Every high school football team starts the season with the goal of getting to the playoffs. After a 7-3 season a year ago, South Portland felt it had a good chance of doing that.

The Red Riots were looking to build off the last two seasons and make it three straight trips to the postseason. A veteran line returned but the skill positions were inexperienced. But it was the graduated skill players of a year ago that was the engine that gave the Riots their best season in years.

The Riots (1-6) end their season Saturday with the Battle of the Bridge game against Portland (5-2) at South Portland. This will be South Portland’s version of the playoffs.

“We’ve had an off year compared with what we had the last two years,” said senior two-way tackle Liam Rottkov. “We thought the line would be the strength of the team.

“Every season is completely different. I don’t have a simple explanation on why we’re 1-6. There are too many intangibles. You can only control what you do. Football is about playing as a team. I think it’s a lot more mental than physical. Even though the season hasn’t gone the way we hoped it would, it hasn’t stopped us from coming to practice every day and working hard.”

Rottkov, Cody Munson and Ryan Ely have played on the same team since the fifth grade. Like Rottkov, they’re linemen who have started since their sophomore year and contributed to the program’s success in 2010-11.

They experienced exhilaration last season when the team was a yard away from beating Thornton Academy in the Western Class A semifinals. That’s basically the same Thornton team that lost to Cheverus 28-14 last week and likely will head to the playoffs as the No. 2 seed.

Sam Seidl, the center, also has been a part of the Riots’ football program for four years. Rottkov, Munson, Ely and Seidl played at Mahoney Middle School before that.

A year ago, Portland was in a similar position as South Portland is today. The Bulldogs were out of the playoffs and looking to get a reprieve from a losing season that a win over South Portland would bring. It didn’t happen; the Riots won the Bridge trophy. Now the Riots hope to lessen their pain with a win over the Bulldogs.

“This is our playoff game,” said Rottkov.

With the success of last season came individual honors for Rottkov. He was named to the All-SMAA first team as a defensive tackle. Rottkov hasn’t lost his passion for the game and is in the process of deciding if he wants to play in college.

The four senior linemen hope to catch a little of last season’s magic Saturday.

“They’ve been outstanding linemen,” said Coach Steve Stinson. “They’re part of the outstanding linemen we’ve had at South Portland over the last three to four years.”

THE FINAL weekend of the regular season could bring a lot of movement in the Crabtree point standings in Western Class A and B.

The real scramble is for the final four playoff spots in Western A.

Only nine points separate the fifth-ranked team (Windham) from the 10th-ranked team (Kennebunk). Only the top eight teams will qualify for the playoffs.

“There are a bunch of teams who are going for the last four playoff spots,” said Sanford Coach Mike Fallon.

Count Fallon’s team among them. Sanford is currently ranked eighth.

The Crabtree awards points for a team’s wins and its strength of schedule. Fallon said what’s hurting Sanford, which finishes against Massabesic, is strength of schedule.

“It’s pretty obvious we have to win to get in,” said Fallon.

A game that will have a bearing on those final four playoff spots will be played Saturday — Noble at Kennebunk.

Noble is ranked seventh, just ahead of Sanford. Sixth-ranked Deering plays at No. 1 Cheverus on Saturday.

Biddeford, which is 3-4 and ranked 11th, is home against No. 2 Thornton Academy and needs the upset to get in.

Scarborough and Portland head into the final weekend ranked third and fourth.

There are four teams with 6-1 records in Western Class B — Westbrook, Marshwood, Wells and Greely. No. 1 Westbrook plays at No. 2 Marshwood tonight.

The game with the biggest playoff implication has No. 9 Spruce Mountain at No. 8 Fryeburg Academy on Saturday with the winner gaining the eighth and final playoff spot.

In Class C, the Yarmouth at Freeport game Saturday is for the eighth seed. The Falcons are currently eighth and the Clippers are No. 9. 

WELLS PLAYS at York in a key Western Class B game Friday night.

The game has playoff implications because Wells is ranked third in the Crabtree standings and York is fourth. If the game, which is the York Homecoming, is postponed, it will be played at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

Because of the forecast for bad weather, the Belfast at Camden Hills game in Eastern Class B has been changed to 5:30 p.m. Friday.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com

Twitter: TomChardPPH

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