Because some schools still have a harvest recess, Aroostook County’s varsity soccer season opens earlier than any other region in the state.
Tryouts for many local teams began in late July or early August and regular season matches get underway soon for a number of those squads.
The first to be played are rivalry matches between Central Aroostook of Mars Hill and Washburn, which will take place Friday, Aug. 11, in Washburn. The girls’ and boys’ contests both begin at 4 p.m.
Fort Fairfield’s regular season begins at home four days later as Washburn pays a visit for 4 p.m. matches Tuesday, Aug. 15.
Easton travels to Madawaska to begin its slate Friday, Aug. 18. The girls play at 4 p.m. and the boys at 6 p.m.
The defending Class D state champion Ashland girls, under Peter Belskis, hosts Easton at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 21. The boys’ teams also play that afternoon at 5 p.m.
Caribou is at Fort Kent on Friday, Aug. 25, for its openers. The girls’ game against the Warriors is at 5 p.m., followed by the boys’ game at 7 p.m.
Presque Isle gets the latest start of all the local teams. Wildcat teams don’t hold tryouts until Monday, Aug. 14, and their first countable matches are not until Saturday, Sept. 2, when they play John Bapst in Bangor. The girls’ game is at 11 a.m. and the boys play at 1 p.m.
The Maine School for Science and Mathematics will have its own soccer team this fall in the wake of Limestone’s high school students now attending Caribou. The schedule for the MSSM squads is not yet available.
