The tradition continues. No, make that grows. Wait, perhaps that should read becomes a dynasty.

Jordan Hersom has written another chapter in his football family’s lore. He was named one of three finalists Friday for the Fitzpatrick Trophy, presented each year to the outstanding senior football player in the state.

“It’s a honor to be picked from those 12 (semifinalists),” Hersom said. “It’s something I obviously couldn’t have done without a lot of people.”

Hersom was a starter on three consecutive Eastern Class B championship teams at Leavitt Area High School, the last two as its starting quarterback, safety and primary kick and punt return specialist.

“On the football side, he’s certainly deserving. He’s one of the better players not only in Class B but in the state of Maine the past two or three years,” Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway said. “On the other side, academically, with the activities he’s involved in, he’s just as deserving. He’s a leader not only on the football field but in the student body.”

Senior players from all three enrollment classifications are considered. In addition to performance on the field, classroom success, citizenship and community involvement are criteria.

Twelve semifinalists from Maine’s 76 varsity football programs were announced last month.

Hersom, Louis DiTomasso of Wells and Spencer Cooke of Cheverus are the three finalists.

The 41st annual award will be presented in a banquet Jan. 15, 2012 at Holiday Inn By the Bay.

Leavitt’s star could become the second member of his family to take home the statue in five years. His cousin, Jack, of Lawrence High School in Fairfield, won it after the 2007 season. Jack also was a quarterback.

“It wasn’t something I really thought about,” Hersom said. “I just tried to work hard to become a better player and a better teammate and develop into the best player I could. I wanted to enjoy my senior year. We were successful, and that was a team effort.”

Hersom, then an eighth-grader, was seated at a center table not far from his future coach at the 2007 dinner.

“I was at the banquet because we had a semifinalist,” Hathaway said. “I told him then, ‘That could be you in a few years if you work hard enough.’”

The roots run much deeper than this generation, of course.

Jordan’s father, Jim, has been a Leavitt assistant coach during his son’s career after leading the programs at Livermore Falls and Edward Little. Jack’s dad, John, is the longtime coach at Lawrence, which won a Class A title under his direction in 2005.

Twin brothers Jim and John won two state crowns at EL while playing for their late father and Jordan’s grandfather, Lawrence “Doc” Hersom.

“They’re a good family with good parents, good morals and values,” said Hathaway, who also coaches Hersom in basketball. “And they support each other. When we had our first basketball game of the season at Maranacook, his cousins were there to watch.”

Hersom was part of a 33-game Pine Tree Conference winning streak in his final three seasons.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Hersom said. “As I get older, I’ll look back on these four years as a lot of great times.”

As a sophomore, he was one of Leavitt’s leading receivers, using his 6-foot-3 frame to emerge as a favorite target of senior QB Eric Theiss.

Leavitt won the state championship that year, defeating Cape Elizabeth. A 20-0 loss to Mountain Valley in their 2010 title defense motivated Hersom and the Hornets throughout the off-season.

“Not many juniors who have the kind of season he did and we did as a team recognize that they have things to work on and areas where they can get better,” Hathaway said. “It’s rare when you get a kid who is that talented athletically and academically that they have the work ethic he does.”

Wells fullback/middle linebacker DiTomasso and Hersom went head-to-head in this year’s Class B final, with the Warriors grinding out a 21-13 victory.

“He’s a team guy, so (the Fitzy) wasn’t something he ever talked about,“ Hathaway said. “He knows that if your team doesn’t get to a state final, you’re probably not going to be considered.”

Hersom and DiTomasso are the first-ever finalists for their respective schools.

Cooke, a star running back, hopes to become Cheverus’ second straight winner. QB Peter Gwilym took the honor for the Stags in 2010.

Hersom plans to play football in college. Division I Maine and Holy Cross and Division III Springfield and Ithaca have shown the most interest.

He will make the final decision in February or March.

“If I go Division III, there’s a chance I could play two sports,” Hersom said. “Academics comes first and sports are a full-time job in college. I know that. It’s just going to be fun to see how it all pans out.”

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