WELLS — Based on last season’s records, Saturday’s boys’ soccer game between Kennebunk and Wells could have been a down-to-the-wire affair.

Both Western Maine Conference teams won six regular-season games in 2014, and while Kennebunk played a tougher schedule, Wells won a playoff game and returned sophomore scoring star Liam Bell.

Kennebunk’s Andrew Rudowski, 10, and Wells goalie Nick Chandler watch as the ball sails past the goal in the first half Saturday at Wells. Jill Brady/Staff Photographer

Kennebunk, though, turned its season opener into a rout. The Rams got three goals in each half and rolled to a 6-0 victory.

“We came into the game knowing it would be a tough match,” Kennebunk senior Spencer Thibodeau said. “They went further in the playoffs than us last year, so we went in with our heads up, knowing we had to battle.”

The game was even for about 10 minutes, and Kennebunk keeper Sean Perry had to snuff a point-blank shot from Bell in the sixth minute.

But after Thibodeau beat Wells keeper Nick Chandler to a short through-pass from Alec Barry and neatly tucked it into the net in the 13th minute, it was all Kennebunk.

Five other players scored for the Rams: freshmen Tristan Wirth and Ian Zogg in the first half, and then Charlie Miller, Thomas Zub and defender Pat Gassman in the second.

“It was the contribution of everyone,” said Kennebunk Coach Bruce Peloquin. “There was no one player who took over or dominated. It was everyone doing their job, playing their position well.”

Kennebunk’s consistent ability to win balls both on the ground and in the air led to extensive possession.

The second goal was a tap-in by Wirth of a cross from Miller. Thibodeau got the play going in the midfield with a pass to the left wing that sent the hard-working Miller moving forward.

The Warriors, led by Coach Patrick Udeh, thought the goal should have been disallowed.

“That goal was absolutely offside,” Udeh said. “You shouldn’t use that as an excuse, but goals change the whole dimension of the game.”

Kennebunk’s final four goals were a combination of opportunistic offensive and defensive breakdowns, most noticeably Wells’ tendency to leave advancing players unmarked.

While Udeh is new to the varsity coaching ranks in Maine, he has significant coaching experience at the high school, club and college level.

“I told them, I’m not used to losing 6-0, especially when it’s to high school kids from the neighboring town,” Udeh said. “It’s not like we’re playing Brazil. So I said, ‘We have to go search our souls. Do we really want to do this, or do we want to just fall into the same-old, same-old stuff.'”

On Saturday, it was apparent that Kennebunk is ready to approach the season with a can-do attitude. Despite missing four starters because of injuries, the Rams were able to go five players deep on their bench with little drop-off in play.

Gassman and Donovan Connor were stout in the back, while Thibodeau and Andrew Radowski consistently won balls in the midfield and turned them into threatening plays for Wirth, Zub, Zogg and Cole MacLeod.

Wirth and Zub came off the bench, with Dakota Ewi and James Rogers also contributing strong first-half minutes in relief of starters.

“I think we’re a pretty deep team, which is great, because that means every player can get out there, work really, really hard, and I can put subs in and we’re not dropping our level,” said Peloquin, a social studies teacher at Wells Middle School and a former Wells coach.

“In fact, we’re picking it up because I’m bringing some fresh kids in.”

Steve Craig can be reached at 791-6413 or:

scraig@pressherald.com

Twitter: SteveCCraig

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