Michael Lewinski and the Wells Warriors take a 4-2 record into Saturday’s interclass game against Kennebunk. The former rivals haven’t played a regular-season game since 2003. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer
The increased number of interclass matchups has brought an increased level of interest and overall competitiveness to the 2022 high school football season.
This week, there are four such games of particular interest. Two were once common rivalry games: Class B Kennebunk (4-2) at Class C Wells (4-2), and Class B South Portland (4-2) at Class A Scarborough (4-2) – a game that was a regular matchup as recently as 2018.
The others feature perennial Class A powers traveling north to virtually uncharted territories. Defending Class A champion Thornton Academy (4-2), which has gotten its offense rolling the past two weeks, is at Class B North leader Skowhegan (6-0) in what is believed to be the first meeting between the two programs. Bonny Eagle (3-3) has also never played Lawrence (3-3). Both games have been shifted to Saturday night because of the expected heavy rains Thursday through Friday. The Kennebunk-Wells game also was moved to Saturday.
The last time Kennebunk and Wells met was the final game of the 2002 regular season. Wells won, 21-7, behind 221 rushing yards by Luke Sibley. Both teams finished 3-6. The next season, Kennebunk moved to Class A (which was a 28-team league – how time’s have changed). By the time the Rams returned to Class B in 2013, Wells had shifted to Class C.
One thing that hasn’t changed? The teams’ head coaches, Joe Rafferty at Kennebunk and Tim Roche at Wells.
“I know the community is excited for it,” said Rafferty, who is running for reelection as state senator for District 34, which includes Wells. “I see a lot of people, and they’re saying ‘Big game this week,’ much more so than any other we’ve played this year. In both communities.”
Roche is running for reelection as a state representative.
Bonny Eagle Coach Kevin Cooper is likely to see some familiar faces on Saturday. He cut his football teeth at Keyes Field, where his father, Pete Cooper, was the longtime head coach. The stadium is now named for Pete Cooper. Kevin Cooper played on Lawrence’s 1983 and 1984 Class B championship teams, quarterbacking the team as a senior.
“I don’t think I’ve been on that field since I can’t remember when,” Kevin Cooper said. “I certainly don’t want to make it about me, but I understand the connection.”
Nostalgia won’t help Bonny Eagle snap a two-game losing streak, including last week’s setback to Class A frontrunner Oxford Hills.
“Ultimately, I’m not playing in the game,” Cooper said. “Bonny Eagle players are playing. Lawrence players are playing. It’s an important game for us.”
Pete Cooper will be at the game – on the Bonny Eagle side.
“He has a grandson playing for Bonny Eagle (sophomore wide receiver CJ Cooper), so I think that tips the balance in favor of us,” Kevin Cooper said.
Thornton Coach Kevin Kezal said his team’s challenge is “we’re going on the road to play a really good football team,” and that Skowhegan is “good up front, great skill kids, and their quarterback (6-foot-6 Adam Savage) is back from injury.”
Kezal also noted that teams from smaller class have more than held their own in the interclass games this fall. Through five weeks, the smaller school has won 25 of 45 games. Thornton is 2-0 in its interclass games, beating Kennebunk, 15-12, and last week handling Windham, 44-7.
“The biggest takeaway I’ve gotten is there are some really good football teams playing a class lower than us, and I don’t know if class matters,” Kezal said.
From Skowhegan Coach Ryan Libby’s perspective, playing Thornton is a chance for his players to measure themselves and be better prepared for playoff battles.
“We want our kids to play top competition,” Libby said. “We feel that brings the best out of our kids, feel that it prepares us for tough playoff games and potentially playing the best of the best at the end of the playoffs.”
Last week saw some of the most lopsided interclass outcomes so far, with the nine games decided by an average of 29.4 points – boosting the season average margin from 20.4 to 22.2 points over 45 games. The regular in-class 11-man games have a 25.2 average point margin.
IN CLASS C SOUTH, York (5-1) goes to Cape Elizabeth (4-2) with a five-game winning streak since a season-opening loss to league leader Leavitt. York is No. 3 and Cape, which nearly knocked off Leavitt last week, is No. 5 in the Crabtree standings. In the Capers’ 21-20 loss at Leavitt, Cape standout Nick Laughlin’s potentinal go-ahead touchdown was nullified by a penalty. Laughlin also had a possible go-ahead TD called back in Cape’s other loss, 28-21 at Wells.
Westbrook (2-4) faces a must-win situation when it hosts Fryeburg Academy (3-3) on Saturday. The Blue Blazes are last in a seven-team league, and six teams make the playoffs. Fryeburg is currently sixth. Last week, freshman Giovanni Staples stepped in at quarterback for injured senior Carter Dow and directed Westbrook to a 27-6 win at Nokomis. Coach Sam Johnson said Dow is expected to start this week, but Staples, who “can make plays with his feet,” will also likely play.
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