SOUTH PARIS – The Mt. Ararat Eagles made their presence known in their first Class A football clash in two decades against the Oxford Hills Vikings on Friday night.

In the end, though, the Vikings prevailed in overtime 28-21 and re-introduced the Eagles to life in the Pine Tree Conference.

Greg Treadwell scored the Oxford Hills touchdown in overtime.

Sophomore Jimmy Bower led the Vikings’ ground attack with 30 carries for 130 yards and three touchdowns in the first half, alone. He sent the Vikings to the locker room with a 21-13 lead following three successful point-after kicks by Justin Cocroft.

Bower finished with 44 carries for 186 yards.

“My offensive line never stopped blocking well, so I was able to run well tonight,” Bower said.

The Eagles wasted no time responding to start the second half. In the opening drive of the third quarter, Mt. Ararat marched 63 yards in seven plays, capped by a 12-yard scamper by quarterback Chris Doherty that put the Eagles in the end zone.

Again, Doherty got the call on the two-point after try and stumbled his way into the end zone to tie the game at 21.

In the fourth quarter, fumbles stalled promising drives by both teams.

Each team received a series of downs from the 10-yard line in OT.

Oxford Hills took the first possession and marched into the end zone. Treadwell barreled in from two yards out, and Cocroft added the explanation point with the point-after.

The Vikings’ defense came up with four straight stops, with Brad Flanders stopping receiver Jake DiBattista at the 1 to end the game.

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