LEWISTON — The top-seeded American Engraving Junior Lions will face the No. 3 seed Grimmel’s Gas-Up Junior Giants in the FLY championship game this Saturday. Here is how each team made the championship game.

American Engraving Junior Lions: After starting the season with a 2-2 record, the Lions posted wins over the Sabattus Disc Golf Junior Steelers and the Gee & Bee Junior Redskins. In a rain-soaked game against the Redskins on Oct. 2, the Lions received 125 yards rushing from Ricky Cote and Xavier Jackson. Jackson scored twice as the lions dominated time of possession and were helped by a fumble recovery by Cote and multiple tackles by Miles Teague, Ben Dostie, Gunnar Winslow, Dylon Jackson, and Jordyn Rubin. The Redskins were led by Tanner Cortes, John Mathon Jr. and Chandler Coombs.

On Oct. 9, the Lions faced the Steelers in a must-win game to force a tie for the division lead. The game went into overtime, where Ricky Cote scored for the Lions and Gunnar Winslow used a QB sneak for the extra point. The Steelers were kept out of the endzone for a thrilling overtime win. The stingy Lions defense was led with multiple tackles by Isaiah Teague (8), Xaviar Jackson (7), Miles Teague, Jordyn Rubin, and Dylon Jackson (6 each), Cody Tabor and Tanner Holbrook. The Steelers were led by strong efforts by Isaac Madore, Gabe Escobar, Zack Morin, Jaden Webster, Lattrell Thomas and Terell Thomas.

The Lions faced the Steelers again in the first round of the playoffs and survived a nail-biter with a 7-6 win to advance to the title game. Ricky Cote scored for the Lions and the tough defense held on for the win. Outstanding defensive efforts and multiple tackles by Dylon Jackson (10), Jordyn Rubin (9), Miles Teague and Xaviar Jackson (8). Cody Tabor, Jackson Boswell, Jayden Munroe, Ben Dostie and Isaiah Teague provided a spark. The latter Teague also stripped the ball for a forced fumble and had an 8-yard return.

Grimmel’s Gas Up Junior Giants: After losing the opening game of the season, the Giants rattled off four straight wins over the Steelers (twice), the Redskins and the Lions. The Giants utilized a strong defense and a fast offense to get the victories. They were led on both sides of the ball by Connor Kaplinger, Gordon Beckwith, Brandon Dube, Devin Corliss, Thomas Brochu, Evan Raymond, Evan Williams, Kaden Estes and Lucas Nichols.

In the final regular-season game, the Giants fell to the Redskins when Shawn Jackson exploded for a 95-yard game-winning touchdown with less than a minute to play. The Redskins amassed 195 yards of offense from Jackson (two TDs), Tanner Cortes and Chandler Coombs. The defense was led by Dominick Colon with 12 tackles, Tanner Cortes (9 tackles, fumble recovery), Shawn Jackson (7 tackles), Brendan Bolduc (5 tackles), Nathan Lyons (4 tackles), Hunter Steele (3 tackles), Jeremy Foley (3 tackles) and Dominic Bourgoin (2 tackles).

In the senior division, the Bruce Fournier Construction Senior Steelers defeated the Austin Associates’ Senior Giants to reach the championship game against the Rooper’s Senior Lions. Both teams have worked hard to get to the title game, but their roads have been different:

Bruce Fournier Construction Senior Steelers: The Steelers finished the regular season with a 3-3 record, shutting out the Giants in all three wins, while never giving up in their three losses to the Lions. The Steelers were led on both sides of the ball by Jazznel Burns, Gabe Nichols, Garrett Poussard, Jason Gonzales, Joshua Colon, Jordan Currier, Jayden Wilson, Marciano Webster, Luke Madore, Shane Currier, Deon Sands, Dominic Fournier, Damon Gagne, Carter Remeika and Jacob Morin.

Rooper’s Senior Lions: While the Lions’ offense is potent, the defense has been a stellar part of the success of the team. Defensively for the year, the Lions have totaled 284 tackles from Nick Harnden (48), Jared Rubin (45), Desmond Jackson (36), Julian Raines and Jacob McBride (30 each), Nate Mercier (24), Stefan Porter (22), Davion Jackson (11), Brandon Keith-Williams (10), Jordan Palmer (9), Jordan Dumont (6), Caleb Cole (5), Dominic Adams (4), Haydn Dumont and Bennie Montgomery (2 each). The defense also forced 14 fumbles and had 11 interceptions. The Lions’ offense rushed for 968 yards from Raines, Des Jackson, Porter, Harnden, McBride, Rubin and Mercier. Harnden and Rubin combined for 351 passing yards. Porter (899 total yards), Raines (381), and Des Jackson (219) fueled the high-scoring offense.

Saturday’s games:

Rooper’s Lions vs. Bruce Fournier Construction Steelers 8:45 a.m., Garcelon Field

Lewiston FLY Peewees vs. Gray New Gloucester 5 p.m., Don Roux Field, LHS

Gee & Bee Junior Redskins vs. Sabattus Disc Golf Junior Steelers (Consolation Game) 5:45 p.m., LHS

American Engraving Junior Lions vs Grimmel’s Gas Up Junior Giants (Championship) 7 p.m., LHS

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