In this file photo, Edward Little’s Grant Hartley runs away from Lewiston’s Garrett Poussard during the Battle of the Bridge football game at Garcelon Field at Bates College in October. Poussard and Hartley will be teammates at this year’s Lobster Bowl. (Sun Journal file photo)

DOVER-FOXCROFT — When the East faces the West at Thornton Academy on Saturday, it won’t be Grant Hartley’s first Lobster Bowl.

In fact, the Lobster Bowl and the quarterback out of Edward Little came close to going back all the way to the beginning of his life in 1999.

“I was actually almost born on the field at a Lobster Bowl,” Hartley said Tuesday at the Lobster Bowl’s media day at Foxcroft Academy.

When he was younger, Hartley often followed his dad, Darren, around when he was coaching in Lobster Bowls.

“I would always go and stay in a dorm with him and watch the practices,” Grant Hartley said. “So, I’ve been around this game for a while. This game means a lot to me.”

Hartley, who will join the University of Maine football team as a preferred walk-on this fall, will be sharing quarterback duties for the East squad Saturday with Lawrence’s Braden Ballard.

One of Hartley’s weapons will be one he’s had since the eighth grade, receiver Maxx Bell.

“Got the eighth-grade connection,” Hartley said, “so that’s always great to fall back on, too, when you need to.”

The West team’s coach, Dick Mynahan, has known Darren Hartley for a long time. So, in his first year away from football after 30 years as Lisbon’s coach, Mynahan made a point to check out Darren Hartley’s son this past season.

He was impressed by the Hartley-to-Bell combination.

“When I saw (Hartley) play Cheverus,” Mynahan said, “he threw a couple of passes downfield to Bell that were perfect. And Bell is the kind of athlete that if it wasn’t perfect, he found the ball. I mean, I thought those two guys are the best combination I’ve seen in a long time.”

Mynahan said one thing that is making the East offense difficult to prepare for is that Hartley has several more weapons as dangerous as Bell.

Bell, who will play football at Curry College in Milton, Massachusetts, thought that same thing when the East team starting practicing together.

“I looked around, I was like, ‘Wow, this is a pretty scary offense,’” Bell said. “So it’s definitely fun and it’s definitely going to be a good game, that’s for sure.”

One thing Hartley is adjusting to this week is taking snaps under center, which he said he hasn’t done since middle school.

Joining forces

Another weapon Hartley will have at his disposal is Lewiston running back Garrett Poussard.

Poussard, Hartley and Bell have known each other since they were young, but they’ve always been foes.

“The rivalry finally gets to meet up and play together,” said Poussard, who will play at Husson Univeristy. “Nice to play with them, finally, not be an enemy.

“It’s fun. I was telling (Hartley), ‘It’s fun to finally get a handoff from you and not watch you hand it off to (Edward Little running back) Caden (Begos) all the time.’”

Do-it-all Dawson

One weapon that Hartley won’t have at his disposal is Oxford Hills’ Dawson Stevens, who will be playing everywhere but the offense for the East.

Stevens was a standout running back for the Vikings, but he’ll be playing defense at the Lobster Bowl.

He was originally going to play safety, but the East coaches moved the 5-foot-10, 170-pound Stevens to a defensive tackle/defensive end role.

“I’m down in the trenches with the big boys,” Stevens said. “It’s different, but I get to use my speed to my advantage, not play their games — they’re big and strong.”

That’s not all. Stevens also will be a punter, kicker and long snapper.

“I go wherever the coach needs me to, and I give them 100 percent,” Stevens said.

Such versatility is nothing new to Stevens. He played offense and defense and was a kicker and punter for Oxford Hills.

He also was a state-champion wrestler and two-time state-champion javelin thrower, and he qualified for the state outdoor track and field championships in the sprint events.

Stevens is moving on to play football at Husson. He said he’s projected to play slot.

He said he might also compete in track and field, but “football’s the main priority.”

Wrestling has always been a high priority for Stevens, and he said it will be tough to give it up. He might not be completely done with the sport, though.

“I’ve wrestled every year since I was 4 or 5, and next year will be my first year without wrestling,” Stevens said. “I’m thinking about being an official. I’ll start out in middle school … and work my way up.”

Stevens’ Oxford Hills teammates Jordan Silver, a tight end, and Jarron Taylor, an offensive lineman, will also be playing for the East at the Lobster Bowl. Nate Danforth, who coached Stevens in football, wrestling and track, is an East assistant coach.

Mt. Blue’s Abram Meader is also on the East squad. He’s listed as a defensive back.

Bobcats, represent

A pair of future Bates College players will play for the West at the Lobster Bowl.

Nolan Potter of Wells will play linebacker, and Jack Bryant of Falmouth will play quarterback.

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