Wiscasset Middle High School now has a Class D athletic status, although the Wolverine teams will continue to compete in the Mountain Valley Conference and against Class C high schools.

“The classification change will not impact regular season games,” athletic director-vice principal Mandy Lewis wrote Aug. 24 in response to an email from the Wiscasset Newspaper. “As a member of the MVC, we will continue to play teams like Boothbay, Lisbon, Oak Hill, etc.  During playoffs we’ll face other Class D opponents, possibly Richmond, Buckfield and Searsport.”

The change comes as the result of falling student enrollment at the high school, a problem being experienced statewide. Lewis said the Maine Principals Association evaluates classifications every two years, and members vote on the proposed classifications at their spring business meeting. The classifications are based on student enrollment at the close of the school year and WMHS was right at the tipping point. 

“When looking at the Class C and Class D enrollment numbers, the smallest Class C school in the MVC is St. Dominic's with 180 students, and Wiscasset is the largest Class D school at 173. The student enrollments will be re-evaluated and a new proposal will be considered in the spring of 2019,” continued Lewis. “Our placement is dependent upon our enrollment numbers as well as the enrollment of other schools our size.”

Throughout most of the 1960s and 1970s, Wiscasset High School had been Class D before moving up to C and remaining there for over 20 years. Wiscasset briefly advanced to B status for two years before dropping back to C.

Neither Duane Goud nor Chris Cossette, the Wolverines’ veteran soccer coaches, are much concerned about the change in classification as they prepare for the upcoming season. They think the switch might even benefit their programs if they qualify for post-season action. Playing all Class C teams throughout the regular season may even increase the Wolverines’ chances of bringing home a Western Maine title.

Both the boys and girls WMHS soccer teams have continued to play Richmond High School in the preseason. The Bobcats, also a Class D team, have had great  success in postseason play.

Lewis also confirmed that after a few seasons off, Warren Cossette is returning to coach the Wolverine cross-country team. Cossette has a great deal of experience and is sure to bring a lot of excitement and enthusiasm back to the program, which has struggled finding runners the last season or two. He’ll lead both the boys and girls teams.

All of this year’s races are away; the season gets underway Wednesday, Sept. 6 at Hall-Dale and continues Sept. 13 at Boothbay Region. The start time is 4:15 p.m., with the girls running first.