by Mike Lowe
Special to the BDN
PORTLAND, Maine — Too big. Too fast. Too good.
Top-ranked Portland High was all of that Friday night as the Bulldogs overwhelmed No.3 Bangor High School 54-14 in the Class A North football championship game at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
The Bulldogs were powered by a three-headed running game that produced over 400 rushing yards and a swarming defense that rang up eight sacks in winning their third consecutive regional football championship.
Portland (9-2) will play the winner of Saturday’s Thornton Academy-Noble game in next week’s Class A championship game. Bangor, playing in its first title game in 13 years, finished the season 5-6.
“I’m not sure they have a weakness,” said Bangor coach Dave Morris. “They’ve proven they’re the best team in the state right now.”
Quarterback Louis Thurston and running backs Cordell Jones and Aidan McGowan combined to rush for 368 yards and seven touchdowns. Bangor quarterback Kyle Johnson, the key to the Rams’ four-game winning streak entering the game, was sacked seven times for a loss of 37 yards.
“You’ve got to tip your hat to a really good football team,” said Morris. “They just played better.”
Portland’s Jones rushed for 153 yards and scored three touchdowns, including a 48-yard pass reception; McGowan had 108 rushing yards and three touchdowns; Thurston rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown, while also throwing for two scores.
Still, the game turned around on a pivotal sequence in the second quarter. Portland led 7-0 before the Rams put together a drive that lasted 9 minutes and 10 seconds and ended with a 10-yard scoring run by Johnson. Caden Karem’s PAT kick tied it at 7 within 10:47 left in the second.
One play later, Bangor had the ball at the Portland 31 as Nevin Howell forced a fumble that Will Houghton recovered. But two plays later Johnson fumbled as he was sacked, with Portland recovering. The Bulldogs then went on a 61-yard scoring drive, capped by a 3-yard run by Thurston. The PAT kick failed and Portland led 13-7.
Three plays later, Jones intercepted a deep pass and Portland again had the ball. It took the Bulldogs six plays to go 59 yards with McGowan running the final 33 for the score, and it was 20-7 with 1:50 left in the first half.
Portland got the ball back 43 seconds later after forcing a punt. This time, on fourth down from the 8, Thurston found Charlie Abramson-Thompson cutting across the back of the end zone for the touchdown with five seconds left and it was suddenly 27-7.
“It all starts with Louis Thurston,” said Portland coach Sean Green. “He managed the situation really, really well. And he threw a dart to a great back-line runner.”
The Rams knew they had lost an opportunity in the second quarter after recovering the fumble.
“That was definitely a key,” said junior running back Zac Cota, who scored Bangor’s touchdown in the second half. “There’s also a lot of other things. We had a lot of mistakes, but that was a key part of the game that swung the momentum.”
Portland never let up in the second half, using its powerful offensive line to open gaping holes for all its backs.
“Nothing changes in football,” said Morris. “You win the battles up front and they just won a few more than we did. Our kids played hard but … they’re just tough up front.”
Even with the loss, this was a memorable season for the Rams, who sat at 1-5 after losing 35-7 to Portland on Oct. 11.
“It meant a whole lot to me and the team to be here,” said Cota. “We really came together as a team. Of course we wanted to win but I’m just so glad we made it here.
“We really came together and formed a brotherhood to get here.”