“Phenomenal job,” Coach Chris Cossette told his Wolverines after Saturday night’s soccer game. Wiscasset Middle High School shut out previously undefeated Monmouth Academy, 1-0.

The Wolverines’ win comes at the midpoint of the Mountain Valley Conference season and keeps WMHS in the hunt for a postseason spot with seven more games left to play.

Not too many folks held too much hope for Wiscasset against the number one-ranked Mustangs who rolled into town boasting a 6-0 record. The Wolverines entered the game at 3-3 following a disappointing loss at Mountain Valley Thursday afternoon, Sept. 22.

Coach Cossette had his team fired up to play from the opening kickoff of Saturday’s game.

The only goal came less than six minutes into the second half when striker Russell Marr hammered home a penalty kick at 34:28. The infraction resulted after a collision in front of the Mustang net.

Both teams had been trading blows around the ball and away from it throughout the first 40 minutes of play. With 2:45 left until halftime, the referees stopped the game and issued the first of three yellow cards for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Mustangs finished with two yellow cards while Wiscasset had one late in the game. The first card wasn’t for excessive roughness but when a Monmouth player questioned a referee’s call.

The Wolverines’ first scoring opportunity came on a long throw-in from Ethan James. A scramble followed in front of the net until Mustang keeper Brad Neal grabbed the ball and drop-kicked it down field.

Monmouth’s Shane Kenniston followed with a shot low to the post but Wolverine goalie Conlon Ranta went low for the stop and punted the ball back to midfield. The action continued back and forth with neither team able to gain an advantage. Both teams squandered direct kick opportunities early on.

Avery Pomerleau, the Mustangs’ striker, then broke free inside the 18-yard line bringing Ranta charging out of the net and smothering the shot. Pomerleau broke free a second time but fullback Kevin Lynch ran him down, sending the ball out-of-bounds. In the closing minutes before halftime, James once again centered a thrown-in inside the goalmouth but Wiscasset was unable to gain control of the ball before it was cleared away by Neal. The Mustangs held a 3-2 shot edge at halftime.

Marr’s direct kick at the start of the second half was on the mark but deflected wide of the net. Monmouth then failed to convert back-to-back corner kicks at the 35:20 mark. After Wiscasset regained possession, the Mustangs were whistled for the infraction inside the penalty area, setting the stage for Marr’s dramatic score.

After the goal, the Wolverines clearly dominated the next 15 minutes of play. Max Sampson nearly put Wiscasset up 2-0 after he carried the ball past three Mustang defenders. Neal charged and somehow blocked the shot but left the Mustang net wide open. Unfortunately, the ball rolled out-of-bounds before the Wolverines could get another shot off.

With 29:24 left to play, Monmouth was whistled for its second yellow card. The Wolverines then failed to convert a corner kick, Neal catching Marr’s head-ball shot. A shot from Wiscasset’s Grant Hefler was well struck but once again turned away by the Monmouth defense. Another shot by Brandon Goud from the wing was high and wide of the Monmouth net.

With 5:25 left in regulation, the game was stopped again when the referee gave a yellow card to Wiscasset. Before resuming play, the referees issued a warning to both teams.

With the clock winding down, the Mustangs lost a chance to send the game into overtime after Ranta was forced out of the net. The shot that followed was just over the crossbar.

Alex Strozier, Nate Woodman and Matt Champman were standouts for Wiscasset but the night belonged to Ranta. His booming punts and sure-handed saves late in the game made the difference.

The next opportunity to see the Wolverines at home will be Thursday, Sept. 29 under the lights against the Oak Hill Raiders. The opening tap is scheduled for 6 p.m.