WINTHROP

For the first time this season, Wiscasset High School boys soccer coach Wayne Benn had his full roster at his disposal for Thursday’s key Mountain Valley Conference clash with Winthrop.

Five goals, two from Dale Peaslee, led the Wolverines to a big 5-3 victory, giving Wiscasset a 4-3-1 record with a visit to Dirigo slated for Saturday at 11 a.m.

“We haven’t had the whole team here, but today it was great to have everyone ready to go and battle hard,” said Benn, whose team began the day sixth in the latest Western Maine Class C Heal Point Standings, two spots in front of the Ramblers.

Wiscasset rode the scoring of Dale Peaslee (two goals), JD Souza ( one goal, one assist) and Bryson Grover (one goal), plus converted one of two penalty kick opportunities, with senior Zach Ellison depositing a shot off the hands of Winthrop netminder Matt Sekerak, who had 11 saves, including a PK stop of a Mason Whitaker chance late in the first half.

Answering the call

Winthrop ( 2- 5- 1) struck first, getting a Jake Valle goal just 1:07 in, but Wiscasset answered quickly as Grover finished off a corner kick from Whitaker at the 9: 14 mark. Eight minutes later, the Wolverines took the lead for good as Souza blasted a shot from 25-yards out inside the left post for a 2-1 Wiscasset lead.

Moments later, Souza was tripped inside the penalty area, giving the Wolverines a PK. Ellison fired low, with Sekerak getting his fingertips on the ball, but not enough to keep Wiscasset from claiming a 3-1 advantage.

After Winthrop forward Justin Lapointe drew the Ramblers to within a goal in a wild first half, Peaslee was tripped, giving the Wolverines a second PK opportunity. Whitaker’s shot was in a similar spot as Ellison’s, but this time Sekerak kept the ball out of the goal as the Ramblers went to the half down by one.

“Matt is only in his second year, a sophomore, and will probably turn into not only one of the best goalies ever at Winthrop but in the conference,” said Winthrop coach Dave Valle of his goaltender. “ He has been bumped, run into, pushed and stepped on and gets up right away.”

Wiscasset kept the offense going in the second half as Benn moved Peaslee up front alongside Souza. The move paid immediate dividends as Souza set up his teammate for a 4-2 lead. Peaslee’s first shot struck the cross bar, but the rebound came right back to him.

Just three minutes later, Peaslee scored his second goal for a 5-2 Wiscasset lead with 25:54 remaining.

“ JD and Dale together works for us, but unfortunately sometimes I have to split them up for the benefit of the team,” said Benn. “Today, we said the first 10 minutes of the second half we would put them together up front, and today it worked.”

“Me, JD and Mason work well together, and even though we didn’t know if the defense would hold up, we were able to work to get a bunch of goals today,” said Peaslee.

Winthrop didn’t quit, getting back within two goals on Lapointe’s second goal.

“We get a two-goal lead, then a three-goal lead, and we give up one,” said Benn. “We lack that killer instinct. We had some nice opportunities and we put some in. But, we have to play better when we play Dirigo.”

“The best part of this team is that they don’t quit, and they’ve seen us struggle with our soccer program for years, and now we are playing as a team despite today’s bumps,” said coach Valle. “There are no superstars out there, but they each have a lot of drive.”

The Wiscasset defense of Ellison, Ryan Hanley, Travis Padilla and Logan Grover held up the rest of the way, with goaltender Nate Mills turning aside eight shots.

The Wolverines finished with a 23-18 shot advantage. And, Wiscasset dominated corner kicks to the tune of 10- 0.

Wiscasset 5,
Winthrop 3

At Winthrop High School
Wiscasset – 3 2 – 5
Winthrop – 2 1 – 3
Goals — (Wisc) Bryson Grover, JD
Souza, Zach Ellison (PK), Dale Peaslee 2;
(Win) Jake Valle, Justin Lapointe 2.
Assists — (Wisc) Mason Whitaker 2, JD
Souza; (Win) Jake Valle.
Shots — Wiscasset, 23-18.
Saves — (Wisc) Nate Mills 8; (Win) Matt
Sekerak 11.
Corner kicks — Wiscasset, 10-0.
Records — Wiscasset 4-3-1, Winthrop 2-
5-1.
Next — Wiscasset visits Dirigo Saturday
at 11 a.m.; Winthrop heads to Mt. Abram
Saturday at 7 p.m.