GARDINER – When a team is struggling to find it’s offense, it helps to catch a break now and then.

Too bad for Lewiston the break was a bad one.

The Gardiner Tigers came back from a 2-0 halftime deficit to score two second-half touchdowns and defeat the Blue Devils 16-2 Friday night at Hoch Field in Gardiner.

The bad break came after the Blue Devils’ Jared Turcotte tackled Craig Toulouse in the end zone for a safety.

Following the free kick, Lewiston QB Chris Ford and Turcotte ran the option play to perfection getting to the outside for and apparent Lewiston score. The only problem the officials (and everyone else for that matter) thought Jeff Briggs had the ball and was tackled at the line of scrimmage and inadvertently blew the whistle.

“We had talked to the officials before the game to watch for that play” said Lewiston coach Bill County.

Lewiston’s safety was set up by a Chris Ford punt that was downed on the 3-yard line. On Gardiner’s first play, Craig Toulouse was tackled by Turcotte for the safety.

After holding Lewiston on downs and forcing a punt on the opening drive of the second half, Gardiner took over on its own 20-yard line.

Fourteen plays and 80 yards later, Kerry Ramsey scored from 20 yards out to give the Tigers the lead.

Lewiston (0-3) fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Gardiner (2-1) recovered.

Tailback Craig Toulouse ran it in from 4 yards out to conclude the scoring.

“We made some small changes in the second half”, said Gardiner coach Matt Brown. “Our offensive line took over in the second half.”

“Overall, we played better than the last 2 weeks” said County. “We fumbled in the end zone, but the option game was good tonight”.