They were the faceless numbers, jerseys and helmets on the other side of the line of scrimmage and the body that was hitting or getting hit on football Friday nights.

But this week, many of those foes have become friends. Rivals are now teammates and the common bond is playing to win the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl.

“It’s been a good experience,” said Mountain Valley linebacker Ryan Glover. “I’ve met a lot of guys that I definitely wouldn’t have tried to meet during the season and become friends with. It brings us all together. We spend more time together, and those guys are going to be on your side of the ball this time.”

The Lobster Bowl is in its 23rd season. It will be played Saturday at 4 p.m. at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford. The event raises money for the Shriners Hospitals for children.

Senior football players from around the state arrived in Hebron on Sunday to begin practice sessions in preparation for Saturday’s game. It has given players a chance to familiarize themselves with former opponents while putting on the pads one more time at the high school level.

It has led to burying of hard feelings, healing of old wounds and rehashing of old stories.

“It’s like strapping on a helmet with another Mountain Valley guy,” said Glover. “We still talk about playing each other. Once you get on the field and in the heat of the moment, they’re another player on your team.”

Though they’re working hard to be ready of Saturday’s game, they’re celebrating that camaraderie that football breeds in players and coaches. Football is a game. Respect comes from playing it hard and understanding the bigger picture.

“We’re all trying to do the same thing,” said Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward, who’s in his eighth year coaching in the Lobster Bowl. “We’re working with kids and trying to be successful. During the season and during the games, you want to knock the snot out of each other’s noses. Football coaches and football players are a very unique group. If you have respect for the game, you respect each other.”

Bringing rival squads together is nothing new for Zach Bonnevie. He’s the sole representative of the innaugural Spruce Mountain squad.

“It’s nice to represent a new school,” said Bonnevie, who’s father Mark is an assistant coach on the West squad. “Hopefully, we can make the community proud.”

In Bonnevie’s senior year, his Jay team combined with their rivals from Livermore Falls. So when Sunday came and so many players were teaming up with old foes, it was nothing new for him.

“I’m pretty much used to it,” said Bonnevie. “You’ve just got to meet people. That’s what we had to do all season. A lot of people thought it would probably be hard, but after the first week or so, it was like we’d been there for a long time.”

Tyler Hamlin is also the lone member of his team playing in the game. The former defensive lineman from Oxford Hills is thrilled to add this opportunity to his football career.

“It’s a pretty awesome experience,” said Hamlin. “Meeting all these new people and getting to play football. I love football. So it’s pretty awesome for me.”

Hamlin is hoping to play at Husson, which starts its preseason in a few weeks. He had hoped a roster spot in the Lobster Bowl was possible and it proved to be just as exciting for his family and former coaches as it is for him.

“It’s a good feeling,” he said. “They told me I was one of the nominees. I wasn’t sure if I was going to be able to come or not. When they told me I was coming, I was pretty excited.”

The week of training camp isn’t just about bonding and having fun. The two squads are putting together a game plan in preparation for Saturday’s charity game. For the coaches, this week is just about getting players acclimated to their positions and assignments.

“We know they’re good athletes,” said Aylward. “We don’t spend time trying to get them in shape. They’re playing a charity football game. We make sure they understand their assignment. We’re trying to put them in a position where they can be successful.”

The coaches try to keep it simple but there is still a challenge in finding the right spots for players. With so much talent to work with, a lot of players end up playing slightly different positions or see roles that differ from what they’re used to.

“It’s a matter of helping them understand the schemes so that they can have fun and play full speed,” said Aylward. “It is hard to play full speed if you’re not sure what to do.”

kmills@sunjournal.com

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