GRAY – Mountain Valley’s offense didn’t pick up a first down until its third series, midway through the second quarter. That kind of thing can happen to a team when it scores touchdowns on its first two offensive plays.

Falcon running back Devon Roberts tore off an 88-yard scoring run down the left sideline the first time that Andy Shorey snapped the ball, and added a 95-yarder for good measure on his next touch to jump-start Mountain Valley to a 42-0 victory over Gray-New Gloucester.

“When you turn around and hand the ball to Devon Roberts, and he has over 100 yards in two plays, its a big relief for our team,” said Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward. “It lets us know that if we continue to play good defense on every play, we’ll be fine.”

In between his first two scoring runs, Roberts pounced on a fumble by Patriot running back Shane Beal on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line to end a scoring threat in the second quarter.

The tough tackling and gritty play of the Falcons defense made sure that Gray-New Gloucester never got close to the end zone again, holding its opponent without a score for the third straight game.

No one wearing Mountain Valley’s silver and blue is forgetting that little statistic.

“(The scoreless streak) is definitely in our heads,” said senior quarterback and defensive end Andy Shorey. “When the ball was on the 1-yard line down there, it was in our heads. We take it one week at a time, and hope to keep that goose egg up there.”

The Falcons held Gray-New Gloucester to 126 yards of total offense.

Roberts finished the game with seven carries for 273 yards and three touchdowns. Justin Staires chipped in with four carries for 30 yards and a touchdown, and took a strike from Shorey 16 yards for another score. Backup QB Matt Lyons punched in the last touchdown.

The Patriots efficiently moved the ball in the first and second quarters to put a scare into the Falcons. Gray-New Gloucester put together 12- and 15-play drives to start the game, and held onto the ball for 39 plays in the first half. Taylor Valente rang up 50 yards on the ground, and Beal finished with 32 yards. Zack Parker added 15 yards rushing. The Patriots were done in by fumbles, putting the ball on the ground four times and losing three to kill drives.

“I thought they outplayed us in the first half.” said Aylward. “Gray-New Gloucester runs what we call ‘football in a phone booth,’ and a team can be competitive with that. Quite frankly, when someone is churning out two or three yards on every play, and you realize they’re moving the chains on you, you feel like you are being unsuccessful.”

“It could have very easily been 7-6 late in the second quarter,” said Patriots coach Hank Girardin. “Physically, we weren’t outmatched. Strategically, we weren’t outmatched. Skillwise, we just aren’t there yet.”