season.

But, the message was clear: When the Wolverines hit, pitch and field, they can keep up with any team.

The Wolverines scored in the first three innings and again in the fifth while Dunn dominated the Saints. The senior hurler threw all seven innings and fanned four batters while walking two and allowing only one single.

Goud was a home run short of a cycle and plated a run.

Despite clawing back time and again, the Wolverines couldn't cling to a win May 12 against Lisbon.

The Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team was unable to finish a late rally and fell, 9-7, to the visiting Greyhounds.

Wiscasset was trailing, 3-1, in the early going until a third-inning rally tied the game. Lisbon would eke out a 7-6 advantage, but the Wolverines, like a movie monster, kept coming back.

In the end the Greyhounds were able to close however, and leave Wiscasset with the win.

Cobras take bite out of baseball team

In an old-fashioned slugfest, it was the Cobras who slithered to a win, Friday, May 9.

Carrabec High School was able to defeat the Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team 12-7 behind four three-run innings.

The Cobras would mount a formidable attack en route to the 12-7 victory. Carrabec scored three in the second inning, three in the third, three in the fourth and three in the sixth.

Wiscasset's runs came in the first and second innings, then four more in the sixth inning and one in the seventh.

For Wiscasset, Tyler Florin had a walk, a single and two runs, Darren Wood had three hits and two RBI.

The Wiscasset High School girls varsity tennis team knocked off the Dirigo Cougars for its first win of the season, in an impressive display May 6.

The team won all three of its singles matches, while Dirigo was able to take both doubles matches.

Junior Miranda McIntire won, 10-8, over Grace Hebert; senior Sarah Hanley beat Lindsey Crutchfield, 10-7; and junior Hanna Foye won, 10-7, over Christina Tubbs.

In doubles matches, junior Hannah Welborn and freshman Brooke Carlton fell to Nina Radzwill and Ariel Amburg, 10-8, while Kennedy Orr and Amanda Marcus couldn't overcome Gina Kubesh and Maddy Degroot, 11-9.

In May 7 action, Wiscasset came close to knocking off Lisbon, but the Greyhounds were able to come out ahead.

McIntire closed the gap, but fell to Lisbon's number one, Nichole Jones, 10-7.

Hanley won, 11-9, over Bryana Salt and Foye narrowly lost to Tabitha Porter, 10-8.

In doubles action, the pair of Carlton and Welborn easily defeated Lisbon's Sarah Craig and Brianna Livingston, 10-4. Amanda Marcus and Alisyn Richardson held tough but were unable to topple the Lisbon pair of Alyssa Finlay and Jordan Fredrich, 10-8.

The Sheepscot Valley Conservation Association (SVCA) invites volunteers to join our “Green Workout Team” to help with general trail clean-up, painting kiosks, marking trails and bridge building at its 7 public preserves.

The Trout Brook Preserve in Alna is getting a new interpretive trail and the interpretive trails at Marsh River and Palermo will be getting a face-lift this year. Interested trail workers can visit the SVCA website for dates and times and send an email to be added to the workout list.

In addition to trail work, several SVCA properties will be benefiting from active wildlife habitat improvement projects. The Stester Preserve in Jefferson has a number of old brush piles designed for wildlife habitat that need rebuilding. A small pine stand will be thinned as part of timber stand improvement on the property and some areas will be trimmed back to provide habitat for those wildlife species that benefit from forested openings.

The SVCA’s Whitefield Salmon Preserve has an area along the trail that was historically a field. With volunteers we will remove small pines and shrubs to maintain the opening and alders for American woodcock habitat. The property was protected specifically for wildlife habitat along the West Branch and main stem of the Sheepscot River.

Stewardship volunteers do a variety of jobs, including trail and boundary work, collecting data for baselines, creating interpretive materials, monitoring nest boxes, water quality monitoring, and annual monitoring of properties. SVCA stewardship volunteers provide extra eyes and ears to help protect the lands managed by the organization.

Volunteers may commit to an hour or two a year, or to many days during each month! SVCA volunteers have an abundant opportunity to explore lands that are less traveled, provide a valuable service to the organization and learn new skills and natural history along the way!

If you are interested in volunteering for any stewardship task, or just want to know more, please call the office at 207-586-5616 or email Lynne Flaccus at lynne@sheepscot.org. There are opportunities and interesting tasks for everyone! 

Another week, another batch of strong individual performances for the Wiscasset High School track and field team.

During its Tuesday, May13 home meet, the team hosted Lisbon, Mountain Valley, Oak Hill and St. Dominic's.

Wiscasset freshman Gabby Chapman, competing in her second high school meet, finished second in the high jump with a leap of four feet, six inches, and was third on the long jump with a 13 foot, nine-and-a-half inch jump.

Michaela Trudeau returned to throw the javelin 61 feet, seven inches, which was the third-best distance on the day.

Keara Hunter competed in the discus for Wiscasset, and recorded a 51 foot, three-inch throw, which placed her third.

Lisbon would go on to win the girls division with 127 points, with St. Dom's (97 points) in second, Mountain Valley (64) third and Wiscasset (18) fourth.

Wiscasset's Josh Delong finished sixth in the boys 100 meter dash, with a time of 13.12 seconds. Josh Kramley was eighth in the same race with a time of 13.28 seconds.

In the 200 meter dash, Sam Storer was fourth with a time of 25.62 seconds. Teammate Colin Viele was right behind him, as the freshman finished fifth with a time of 26.09 seconds.

Nate Austin again put on a clinic in the shot put, as he finished first by an inch; his throw of 40 feet, one-inch bettered Lisbon's Andrew Gamino's 40-foot throw by just an inch.

Austin also threw the javelin 90 feet, five inches, which placed him eighth; and the discus 93 feet, which was third.

Lisbon's boys team came in first place with 240 points; Mountain Valley was second with 42 points; Oak Hill was third with 28; St. Dom's was fourth with 27; and Wiscasset was fifth with 15 points.

The Wiscasset High School boys varsity tennis team is back to its winning ways.

On May 7 the Wolverines would go on to defeat Lisbon in each match and take the day, 5-0.

Wiscasset's Nate Panarese won his match over Jacob Bremmer, 10-2; Tom Anderson won over Josh Broadwater, 10-2; and Logan Grover was victorious over Andrew Balser. 10-4.

In doubles match-ups it was the freshmen duo of Ethan James and Kevin Lynch winning over Charles Sult and Jared Williams, 10-6.

In the other doubles match-up Ridge Barnes and Andrew Walton won over Derrick Martel and Ross Poulin, 10-2.

Wiscasset returned to the road May 12 to take on Monmouth Academy, but couldn't keep the win streak rolling. Monmouth was able to take both doubles match-ups and two of the three singles matches.

Anderson won the lone match for Wiscasset, by dispatching Monmouth's Robert Vickerson, 10-5.

In the other matches, Panarese lost to Kasey Smith, 10-2, and Ethan James lost to Ben Bolstridge 10-4.

The doubles team of Walton and Barnes lost to Joe Menice and Mason Clement, 10-3, and Lynch and Chris Perkins fell to Keith Anderson and Tyler Cote, 10-5.

Everyone and anyone is invited to the annual Pancake Breakfast hosted by Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) at the Alna Store in Alna on Sunday June 1. From 8-10:30 a.m. volunteers will be making and serving pancakes to the sounds of local musicians Dan Townsend and Pixie Lauer. If you’re looking for a great taste of mid-coast community this spring be sure to get this in your calendar.

