BIDDEFORD — Young Nick Emmons seems to be getting the hang of this starting quarterback thing.
At least that’s the conclusion you could draw from the way he led Kennebunk to a 28-14 triumph over Biddeford, Friday at Waterhouse Field.
Emmons, a sophomore making just his second varsity start, hurled three touchdown passes, and ran for another score, to help the Rams even their record at 1-1. Biddeford (0-2) is still searching for its first win.
“The secondary was blitzing a lot,” said Emmons, whose scoring strikes to three different receivers covered distances of 69, 11, and 52 yards. “The middle of the field was wide open. It seemed like it was open all day.”
Kennebunk led 14-7 after the first half, with all the points coming in the last 2:49.
Up to then, both teams seemed to be suffering from the “yips”.
“We felt nerves early in the game,” said Emmons. “We always seem to struggle.”
It all turned around when, with intermission approaching, Emmons hit fellow sophomore Larson Coppinger with a pass in the open flat near midfield.
Coppinger took it from there weaving his way through a host of Tiger defenders, before finally reaching the end zone.
“I knew we had to drive down field,” said Emmons, “and I saw the corner cheating up. He (Coppinger) got a little leverage and I just threw it up so he could run under it. He just caught it and took off.”
As Emmons saw Coppinger meander down field, evading one defender after another, he wasn’t all together sure where the play would end up.
“I was hoping for the best,” he said. “He’s my bud.”
Biddeford responded promptly, with junior quarterback Nick LeBlond driving the Tigers 55 yards in five plays on a drive capped by his 25 yard toss to Patrick Wilson.
Emmons had 1:07 remaining in the half, and he used all but 5.5 seconds of it to wheel the Rams in for another score, an 11 yard pass to Clayton Spang.
“We had a couple of breakdowns,” said Biddeford coach Scott Descoteaux. “We played hard, but we’re young. We just don’t have a complete understanding of everything we’re trying to do and we’re making mistakes at times. I think our biggest mistakes came at the wrong time (on) their biggest plays.”
Kennebunk took command in the third quarter by upping the score to 28-7.
The opening drive of the half proved critical to the Kennebunk cause, as Emmons took the Rams 68 yards on eight plays, traversing the final 10 yards himself on a quarterback keeper.
“I’m just happy for Nick,” said Kennebunk coach Joe Rafferty. “He’s understanding more. He’s seeing things and gaining confidence. But I think (all) the kids just gained a lot of confidence, overall, tonight.”
Emmons used the long ball again to find diminuitive (5-3) scatback Tyler Elkington, whose 52 yard dash with an Emmons pass staked the Rams to a three touchdown lead.
Biddeford got a late, 1 yard touchdown run from Andrew Descoteaux, but for the Tigers, that was as good as it would get.
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