Wiscasset kicked off its summer soccer season by hosting Gardiner Tuesday night, June 18, the first of seven games in the Central Maine Soccer League that includes teams from Cony, Hall-Dale, Erskine, Waterville and Messalonskee.

The teams play four 20-minute periods or two 40-minute halves and are officiated by certified soccer officials. Scorebooks aren’t kept because this is more of an instructional league; coaches play the games to work on skills and soccer fundamentals.

Coaching the Wiscasset team is Wiscasset Middle High School Coach Chris Cossette. He’s being assisted by Devon Grover. Sixteen players turned out June 18, including one from Chop Point School in Woolwich. Gardiner’s coach split playing time among 24 players.

The teams were four minutes into the game when the visitors scored. Braden Dorogi booted in a cross pass that came from the right side. The ball was just out of reach of the diving L.J. Travers, Wiscasset’s goalkeeper.

Wiscasset’s best scoring opportunity came in the opening minute of the final period. Following the kickoff, Austin Trask broke free with the ball on the left wing. He was taken down by a defender inside the penalty area, drawing a whistle from the referee. Trask missed the penalty kick that followed, as the ball carried over the cross bar. Another scoring opportunity came for Wiscasset midway into the second period but the play was blown dead due to an off-sides call.

In the third period, Gardiner scored again off a corner kick when a player headed the ball into the net. A direct one by Wiscasset’s Aiden Foley in the third period carried wide left. The visitors scored in all four periods.

In September, Travers will be a sophomore and likely WMHS’s starting goalkeeper. He served as the Wolverines' backup keeper during the 2018 season. His best save against Gardiner came in the closing seconds of the first period when he charged from the net and blocked a shot. In the third period, he made six saves on seven shots.

Other Wiscasset players to watch include Garrett Cossette, who worked well with Foley at midfield.

Wolverine veterans filling in Coach Cossette’s roster include defender Josh Jones and midfielders Chance Blagdon, John Hodson, Gavin Loupe and Mason Davenport.

New to the team is senior Billy Pinkham. He was a starter on the Wolverines' basketball and baseball teams during the past school year. Pinkham made some good defensive plays inside the 18-yard line, deflecting one Gardiner shot wide of the net.

Cossette and Grover both said they wished more incoming freshmen has signed on to play soccer this summer. The program was open to players from Boothbay Region High School. None were present for the game.

Wiscasset will be at Erskine Academy in South China on Tuesday, July 9. The team then hosts back-to-back home games with Waterville on July 16, and Messalonskee July 23. The home games are played on WMHS’s lower field and start at 6 p.m.

The game drew a large turnout of fans. Among them was Bob Sommers, who not too many years ago led the former Wiscasset High School boys’ soccer team to its only state C championship.