SACO — Who knows how the “Wildcat” formation got its name.
Perhaps the coiner of the phrase somehow knew that Thornton Academy halfback Andrew Libby would use the scheme to run wild against Windham.
Libby, a sophomore, churned out 248 yards rushing ”“ most of them coming off of direct snaps to him ”“ and two touchdowns, to lift No. 2 seed Thornton Academy to a 21-9 triumph over No. 7 Windham, Saturday, in a Western Maine Class A playoff quarterfinal tilt at Paul Hill Stadium.
“We kept running the (Wildcat) play until they stopped it,” said Libby. “It kept working out.”
The win put the Golden Trojans (8-1) into next Saturday’s semifinal clash with No. 3 South Portland (7-2), which handed Thornton its lone loss of the season back on Week 2.
“That was early in the season,” said junior lineman Bobby Begin. “We’re a lot different now. We’re a better team now.”
The Trojans sputtered at the outset, and trailed 2-0 after Windham (4-5) recovered a fumble in the Thornton end zone with just eight seconds remaining in the first quarter.
However, from then on, Thornton asserted itself, utilizing a stern defensive effort combined with Libby’s explosive running to build a 14-2 halftime lead.
“It’s about running the ball,” said Begin. “And getting hands on the ball. We did that pretty well, most of the time.”
Libby scored twice in that stanza on plunges of 2 and 4 yards.
The first of those came with 8:12 remaining in the half, as he rolled in over the blocks of Thornton’s offensive line.
“We wanted to get the ball in Andrew’s hands,” said Trojans coach Kevin Kezal, explaining all of that “Wildcatting” in the game plan. “And that’s one way we can do it. He had a great day.”
The ensuing conversion attempt turned into something of an adventure when the errant snap had to be chased down by place kicker Brandon Briggs.
Briggs gathered it and floated a wobbler to John Remmes in the end zone to set the score at 8-2.
“Honestly,” said Briggs, “I did what I had to do. I threw it, and luckily John was there to catch it for me. It was just a lucky throw, I guess.”
Libby made it 14-2 with 47.5 seconds remaining after taking a direct snap and diving across the goal line.
He set up the score himself earlier in the drive with a 47-yard burst from the Thornton 13.
“It’s about reading my blocks,” said Libby, who credited his older brother Luke, a fixture on the offensive line, “and following them.”
As the third quarter unrolled, both teams committed crucial turnovers.
Windham appeared primed to haul itself back into contention after a Thornton fumble at the 10. The Eagles replied with a six-minute drive that brought them to the Thornton 19.
However, Trojan lineman Tyler Danley quelled the threat with an interception off Eagles quarterback Todd Allen.
“That brought a lot of emotion,” said Begin. “Everyone got pumped up 10 times (over) just because of that.”
That was the closest call Thornton had from then on.
Quarterback Eric Christensen sealed the win with a 1-yard dive with 2:50 remaining in the game.
Windham made matters interesting when Damien Shepard ran the ensuing kickoff back 99 yards for a score.
But by then, the Trojans could safely begin to think about the rematch with South Portland.
“There’s definitely going to be payback,” said Libby. “I’m excited about getting these guys again. I was waiting for it all over again. To show them how we can play.”
— Contact Staff Writer Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com or follow him on Twitter @DanHickling.
* An earlier version of this story was published with an error. This version reflects the correction.
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