SOUTH PORTLAND — Quarterback Anthony Poole rushed for 234 yards and scored four touchdowns – including the winner with 34 seconds left – as South Portland completed its best regular season in eight years with a 27-21 victory against Sanford at Martin Memorial Field.
Poole didn’t complete a pass but didn’t have to, running 44 times and sending the Red Riots (6-2) into the Class B South playoffs on a high note with his 3-yard run that won it.
“Anthony’s a special player for sure,” said South Portland’s first-year coach, Aaron Filieo. “No question about it.”
After a three-and-out on defense to start the night, South Portland drove 79 yards on 12 plays, chewing up more than 5 1/2 minutes before Poole, on his ninth carry of the march, scored on a 7-yard run for a 7-0 lead.
Sanford (4-4), which has one regular-season game left before the Class A playoffs, answered quickly. Xavier Levine connected with Leyton Bickford for a 17-yard scoring pass on a jump ball in the end zone to tie it.
The Red Riots then used up the final 1:37 of the opening period and 5:08 of the second to march for a second touchdown, a 14-yard Poole run, for a 14-7 advantage.
Again the Spartans responded. After a nice kickoff return from Caleb Saucier, Ethan Shain broke free on a sweep right and outraced the pursuit for a 42-yard score. The extra point was wide right and South Portland took a 14-13 lead to halftime.
The Red Riots got the ball to start the second half and again milked the clock, using 7:13 to drive 70 yards on 15 plays. A 24-yard run from Keenan Jones put the ball on the 1 and Poole finished it off to make it 21-13.
“Anthony just wears them down,” said South Portland lineman Nate Ellington. “He’s so good. He doesn’t show any signs of stopping. He just leads the team to victory.”
Sanford answered with 9:42 to play, when a 4-yard TD run by Shain on a sweep right was followed by Levine’s 2-point conversion rush to tie it.
South Portland then drained all but 34 seconds of the remaining clock, converting three third downs and two fourth downs. Poole finished it off and while the extra point was missed, the Red Riots had a 27-21 lead.
“There aren’t many Fridays left so any time Coach calls my number, I’m going to give all I have,” said Poole. “I took it outside, saw the hole and took it in.”
The Spartans nearly stole it seconds later, but an apparent 69-yard Levine to Bickford scoring pass was erased by offensive interference and Poole clinched it with an interception.
“Sanford came back and answered the bell so we had to dig deeper,” Filieo said. “It’s been a lot of work this year, but it’s been a lot of fun. These guys are so much fun to coach.”
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