Whether you’re already a member or you’ve never been to HVNC, this is a great chance to show your support for local conservation and community. The $10 donation will be used directly to support educational and recreational programming for local families. In addition to pancakes and live music there will also be a collection of carnival style games created for HVNC by world-class game creator Aaron Weissblum. Weissblum is also the maker and designer of Trail Guys, the interactive game installed at HVNC last winter. The games will be free and fun for all ages.

As always HVNC will have a collection of picnic tables and benches for sale.  Cookout season is upon us and this will be a great opportunity to select one of our completely unique pieces for your garden or patio. Take a look at the variety of styles at hvnc.org/tables-and-benches.

Anyone arriving to the breakfast on bike or foot will be entered into a drawing to win a free overnight at one of HVNC’s huts.

The Alna Store is open six days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is a local hub for community gatherings, and is a great supporter of HVNC. Come by on June 1 and try their amazing blueberry pancakes.

NAPA SUPER STREET (35 LAPS)

1.       #1 Adam Chadbourne, Woolwich

2.       #2 Josh Bailey, Wiscasset

3.       #51 Bryan Robbins, Montville

4.       #61 Shawn Austin, Norridgewock

5.       #06 Zach Poland, Woolwich

OUTLAW MINI (25 LAPS)

1.       #20 Shawn Kimball, Augusta

2.       #06 Ryan Glover, Mexico

3.       #18 Josh Larson, Farmingdale

4.       #10 Jimmy Childs, Leeds

5.       #13 Nate Tribett, Richmond

NEW ENGLAND 4 CYLINDER PROSTOCK (25 LAPS)

1.       #24 Jeff Prindall, Lisbon Falls

2.       #12 Dave Patten, Westbrook

3.       #98 Kamren Knowles, West Gardiner

4.       #14 Bob Patten, Westbrook

5.       #7 Chuck Harris, Newcastle

PROSTOCK (30 LAPS)

1.       #07 Bill Penfold, Oxford

2.       #32 Mike Orr, Wiscasset

3.       #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset

4.       #77 Maggie Ferland, Auburn

5.       #64 Matt Sanborn, Westbrook

ENDURO (50 LAPS)

1.       #777 Mike St Germain

2.       #11 Donald Nashawaky

3.       #8 Ron Whitcomb

4.       #4J Joe Katula

5.       #117 Dan Wade

Late this winter Hidden Valley Nature Center (HVNC) in Jefferson embarked on a capital campaign to build two unique buildings that will sustain current programming and enable more collaboration with local schools, artists and other organizations. HVNC opened its doors to the public just seven years ago, but the response and popularity has grown ever since. Membership is topping five hundred and this year over five thousand individuals are expected to visit.

Over the past year HVNC was named Outstanding Tree Farmer of the Year in Maine, and hired their first full-time staff person, Director Andy McEvoy. “As the community grows we’re attempting to grow the infrastructure to meet their needs and interests,” said HVNC co-founder Tracy Moskovitz.

“We were inspired to take on this process because of a matching grant opportunity provided by the Elizabeth Anne Leach Charitable Trust,” Moskovitz said. Now, just a few months later over half of the $70,000 goal has been raised, the matching grant has been secured, and site work has commenced on one of the buildings. It is expected to be completed by September 6, when HVNC hosts Tree Farm Field Days. The second building will be built by students in a Timber Frame Construction Class in October.

“The outpouring of support has been great,” said co-founder Bambi Jones. HVNC has received support from many local businesses in the form of cash, store credit, and even in building materials and labor. Some of the most generous businesses include Ames Supply of Wiscasset, McGee Construction, Union Farm and Tilton Insurance.

In addition to businesses, HVNC’s membership and supporters have contributed generously to the effort thus far. The remainder of the sum needed will be raised through a combination of foundation support, community support and fundraising events.

To learn more about the buildings and to keep track of the progress, visit hvnc.org/help-us-grow.

As track season nears its conclusion, the focus will turn to not only setting personal bests, but qualifying for the conference meet.

On May 20 several Wiscasset High School track and field athletes did just that.

And, those athletes picked up a few first-place finishes to boot.

Senior Kristen Cavanaugh had her strongest showing of the year, with a jump of four-and-half feet in the high jump. Wiscasset freshman Gabby Chapman was right behind her with a four-foot, four-inch jump, which was tied for second.

In the long jump, Chapman set a personal best for the season with a 14-foot, four-and-half foot jump, which placed her second behind Winthrop's Rachel Ingram, who leaped 15 feet, seven-and-a-half inches. Ingram would also take the triple jump with a mark of 33 feet, three inches.

Freshman Colin Viele also set a personal best with a 56.95 second 400-meter run, which was the best time of the day.

Senior Nate Austin was again solid in the shot-put; he won posted the best distance (41 feet, three inches) for the third consecutive week.

javelin wiscasset mane

With only a handful of games, sets and meets left, the late May wet weather has thrown the Wiscasset High School springs sports schedule into flux.

With several rain-outs, many games, meets and matches have had to be rescheduled.

The Wednesday, May 28 baseball and softball games against Boothbay Region High School have been shifted to 10 a.m. Saturday, May 31. The girls tennis match, which was scheduled for Wednesday, has been moved to a 4 p.m. start Thursday against Oak Hill.

The National Weather Service is predicting a sunny day for Thursday, with temperatures nearing the mid-60s.

Although no gold came the Wolverines's way during the May 29 Mountain Valley Conference Championship in Augusta, the Wiscasset High School track and field team still brought back some hardware.

For a season that began as a rebuilding effort it ended with a few underclassmen establishing themselves.

For Wiscasset, it was a tale of young players improving and seniors performing to expectations.

Senior Kristen Cavanaugh, who had been jumping four-and-half feet consistently throughout the spring in the girls high jump, was able to jump four feet, eight inches at the conference championship which placed her second overall.

Fellow senior Nate Austin, who had won several events during the season for both shot put and discus, was able to place third in the shot put.

Freshmen Gabby Chapman and Brandon Goud both put on a show at the conference championship: Chapman finished fourth in the girls long jump and Goud completed the 1,600 meter run in just five minutes and 15 seconds.

Coach Warren Cossette, who has been at the helm for 22 years, wrote in an email that Colin Viele and Sam Storer both ran well in their respective races and that Wiscasset should again be solid next season.

"Th team has done very well due to their great work ethic,” he wrote. “With few upperclassmen, and the ones here good role models, the future looks very bright. I am quite proud of this years team.”

After three innings, Wiscasset High School boys baseball coach Mike Bowles faced a dilemma.

Should he leave in pitcher Darren Wood, who had racked up seven strikeouts and allowed no hits in the first three innings of the Wolverine's June 11 playoff match-up against Valley High School, or remove Wood so that the pitcher would be available Saturday should Wiscasset advance?

In the end, Wood was lifted and Wiscasset needed only five innings to dispatch Valley, 10-0, to advance in the Western Class D playoffs. The Wolverines will have a Saturday match-up in Richmond with the top-ranked team.

Bowles said having Wood available Saturday outweighed a no-hitter and the Wolverines were able to execute on the mound, in the field and at the plate, which ultimately made the decision easier.

“The guys were able to put together great at bats, they put the ball in play and they made things happen,” he said. “They executed in all three facets of the game.”

