FARMINGTON – Hazen Pingree didn’t get many chances to touch the football Friday night, but he certainly made the most of the opportunities.

The Mt. Blue fullback shredded the Waterville defense for 100 yards and two touchdowns on just five carries as Mt. Blue pulled away for a 24-7 in a Pine Tree Conference season-opening game.

Much as been made of the revamped Cougars starting unit after losing a large crop of seniors. All the Cougar offense did was roll up 312 yards on the ground on 53 rushes. Pingree is one of the new starters.

“I didn’t play much last year,” said Pingree. “I guess the coaches had faith in me.”

Any coach will have faith in a fullback that rushes for touchdowns of 28 and 32 yards and averages 20 yards per carry.

“I’m used to cutting to the outside,” said Pingree. “I’ve always had a knack for it. When you can see the field and stay behind your blockers, you can make the cuts.

Jordan Stevens (18 carries for 76 yards) set up Pingree’s first score with a 24-yard burst around the right side. Two plays later, Pingree took an inside hand off from quarterback Mason Barker before making a cut to the outside and racing 28 yards to paydirt.

Later in the first quarter Stevens caused a fumble that Mt. Blue recovered

at the Waterville 12. Stevens barreled in from a yard out to put the Cougars up 14-0.

The Cougars had the Panther defensive unit on its heels in the second quarter. After marching 70 yards in eight plays, Barker bobbled the hand off to Pingree.

Waterville’s Barret Moore scooped up the fumble, picked up some nice open field blocking and rumbled 82 yards to make the score 14-7.

The Panthers threatened to tie the game in the third quarter as quarterback Kevin Scott connected with wideout Brian Tormollan for passes of 25 and 26 yards to place the ball on the Cougar 9.

But the drive ended with a fourth down incompletion in the end zone.

Mt. Blue quickly moved down field as a David DiGravio 18-yard run and a 32-yard burst by Pingree set up Pingree’s second score.

“The combination of not scoring and not having a defensive stand hurt,” said Waterville coach Frank Knight. “When we’re in their end we have to punch it in and we didn’t.”

Held to just 47 yards on the ground, Waterville had mixed success in the air.

Quarterbacks Scott and Dan Hussey combined to throw for 184 yards but connected on just six passes out of 23.

Four passes were picked off by the Cougar defense with John Moloney grabbing a pair.

“The thing we were worried about the most was how our secondary would do against their passing game,” said Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin. “Except for one or two times we were pleased.”