When Coach Donald Strout, an environmental engineer at Bath Iron Works, returns for his 13th year as Wiscasset High School’s swim coach, he said what he wants the most is for his “kids to have fun and respect each other.” He said he hopes to have all the kids improve personally and for as many as possible to qualify for the state meet.

Because Wiscasset is the only school in the Mountain Valley Conference with a swim team, they compete with teams in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference. The Wolverines will compete with teams from Erskine, Brunswick, Cony, Mt. Ararat, Winslow, Lewiston, Belfast and Gardiner.

Strout said his team's size is its biggest weakness. With five girls and four boys, competing as a team difficult. But as individual swimmers the Wolverines perform very well.

Junior Sarah Hanley, a state qualifier last season in the 200 and 100 free, returns to the team, as does her brother, captain Ryan Hanley, also a state qualifier in the 100 back and 200 individual medley (IM). Sophomore Julia West comes back after qualifying for the states in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. Junior Matt Mills was a breaststroke, state qualifier last season.  

Sophomore Maeve Carlson, an all-around swimmer, returns this year and Strout is hoping that she will qualify for the state meet. Senior Captain Alyssa Urquhart returns and will compete 500 free.

New to the team this year are sophomore, Jade Wood and freshmen, Amanda Marcus and Sam Storer.

Also swimming with Wiscasset are Boothbay Region High School students freshmen Brad Tibbetts and Samantha Carter; sophomore Nichole Labrecque; and junior Ethan Walker.

Wolverines open their season home with Erskine December 7, 6 p.m.