Tyler Bailey was able to pick up where Wood left off and blanked Valley over the last two innings.

Wiscasset scored in the first inning after Wood drove home Grant Hefler, who had singled and stolen second. The Wolverines wasted no time adding to that lead: Nate Howard and Matt Craig crossed the plate in the second inning to push the lead to 3-0.

The bats came alive in the third, as Wood, Chandler Longfellow, Tyler Bailey and Howard scored runs to push the lead to 7-0.

Wiscasset would end the game with one out in fifth after Wood hit a pop-up that landed in no-man's land behind first base to score Tyler Flavin. Hefler made a snap decision to race home on a wild throw to score the 10th run and end the game.

“That's a pretty fun way to end a game,” Bowles said.

Now Wiscasset will turn its attention to Richmond, which went 12-1 in the regular season en route to a first-round bye.

But, Bowles said the Wolverines aren't going into the match-up as underdogs.

“Normally, it would be an upset if a number four team beats a one seed,” he said. “I don't think it would be an upset if we win. This is what the guys have been working for all season. They're prepared for it.”

Richmond will throw out ace Mike Stewart, whom many of the Wolverines know from past encounters, Bowles said. The Wiscasset coach has yet to name his starter.

“(Stewart) throws hard and he throws strikes,” Bowles said. “But, a lot of these guys have faced him in Little League or in Babe Ruth.”

As soon as the Valley game was over, the focus turned to Richmond, which is another step towards Wiscasset’s end goal, Bowles said.

“This is just a step closer to where we want to be,” he said. “At the beginning of the year I said we wanted to make a run at a state title.

“Now, it's within reach.”

Fewer than 13 miles separate Richmond High School and Wiscasset High School.

At 10 a.m. Saturday, June 14 the two teams will look to put a little more distance between them.

The second round of the Maine Class D Western Baseball playoffs will begin at 10 a.m. at Richmond High School, 132 Main Street, Richmond.

Richmond (12-1 in the regular season) received a first-round bye as the league's top-seeded team while Wiscasset (7-9 regular season, 1-0 in the playoffs) entered as the fourth seed.

In the team's first game the Wolverines made short work of the Valley High School varsity squad — the game only lasted five innings in a 10-0 Wiscasset romp.

The two teams did not play in the regular season.

Should the Wolverines win, the team would play Wednesday, June 18 in the semi-finals.

If unable to go to the game, follow the action live on Twitter @wiscassetnews and check back for updates. If there is rain, the game could be postponed.

Shortly after propelling his team into the next round of the Western Class D Playoffs with his arm and his bat, Wiscasset High School baseball player Darren Wood was named to the Mountain Valley Conference all-conference second team.

Teammates Chandler Longfellow and Grant Hefler were named to the honorable mention team.

It wasn't just Wiscasset's baseball that was honored: Briana Goud and Tylan Onorato were named to the MVC honorable mention softball team for the Wolverines.

Nate Panarese earned a spot on the boys tennis second team, while teammates Tom Anderson and Ethan James both earned spots on the boys tennis honorable mention squad.

Miranda McIntire scooped up a second-team spot for the girls tennis team, while Sarah Hanley and Hanna Foye were both honorable mentions.

High jumper Kristen Cavanaugh was named to the track and field second team.

Wiscasset also had seven athletes land on the academic all-stars for the conference, as Abby Dunn, Hanley, Nate Howard, Goud, Logan Grover, Panarese and Michaela Trudeau all made the cut.

Heading into the quarterfinal game against Richmond High School, the Wiscasset High School boys varsity baseball team had one special mission:

Get number one-seeded Richmond fireballer Mike Stewart out of the game, and early.

In the end, the Wolverines were able to drive up the Bobcat ace's pitch count en route to a 9-3 victory Saturday, June 14 in the Western Class D regional finals.

Wiscasset starting pitcher Darren Wood was able to go the distance for the Wolverines, but ran into trouble in the fifth inning.

Wiscasset had jumped out to a first-inning four-run lead, thanks in large part to a booming Nate Howard base hit. The team would scratch out another two runs to give the team a 6-0 advantage heading into the fifth inning.

Richmond was finally able to strike, with an RBI base hit and an error in the outfield to cut the score to 6-3.

The Wolverines weren't done, however.

“All year long we've responded when the other team scores,” Wood said. “It seems like if they go out and score one or two runs, we come out and match it.

“I wasn't too worried: We always come back.”

Wiscasset was in the end able to drive up the pitch count and force Stewart from the game.

“Going in, we wanted to make Mike throw a lot of pitches, and throw a lot of strikes,” Wiscasset Head Coach Mike Bowles said after the game. “We didn't want to help him out. The plan was to make him throw over 100 pitches (Stewart finished with 123) and the plan worked out perfectly today.”

Wiscasset will next play at 3 p.m. Wednesday, June 18 against Buckfield, at St. Joseph's College in Standish.

“Buckfield has a lefty pitcher who's tough,” Bowles said.

“We'll take it easy (the rest of the weekend) but on Monday, we're getting back to work.”

Wiscasset wins playoff opener

After three innings, Wiscasset High School boys baseball coach Mike Bowles faced a dilemma June 11.

Should he leave in pitcher Darren Wood, who had so far racked up seven strikeouts and allowed no hits in the first three innings of the Wolverines’ playoff match-up against Valley High School, or remove Wood so that the pitcher would be available Saturday should Wiscasset advance?

In the end, Wood was lifted and Wiscasset needed only five innings to dispatch Valley, 10-0, to advance in the Western Class D playoffs.

Bowles said having Wood available Saturday outweighed a no-hitter and the Wolverines were able to execute on the mound, in the field and at the plate, which ultimately made the decision easier.

“The guys were able to put together great at bats, they put the ball in play and they made things happen,” he said. “They executed in all three facets of the game.”

Tyler Bailey was able to pick up where Wood left off and blanked Valley over the last two innings.

Wiscasset scored in the first inning after Wood drove home Grant Hefler, who had singled and stolen second. The Wolverines wasted no time adding to that lead: Nate Howard and Matt Craig crossed the plate in the second inning to push the lead to 3-0.

The bats came alive in the third, as Wood, Chandler Longfellow, Tyler Bailey and Howard scored runs to push the lead to 7-0.

Wiscasset would end the game with one out in fifth after Wood hit a pop-up that landed in no-man's land behind first base to score Tyler Flavin. Hefler made a snap decision to race home on a wild throw to score the 10th run and end the game.

“That's a pretty fun way to end a game,” Bowles said.

With his young pitcher appearing to tense up in the sixth inning of the Western Class D Finals, Wiscasset Head Coach Mike Bowles took a walk to the mound.

Was it to pull pitcher Tyler Bailey, who was twirling a shutout, or to talk strategy during the final innings of the Western Class D finals?

“I actually went out there just to tell him a joke,” Bowles said. “I just wanted him to get loose, to relax a little. It's something I've been doing lately: Just going out, telling our guys to relax, loosen up.”

What else have the Wolverines been doing lately?

Winning.

Behind Bowles' jokes and Bailey's pitching the Wolverines knocked off second-seeded Buckfield, 4-0, to advance to the state final game for the first time in Wiscasset's history. The Class D championship will be at 3 p.m. Saturday in Bangor at Mansfield Field against Eastern Class D Champions Bangor Christian.

