Area quarterbacks in running for Fitzpatrick Trophy

Sun Journal file photo

Mt. Blue quarterback Ryan Backus passes the ball during a September game against Oxford Hills. Backus is one of the three local football stand-outs that have been selected as semifinalists for the James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy, presented each year to the top senior football player in the state.

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- Amber Waterman/Sun Journal

Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Leavitt's Eric Theiss avoids Hampden defender Justin Rogerson at the goal line for the score on a quarterback keep in the 2nd period of the football game played at Leavitt on Friday. On the play for Leavitt is Jason Fisher.

Jose Leiva/Sun Journal Dirigo's quarterback Nic Crutchfield runs the ball downfield in football game against Livermore Fall on Friday in Livermore Falls.

PORTLAND — Leavitt Area High School and Dirigo High School's quarterbacks have been rewarded for their teams' state championship seasons with selection as semifinalists for the James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy, presented each year to the top senior football player in the state.

Eric Theiss of Class B champion Leavitt and Nic Crutchfield of Class C champion Dirigo are on the list of 11 players under consideration for the prize, which will presented Sunday, Jan. 17, 2010.

Mt. Blue High School QB Ryan Backus was the third local player chosen.

Crutchfield is one of three Class C players on the ballot. His counterpart in last Saturday's state final, Ryan Stroud of Foxcroft Academy, also made the list along with Bill Wetherbee of John Bapst.

The Dirigo star threw for 1,823 yards and 19 touchdowns in his third year as a starter, capped by a 256-yard, 3-TD performance in the 37-20 win over Foxcroft. He rushed for 10 TDs. Defensively, he made 47 tackles and four pass interceptions, including three in the playoffs.

"He started out as a running back in grade school, and I used to tell him he wasn't big enough to keep taking that pounding," said Dave Crutchfield, Nic's father and a Dirigo assistant coach. "Back in AYF (Area Youth Football) we used to have him throw halfback option passes, and he'd put it on the money every time."

In addition to on-field accomplishments, the Fitzy committee considers leadership, scholarship and citizenship when choosing the semifinalists.

Crutchfield, who also is a standout on the defending Western Class C championship basketball team and a member of Dirigo's track and field squad, carries a 89 average in the classroom. He's a member of the National Honor Society and Big Brothers, Big Sisters program.

"He's just a funny kid. He always makes people laugh," said Dirigo coach Doug Gilbert. "He made an interception in the playoff game against Winthrop, and the official blew an inadvertent whistle when there was nothing but green grass and blue (Dirigo) shirts all the way down the sideline. Nic just put his arm around the guy and said, 'It's OK. Everybody makes mistakes.' And he was being sincere about it. He wasn't trying to be sarcastic. He has fun out there."

Each of the 74 varsity coaches in Maine is allowed to nominate one player from his team for the award.

That was a conundrum for Leavitt, which flaunted two prime candidates all season.

In the end, the Hornets went with their field general and the player who was healthy all season. Theiss received the nod over teammate Josh Strickland, who played sparingly during the first month of the season due to a hamstring pull.

Theiss accounted for more than 2,100 yards of total offense and 26 TDs (12 passing, 14 running). His constant threat opened the door for Strickland to have a monstrous, four-game playoff stretch in which he accumulated nearly 1,000 yards, including an even 300 with four TDs in a 35-21 Class B championship victory over Cape Elizabeth.

"He executes those fakes in our option game as well as we could ask," said Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway.

Additionally, Theiss started in the secondary and handled the punting and punt return duties for the Hornets. In perhaps his most memorable play of the season, Theiss had a punt blocked before picking it up behind the line of scrimmage and running for a 56-yard TD against Gardiner.

Theiss ran for another score and threw a long touchdown pass in the first half of that 35-0 victory, all while suffering from flu symptoms.

Backus led a young Mt. Blue team to the playoffs with more than 1,400 yards total offense and nine TD passes. He made 53 tackles and two interceptions on defense.

A three-sport standout in Farmington, Backus also is a member of the band and the honor society.

The other semifinalists are Lonnie Hackett of Bangor, Jack Mallis of Windham, Christian Powers of Lawrence, Steve Trask of Thornton, Ryan Curit of South Portland and Tom Foden of Cape Elizabeth.

Media and members from Maine's delegation of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame will vote the field down to three finalists, which will be announced the weekend of Dec. 20.