LEWISTON – A season of heartache and frustration was interrupted when the Lewiston Blue Devils unleashed their pent-up rage on the startled Mt. Ararat Eagles at Don Roux Field.

The Devils didn’t hold back, opening up with both barrels on offense, as Lewiston ran over the stunned Eagles, with a 37-7 victory in a Class A football game on a murky Friday evening.

It was Lewiston’s first victory of the season after six straight losses. And it couldn’t have come at a better time for the downtrodden Devils.

“I thought there were times during the year that we played pretty good football. We play a tough schedule, and tonight I think we cut down on our mistakes,” said Lewiston coach Bill County with a smile. “Early on in the game, we fumbled when I thought we had a drive going. I wondered whether we were going to fall into that old pattern, but we didn’t.”

Not a chance.

The Blue Devils (1-6) weren’t about to let the Eagles (2-5) get off easy this night. Lewiston compiled 312 yards in total offense while holding Mt. Ararat to 161.

Lewiston set the tone of the game on its first possession with 10:04 left to play in the opening stanza. After getting excellent field position inside Mt. Ararat territory, the Devils found themselves on the Eagles’ 16-yard line when sophomore Jared Turcotte scored the first of his three touchdowns to make it 6-0.

Mt. Ararat answered with a touchdown on its next possession.

The Eagles played it cool and it marched from their own 22 all the way to Lewiston’s 2-yard line, before Matt Ahlers spilled into the end zone. Jim Ouellette split the uprights with the extra point, giving Mt. Ararat an 7-6 lead.

But that was it for the Eagles, as Lewiston’s stubborn defense clamped down.

The Devils punched in three touchdowns in the last five minutes of the first half, leaving Mt. Ararat stunned.

The turning point came when the Devils backed up Mt. Ararat to its own 4-yard line. When Eagle quarterback Brad Sturgeon tried to run the next play, a bunch of Lewiston defenders clobbered him in the end zone, with Jeremy Dix jarring the ball loose and jumping on it for the touchdown.

The Blue Devils scored on their next two possessions. Senior George Foisy was responsible for both TDs. He scored on a nine-yard rush, and then caught a 64-yard pass from quarterback Chris Ford with 16 seconds left in the half.

“Offensively, I thought we were violent,” said County. “Defensively, except for that one drive, I thought we played extremely well.

“I am pleased the kids got to feel the win and vault us into a big week next week (against rival Edward Little) with all the hype that goes along with it.

“I thought Foisy played excellent tonight. He was a leader and we ran a couple of plays with him that broke early and I thought that set up Jared for a big night.”

For the finishing touch, the Blue Devils added a pair of touchdowns for good measure in the third quarter. Turcotte punched in his second TD from the six-yard line and his third from from the 15 as Lewiston settled for a 37-7 lead.

“We did not play very good football tonight,” said Mt. Ararat coach Erik Sargent. “Initially, we had a couple of bad breaks and I think my kids let that get to them. We weren’t very resilient tonight.

“I just think the momentum swung their way. They were hungry for a win and they kept at us. They came and played a better game tonight.”