On Wednesday, June 18 Wiscasset also wanted to do to Buckfield's Jonah Williams what it did against Richmond's Mike Stewart on Saturday, June 14, Bowles said.

“(Williams) threw 90-plus pitches in his last start, and we got him to throw 36 pitches in the first inning,” he said. “It was really hot and humid, and we wanted to make him sweat a little.”

One of Wiscasset's goals was to get on the board early and put the pressure on a seasoned Buckfield squad playing at St. Joseph’s College in Standish.

The first three batters of the game reached base before shortstop Chandler Longfellow drove home third baseman Grant Hefler for the game's first run. A Bailey groundout would bring home second baseman Brycson Grover for the second run.

That lead would hold up, and it gave Bailey an early lift.

“It helps a lot when your teammates can go out and get you a couple of runs – it boosted my confidence,” he said.

Heading into the game, Bailey said that while he felt good in warm-ups, his signature pitch, a diving curveball, wasn't working for him.

“Midway through the game, I finally got a feel for it,” he said. “That definitely helped me through the rest of the game.”

What also helped Bailey was near-perfect defense behind him. Grover made several spectacular plays at second; centerfielder Matt Craig left his feet to snag a fly ball; rightfielder Nate Howard made several plays including a run-saving throw, and first baseman Cass Carr picked several balls in the dirt.

Wiscasset would score again in the fourth inning after Craig blooped a triple into right field to lead off the inning. He would come on a wild pitch to give leftfielder Tyler Flavin an RBI and Wiscasset a 3-0 lead.

Craig would score again in the top of the sixth on a Hefler base hit to cap the scoring at 4-0.

While Wiscasset will savor its first regional title, the team isn't satisfied yet, Bowles said.

“We haven't won a state title yet,” he said. “We have one game left and I want them to remain calm and loose.”

But, Bowles will still keep a joke handy, just in case.

Take part in a scenic bike ride on July 5 that explores the towns and landscapes from Gardiner to Bath. This 38-mile ride starts at Gardiner's Waterfront Park and ends at Bath's Heritage Days celebration.

Check-in is from 8:15 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. at McMann Field in Bath. Bikers will load their bikes and board the bus for Gardiner. Bikers can also meet and check-in at Waterfront Park in Gardiner at 9:20 a.m. The ride will leave Gardiner at 9:30 a.m.

Both experienced and novice bikers are welcome. The ride will include frequent stops to rest and regroup, and the expected pace is 10 to 12 mph. The route passes through the towns of Gardiner, Richmond, Bowdoinham, Topsham, Brunswick, West Bath and Bath.

The event is free if participants arrange their own transportation and $10 for participants who take the bus from Bath to Gardiner. Please pre-register for the ride by June 27. Contact Ruth Indrick at rindrick@kennebecestuary.org or 207-442-8400 to register or check out more information about the ride at merrymeetingtrail.org/events.html.

Along the ride, participants will enjoy scenic views of the rivers that flow into Merrymeeting Bay. Stops will be made at the town centers to allow riders to explore and enjoy what they have to offer (and find some tasty snacks to munch on during the ride). There will be a chance to learn about bike trails planned in the region, visit a local bakery, drop by a farmer's market, wander in to an art center, and stop for lunch. The ride ends in Bath in the midst of Bath Heritage Days celebrations. Enjoy an ice cream, stroll through the huge library book sale, check out arts and crafts, visit the carnival rides, or relax and listen to music in Waterfront Park.

Baseball is a game of sometimes.

Sometimes the ball lands on the foul line. Sometimes the runner is called safe.

Sometimes the fairy tale ending happens, and sometimes the dream falls short.

For Wiscasset High School baseball's unprecedented Cinderella season, baseball again showed why it is a sometimes game.

The Wolverines never trailed, and led for five-and-half innings, yet in the end it was Bangor Christian, the Class D heavyweight, that won, 5-4, in an instant classic.

For the Bangor Christian Patriots, the fairy tale ending happened: Senior Cody Collins won his third consecutive title by scoring the tying run in the bottom of the seventh and driving in the winning run in the bottom of the eighth. The Mr. Baseball finalist also happened to be the winning pitcher for a Bangor Christian team that was playing in front of a home crowd.

That's not to say the sizable Wiscasset crowd, who traveled several hours north to Bangor's Mansfield Stadium, didn't have much to cheer about during the Class D state final game.

Wiscasset jumped out to an early lead as senior Chandler Longfellow scored on a seeing-eye single from fellow senior Nate Howard in the second inning.

Longfellow knocked in catcher Grant Hefler in the next inning to give the Wolverines (10-10) a 2-0 lead.

Pitcher Daren Wood was able to corral the Patriots (19-1) for most of the game and left in the sixth inning with a 4-3 lead.

Bangor Christian showed how the team was able to win the state title in 2012 and 2013, however, as the team erased Wiscasset's lead in the seventh before loading the bases in the eighth to set up Collins's heroics.

For Wiscasset, it was the first trip to the state finals in the school's baseball history. In Head Coach Mike Bowles' first season, it was a season that had a late start:

He wasn't named the head coach until the eve of the season.

“We didn't have a lot of time to prep for the season, and I was asking them to do things they had never done before,” he said. “A lot of it was new to them.”

The team shot out of the gate, despite playing a full Class C schedule. In the middle of the season the Class D Wolverines faltered, only to have the team pick up momentum as the season drew to a close.

Some players quit, others left and Wiscasset was left with just 11 players.

“We had to patch up (the team) a little bit,” Bowles said. “But that, and the schedule we played, made the kids tougher. They had to show how much heart they had every single game.”

That toughness translated: The Wolverines went into the Western Class D playoffs as a four seed. They pounded the fifth seed (Valley High School, 10-0), slipped past the top seed (Richmond, 9-3) and blanked the reigning Western Champ (Buckfield, 4-0).

Although the state title slipped past, most of the Wiscasset squad will get another chance.

The team will lose starters and stalwarts Howard, Longfellow and Cass Carr to graduation, but will bring back the other six starters and the two remaining bench players.

As Bowles said after the game, the team has been there once, and it knows now what it takes.

“We'll do it all again next year,” he said. “We have a lot to look forward to.”

Because sometimes, as Bangor Christian just proved, teams get another chance.

wiscasset baseball

Boothbay Region High School running Coach Nick Scott is a finalist for the Brooks Running 2014 Most Inspiring Coach of the Year.

This means the BRHS cross country/track team has already won $5,000 in Brooks running gear, plus $500 in cash. If Scott wins the competition, the team prize more than doubles: the $5,000 becomes $10,000 in gear and the $500 cash becomes $2,000.

The race for the Brooks title starts now. This is where all of you Coach Scott, running and BRHS fans can make the difference.

Log on to Brooks Running Most Inspiring Coaches contest, and cast your vote for Coach Scott. One vote per person per day. Voting ends on July 31.

Related: Boothbay Harbor’s Nick Scott: Most Inspiring Coach

 

Photo of Nick Scott, Nate Schwehm and Chase Brown

If you haven’t already signed up, it’s time to register for the Lobster Roll 5k! And if you have a few fast friends, check out the team challenge: any team of three people or more can win a gift certificate to a local restaurant, plus their team name engraved on the trophy and bragging rights for the year.

The race is on Saturday, July 26 at Boothbay Region High School, at 8 a.m. with a Kids fun run following the race. Register online at www.runreg.com or for more information go to www.lobsterroll5K.weebly.com.

