An air of familiarity surrounds this weekend’s high school football state championship games.
Six of the eight participants also played in last year’s games — including all four 2014 state champions in Class A Thornton Academy of Saco, Class B Marshwood of South Berwick, Class C Winslow and Class D Oak Hill of Wales.
Class B Brunswick and Class D Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield also are back, with Class A North champion Portland and Class C South winner Yarmouth the only newcomers.
Here’s a look at the three matchups — Classes A, B and C — that will make up Championship Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.
Class A: No. 1 Portland Bulldogs (10-0) vs. No. 1 Thornton Academy Golden Trojans (9-1), 11 a.m.: The Class A North champions from Portland High School not only bring an unbeaten record into the game, the Bulldogs get to play on their home field.
Portland, seeking its first state title since 2002, has relied on a stout defense that posted five regular-season shutouts and a rushing attack featuring Joe Esposito and George Chaison-Lapine. Esposito ranked second among Class A North rushers during the regular season with 1,057 yards while scoring 16 touchdowns, and he has added 426 more rushing yards and seven touchdowns in playoff victories over Bangor (56-7) and Windham (24-7).
Thornton Academy is seeking its third state championship in the last four years after topping Bonny Eagle of Standish 24-14 in the Class A South title game. The high-scoring Trojans are led by senior quarterback Austin McCrum, who will continue his career next year at Lafayette College. Greg Ruff has been a top running back for Thornton Academy, contributing 276 yards on 27 carries to the win over Bonny Eagle.
Class C: No. 2 Winslow Black Raiders (10-0) vs. No. 1 Yarmouth Clippers (10-0), 2:30 p.m.: Winslow hasn’t moved from its central Maine location, yet the Black Raiders’ streak of four consecutive regional titles has involved a variety of regional designations — Western Maine champions in 2012, Eastern Maine champions in 2013 and 2014, and now North champions this year.
Winslow has relied offensively on a relentless rushing attack that includes halfback Nate St. Amand and fullback Kenny Rickard, who combined for five rushing touchdowns in last week’s 40-27 victory over Old Town in the North final. St. Amand rushed for 331 yards in that game, 262 in the second half.
Coach Mike Siviski’s club is riding a 21-game winning streak that includes last November’s 62-14 state championship game victory over Leavitt of Turner Center.
Yarmouth is coached by Jason Pelletier, a 1992 Winslow graduate who played for the Black Raiders under Siviski.
The Clippers are only four years removed from back-to-back state titles in 2010 and 2010 under Jim Hartman, now head coach at Class A North champion Portland.
This year’s Yarmouth club edged Wells 17-14 in the Class C South final on a 37-yard field goal by Andrew Beatty with 2:17 left in the game. Quarterback John Thoma and versatile Jack Snyder are two of the Clippers’ prominent offensive threats, but leading rusher Cody Cook suffered an apparent knee injury against Wells, and his availability for the state final is unknown.
Class B: No. 1 Brunswick Dragons (9-1) vs. No. 3 Marshwood Hawks (9-2), 6 p.m.: Marshwood of South Berwick rolled to a 44-18 win over Brunswick in last year’s state contest, but the Hawks were the lone finalist this year not to earn a first-round postseason bye.
Coach Alex Rostko’s club responded with three straight South playoff victories, capitalizing on five turnovers by top-ranked Falmouth to score a 48-22 win in the regional final. The Hawks’ ground-oriented offense is by quarterback Cole McDaniel and running back Zach Doyon, who rushed for 101 yards and three touchdowns against Falmouth.
While Marshwood is playing in its third state final in the last four years — the Hawks fell to Mt. Blue of Farmington 44-42 in 2012 — Brunswick is seeking its first state title since sharing the Class B crown with Madison in 1963.
Coach Dan Cooper’s Dragons avenged their lone loss of the fall by defeating Brewer 49-0 in the North final as senior quarterback Thomas Hanson completed six of seven first-half passes for 128 yards and four touchdowns, two each to Corban Teal and Jackson Gordon.
Senior Will Bessey, one of the state’s top rushers, was injured late in the first half of that contest, and his health will be a key factor for Brunswick in its state championship game rematch.
