Fewer teams are still practicing and playing high school football as the daylight dwindles while recent weather chooses to defy Mother Nature’s typical standards for the first week of November — at least this year.
It’s a badge of honor for those survivors, a group that will be pared from 32 teams to 16 statewide during North and South regional semifinals this weekend.
Class B
No. 3 Brewer Witches (8-1) at No. 2 Skowhegan Indians (7-1), 7 p.m. Friday: No team has been able to out-smashmouth Brewer this season, as physical play up front and a diversified set of skill-position players led by senior quarterback Logan Rogerson, senior halfback Dylan Severance, senior wideout Danny Davis and junior fullback Trey Wood have helped the Witches average 40 points per game during their five-game winning streak.
Brewer’s lone stumble came in Week 4, when Skowhegan used stout defense and three touchdown passes from quarterback Garrett McSweeney for a 21-14 victory over the Witches at Reggie Clark Memorial Field in Skowhegan. McSweeney has passed for 1,972 yards and 22 touchdowns this fall.
“Skowhegan is right there at the top of the league,” said Brewer coach Nick Arthers. “McSweeney’s one of the best quarterbacks in the league. They have some great athletes at receiver, and their defense comes up and makes hits, so it’s going to be a challenge going back down there to play.
“But our guys are feeling pretty good after [last week’s 35-8 quarterfinal win over Lawrence of Fairfield], and they really want to get another chance at them.”
The Brewer-Skowhegan survivor will face the winner of Friday’s Class B North semifinal between top-ranked and defending regional champion Brunswick (7-1) and No. 4 Mt. Blue (6-3). Brunswick defeated Mt. Blue 27-16 in a Week 7 game at Farmington, but Mt. Blue rallied from a 20-point halftime deficit to stun No. 5 Cony of Augusta 35-34 in last week’s quarterfinals.
Class A
No. 5 Bangor Rams (3-6) at No. 1 Portland Bulldogs (8-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Bangor has played rejuvenated football over the last two weekends, averaging 44.5 points per game in defeating Oxford Hills/Buckfield to qualify for the Class A North playoffs and ousting No. 4 Edward Little of Auburn in the first round of the playoffs. That win returned the Rams to the regional semifinals for the third straight year since a fourth class was restored to the state’s high school football ranks.
If Bangor is to advance to a regional final for the first time during that span, it will have to upset not only the state’s only undefeated Class A team, but a Portland squad that buried the Rams 59-0 just three weeks ago. Errorless football and a strong rushing performance by the tandem of Dane Johnson and Ben Crichton likely would give Bangor its best chance.
The Bangor-Portland winner will face the survivor of Friday’s other Class A North semifinal that sends No. 3 Cheverus of Portland (6-3) to No. 2 Windham (7-2). Windham edged the Stags 19-15 in Week 8.
Class C
No. 5 Foxcroft Academy Ponies (5-4) at No. 1 Old Town Coyotes (8-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Old Town has combined an offense averaging 38.4 points per game with a steadily improving defense that yielded just a single touchdown in its 31-8 Week 8 win over Mount Desert Island of Bar Harbor. Foxcroft has won four of five games since its 41-19 Week 4 loss at Old Town, when the Coyotes scored three touchdowns on plays of 76 yards or longer to break the game open in the second half.
“The big challenge in playing Old Town certainly is preventing them from making the big plays,” said Foxcroft coach Danny White. “They’ve got a lot of weapons to concern you defensively, and their defense has come a long way since last year and even earlier this year.”
No. 3 Mount Desert Island Trojans (7-2) at No. 2 Winslow Black Raiders (8-0), 1 p.m. Saturday: MDI gave Winslow its toughest game of the regular season in Week 2, taking an early lead and forging a 14-14 halftime tie before the defending Class C state champions took control in the second half for a 35-20 victory. Winslow yielded just seven other points in the regular season and hopes to extend its 19-game winning streak in the semifinal rematch against the Trojans. MDI boasts a potent ground game led by halfback Taner Bickford and fullback Croix Albee and will need a strong ball-control effort to contain the relentless Black Raiders.
Class D
No. 4 Orono Red Riots (5-4) vs. No. 1 Maine Central Institute Huskies (8-0), 7 p.m. Friday at Pittsfield: Their Week 2 regular-season matchup got out of hand early, with MCI recovering fumbles on two of Orono’s first five plays from scrimmage en route to a 67-0 victory. Several key Orono players were sidelined with injuries by halftime of that game, and healthy efforts from running backs Keenan Collett and Matt Fowler will be pivotal if the Red Riots have a chance to pull off a monumental upset.
MCI has been on cruise control during the second half of the season, with veterans such as Greg Vigue, Curtis McLeod and Dillon Fitts now ready to embark upon their “Unfinished Business Tour” after winning the regional title a year ago only to fall short in the state final.
No. 3 Mount View Mustangs (7-2) vs. No. 2 Mattanawcook Academy (6-2), 7 p.m. Friday at Lincoln: Two big, physical teams will battle for the second time in four weekends, with Mount View grinding out 323 rushing yards and capitalizing on two Mattanawcook turnovers to score the 33-18 road win during Week 7 of the regular season. Despite the loss, Mattanawcook edged Mount View through Crabtree points for the second first-round bye in the LTC Class D North because of strength of schedule. Both offenses should be capable of moving the ball with such running backs as Tyler Ripley of Mount View and Scott Jipson of Mattanawcook leading the way. Turnovers again could be the key.