All proceeds go towards building a new track and athletic facility for local schools and the community. If you would like to volunteer at the 5k or for our effort please call Nick Scott at 207-441-5158.

Wiscasset Speedway's Late Model Sportsman racing division proved once again why it is the track's most exciting and competitive division in 2014.

Coming into the holiday weekend, the class had turned out five different winners in the first five races. That streak of different winners would continue after an action packed, and caution free, 35 lap feature.

Fans packed into Maine's fastest track on a beautiful evening for an Independence Day weekend show featuring action in Group 2 divisions, including Late Models, Strictly Streets, Thunder 4 Minis and Mini Truck. The "Flex" race of the weekend was a 100 lap Enduro. Fans also got an opportunity to meet pro fisherman Troy Garrison.

The 35-lap Late Model Sportsman feature saw Sidney's Chris Thorne lined up at the poll position and surrounded by the St. Clair family. He had veteran "Boss Hogg" Dave St. Clair line up behind him and brother's Ryan and Josh St. Clair along side.

Thorne quickly shook off the challenge and pulled out to a half straightaway advantage by halfway. Thorne was looking to become the division's first repeat winner of 2014. Through the middle of the race Dave St. Clair settled into a good run and slowly started to reel in the race leader. After trying the outside of Thorne with 10 laps to go, St. Clair switched things up and pulled to the inside of Thorne in turn three to take the lead. He would go on to take the feature win by about 4 car lengths.

For St. Clair it was his first win at Wiscasset in nearly 10 years. Thorne held on to finish and they were joined in victory lane by Ryan St. Clair, who held off his brother Josh as well as a hard charging Chris Bowie.

Wiscasset Speedway returns to action on Saturday, July 12 with Mainely Motorsports Fan Appreciation Day. The show will feature action in Group 1 divisions, including Prostocks, Napa Super Streets, Outlaw Mini's, and 4-cyl Pros. The Flex Race of the week will be a 35-lap feature for the Nelcar Legends. To add to the fun, there will be a pre-race ontrack driver meet and greet, where fans can go down onto the track to meet the group 1 drivers.

There will also be kids bike races, and the Maine Vintage Stock Car Association will have its mobile museum on hand at the track for fans to look through. Pit gates will open at 2 p.m. Grandstand gates will open at 4 and the pre-race autograph session will start at 5:30 p.m. Racing will begin at 6 p.m. Grandstand admission is just $5 with kids 6 and under free. Pit admission is $20. Details will be available at www.wiscassetspeedway.com

Official finishes

Late Model Sportsman (35 laps)

1. #14 Dave St. Clair - Liberty

2. #17 Chris Thorne, Sidney

3. #30 Ryan St. Clair, Liberty

4. #33 Josh St. Clair, Liberty

5. # 6  Chris Bowie, New Gloucester

6. #15 Nick Hinkley, Wiscasset

7. #28 Steve Minott, Windham

8. #00 Alex Waltz, Walpole

9. #25 Will Collins, Waldoboro

10. #04 Allan Moeller Sr, Dresden

11. #3  Richard Jordan, Kingfield

12. #34 Tyler Robbins, Montville

Strictly Street (25 laps)

1. #83 Dan Brown, Peru

2. #14 Dave Brannon, Lisbon

3. #23 Zack Emerson, Sabattus

4. #36 Richard Spaulding, Lisbon

5. #40 Mac Hannan Jr., Union

6. #43 Ben Erskine, Farmington

7. #6  Mike Brown, Union

8. #13 Josh Bailey, Wiscasset

9. #85 Jairet Harrison, Freeport

10. #24 Jonathan Emerson, Sabattus

11. #32 Tasha Dyer, Freedom

12. #30  Charles Beal, Ledyard, Conn.

13. #26  Corey Morgan, Lewiston

14. #29x Mike Stewart, Durham

15. #05 Glen Reynolds, Greene

16. #22x Paul Lund, n/a

17. #19 Foster Messerve, Wales

18. #66 Phil Main Sr., Trevett

19. #22 Tommy Smith, Edgecomb

20. #55 Mike Marshall, Randolph

21. #5  Guy Childs, Turner

22. #71 Allen Higgins, Brunswick

23. #21 Shawn Rines, Wiscasset

Thunder 4 Mini (30 laps)

1. #5   Ryan Chadwick, Wiscasset

2. #113 Nate Tribbet, Richmond

3. #3   Cody Robbins, Winslow

4. #33 Trey Brown, Winterport

5. #13 Cody Tribbet, Richmond

6. #31 Leandra Martin, Richmond

7. #04 Curtis Anderson, Richmond

8. #4x Travis Pouliot, Madison

9. #14 Robert McDonald, Smithfield

10. #42 Kyia Roussel, Portland

11. #11x Kyle Dorey, Bowdoinham

12. #68 Tyler Bailey, Wiscasset

13. #1 Jeff Davis, Woolwich

Mini Trucks (15 laps)

1. #1  Matt Curtis, Freeport

2. #12 Jerry McKenna, Milton

3. #0  Kris Knox, Sanford

4. #22 Jeff Schmidt, Mechanic Falls

5. #14 Dave Gammon, Peru

6. #17 Matt Weil, Biddeford

Enduro (100 laps)

1. #45  John Rines

2. #777 Mike St. Germain

3. #42  Roy Glidden

4. #3    Kyle Enman

5. #1c  Adam Chadbourne

6. #55x Mike Marshall

7. #33 Travis Chaison

8. #66 James Grover

9. #41 Jeff Davis

10. #74 Donald Peavey

11. #40 Matt Williams

12. #63 Mike Miete

13. #4j Joe Katula

14. #77 Zack Emerson

15. #15 Matthew Brown

16. #11 Scott Eck

17. #28 Pete McCollet

18. #8 Ron Whitcomb

19. #77x Vern Hodgkins Jr.

20. #11x Jonathan Emerson

 

Submission deadlines

ALL copy - articles, columns, Letters to the Editor, press releases, photographs, News Briefs, calendar/What’s Happening items, etc. - is now due Mondays at 3 p.m. effective December 2019

Obituaries (with prior notification) will be accepted until 4:30 p.m. on Tuesdays

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Summerfest fun will fill the Wiscasset Common lawn this Saturday, July 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. For the 31st time, The First Congregational Church has been busily collecting and preparing for sale: jumbles, plants, wooden toys, jewelry, knits/crafts, baked goods, books, old treasures and more.

The tenth annual dog parade will take place at 10:30 a.m. The all-day silent auction will have many items donated by local merchants, with the largest item, so far, being a 10-foot L.L. Bean kayak.

There will be activities for children, a Candy Kitchen and the On Common Cafe with sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, beverages and desserts. Music provided by local musicians will fill the air as fairgoers stroll the aisles, visit the cafe or simply check out the scene.

As in the past, all proceeds from the event will be donated to various local charities. The public from nearby and “from away” is invited to join in the fun!

It's already time to think about Wolverines sports again.

The fall soccer season doesn't begin in earnest until September, but teams will begin practicing Monday, Aug. 18, with scrimmages beginning shortly thereafter.

The boys team will start the season off with three scrimmages. The first will be at 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 23 versus Richmond at home. The team will play at Medomak Valley at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 26 and at Lincoln Academy at 7 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 3.

