The playoff push is on and there are several key matchups in Eastern Maine on Friday night, including three games featuring teams that are either undefeated or have one loss.
Meanwhile, the Bangor High School Rams will look to rebound from last Friday’s heart-breaking 6-0 loss to undefeated Windham against the winless Lewiston Blue Devils and Brewer will travel to Skowhegan for a battle of 2-3 teams trying to improve their playoff chances.
Maine Central Institute (5-0) at Mattanawcook Academy (3-1), Lincoln, 7 p.m.: Coach Tom Bertrand’s MCI Huskies will continue to be without star running back Jonathan Santiago, who has averaged over 10 yards per carry, and hard-running Eric Hathaway. Both are sidelined with knee injuries, although Bertrand said he expects both to return soon.
Bruising Alex Bertrand has picked up the slack on his father’s team along with sophomores Eli Bussell and Willie Moss. Quarterback Greg Vigue and his favorite target, Austin Tolman, give the Huskies a potent passing attack.
“We’ll throw the ball a little more and hope that our depth will help us offensively,” said Bertrand. “Losing Jonathan and Eric certainly hurts us, but we have some kids who can do some different things.”
MCI has racked up 265 points in its five games.
Bertrand said Mattanawcook will be a formidable opponent.
“They’re much bigger than we are up front, [Scott] Jipson is a good back and they have other kids who can handle the ball,” he said. “Their quarterback [Carter Ward] can move. They present a challenge for us.”
Jipson, Holden Kimball and Garrett Sutherland combined for 211 rushing yards in a 27-7 win over Dexter last weekend and Ward completed six of 10 passes for 77 yards.
Orono (4-1) at Bucksport (3-1), 7 p.m.
This is a rematch of last year’s Eastern Maine Class D semifinal, which was won by the eventual EM titlist Golden Bucks 17-14.
“It could be high scoring,” said Bucksport coach Joel Sankey. “It will be interesting. I know Bobby’s [Orono coach Bob Sinclair] numbers are down but they have a quarterback who can throw the ball [sophomore Jackson Coutts] so they’re a little more diversified than they’ve been in the past. They have some good skilled people and they can put points on the board.”
So can Sankey’s Bucks, who have scored 158 points in four games.
Jack Cyr and Asher Bowden are averaging over eight yards per carry for Bucksport and quarterback Matthew Stewart has completed over 50 percent of his passes for 400-plus yards. Hayden Craig and Dylan Soper are two of Stewart’s favorite targets.
Matt Fowler, Keenan Collett and Tom Lucy are the top running threats for the Red Riots.
Winslow (5-0) at Foxcroft Academy (4-1), 7 p.m., Oakes Field, Dover-Foxcroft
Foxcroft Academy coach Danny White said his Ponies will have their hands full with a physical Winslow team.
“We’re going to have to match that if we’re going to compete with them,” said White. “They’re quick up front. Defensively, they all fly around.”
The game features a pair of exceptional running backs who have each rushed for over 300 yards in a game this season.
Winslow’s Dylan Hapworth gained 318 yards on just 14 carries and ran for four touchdowns in Winslow’s 62-6 win over Belfast and FA’s Peter Boyer racked up 163 yards on 14 carries in a 66-13 win over Hermon.
Winslow has several other weapons including quarterback Bobby Chenard. The Raiders have scored at least 38 points in all of their wins.
Foxcroft quarterback Hunter Smith has rushed for over 500 yards.
Lewiston (0-5) at Bangor (4-1), 7 p.m. Cameron Stadium, Bangor
Bangor could be distracted with a crucial game against Cheverus of Portland the following weekend, but Bangor coach Mark Hackett isn’t worried about his team taking the Blue Devils lightly. Lewiston rallied in the final 42 seconds to beat Bangor 31-29 in their regular season matchup last fall.
Dynamic Quintarian Brown, who caught the game-winning TD pass, has returned to the lineup after missing three games and scored three touchdowns in a 29-22 loss to Deering last weekend.
“He’s one of the best players in the league,” said Hackett. “He beat us by himself last year.”
Bangor avenged the loss with a 51-22 playoff win.
“They always have a few trick plays,” noted Hackett.
But the Rams have their own star running back in Dane Johnson, who is averaging over seven yards per carry and has close to 1,000 yards already with three games remaining.
Lewiston’s defense has surrendered 195 points in five games.
Hackett is looking to diversify his offense and is pleased with his defense, which held a high-powered Windham, which had averaged 48.5 points per game, to just six points. End Jordan Ayer and linebacker Evan McAuliffe are among the defensive stalwarts for Bangor.
Brewer (2-3) at Skowhegan (2-3), 7 p.m., Skowhegan
This game features two exciting play-making quarterbacks in Brewer’s Logan Rogerson and Skowhegan’s Nathan Morris, who each have thrown for over 400 yards and can also pick up yardage on the ground.
Skowhegan has a running back in Kaleb Brown who has rushed for over 600 yards, and a linebacker in Gus Benson who has already been involved in an eye-opening 104 tackles.
Dylan Severance is Brewer’s top rushing threat.
Trey Wood, Severance and Isaak Gauthier have led Brewer’s improving defense, which held Gardiner to eight points a week ago in the 14-8 win.
“Their quarterback runs very well and he also throws. They have some punishing backs and shifty backs,” said Brewer coach Nick Arthers. “They run the spread offense and keep you off balance.”