Morse running back Ben Doughty runs through an opening during an Oct. 2 football game against Ellsworth/Sumner in Bath. Photo provided by Soggy Dog Designs
Morse head coach Jason Darling stopped short of calling his team’s 44-30 victory over Camden Hills on Friday the biggest of the season. However, Darling acknowledged the importance of the victory as the eight-man regular season winds down.
“It was a huge mental hurdle for us having lost to them earlier in the season,” said Darling, recalling Morse’s Week 2 60-42 loss to the Windjammers in Bath. “Every game is important, but we’re getting to the point of the season where the level of importance in each game has increased.”
Running back Gabe Aucoin had arguably his best game of the season. He finished with 221 total yards and two touchdowns to go along with a sack, an interception and a team-high eight tackles. Quarterback Josh ter Mors threw for 96 yards and rushed for 106. He scored three touchdowns. Tyson Pinkham rushed for two scores and 122 yards.
“We were behind in the second half and our leaders didn’t let us get down, they kept our heads up,” said Darling, whose team is 5-1. “Confidence is high around the team right now, we really believe in one another on and off the field.”
Morse has another showdown this coming Friday when large North frontrunner Waterville (4-1) comes to Bath.
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Mt. Ararat/Hyde (5-1) bounced back from its first loss of the season in a big way on Friday, downing Yarmouth 30-0 last Friday.
Head coach Frank True said he emphasized with his team throughout the week of the need to turn the page on the setback to Cheverus.
“We didn’t want to turn one loss into two,” said True. “Our emphasis was taking care of some of the mistakes we had (against Cheverus) while we try to build for the playoffs on a high note.”
The Eagles sit at No. 2 in the eight-man large South division.
Mt. Ararat junior quarterback Mack Wilkins prepares to take the snap during an Oct. 1 game against Cheverus in Topsham. Photo provided by Jason Eggleston
Shea Farrell had three total touchdowns, two on the ground and one through the air, while Kaiden Getchell ran for another. The run-heavy Eagles have seen great improvement from quarterback Mac Wilkins as the season has progressed, adding another level of explosiveness to the already stout offense.
“He’s been building off his strong performances,” said True of Wilkins, a junior. “He’s been really solid for us back there, and he’s getting better, too.”
The Eagles close out the regular season on Friday with a trip to Readfield to take on Maranacook (2-2), which competes in the eight-man small South division.
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With only 18 players making the trip to Bucksport, Freeport was shorthanded for its game against the Golden Bears. With just two days of practice leading up to the game and not having played since Sept. 25, some proverbial rust was to be expected.
“We weren’t missing really any starters,” said Freeport head coach Paul St. Pierre. “I was a little worried about conditioning but the guys stayed in football shape while they were out.”
The Falcons found their footing in the second half. in the second half of a 26-7 victory. Jordan Knighton rushed 19 times for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Aidan Heath completed 11 of 16 passes for 104 yards. Heath scored a late touchdown on a 2-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Freeport running back Jordan Knighton looks to turn the ball up field during a football game against Bucksport last Friday in Bucksport. Photo provided by Mike Mandell
“When you get to this point of the season and the grind starts to set in, that type of victory is one that re-motivates a football team,” said St. Pierre. “It was a great boost for us mentally. Now we have more challenges ahead, which is exactly what we want.”
Freeport faces Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale (4-0) on Friday in a battle of two of the top teams in Class D.
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Coming off a scheduled bye week in Class D, Lisbon (0-3) knows the level of importance surrounding its game with John Bapst on Saturday in Bangor.
“We should finally be back to full-strength COVID wise,” Lisbon head coach Chris Kates wrote in a text message.
Kates added that the Greyhounds are still expecting to be without two of their top players in running back Nick Blair and lineman Owen Smith. Blair left Lisbon’s Sept. 25 game with an apparent shoulder injury and didn’t return. Smith also got hurt in the game against Freeport.
“(It’s a) big game for us as we try to get into the win column,” Kates said. “We’ll need a big week of practice to pull it off.”
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