The regular season will start with a 7 p.m. game Saturday, Sept. 6 at Mt. Abram. The team's first home game will be at 5 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 9 against Carrabec.

The girls soccer team will kick off its season with a 5:30 p.m. scrimmage Tuesday, Aug. 26 at Medomak Valley, then a 7 p.m. game Wednesday, Sept. 3 at Lincoln Academy. There is also a tentatively-scheduled scrimmage against Hyde on either Thursday, Sept. 11 or Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The regular season will start with a rivalry game, as the Wolverines play the Seahawks at 4 p.m. Friday, September 5 at Boothbay Region.

To report sports scores, call reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email scores to news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

In no short time, Wolverines will once again take to the course and links as the gold and cross country schedules for the 2014 fall season have been released.

The boys golf team, which calls Whitefield's Sheepscot Links its home turf, will travel September 2 to Winthrop to match up against St. Dom's, then will head to Oakdale September 4 for a match with Mountain Valley.

The first home tee time will be September 8 when Telstar comes to Whitefield. St. Dom's will come to Sheepscot Links to play September 11, then Oak Hill arrives September 18.

The team will play at Lakewood September 22 against Madison before returning home September 25 for a match up with Winthrop.

The team will close out the year on the road, with a September 29 match up with Dirigo at Oakdale and an October 1 date with Carrabec at Lakewood. The Mountain Valley Conference playoff will be October 2, the semi-finals October 6 and the qualifier October 8. The state championship for teams in October 11 and the individual finals will be October 18.

All regular season tee times are at 3:30 p.m., with the MVC start times to be announced

The boys and girls cross country team will again seek to keep up with the rest of the Mountain Valley Conference and will start its season September 10 in Winthrop. The next race will be September 17 at Boothbay Region High School, then the team heads to University of Maine – Augusta (UMA) September 24 before heading to Black Mountain October 1. The teams will run the follow week, October 8, at Lisbon before the October 18 Mountain Valley Conference meet at UMA.

Regionals will be October 25 and the state meet will be November 1.

To report sports scores, call reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

A new year, a new coach, a new team.

Challenge accepted, said new Wiscasset High School boys varsity soccer coach Chris Cossette.

Cossette will take the reins of a successful Wiscasset soccer program for the fall.

His challenge? To rebuild on the fly without the help of any seniors in a tough Mountain Valley Conference.

But to help the Wolverines along this year are a talented cast of underclassmen who starred on the team a year ago, and a handful of juniors who were in starting roles a year ago.

Young? Yes. Inexperienced? Not really.

“We're going to be young,” Cossette said. “We have no seniors as of right now, but (the team) is starting to come together.”

Even with several veterans on the squad, Cossette said he would switch positions to see where the best fit for each player truly is.

“Someone may come in and say 'This is my position,' but it may turn out that no, you're better here or there,” he said. “We have time to see where everyone fits in.”

Unlike last year's team, which was a quick-striking and attack-first squad, this year's team will be happy to let opposing teams crash upon them like waves.

The team will try to wear down the opposition through repeated strikes, before going striking, Cossette said.

The team will rely on returning sophomores like Kevin Lynch, goalkeeper Ethan James and Russell Marr, while juniors like Brycson Grover will patrol the middle of the field.

This year's team will employ a more German-style of play: it will play conservatively and wait for the opposing team to make a mistake.

On offense, the team will remain patient and not to try force goals, Cossette said.

“We're going to focus on controlling our possessions,” he said. “We're not just going to kick the ball hard and chase after it. We're going to try and work each side well and try to break (the opposing team) down.”

By the end of the season Cossette said he hopes the team is not only performing well on the pitch, but in the classroom, too.

“I want to see that they've bonded as a team,” he said. “The wins and losses will take care of themselves.”

To report scores call or text Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or ben@wiscassetnewspaper.com
wiscasset maine soccer

While the Wiscasset High School girls varsity soccer team lost several seniors to graduation, the 2014 edition still returns plenty of familiar faces from the successful program of a year ago.

Make that eight of them.

The team will feature eight seniors this year, and those upperclassmen have set a good standard thus far, Coach Duane Goud said.

“It's a committed group of girls,” Goud said. “From what I have seen so far they are dedicated to this team.”

Last year, the Wolverines won 13 games and hosted powerhouse Waynflete.

While no team would score in regulation play, Waynflete held the edge in penalty kicks and moved forward in the state tournament.

Returning from that team are seniors like Kayla Gordon, who played almost every game in net as the Wolverines goalkeeper, Hanna Foye, Maeve Carlson and Miranda McIntire, who played large roles a year ago.

The team will once again have seniors Katie Lynn Mills, Rachel Berry, Tylan Onorato and Alecia Faulkingham, who didn't play last year due to injuries.

The team also brings back several underclassmen who played large roles a year ago, like sophomores Gabby Chapman and Brooke Carleton.

The team will likely need those young players to come together if the team hopes to again make noise in a crowded Mountain Valley Conference.

The team's first challenge will be revamping the offense amid the loss of departed senior Sarah Hanley.

“I think Sarah had 16 goals for us last year,” Goud said. “We'll be working on the offense. We need to replace those goals somehow.”

Also gone is Briana Goud, who patrolled the middle of the field and set the tone for the defense, alongside fellow senior Michaela Trudeau.

But, incoming are several talented freshmen, including Ari Mills, who Goud said was taking reps in goal while Gordon recovers from an injury.

“Ari's looked pretty good in net so far,” he said.

Goud said the team's approach will likely be the same as it was a year ago: to wear down other teams on defense and strike when they are weary.

The team will start its season Friday, Sept. 5, at Boothbay.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email him at ben@wiscassetnewspaper.com.

Hanna Foye waited a long time to score her first high school goal.

She didn't have to wait so long for her second.

Foye scored for the second consecutive game and the Wiscasset High School girls varsity soccer team upturned the Carrabec Cobras, 2-1, Tuesday, Sept. 9.

Foye, a senior, scored the first goal of her high school career Friday, Sept. 5 against Boothbay Region. Her second goal came in the second half of a 1-1 tie with Carrabec.

While Wiscasset dominated early in both halves, the Cobras were still pressing the Wolverine defense when Foye, who might have the strongest kick on the team, booted a ball from well outside the box that found an empty stretch of Carrabec net.

“I think I was just as shocked as everyone else,” Foye said.

The Wolverines (2-0) scored with 19:57 remaining in the first half when sophomore Gabby Chapman connected off a rebound to bounce the ball past Carrabec goal keeper Stephanie Cossaboom.

Six minutes later the Cobras answered when Liberty Chestnut sent a corner kick curving perfectly to the opposite side of the net to knot the game at one.

The two teams were evenly matched for most of the game, with neither side able to capitalize on numerous crosses, until Foye put Wiscasset ahead for good.

Senior Kayla Gordon was again stout in net, as she racked up 12 saves. Wiscasset shot the ball 18 times against Carrabec's Cossaboom.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email them to news@wiscassetnewspaper.com
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Try as they might, the Wiscasset High School boys varsity soccer team couldn't break through against a tough Carrabec High School team Tuesday, Sept. 9.

The Wolverines (0-2) fell, 5-0, to their Mountain Valley Conference foes, the Cobras.

In a testy match-up of two rivals, the Cobras struck often against a young Wiscasset team.

Carrabec's Dillon Willette was a thorn in the side of Wolverines all game; the forward had a pair of goals and assist to lead the Cobras.

