TOPSHAM — At times in this first season of Maine high school 8-man football, big plays have often been the keys to victory.
But if fans were looking for an old-fashioned, grind ’em out, five-yards-and-a-pile-of-dust contest, then Saturday’s game at the Topsham Fairgrounds was certainly for you.
Mt. Ararat jumped on the sturdy back of running back Riley Morin, and the Eagle defense stuffed Old Orchard Beach en route to a 46-8 Homecoming victory, giving Mt. Ararat a third-straight win and a 4-1 record.
Morin rumbled for 130 yards on 24 tough carries. He scored two touchdowns and added six tackles and a sack on defense as the Seagulls were held to 131 total yards. Mt. Ararat’s defense came within a fourth quarter for the second straight game of pitching a shutout after rolling past Yarmouth eight days earlier, 44-7.
“This defense is playing really well, and we are peaking right before playoffs. We made a few shifts on defense, and I think it is going to lead us to the Gold Ball,” Morin said.
“Our defense is moving to another level, something we have talked about,” added Mt. Ararat coach Frank True, whose Eagles host Gray-New Gloucester next Saturday at 11 a.m. “The coaching staff is putting together a good game-plan. Then the kids are executing. We have guys going to the right place and making good tackles. The work in practice is paying off for these guys.”
Solid opener
Mt. Ararat opened the game by driving 58 yards on 10 running plays, with Morin plowing into the end zone on a 1-yard run for a 6-0 lead.
The Eagles stopped the Seagulls (2-3) on downs on their first drive, but a fumble recovered by OOB’s Montgomery Leclerc ended Mt. Ararat’s second possession.
The Mt. Ararat defense forced a punt, with Morin breaking through and blocking the kick, giving the Eagles the ball at the OOB-27.
Two plays later, quarterback Cam Wallace threw a swing pass to receiver Nolan Blessington, who broke a tackle and scampered 20 yards for a 12-0 Mt. Ararat lead.
The Seagulls put together their best drive of the first half, with quarterback Jadyn Davies hooking up with Jacob Methot for a 21-yard pass play to the Mt. Ararat 30-yard line. However, Cody Holman and Kyle Graffam combined on a sack of Davies to end the march.
Another lost fumble cost the Eagles, as OOB’s Jacob Payea jumped on the loose ball, and Mt. Ararat was hurt by six first-half penalties totaling 55 yards.
But the defense continued to frustrate the Seagulls, and the Mt. Ararat offense closed the half with a four-minute, 61-yard drive culminating with a 7-yard TD run by Morin for a 20-0 halftime lead.
The Eagles held OOB to just 36 yards of total offense in the half, with Morin leading the Eagles with 93 yards on 18 lugs.
“Our offensive line always blocks well and opens up holes for us,” said Morin. “Without those guys, we wouldn’t be anywhere. It shows with a good line you can go anywhere.”
“I gear up for games like this, and we got it done today,” said True. “We have some pretty good backs that can handle the ball. It typically shows up on game day.”
Any hopes the visitors had of making a second-half comeback ended in the third quarter. Daniel Jackson sacked Davies to force a punt, and the Mt. Ararat offense went 60 yards nine plays, capped by Wallace’s 2-yard quarterback sneak for a 26-0 advantage.
OOB avoided turning the ball over in the first half, but a low snap to Davies bounced into the waiting arms of Holman, who sprinted to the end zone on a 57-yard fumble return. Morin tacked on the 2-point conversion, giving the Eagles a 34-0 lead.
“I was in the right place at the right time. There wasn’t much to it,” said Holman of his touchdown. “We are staying disciplined and doing what we are told. Nobody is looking to be a hero. We are working as one,” said Holman. “We got together after the Maranacook game (a 38-18 loss) and trusted the process with our coaches. It is just about working harder than everyone else.”
Graffam closed the third quarter with another short TD run, this covering three yards as Mt. Ararat went to the fourth quarter with a 40-0 lead.
The Seagulls finally found the end zone, as Tim Trott punched in a short run to make for a 40-8 contest. Mt. Ararat closed the scoring with 2:49 remaining when Azec Bard rumbled into the end zone on a 5-yard run.
The Eagles rushed for 309 yards, with Graffam adding 78 yards and Holden Brannan 39. Wallace completed 2-for-4 passes — both to Blessington — for 24 yards. Jackson led the Mt. Ararat defense with nine tackles and a sack, with Graffam and Holman each making seven stops. Lukas Holman had five solo tackles.
Payea rushed for 41 yards on 12 carries to lead OOB, with Davies (3-of-12) throwing for 59 yards. Peter Coleman paced the Seagull defense with a game-high 13 tackles, while Davies made seven stops.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
