Buoyed by last season’s run to the state title game, the Ponies bring the Gold Ball home.
PORTLAND — Lincoln Robinson did the math.
“We have 20 seniors. They have eight,” said the Foxcroft Academy fullback and linebacker, drawing a comparison between his Ponies and the Lisbon Greyhounds. “We played here in this game last year, and we expected to be here. They weren’t really even expected to make the playoffs at the beginning of the season. I think those were big advantages.”
This game was the Class C championship, and what turned it in Foxcroft’s direction and out of Lisbon’s grasp was experience.
The Greyhounds gained momentum, comfort and confidence as the sun faded in Saturday’s brilliant sky above Fitzpatrick Stadium.
By that time, however, it was too late. Lisbon committed two or three costly errors it didn’t make all season and faced a double-digit deficit it hadn’t encountered all season.
At day’s end, the Greyhounds experienced a feeling they hadn’t known since last season, in the form of a 26-20 defeat.
“You could tell the kids were nervous coming into the stadium for the first time,” said Lisbon coach Dick Mynahan.
“At halftime, we talked about sticking to our game plan and enjoying the second half.”
Lisbon trailed 18-6 as a result of three breakdowns that rarely happened during an undefeated campaign in the friendly confines of the Campbell Conference.
After calmly driving from its own 4-yard line and converting four consecutive third downs on its initial offensive series, the Greyhounds took a holding penalty that transformed another first down into second-and-13 at the Foxcroft 43.
Chris Kates’ next pass to Derek Roy fell incomplete, and his toss to John Tefft in the left flat on third down floated into the waiting arms of Matt Earnest.
Earnest subsequently had a senior moment.
His 62-yard interception return for a score reversed the flow of a first quarter that otherwise was dominated by the ‘Hounds.
“Those seniors weren’t able to leave here on the note they wanted last year,” said Foxcroft coach Paul Withee, whose team lost 25-20 to Boothbay last November.
“They’re a great group of kids, and they set the tone today.”
Lisbon’s young secondary experienced the next trial of youth.
Facing third-and-22 at his own 34, Earnest beat his man down the left sideline and hauled in a 38-yard strike from classmate Josh Withee early in the second quarter.
Four plays later, Bobby Gilbert — frighteningly, he’s only a junior – scored the first of his three touchdowns.
Just when Lisbon appeared to steady itself on a jarring sack by Chris Kates, a fumble recovery by Nick Harmon and a 12-yard TD pass from Kates to Tefft, Gilbert ran back the ensuing kickoff 77 yards to put his team on top by a dozen at the half.
“We were broken-hearted about losing the state game last year. We felt that we gave it away with onside kicks and what-have-you,” said Gilbert. “That experience carried us today.”
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