Willette's assist set up Carrabec's first goal, which came with 10 minutes remaining in the first half. Willette was able to thread the needle and get Seth Byrnes the ball to break a scoreless tie.

The Cobras scored again with three minutes remaining when Dustin Crawford drilled home a goal with an assist from Jacob Atwood.

The Wolverines would bounce back and press an attack on Carrabec before the first half ended.

In the second half the Willette show resumed. The forward scored Carrabec's third and fourth goals before senior Isaac Valliancourt, playing soccer for the first time, kicked home a goal with an assist from Nick Sansone. After Valliancourt scored the other Carrabec players mobbed the senior.

The Wolverines are coming off a 3-1 loss against Mt. Abram, Sept. 6. Brycson Grover scored the lone goal in that game for Wiscasset.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email him at news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

A few days after an afternoon with a pair of tough Carrabec teams, the Wiscasset High School Wolverines boys and girls soccer teams will have to go toe-to-toe with a pair of superlative Dirigo teams.

The girls varsity soccer team (2-0) will host the Cougars (2-0) at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 13 in a match-up of unbeaten teams. The Wiscasset boys team (0-2) will follow with a 6 p.m. match-up against the Cougars (1-0).

The girls team is coming off a tightly-played, hotly-contested Tuesday, Sept. 9 game at home against Carrabec (1-1) that it was able to win, 2-1. Senior Hanna Foye and Sophomore Gabby Chapman scored for Wiscasset, and senior goalkeeper Kayla Gordon had 12 saves in net.

The Dirigo girls team is also coming off a Mountain Valley Conference win, this time against Boothbay Region School. The team won, 4-1, in Boothbay on Sept. 10.

Dirigo's boys team is coming off a 5-1 drubbing of Telstar on Sept. 6. Wiscasset was handed a 5-0 loss at the hands of the Carrabec Cobras (2-0) on Sept. 9.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email them to news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

The Wiscasset High School's date with Dirigo turned to success as both teams were able to score three goals and send the Dirigo Cougars home with a pair of losses.

Playing first, the girls varsity squad (3-0, 3-0 in Western Class C) while Dirigo (2-1) was saddled with its first loss of the year. The win puts Wiscasset near the top of the Western Class C standings.

But, the girls team's road is about to get tougher: Up next for the Wolverines is an undefeated (3-0) Lisbon team playing at home on Thursday, September 18. Then, top-ranked Madison (4-0) will saunter into Wiscasset for a match-up of two of Maine's finest teams on Monday, Sept. 22.

The boys team put its first win in the bank with a late goal against Dirigo on Saturday.

Wiscasset (1-2) plays Monday, Sept. 15 at Hall-Dale then travels Friday, Sept. 19 to Lisbon to battle the Greyhounds.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email them to news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

The Wiscasset High School boys and girls varsity cross country teams didn’t have to go far to run fast.

On Wednesday, Sept. 17 the team traveled to Boothbay Harbor for the Boothbay Region High School meet to run against teams from Boothbay, St. Dom’s, Monmouth, Hall-Dale, Lisbon and Richmond, among others.

Wiscasset wasn’t able to break through to the top 10, but the Wolverines still featured strong individual performances.

Ella Jones finished 40th with a time of 34 minutes and four second and Amanda Marcus finished in 42nd place with a time of 35 minutes and 42 seconds.

Hall-Dale’s Emma Wilson posted the best time of the day, as she maintained a sub-seven minute-per-mile pace and finished with a time of 21 minutes and 34 seconds.

St. Dom’s would take the day, however, as the Saints finished with just 27 points — 17 points less than second-place Boothbay Region. Monmouth (52 points) rounded-out the top three.

On the boys side, Angus Putnam finished 43rd in a crowded field (he came in one second before Richmond’s Ben Rideout) with a time of 24 minutes and 57 seconds. Logan Orr finished in 49th place with a time of 27 minutes and 22 seconds, while Noah Jones finished the course in 31 minutes and six seconds to place 52nd.

Lisbon’s Nicholas Harriman lived up to his school’s mascot as the Greyhound runner finished first with a time of 17 minutes and 33 seconds. Boothbay Region’s  Joey Paolillo was right on his tail, as he finished with a time of 17 minutes and 46 seconds.

Boothbay Region’s squad would take the day in the end, as the Seahawks placed three runners in the top five for a score of 25. Lisbon (66 points), Hall-Dale (69), St. Dom’s (103) and Richmond (144) rounded out the top five.

The Wolverines will run again Wednesday, Sept. 24 at the University of Maine’s Augusta campus.

To report scores call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

Wiscasset High School was welcomed home for the 53rd time Saturday, Sept. 20, but the various events continue throughout the week.

On Saturday, there was a homecoming dance and the crowning of the king and queen.

The rest of the week will feature themed days to show off Wiscasset school spirit.

Monday is pajama day, Tuesday is mismatch day, Wednesday is beach day, Thursday is twins day and Friday will cap the themed days with red and black day. At 2 p.m. on Friday there will be a spirit assembly in the gym, complete with a tug-of-war.

On Saturday, Sept. 27, the festivities start at 8 a.m. with a pancake breakfast hosted by the booster’s at the high school cafeteria until 10 a.m., and recreational soccer during the morning. The activities continue with the classes decorating the bleachers at noon, then continuing with a tailgate party in the back parking lot at the school from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., at which time the middle school will have a soccer game at the upper field.

After the tailgate party, the boosters’ vintage auction will start at 3 p.m. before the national anthem at 3:55 p.m. and boys varsity soccer takes on Monmouth at 4 p.m.

After the boys game, but before the girls team takes on Monmouth, the Wiscasset Heat Cheerleaders will give a performance, then the Wolverines will face the Mustangs at 6 p.m.

Both Wiscasset squads will have their hands full with a tough Monmouth Academy program. Monmouth's boys team (3-1 overall record) currently occupies sixth-place in Western Class C, while Wiscasset (1-3 overall) is in 12th place in the same division.

The Monmouth girls team is equally stout; the team has a sterling 5-0 record in Western Class C where it sits in second place, behind only Madison Area Memorial High School. After suffering its first loss of the year September 16 at Hall-Dale, the Wiscasset Wolverines (3-1) are in ninth place in Western Class C.

Following the game, there will be a bonfire until 9 p.m. and the snack shack will be open throughout the festivities.

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 207-844-0711 or benbulkeley@wiscassetnewspaper.com.

Eventually, one of the shots Wiscasset High School girls varsity soccer team took against Madison's goalie Whitney Bess was bound to go in.

Unfortunately for the Wolverines, time ran out.

Playing Monday, Sept. 22, at home against Madison High School (6-0), a short-handed Wiscasset (3-3) team was unable to capitalize on multiple shots and fell, 2-0.

Just five minutes into the contest, Madison’s Kayla Bess made it look like clockwork when the junior scored on an assist from Jillian Holden. Bess, who took 11 shots on the day, would scored with 14:25 remaining in the first half when she had a breakaway.

Wiscasset senior goalkeeper Kayla Gordon recorded 15 saves on 17 shots, and fellow senior Miranda McIntire harassed Whitney Bess all game long, including seven shots on goal.

Wiscasset Freshman “Mini” Maeve Blodgett again played tough for the Wolverines, as she was often tasked with pairing up one-on-one with Madison's top strikers.

