LISBON FALLS

To a player, the Lisbon High School boys soccer team admits to being stunned by its 5-0 start to the Mountain Valley Conference season. And, to have five shutouts is what dreams are made of.

The fact is, the Greyhounds have been that good so far, something on display in Lisbon’s 5-0 victory over Wiscasset on Friday.

Austin Fournier scored the first two goals to get the Greyhounds rolling, and Jonah Sautter, Austin Bedford and Nick Huston added single goals in a dominating win.

“You don’t know what you’re going to get until you start, and we have some injuries and are young, but these guys are jelling together and are surprising themselves,” said Lisbon coach Dan Sylvester. “I still don’t think we have reached our potential.”

“We are working together, passing, talking, and we just kept going the whole game today,” said Sautter, who added an assist. “Not even us players expected this, with us being a young team with just one senior. We are keeping our heads up.”

Meanwhile, Wiscasset (1-4) had a makeshift lineup, with several players out due to illness or injury. But, after a slow start, the Wolverines began to come together and push back, getting six shots on Lisbon netminder Ryley Austin (six saves, fifth shutout).

“We had a lot of people out, and had to have people step up,” said first-year Wiscasset coach Chris Cossette, whose Wolverines face St. Dom’s on Tuesday (3:30 p.m.). “After the slow start, they got into it. We have players in different positions right now. We want to maintain possession. The second half we did that a little bit, with some runs. I want to see some more shots from these guys, from 35 yards and in.”

Solid beginning

Lisbon came out quickly, getting two shots on Wiscasset goaltender Conlon Ranta before many of the fans had got- ten comfortable. Fournier took a pass from Bedford, slipped past a Wiscasset defender and launched a rocket past Ranta for a 1-0 lead just 2:42 in.

“The last couple games we have gotten out to an early lead, and it helps us settle in and establish our game a little bit more,” said Sylvester.

Moments later, Fournier was knocked to the ground, resulting in a penalty kick. However, Ranta, who had 14 saves, dove to his left to snuff out a Nick Larette shot.

There was little Ranta was able to do with 13:42 remaining until halftime. Sautter hooked up with Fournier, who scored his second goal. Sautter finished off a solid first half for the Greyhounds, cleaning up a rebound of a Fournier try for a 3-0 Lisbon lead at the break.

“A lot of kids stepped up. Jonah for sure, Nick Huston and Austin Bedford in the middle,” said Sylvester. “They are the reasons we are getting those opportunities up front. Kids like Chris Normand coming off the bench contributed big today.”

Bedford made it a 4-0 game off a Bradley Boulet assist 3:42 into the second half, and Huston and Bedford worked a give-and-go with 5:50 left to complete the scoring.

Lisbon held a 26-9 shots advantage and a 6-1 edge in corner kicks. Greyhound defenders Josh Huston, Jacob Fusaro and Andrew Balser were solid, keeping Wiscasset forwards from establishing solid looks at Austin’s goal.

For Wiscasset, Matt Martin was solid up front, while Ethan James and Russell Marr performed well in the midfield. Defenseman Brycson Grover cleared several Lisbon chances out of danger.

Lisbon 5,
Wiscasset 0

At Lisbon High School
Wiscasset – 0 0 – 0
Lisbon – 3 2 – 5
Goals — (L) Austin Fournier 2, Jonah
Sautter, Austin Bedford, Nick Huston.
Assists — (L) Austin Bedford 2,
Jonah Sautter, Austin Fournier,
Bradley Boulet.
Shots — Lisbon 26, Wiscasset 9.
Saves — (W) Conlon Ranta 14; (L)
Ryley Austin 6.
Corner kicks — Lisbon 6, Wiscasset
1.
Records — Lisbon 5-0, Wiscasset 1-
4.
Up next for the Greyhounds —
Thursday at Mt. Abram, 3:30 p.m.
Up next for the Wolverines — Tuesday at home versus St. Dom’s, 3:30
p.m.

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