Early in the Class C state championship game Saturday, when it was still competitive, Mt. Desert Island hoped to keep momentum after grabbing an interception. The Trojans gained nine yards and on third-and-1, Chris Farnsworth got the handoff.
Defensive end Deandre Woods of Wells crashed in and stopped Farnsworth cold for no gain.
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And so it went. Wells dominated both sides of the line and marched to a 44-0 victory at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
Wells (11-1) won its third state championship, the other two coming in Class B (2011 and 1997).
Mt. Desert (9-2) was making its first title-game appearance.
“We felt like we could play closer with (Wells),” MDI Coach Mark Shields said. “But when you’re bigger and stronger, you’re probably going to win … they just pushed us around.”
Wells outgained MDI, 374-58.
Evan Whitten rushed 20 times for 218 yards and three touchdowns. Riley Dempsey rushed 21 times for 151 times and a score. The Warriors also got scores from a Nolan Potter run and Michael Wrigley interception return. Kicker Keegan Reidy was busy with six extra points.
“The line worked all game,” Whitten said. “They did all the work for us and we just put it in the end zone for them.”
Still, the game was close early. Wells went three-and-out on its opening series. On the Warriors’ second possession, they drove to the MDI 8, facing a third-and-6. That’s when James Carroll made an interception in the end zone.
That was the only pass Wells would attempt.
For most of the next two drives, the ball went to Whitten or Dempsey.
“We just hit the holes hard,” Dempsey said.
And the holes were opening. Wells drove 57 yards in eight plays, capped by Whitten’s 10-yard burst up the middle and a 7-0 lead.
The next drive went 55 yards but wasn’t so easy. A Whitten 31-yard run helped the Warriors set up for a first-and-goal from the 1. MDI held tough, stopping Wells on three plays.
“They’re in a six-man front and the coach is a knucklehead, going right at it,” said Wells Coach Tim Roche, referring to himself. “But we punched in.”
On fourth down, Potter bulled in for a 1-yard score and 14-0 lead with 3:22 left in the first half.
The Trojans were still looking for a first down. In their first three possessions, they totaled 13 yards.
“They flow so well to the ball,” Shields said. “We just couldn’t get anything going offensively. It’s that simple.”
Wells got the ball again with 1:32 left in the half. The Warriors appeared ready to run out the clock, but MDI used timeouts and got the ball back at its 37 with 39 seconds left.
The Trojans tried to get fancy with a play that worked in the regional final. Quarterback Andrew Phelps pitched to Drew Rich, who turned to pass back to Phelps. But Wrigley stepped in front, intercepted and ran 39 yards for the score and a 21-0 halftime lead.
It was another example of Wells using speed and anticipation.
Linebackers Sean McCormick-Kuhman and Potter exploded into the MDI line, making tackles for losses or no gain. Defensive end Jake Spofford also was tough.
“All that preparation all week, you get to know their offense,” McCormick-Kuhman said. “It was a great effort on both sides of the ball. Just awesome.”
McCormick-Kuhman also centered a dominant offensive line, surrounded by guards Alex Holmes Staples and Cody Brassard, and tackles Courtland Austin and David Ouellette.
In the second half, Whitten scored twice on runs of 40 and 45 yards sandwiched around a Dempsey 32-yard score. Wells got a safety in the third quarter when MDI hiked the ball over its punter’s head and out of the end zone.
MDI made two more turnovers in the second half, with Austin recovering a fumble and Nick Hansen grabbing an interception.
There were plenty of celebrations when the Warriors received the Gold Ball.
“One more breakdown,” Roche called out as he gathered his players for one more raucous cheer.
“They’re a lot of fun to be around and I’m going to miss them,” Roche said of his 19 seniors. “The only part that stinks … I don’t get to go out on the field Monday and practice with them again. But I’ll take this.”
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