READFIELD — Gavin Arsenault had a distinctively rural Maine description of how he felt during halftime Friday night at Ricky Gibson Field of Dreams.

“I had a wicked awful first half, and I just wanted to help out my team,” Arsenault said. “I just brought more energy. We all brought more energy, turned it up a notch. We just knew we wanted to win.”

Win, Dirigo did, 29-20 over Maranacook in a verdict that likely made the Cougars (6-2) a surprising No. 2 seed in the Class D South football playoffs after Winthrop/Monmouth’s shocking 8-6 loss to Boothbay.

Arsenault’s frustration fueled a natural hat trick worth of interceptions — his first three of the season.

His offense wasn’t bad, either. He threw a 35-yard flanker option pass to Gus Brown to set up Dirigo’s go-ahead score. Later, he caught a 15-yard TD on fourth-and-goal and made the diving grab of a two-point conversion pass, both from senior classmate Riley Robinson, to give the Cougars a three-possession lead with 7:14 left.

“The kid is an unreal athlete. Those acrobatic plays, I don’t know if anybody else in Class D could have made those plays,” Robinson said. “I’ve played with Gavin since second grade, and I trust him. I see him man-to-man, I’m going to him every time.”

Robinson overcame three Maranacook sacks and rushed 26 times for 123 yards and three TDs.

Dirigo’s first-round playoff opponent will be determined after the Oak Hill-Traip and Lisbon-Telstar games Saturday.

The Cougars trailed 12-7 at the half.

“We didn’t say anything or do anything. The kids just rallied and responded, really. It’s on them,” Dirigo coach Jim Hersom said. “I think collectively these guys want to win. It’s important to them. It could have gone either way. They’re a good team.”

Touchdown runs by Brandyn Michaud (21 yards on Maranacook’s opening drive) and Ty Smith (2 yards in the second quarter) offset a 20-yard scamper by Robinson.

Arsenault fumbled after an apparent first down deep in Black Bears’ territory late in the second quarter. Zach Lacasse recovered for Maranacook.

Dirigo needed a strip sack by Vincent Hebert and recovery by Dalton Berry at the Cougars’ 26 to prevent the deficit from growing before the half.

The Cougars were in trouble again in the third quarter after Smith threw Robinson for a 10-yard loss. An incomplete pass set up third-and-20 at the Maranacook 45. Robinson handed off to Arsenault, who took three steps toward the home sideline and lofted a slightly underthrown ball into the flat.

Michaud got his fingertips on it for the Black Bears, and Brown grabbed it as he fell to the turf.

“We worked on it in practice, but we ran it on the other side,” Arsenault said. “Coach just wanted me to throw it this time I guess.”

Brown was down at the 10. Cooper Chiasson’s grinding run off right tackle set up a Robinson TD rush from 4 yards on third down. Brown booted the extra point for a 14-12 edge.

Arsenault interceptions stopped the next two Maranacook drives and led directly to Dirigo scores.

Robinson connected with a wide-open Arsenault to convert third-and-9. A personal foul and hard running by Chiasson and Vincent Hebert led to a 3-yard Robinson score with 1:10 left in the period.

“Our line was unreal tonight. Running up the middle, they must outweigh us at every position by about 70 pounds,” Robinson said. “Quentin Penley, Bryce Whittemore, Dalton Berry, Bennett Dorion, Isaac White. They were the men tonight. They made it easy on me.”

Hunter White and Mike Casey chalked up gains of 14 and 17 yards to spark Dirigo’s next scoring drive, ending in the Arsenault catch.

Michaud returned the ensuing kick 60 yards, leading to a Lacasse TD. The Black Bears forced a punt and drove to the Dirigo 17 before Arsenault’s third pick sealed it.

“Arsenault had a great second half,” Hersom said. “He made some key plays for us.”

Robinson was 6-for-9 through the air.

Dirigo held Maranacook to 27 rushing yards after giving up 103 in the first half, hammering out its fifth consecutive victory.

“We started off a little bit slow, but we’re playing good,” Arsenault said, capturing the tone of both the game and the season.

koakes@sunjournal.com

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