PORTLAND, Maine — Dane Johnson’s 10-yard touchdown run in overtime and Nick Graham’s point after kick lifted the Bangor High School Rams to a 28-27 Class A football win over the Portland Bulldogs on Friday night at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
“I think we just woke up. Portland’s a good football team. Graham had the energy to get us going. That sparked us. It’s a huge win,” Bangor coach Mark Hackett said. “It shows resiliency that we can come back against a good team at their place. It’s money in the bank. We found a way to do it.”
The touchdown in overtime capped a second-half rally by the Rams, who trailed 21-0 early in the third quarter before starting a comeback with back-to-back third-quarter TDs run by Graham and Johnson.
Graham scored on a 34-yard TD run and Johnson added the two-point rush. Johnson followed that with an 85-yard jaunt and Graham added the PAT kick.
Bangor kept the pressure on in the fourth quarter when it tied the game on Johnson’s 1-yard run, but the PAT was blocked, sending the game into overtime.
Joe Esposito scored from 8 yards out on Portland’s possession, but John Williams’ PAT try hit the upright.
Bangor then responded with Johnson’s TD and Graham’s kick.
Portland’s Jordan Talbot opened the game’s scoring in the first quarter when he connected with Austin Phillips on a 43-yard TD pass. Talbot added to the lead with a 2-yard TD run. Williams kicked a PAT on each touchdown for a 14-0 first-quarter lead.
Neither team scored in the second quarter and the Bulldogs went up 21-0 on Esposito’s 19-yard run and Williams’ PAT kick.
Johnson finished with 195 yards on 27 carries for Bangor, now 4-0. Portland is 2-2.