PORTLAND – The game Jake Steele loves the most has been frustratingly fickle to him.

As a Winthrop High School sophomore two years ago, Steele ate his Campbell Conference banquet meal and accepted his all-star plaque while a sling held his bum shoulder in place.

That same chronic injury caused Steele to miss the season and the banquet his junior year, making the conditions of his reappearance Sunday night all the more cruel. Steele stumbled through the heavy, wooden doors on crutches with his right knee braced, its ACL almost definitely torn and needing surgical repair.

So he needed some help carting out one heck of a consolation prize. Steele, who was injured early in a state championship loss to John Bapst a day earlier, received the 18th annual John Taglienti Award. It’s presented each November to the outstanding Class C player in Western Maine.

“I wasn’t expecting it,” said Steele, a running back, linebacker and special teams standout. “Our team won with team effort. There was no standout player on our team. That award is not for me. It’s for our team. If it wasn’t for the other guys on the team, I wouldn’t be in the position I’m in.”

Local schools swept all major awards in the presentation at Verrillo’s Convention Center.

To nobody’s surprise, Justin Staires of Mountain Valley became the first repeat winner in the 27-year history of the Class B Bruce Campbell Award.

“There were a lot of good players. I don’t see enough of the other teams to really know,” said Staires, a rare four-year starter who won his 10th multi-sport varsity letter this fall. “It’s such a great feeling to win this award and come out with a state championship, too.”

Mountain Valley routed Morse, 52-7, on Saturday to capture its third Class B title in five years and finish as the only undefeated team in the state in any class. The Falcons’ 20-year leader, Jim Aylward, received Coach of the Year honors.

His Winthrop counterpart, Joel Stoneton, was named top Class C coach for the second straight year.

Dirigo High School, which qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 1989, took home the Frank Leary Sportsmanship Award, selected by the Augusta Board of Officials.

Steele’s first injury might have cost him a chance to put up Staires-like numbers. Having lost its featured back for the 2007 season, Winthrop employed a backfield by committee with Joe Morey, Riley Cobb and Skylar Whaley.

All three returned this year along with Steele, sharing the carries. Stoneton used the explosive, 5-foot-8, 160-pound Steele in a jack-of-all-trades role, much the same way the New Orleans Saints utilize Reggie Bush. He responded with 1,140 all-purpose yards and 12 total touchdowns.

He was equally efficient on defense. Steele made 89 tackles and embellished many teammates’ numbers in that category by funneling opponents to the middle with his lateral quickness.

“We had such a great team that we spread the ball around so everyone had good stats,” Steele said. “It would be different if we were in some close games and wouldn’t run up the score. You’ve just got to love coming out and playing hard.”

Winthrop exhibited the signs of its hard-fought, mildly controversial 21-14 loss the night after. Steele’s fellow linebacker, Andrew Smithgall, also was on crutches. Tireless defensive end Kevin Hart worked to conceal a limp.

Hurt on Winthrop’s first defensive series, Steele underscored his toughness by returning to the game before removing himself in the second half, sensing that an able-bodied replacement would better serve the Ramblers.

“My last high school football game, I wasn’t going to let it slip by,” said Steele, who saw a doctor and received the grim, preliminary diagnosis earlier Sunday. “That’s how it goes. Take life as it gives it to you.”

Steele joined Geoff Cobb (1992) and the late Lee St. Hilaire (2000 and ’01) as Winthrop winners of the Tag, named in honor of the longtime Jay High School coach.

“I’ve been around Geoff enough, and I knew Lee very, very well,” said Steele. “To be put on the list with those gentlemen is quite an honor.”

Staires, named a semifinalist for the statewide James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy on Friday, ensured himself a spot in the discussion about the eventual three finalists with a brilliant game Saturday.

The 5-8, 225-pound Staires logged 319 yards and four touchdowns, two of them longer than 80 yards. He also registered a quarterback sack.

Like Steele, his numbers probably were diminished by Mountain Valley’s parade of one-sided wins. That’s a scary thought when you consider Staires’ final totals: Over 2,600 total yards and 36 TDs.

“I thought coming in that it was a competition between Matt and me,” Staires said, citing his cousin, fullback and linebacker Matt Laubauskas.

Mountain Valley has won the Campbell nine of the last 19 years. Other former honorees include Brent and Eric Gallant, Andy Shorey, Travis Fergola, Chris West, Jason Carrier and Matt Gaudet.