KENNEBUNK — Five straight wins to start the season for the Kennebunk football team were impressive enough.
Saturday afternoon, however, may have been the most head-turning result yet.
Jonah Barstow ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries, a lights-out defense had another dominant showing, and Kennebunk rolled over Class A Sanford, 35-0, on a gray afternoon at Memorial Field.
“I feel like we finally proved ourselves,” Barstow said. “Everyone was thinking ‘Oh, we’re just a good Class B team, it’s Kennebunk, they’re always kind of good, but they’re not all the way.’ I feel like we finally announced that we’re legit.”
The Rams (6-0) were unrelenting against a Spartans team enjoying its own strong start to the season. Tacklers bounced off Barstow on carry after carry, and the Kennebunk front seven swallowed up nearly every effort by Sanford (3-2-1) to get around or through them.
“I’m impressed with the physicality of our kids today,” Kennebunk Coach Keith Noel said. “They came out and answered the bell. We stressed being physical all weekend, knowing that Sanford was a great team. Our kids came out and they played football, and credit to them. They executed what we wanted them to do.”
Sanford Coach Mike Fallon said the Spartans had no answer for the Rams’ energy.
“(Kennebunk) showed up today with a lot of hunger and a lot of fire in their belly, ready to play football, and obviously we did not do a good job as coaches getting our kids ready to play. We were not in the same stratosphere in terms of energy and desire to play,” said Fallon, whose team turned the ball over four times, including three in the second half as Kennebunk built on a 14-0 lead.
“They were super prepared. They outcoached us, they outplayed us. Just one of those days, and it got away from us early.”
It was evident on the first score of the game. On the opening play of Kennebunk’s third drive, Barstow started off left tackle, absorbed a straight-on tackle attempt and broke through it, then outran the Sanford defense for a 55-yard score and a 7-0 lead with 3:16 to go in the first quarter.
“If you hold up and let him hit you, it’s going to hurt a lot more than if you go full-speed into him,” Barstow said. “I’m looking at the end zone. Whoever’s in my way, you’re not going to stop me.”
Barstow’s second score, a 7-yard run with 14 seconds left in the half, was set up by a 33-yard run to the Sanford 15 in which he broke through multiple tacklers within the first 5 yards. He added a 5-yard touchdown run with 5:28 to go in the third that made it 21-0.
“He just drives his legs, never stops driving his legs,” said quarterback Gray Compton, who threw a 27-yard touchdown pass to Max Andrews, rounded out the scoring with a 1-yard run, and also had an interception on defense.
“I’ve got the best view in the house. … He’s just a big, strong back, really fast, really good. He just keeps going.”
A defense that allowed only 24 points in the five games took it from there, as fumble recoveries by Gabe Jewett and Jaiden Homa and the interception by Compton, all on consecutive series, allowed the Rams to pull away in the third quarater.
Kennebunk’s defense, anchored by linemen Jewett, Owen Bourque, Charles Majkowski, Jonathan Hines and James Spinney, allowed only two first downs, both on a second-quarter series that ended with a Homa interception.
“Our confidence is through the roof, with how we’re playing,” said Jewett, who credited defensive assistant coaches Tom Taylor, Jason Sullivan and Joe Bush. “We’re always foot on the gas, we do not let up until we know we’ve got this in the bag.”
Drew Bonifant — 207-660-1253
dbonifant@pressherald.com
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