CASTINE, Maine — Jack Cyr rushed 25 times for 285 yards and three touchdowns Friday night, sparking Bucksport High School to a 41-13 victory over John Bapst of Bangor in an LTC Class D semifinal at Maine Maritime Academy’s Ritchie Field.
Cyr ripped off scoring runs of 3, 87 and 7 yards to help coach Joel Sankey’s second-seeded Golden Bucks (8-1) earn a spot in next week’s Eastern Maine championship game Saturday at No. 1 Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield, which beat No. 4 Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln 20-0 on Friday night.
Third-seeded John Bapst closes out the season at 6-3.
Bucksport had won the regular-season meeting in Bangor by a 20-7 score.
Tyler Pye ran for touchdowns of 3 and 2 yards for Bucksport, which also received five receptions for 87 yards and a TD from Asher Bowden, including a 35-yard scoring catch. Quarterback Matthew Stewart completed six of seven passes for 102 yards.
Jackson Leonard was a workhorse for John Bapst, running for 165 yards and two touchdowns on 33 carries.
Bucksport dominated early while building a 28-0 halftime advantage. Cyr capped the Bucks’ opening drive with a 3-yard scoring run, then the defense responded by halting John Bapst on a fourth-down play at the Bucksport 19-yard line.
On the next play, Cyr sprinted 81 yards for a touchdown to make it 14-0 with 2:12 left in the quarter.
The Bucks built on the lead on Pye’s 3-yard scoring run and a 7-yard TD scamper by Cyr.
The Crusaders got on the board on its second possession of the third quarter behind the running of Leonard, who capped a scoring drive with a 4-yard TD run.
However, Bucksport answered with Stewart’s 35-yard touchdown pass to Bowden and Pye added a 2-yard TD run in the fourth quarter.
Leonard capped the scoring for John Bapst, scoring from four yards out with 2:07 left.
John Bapst 0 0 7 6 — 13
Bucksport 14 14 6 7 — 41
B — Cyr 3 run (DeRedin kick)
B — Cyr 87 run (DeRedin kick)
B — Pye 3 run (DeRedin kick)
B — Cyr 7 run (DeRedin kick)
JB — Leonard 4 run (Dieuveuil kick)
B — Bowden 35 pass from Stewart (kick failed)
B — Pye 2 run (DeRedin kick)
JB — Leonard 4 run (rush failed)