READFIELD – Trailing by 16 points with 4:25 remaining in the third quarter, Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway didn’t allow his team to panic.

Instead, he turned to the best weapon in the Hornets’ spread-offense bag of tricks. Junior halfback Josh Strickland picked up 112 of his game-high 220 yards in the final 16-plus minutes to help vault the Hornets to a 34-28 victory over Maranacook in the Pine Tree Conference Class B opener for both squads.

Strickland and fellow halfback Tyler Green ran at will during the second half and wore down the younger, injury-depleted Black Bears. Green finished with 120 yards on the ground and scored the tying and decisive touchdowns. Strickland capped a 10-play, 60-yard drive late in the third quarter by barreling in from a yard out.

The duo churned out huge chunks of yardage on the game-tying, 72-yard march downfield. Strickland had runs of 17, 10 and nine yards to set up Green’s 8-yard score.

With the Black Bears already missing a pair of two-way starting linemen to injuries, they lost their gamebreaker when quarterback/halfback Pat Norwood sprained his ankle returning the ensuing kickoff beyond the midfield stripe with just under five minutes remaining in the game.

All Norwood did on the day was rush for 173 yards and three scores and haul in a 42-yard touchdown pass. Although he did return, he wasn’t nearly as effective.

“They played better than us,” Maranacook coach Kevin Norwood said, “and they’re deeper than us. We got tired. (Pat’s) one of the best runners around and sees the field well. We have some speed on the outside, but not inside.”

Leavitt defensive end Doug Nash turned in a pair of big plays to thwart Maranacook’s last venture into enemy territory. First he strung quarterback Corey Palmer out for his teammates to sack him for a 5-yard loss. Three plays later, he led a gang tackling of Norwood four yards behind the line of scrimmage on fourth down.

“Doug gave us some excellent play in the second half,” Hathaway said. “He kept his shoulders square to the ball.”

With 2:35 remaining, the Hornets took over on their own 37 and moved downfield at a frenetic pace. A Green sweep to the left on first down picked up 11 yards. Strickland went for 13 yards over the same side on the very next play. Four plays later, Green was knocked out of bounds at the 2 following a 16-yard sprint around the right end. The senior then plowed up the middle to give the Hornets the lead for good with 43.4 ticks left on the clock.

During a key point in the second quarter, Strickland touched the ball just once during an unsuccessful trip into the Red Zone. Hathaway didn’t let that happen again.

“Our game plan is to line him up all over the field,” said Hathaway. “We wanted to get him involved. When (the second quarter drive died), we said if we got down close in the second half he’s going to get the ball.”

The strapping 215-pound junior spent last season as a slot receiver. He credits a new-found desire to be in shape along with an effective line in front of him for his success Saturday.

“Last year, I didn’t come in shape,” Strickland said. “This year, I busted my butt by running a lot, lifting, eating right and getting my rest.”

Strickland hit the holes quick and finished his runs with power. He collected four runs of 20 or more yards and nine of his carries went for double digits. On his 36-yard touchdown in the second quarter he used his speed, power and a nifty stiff arm along the way.

Norwood was equally as effective. He ran for scores of 14, 33 and 7 yards. His 33-yard journey was one of highlight material. Facing a fourth-and-7, he lined up in the quarterback position and rolled right. When the Hornet defense appeared to have him bottled up for a loss, he spun around and raced back across the field before outracing the defense down the left sideline.