WELLS — A high school football game with an old-time feel turned into a game every participant will remember.
In the first meeting in 20 years between two neighboring high schools, Wells beat Kennebunk 28-21 in triple overtime Saturday night.
Eli Potter, a sophomore linebacker/fullback, scored the winning touchdown on a 10-yard burst up the middle. In the high school overtime format, each team gets the ball first-and-goal from the 10 in each overtime session. On Kennebunk’s first-down play in the third overtime, quarterback Jack Cornell rolled left. His pass was tipped up into the air by Michael Lewinski, and Potter raced to the spot and cradled it before it hit the ground.
“I saw the ball get tipped and saw it go up in the air and I was just like, Man, I’ve got to get under this,” Potter said.
Wells, which plays in Class C, improved to 5-2. Class B Kennebunk is 4-3.
With both teams featuring wing-T offenses and defensive lines that dominated on a natural turf field still slick from heavy rains that lasted into Friday evening, it was mostly a game of power football, though Kennebunk did throw the ball well. Cornell completed 15 of 23 passes for 191 yards and Max Andrews had nine catches for 99 yards.
Kennebunk scored the only touchdown of the first half when Cornell connected with Jack Cataldi for a 12-yard score. It was the Rams’ fourth trip into the red zone in the first half. The first ended on downs, after a Cornell touchdown pass had been called back because of a penalty. The next ended on a fumble. Then Max Andrews’ 30-yard field goal hit the crossbar and bounced out.
Kennebunk dominated the half statistically, too, running 30 plays to 12 and gaining 194 yards to 31 for Wells.
“When I went in at halftime, I said, ‘We should be up 28 to zip,” said Kennebunk Coach Joe Rafferty.
In the second half, Kennebunk’s offense stalled while Wells began to find more success, particular with Potter running up the middle.
Finally, Wells got the break it needed on an odd play. In punt formation at the Kennebunk 48, Lewinski had a low snap scoot through his legs. He picked it up, looked like he might run, then got off a short punt. A Kennebunk player made contact, and a roughing the punter flag was thrown.
Wells took advantage. On third-and-10, Dyllan Davis took an inside reverse handoff and sprinted 13 yards to the corner for the touchdown, with Lewinski booming the tying extra point with 6:22 to play.
In the first overtime, Potter scored first for Wells on a 1-yard run, with Lewinski kicking the point after. Kennebunk answered with a 3-yard run by Gray Compton, and Andrews kicked the tying PAT.
In the second overtime, Kennebunk went first. Cornell scored on a 1-yard run on second down. Davis answered for Wells with a sprint to the left corner on a sweep.
“We had to hang in. And we did,” said Wells Coach Tim Roche.
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