By Kalle Oakes,Staff Writer

FARMINGTON – Maybe this was all part of Mt. Blue High School’s elaborate plan.

For a dozen football seasons, the Cougars have been arguably the most entertaining team in the state, armed with an offense that kept opposing coaches and players awake at night. It earned them dozens of regular-season victories but nary an Eastern Class A championship game appearance, let alone a regional title.

Somewhere along the way, though, teams started tripping over themselves in their zeal to become more like the Cougars. And here was Skowhegan providing the palpitations Friday night at Caldwell Field, working without a huddle, pounding the ball left and right on dizzying counter crisscross plays and airing it out with abandon.

But Mt. Blue, lo and behold, got all 1950s in the Pine Tree Conference final, putting its season in the hands of bootlegging quarterback Mason Barker and deceptively elusive Mike Toothaker behind its cantankerous, half-ton offensive line.

Guess who won?

By taking an offense that’s traditionally the whole enchilada and reinventing it as a cheese pizza and vanilla ice cream, and by somehow unearthing enough ways to water down Skowhegan’s 31 flavors, top-seeded Mt. Blue walked off its field a 26-24 winner in a PTC championship classic.

“They’re awesome,” said Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin, sharing his thoughts about Skowhegan but echoing the superlatives so many rivals showered upon the Cougars’ diversified attack over the years.

“The guy who invents a defense to stop that offense is going to write a book and make a million dollars. We haven’t quite written the book yet.”

Skowhegan handed Mt. Blue its lone blemish of the regular season, a 24-21 verdict here two weeks ago, by clubbing the Cougars over the head with the kitchen sink. The Indians were at it again in the rematch. Josh Whiting, a fullback in a nose tackle’s body, rushed for touchdowns of 2, 79 and 5 yards to rally the Indians from an early 14-0 deficit.

“As soon as they beat us the first time, our coaches started coming up with a plan to try and stop them,” Mt. Blue’s John Moloney said.

“They came in this past Monday morning and you could just see the black under their eyes. They didn’t get much sleep this weekend. This one’s for them.”

Moloney forced an early fumble that Byron Staples recovered to help create the two-touchdown advantage.

Skowhegan controlled the tempo thereafter.

And while Barker did complete three important passes on Mt. Blue’s winning drive, the left-right combination that put the Cougars in the end zone was basic beauty: Barker, 25 yards toward the home sideline on a keeper; Toothaker, 23 more off right tackle to the house.

It was the kind of basic football you could teach a team of 7-year-olds, and that simple joy wasn’t lost on the senior quarterback.

“Ever since I was old enough to come here and watch Friday night football games at Mt. Blue, I dreamed of playing for a state championship,” Barker said. “This was the best game I’ve ever played in my life. This is the best feeling of my life.”