Field will be narrowed to three on Dec. 23, with award handed out Jan. 14

Jared Turcotte knows that stranger things have happened in the history of the James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy, so the Lewiston High School senior standout will say only that this week’s news was something he hoped to hear.

To just about everyone else affiliated with high school football in the state, the announcement was a foregone conclusion. Turcotte has been named one of 10 semifinalists for the 36th annual award, presented each year to the outstanding football student-athlete in Maine.

Turcotte led Class A in rushing with 1,813 yards and also was the heart and soul of the defense at linebacker for Lewiston, which won six games and ended a three-year playoff drought. He scored 24 all-purpose touchdowns and made 113 tackles.

“I hoped for it. It was a goal I had at the beginning of the season,” said Turcotte.

Any further excitement will be dragged out over the next two months.

Every coach in the state is allowed to nominate one player for Fitzy consideration. Those nominations are reviewed by the Maine chapter of the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame, which selects the semifinalists.

That list is then submitted to a statewide panel that includes members of the media. Three finalists will be announced Dec. 23, with the trophy presented in Portland on Jan. 14.

Given the current criteria for the award – football achievement, classroom accomplishment and community service all are considered – Turcotte seems to be a lock for the top three.

Ivy League schools Dartmouth, Harvard and Princeton are among the Division I colleges and universities courting Turcotte, who is an honor student ranking in the top 10 percent of his senior class.

“I’d have no problem with the award if it were just about what you did on the football field. But the fact that they consider what you’ve done in school and the community also makes it special,” Turcotte said.

Turcotte and Brandon Morrow of Maranacook are only local semifinalists.

Aaron Champagne of state champion Lawrence High School joins Turcotte as the only candidates from the Pine Tree Conference. Morrow and Josh Ranger of Hampden Academy are the lone representatives from outside Class A.

Each of the other semifinalists is from Greater Portland or York County. They are Max Baillargeon of Thornton Academy, Benjamin Delcourt of Bonny Eagle, Jon Mitchell of Gorham, Andrew Pochebit of Cheverus, Brian Sandora of Deering and Chris Triester of Portland.

John Wiechman, a running back from Bonny Eagle, won the 2005 Fitzpatrick Trophy.

Odds were against Turcotte improving upon his splendid junior season, one in which he topped 1,000 yards despite missing two games with a knee injury.

“I spent a lot of time working out, running track, lifting weights and doing the things I needed to do,” Turcotte said.

For starters, every Eastern Class A opponent focused its defense on shutting down Turcotte. He also was running behind an offensive line comprised almost exclusively of juniors.

“They’re going to be tough to beat next year and the next few years,” Turcotte said of the Blue Devils. “I don’t think most people realize that.”

Turcotte is captain of the LHS basketball team and a member of several student leadership organizations.

Dartmouth and the University of Maine are the leading candidates to secure Turcotte’s future services. He has visited each campus. Coaches will be visiting him at home over the next few weeks.

Holy Cross and Division III Bowdoin also are in the running.

We may know where Turcotte is playing next year before we know if he is officially a Fitzpatrick finalist.

“I hope to make a decision before Christmas,” he said.