Wiscasset suffers tough loss at Lisbon

The Wiscasset High School girls varsity soccer team lost more than a game Sept. 18 at Lisbon.

The Wolverines (3-2) also lost three starters in a hectic, 1-0, game that didn't see either side score until Lisbon finally broke through with four minutes and 51 seconds remaining.

Wiscasset senior Hanna Foye took five shots on goal, and fellow senior Miranda McIntire shot four times. Goalkeeper Kayla Gordon blocked six of seven shots against the Greyhounds (5-0-1).

Sweet shooting for Hall-Dale

Hall-Dale’s Thea and Dani Sweet put on a two-woman show for Hall-Dale, Sept. 16. The forwards scored not one, not two, not three but four goals in the Bulldogs' 5-0 win over Wiscasset. Each Sweet scored a pair for Hall-Dale.

Hall-Dale scored first at 10 minutes into the game, and the Bulldogs added another goal witch 16 seconds remaining at half-time to go up 2-0 going into the break.

The Bulldogs wasted little time in the second half, as they netted a goal with 30 minutes remaining, nine minutes remaining and three minutes remaining to give Hall-Dale (3-3) a win over a then-unbeaten Wiscasset squad.

Miranda McIntire again lead the Wolverines (3-1), as the senior shot the ball five times in the first loss of the season.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email results to news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

The Wiscasset High School boys varsity soccer team faced a tough opponent in seventh-ranked St. Dom's Tuesday, Sept. 23, and the Saints showed why they have climbed up the standings in Western Class C.

St. Dom's won, 6-0, to push its record to 3-1-1 on the season. The loss drops Wiscasset to 1-5 overall.

Austin Roy started the scoring six minutes into the game when he slipped a goal into a small patch of open net. Roy would add another goal with 18 minutes and 48 seconds remaining in the first half to give the Saints a 2-0 lead.

But, Roy wouldn't lead his team in goals on the day: Ryan Lutrzykowski had a hat trick for St. Dom's. Lutrzykowski scored with eight minutes and 26 seconds remaining, and again with four minutes and 44 seconds remaining to give St. Dom's a 4-0 lead. Brian Genest added a goal with two minutes remaining to push the score to 5-0 before half time.

Lutrzykowski scored the final goal of the game seven minutes into the second half to cap the scoring on the day. From there, it was the Conlon Ranta show.

The sophomore Wiscasset goalkeeper blocked three of the four shots taken.

Greyhounds run up score

The Lisbon Greyhounds, true to their mascot, came out running Friday, Sept. 19 against the Wiscasset High School boys varsity soccer team.

Lisbon scored three first half goals en route to a 5-0 win over Wiscasset.

For Lisbon, it was the Austin show: Austin Fournier and Austin Bedford each had a pair of goals for the Greyhounds (5-1) while Jonah Sautter supplied the fifth goal.

Wiscasset's Conlon Ranta made 12 saves in goal.

Hall-Dale makes a mark

The Hall-Dale Bulldogs scored early and often to secure an 8-0 win Monday, Sept. 15 against Wiscasset.

Hall-Dale (currently 5-1 and fourth in Western Class C) scored five first-half goals and three second half goals to close out Wiscasset.

Nat Crocker, Eli Smith and Tyler Dubois all scored two goals apiece for Hall-Dale.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email them to news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

The Wednesday, Sept. 24 cross country meet at the University of Maine in Augusta was called the Mountain Valley Conference preview meet.

For Wiscasset, it could be a preview of good things to come.

Running against other high school teams from their conference, the Wiscasset Wolverines cross country teams put together several strong performances, including one from a soccer player.

Sophomore Brandon Goud, who on Tuesday was starting at forward for the Wolverines varsity soccer team, put in the top performance for Wiscasset's cross country team on Wednesday.

Goud is no stranger to long distance running: a year ago as a freshman, Goud was a standout performer in the 1600- and 3200-meter runs for the track and field team.

Running with the cross country team, he finished the course in Augusta in 19 minutes and 17 seconds, which placed him in 12thplace overall. Winthrop's Ben Allen was the top runner, as the senior finished the race in 17 minutes and 23 seconds.

Wiscasset's other runners including Ridge Barnes, who finished 61st with a time of 25 minutes and 51 seconds, then Kobe Carrier, who was 67thwith a time of 27:49 and Noah Jones, who completed the course in 31 minutes and 13 seconds, which placed him 71st.

The boys top ten was again dominated by Boothbay Region High School runners. Joey Paolillo (third, with a time of 18 minutes and 22 seconds), Kyle Ames (fifth, 18:39), Kyle Alamo (sixth, 18:53), Matt Burnham (seventh, 18:58) and Kyler Carty (ninth, 19:10) all finished in close proximity to again lift the Seahawks.

On the girls side, Wiscasset's Amanda Marcus was all alone.

Marcus was the only girl to record a time for the Wolverines, and she was again strong as she finished 54thin a crowded field with a time of 33 minutes and 23 seconds.

Occupying the top spot was Hall-Dale's Emma Wilson, who finished with a time of 21 minutes and 29 seconds. Boothbay Region's Hannah Morley (21 minutes, 42 seconds) was second, St. Dom's Ella Brown (22:00) was third, Telstar's Gabi Stone (22:30) was fourth and Madison's Olivia Demcheck (22:34) finished fifth.

Wiscasset will play host to Mountain Valley Conference runners Wednesday, Oct. 1 when the Wolverines have their lone home meet.

To report sports scores, call or text reporter Ben Bulkeley at 207-844-0711 or email results to news@wiscassetnewspaper.com

There were going to be some adjustments for Marguerite Rinaldi.

Wiscasset High School’s new physical education teacher was, after all, coming from a large school in central New Hampshire to a small school on the coast of Maine.

It's that small, close-knit feeling that is helping her along as she adjusts to a new position.

“I already know half the population,” she said. “It's definitely different, but I think 'We are small, but we are mighty' portrays these kids well. They all seem to give it their all.”

Rinaldi lived in Bucksport, Maine, when she was a child and recently moved back to Maine after a long spell in the Granite State.

She attended Keene State College in Keene, New Hampshire then went to New England College in Henniker, New Hampshire.

From there she taught for 12 years at John Stark High School in Weare, New Hampshire, which is south of Concord.

John Stark High School also boasted approximately 850 students, so being at a more intimate setting such as Wiscasset High School (population: approximately 200 students) has been an adjustment, Rinaldi said.

“It's definitely advantageous for me, because I get more individual time with each student,” she said. “If I can see them for multiple classes, it helps me find something they'll love, and it also helps them realize my expectations.”

Finding that next step, that next activity after high school is what Rinaldi hopes to help her students with. She said she wants to instill a love of movement, regardless of what sport or activity it is.

“There are so many different activities and I just hope to bring excitement,” she said. “I want the kids to find their niche, whether it's with a traditional or non-traditional sport, and I want them to be excited about it.”

Rinaldi, who is a white water rafting guide in the summer, said she also wants to instill a routine that students can take with them after they graduate.

“I want them to be able to maintain a fitness level or a routine even after they leave,” she said. “But really, I want them to have fun. I know sometimes kids think 'I have to go to gym class.' I want them to want to be here. I want them to have fun.”

Ben Bulkeley can be reached at 207-844-0711 or benbulkeley@wiscassetnewspaper.com.
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