VIKING CONQUEST, AT LAST

Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School’s football seniors were bold enough to predict that the indignity of another winless season wouldn’t happen on their watch.

After a brutal three-game start to the season, the Vikings backed up their forecast with a flourish last Friday night, ending the longest active losing streak in Eastern Class A with a 28-7 road rout of Mt. Ararat.

The Vikings’ spread offense demonstrated its big-play capability and versatility from the start, while a vastly improved defense pitched a virtual shutout. Mt. Ararat scored its lone touchdown in the first quarter after an Oxford Hills special teams miscue gave the Eagles the ball at the 5-yard line.

Halfback-turned-quarterback-turned-halfback Jake Hall fired a 37-yard option pass to Nate Dubois to get the Vikings’ attack in gear. Hall finished with a game-high 139 yards on the ground, while Matt Verrier was 4-for-8 through the air with 114 all-purpose yards at QB.

Hall highlighted the defense with a 63-yard interception return for a score. Jason Aube added three quarterback sacks, Jon Flanders picked off a pass, and Eli Dolloff pounced on a fumble.

A few rough years probably leave Oxford Hills reluctant to talk about winning streaks. But the Vikings should be considered at least a slight favorite to make it two straight wins when they host Edward Little in Saturday’s homecoming game at Gouin Athletic Complex.

FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS

Coaches still play up football rivalries with their teams in a quest to squeeze out whatever advantage they can. But in this era of Facebook, summer gridiron camps and school consolidation, us-against-them isn’t what it used to be.

Two light-hearted exchanges between Jay coach Mark Bonnevie and Dirigo quarterback Nic Crutchfield last Friday night aptly demonstrated the changing times.

Crutchfield handed off to a Dirigo running back for what appeared to be a long touchdown run and a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter. Jay received a brief stay of execution due to a penalty, but not before Bonnevie got a word in edgewise.

“Hey, Crutchfield,” the coach hollered across the field. “You’re lucky we can’t hold onto the ball. You guys are gonna kill us.”

The QB, whose team took advantage of three early Jay turnovers in a 34-12 win, simply shrugged.

Player and opposing coach crossed paths again when Crutchfield paid strict attention to detail as a defensive back, closely shadowing a Jay receiver in the final two minutes despite the one-sided score.

“Nic, we’re not going to throw the ball again. I promise,” Bonnevie said. “Would I lie to you, Nic?”

Crutchfield smiled. Bonnevie laughed. And no, the Tigers didn’t air it out.

“Can you tell we know each other pretty well?” Bonnevie said. “He spends most of the summer hanging out with my players.”