RUMFORD – There’s a great deal to be said about the caliber of a football team that isn’t performing up to its potential but still has the determination to win big.

That’s what Mountain Valley accomplished in Saturday’s Class B Campbell Conference game. Eric LePage scored on the end of a long drive and Travis Fergola returned an interception for the eventual game-winning touchdown as the Falcons pounded out a 34-12 win over determined Fryeburg at Converse Field.

Mountain Valley (5-1) was tested early on, but it survived the Raiders’ touchdown on the first possession of the game. The Falcons entered the game with three straight shutout wins.

“It was definitely a wake-up call,” Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward said. “In high school sports, you just never know what level of play the kids will play at. I hope the kids realize that we can’t just show up and win.”

Fryeburg (0-6) electrified the Homecoming/Parents Day crowd by scoring on the opening drive, as Andrew Stacy broke several arm tackles for a 47-yard TD. The Raiders moved 60 yards in three plays.

The teams traded turnovers, and then the Falcons drove the ball inside the Raiders’ 5-yard line. Then Fryeburg regained the momentum when Aaron Cressey recovered a fumble.

“I’m pleased for our kids,” Fryeburg coach Jim Thurston said. “We’d been shutout the last three weeks, but I felt we turned the corner today. We scored against a very good football team who is going to the playoffs. Expect for that interception return for a score and if we had recovered (an) onside kick, we’d have been right back in the game.”

Mountain Valley got on the scoreboard when Brendon Bradley and freshman Kyle Dow recorded a safety. The Falcons defense allowed 19 yards after the first series in the rest of the first half.

In the second quarter, Andrew Stacy punted the ball to the Falcons’ 4-yard line. Aaron Arsenault (96 yards, 15 rushes) and LePage (86 yards, 15 rushes) moved the Falcons down a first-and-goal. Two plays later, LePage plunged in from one yard out.

“I think our kids got tired chasing their counters,”Thuston said. “Mountain Valley was beating us off the ball. I thought they would run the power game against us, so we practiced for it. But I guessed wrong.”

The Falcons wanted to prove they could open up a passing attack. Quarterback Zach Fergola completed 6-of-10 for 96 yards, including a LePage 35-yard TD. Fryeburg QB Finn Chappell (five of 10 for 54 yards, two interceptions) tossed a five-yard TD to Stacy.

Mountain Valley had TD runs by at Knapp and Arsenault of four and 11 yards, respectively. Chris Smith gained 41 yards and Ben Madigan kicked two PATs.

“This team needs to play with emotion,” Aylward said. “We didn’t it today. It all comes down to a lack of preparation, and that’s my fault.”