Down two scores and facing the possibility of a loss for a second week in a row, the Bonny Eagle football team did not spend halftime drawing up a new game plan. The Scots simply sought to play their brand of football at a higher level over the final two quarters of Friday’s home game against Cheverus.
“As far as adjustments, with high school kids, you really can’t make a lot of adjustments at halftime,” said Bonny Eagle coach Kevin Cooper. “That ends up not working. We just got a little more determined at halftime. Our guys got really determined and I think the way they played in the second half showed their resolve.”
The Scots (5-2) used a smothering defensive effort, some strong running and a field goal by Nate Martel to rally for a 24-21 overtime win over the Stags (5-2) in Standish.
The victory ensures Bonny Eagle a playoff spot, and if the Scots can defeat Gorham on the road on Friday night, they should host a first round playoff game.
“I think it gets us in the playoffs now and next week will be for positioning,” Cooper said. “We have a chance to finish really high in the top eight. It’s nice to be able to control your own destiny like that with this win.”
Last season, Bonny Eagle defeated Cheverus in the regular season and in the playoffs, by a combined 81-6 score. But the Stags entered this game with just one loss and impressive wins over both Windham and South Portland – the two teams that the Scots have lost to. The Stags had certainly closed the gap since a year ago.
And through 24 minutes on Friday, the Scots – who were shutout by Windham 14-0 their last game – appeared they were headed for a third loss as they trailed 21-7 at the break after Cheverus ran off 21 straight points to close the first half.
But the Scots limited the Stags to 29 yards of offense in the second half and overtime period. Twenty-two of those came on a single scramble by quarterback Peter Gwilym. Cheverus running back Spencer Cooke, who ran for 88 yards and two touchdowns in the first half, carried 11 times but was stopped for a total of -1 yards in the second half.
Bonny Eagle tied the game with 5:46 left in regulation on a 7-yard TD run by Max Alfiero, followed by a two-point conversion completion from Ryan Nason to Jeff Amell. Alfiero’s touchdown capped a three-play, 14-yard drive that was set up by Nason’s 41-yard punt return.
The Scots had a chance to win it at the end of regulation, but Martel’s 35-yard field goal try with 10 seconds left sailed plenty high and far, but went wide left by a few feet.
It wasn’t long, however, before Martel had another chance for the win. Cheverus had the ball to start the overtime, in which both teams get possession on the 10-yard line of their opponent. On fourth-and-goal from the 3, the Stags went for it and Gwilym was stopped just short of the pylon on a keeper to the left.
After three offensive plays, the Scots were still at the 10 and Martel came on to kick, making sure he corrected his aim from the attempt moments earlier.
“I just hooked it a little bit to the left,” he said. “I just aimed a little bit off. That one was barely off. I was thinking, just aim a little bit more to the right, stay calm and do what I know how to do.”
It worked, and the Scots rushed the field in celebration.
“You don’t get a chance to be a part of too many games like this,” Cooper said. “To be able to come away with a win, that was pretty sweet.”
Bonny Eagle made it a one-score game at 21-13 with nine minutes left in the fourth quarter on Nason’s 16-yard TD carry (the kick failed).
Nason finished with 127 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns. He completed 4 of 10 passes for 66 yards with one interception.
The Scots led 7-0 on a Nason plunge from a yard out with 3:50 left in the first quarter and the PAT from Martel. The Stags struck back, capitalizing on big plays to score the next three touchdowns. Matt Ball broke a 53-yard run to set up Cooke’s 2-yard score with 48 seconds left in the opening quarter. Cameron Olsen’s first of three successful PATs made it 7-7.
Cheverus forced the Scots to go three-and-out on their next drive. Following a punt, Cooke got loose for a 69-yard TD run on the next Cheverus play, making it 14-7 with 10:25 left in the first half. Three plays later, Jack Bushey picked off a pass by Nason. A little over three minutes thereafter, Gwilym capped off a seven-play, 19-yard drive with a 2-yard TD run around the left side on fourth down.
The Stags outgained Bonny Eagle 140-86 in the first half, while the Scots held a 154-29 yardage edge after halftime.
“This was a key game to our season,” said Martel, who also helped spearhead the lockdown defense in the second half from his linebacker position. “We just had to come through with it. It was really great because these guys beat Windham and So Po, both who we lost to. This really shows who we are.”
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