SOUTH PORTLAND — On a night when the South Portland offense let a number of opportunities slip away, the Red Riots defense made sure their team didn’t need many scoring chances.

South Portland’s defense pitched a shutout, including a goal-line stand early in the fourth quarter, and the Red Riots took a 28-0 win over Biddeford at George E. Martin Memorial Field.

South Portland is now 4-2 in Class B South, while Biddeford falls to 3-3. It was the second straight shutout for the Red Riots, who beat Noble 21-0 last week.

After averaging just under 38 points per game through four weeks, Biddeford was held in check for the second week in a row. The Tigers were coming off a 30-12 loss to Portland.

South Portland won despite committing four turnovers, three deep in Biddeford territory.

South Portland’s defensive line, led by Josh Lamour, Paul Magaya and Henry Risch, kept steady pressure on Biddeford quarterback Patrick O’Driscoll. Lamour recorded a pair of sacks, and Risch had one as well.

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Even under constant pressure, O’Driscoll led the Tigers on two long second-half drives. Down 7-0 at the half, Biddeford drove to the Red Riots 1 on the opening drive of the second half, the big play a 47-yard pass to Colin Gregoire to set Biddeford up first-and-goal at the 10.

After an incompletion, back-to-back runs by Ivan Ramos moved the ball inside the 1. Ramos was injured on the second carry, however, and O’Driscoll was stopped on a fourth-down keeper.

The Red Riots’ ensuing drive went 99 yards in eight plays. Quarterback Jaelen Jackson capped it with an 8-yard run for a 14-0 lead with 6:13 left in the third quarter.

South Portland’s defense set up another scoring opportunity on Biddeford’s next possession when Matthew Berry intercepted a pass at the Biddeford 40, but a fumble – South Portland’s fourth turnover – gave the Tigers the ball back at the 25.

The Red Riots added a pair of scores in the fourth quarter. With 8:24 to play, Jackson scored on a 9-yard run. With 41 seconds left, Joshua Sparacio’s bulled in from the 1.

South Portland led 7-0 at the half, thanks to a 16-yard touchdown catch by Nolan Hobbs in the second quarter. Hobbs sprinted down the left sideline and leaped over a defender to catch the pass from Jackson.
That touchdown was the highlight of a frustrating first half for the Red Riots offense, which saw three of its five first-half possessions end in a turnover.
South Portland took the game’s opening drive 80 yards in 16 plays, chewing almost nine minutes off the clock before losing the ball on a fumble at the 9.
The Red Riots’ next possession ended when Antonio Taylor intercepted a pass near midfield. Then, with under a minute left in the first half, Biddeford’s Jake Samoilov made an interception at the Tigers 25.
Jackson ran for 104 yards and passed for 147. Jonathan Poole ran for 105 yards for the Red Riots.

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