SANFORD — Alex Shain had a fabulous junior season, Friday night.
Or at least it seemed like a full season’s worth of work.
Shain, making his first ever varsity start, exploded for five touchdowns and 249 yards on 17 carries to lead Sanford to a 49-30 spanking of Biddeford, Friday, at Cobb Stadium, in the season opener
Shain scampered 32 yards for a TD on Sanford’s first play of the year, then added scoring runs of 62, 25, 17, and 77 yards.
“He’s a horse,” said Sanford senior Jon Schroeder of his backfield mate. “He’s got work ethic like no one’s business. It showed tonight.”
It took just one play in Sanford’s initial offensive series for the “Shain Show” to get going.
Taking a pitch from quarterback Cody Mooney, Shain cut left then outran all Biddeford defenders to the end zone.
“It was the ”˜27 Toss’,” said Shain. “It just happened to work out.”
That proved to be the first twist in an opening half full of them.
Shain scored twice more before intermission, but his output was matched by Biddeford junior quarterback Nick LeBlond three touchdown passes.
He found Zach Jacques with two of those, including a 44 yard bomb on the last play of the half which tied the score at 23-23.
“We were lucky to be in it,” said Biddeford coach Scott Descoteaux. “I felt to that point in time that we had played so poorly defensively. We shouldn’t even be in the game. That big play gave us a chance.”
It turned out to be a last chance.
Schroeder helped see to that when he ran the second half kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown, putting the Redskins back in front, 30-23.
“Our coaches really wanted us to come out with a lot of energy,” said Schroeder, “especially after the play at the end of the half. Me and Alex were talking and said ”˜let’s bring this one back. Get our team going.’ They made some blocks and I got some open spaces. Once I saw a lot of green, I thought, ”˜this could be something, here.’”
That lit the fuse on a 20 point third quarter eruption by Sanford that put the Tigers on the run.
Jimmie Chaisson hauled in a 34 yard scoring toss from Mooney, followed by Shain’s fourth score of the evening.
“The line did a great job tonight,” said Shain. “They made holes, I just cut back and made things happen.”
Shain’s final score with 8:25 to play capped his enormous night.
“I could see someone coming,” Shain said, “so I kicked into fifth gear.”
Biddeford finished the scoring with a fourth quarter plunge of 1 yard by Patrick Wilson.
Both teams will be back in action, next Friday, with Sanford set to welcome in Scarborough while the Tigers will host Kennebunk at Waterhouse Field.
— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com or follow on Twitter @DanHickling.
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