Wells running back Payton MacKay is brought down by Dasean Calder of Leavitt during Leavitt’s 22-8 win Saturday night in Turner. It was the first time this season that MacKay has been held to less than 100 yards rushing. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal Buy this Photo
The 33-game winning streak is over and Wells High football coach Tim Roche said he and his team don’t have the time or energy to mourn its passing.
On Saturday night, the Warriors lost a game between unbeaten teams at Leavitt, 22-8.
It was Wells’ first loss since Oct. 21, 2016, when Cape Elizabeth won a regular-season finale, 13-7. That game also pitted unbeaten teams. Wells got its revenge three weeks later, winning at Cape in the Class C South final. The 33-game win streak, which included the 2016 Class C championship, and titles in Class D in 2017 and 2018, is believed to be the fourth-longest in Maine high school history.
This year Leavitt and Wells were pegged as state-title contenders in the preseason.
“They’re a good football program and have been for years. They were fully what we expected,” Roche said of Leavitt. “Everybody says we’ll see them again (in the playoffs) but we’ve got to get there and they’ve got to get there. I don’t even want to talk about that.”
What Roche talked to his players about Monday morning when they reconvened was that after a loss, coaches and players have to first look at what they can do better.
“The kids know it and they came in with the attitude I wanted to see,” Roche said.
Leavitt won primarily with its defense. The Hornets held Wells’ vaunted rushing game in check, keeping Payton MacKay under 100 yards for the first time this season.
“Physically they took it to us,” Roche said.
Wells averaged 40.4 points per game during its winning streak. It scored at least 25 points 31 times, a 14-7 win against Cape in 2017 and an 18-6 win in this season’s opener with Winslow the only exceptions.
Wells will face another tough defense Friday at home against Fryeburg Academy (3-3). The Raiders have won two straight and allowed just 68 points total in six games. Their losses to Leavitt, Cape Elizabeth and Freeport were by a total of 14 points.
The Warriors will finish the regular season at York (5-1).
“Fryeburg’s good. York’s good,” Roche said. “Now it’s time for us to step up to the plate and do what we need to do.”
One thing the Warriors won’t have to do is talk about a winning streak.
“I don’t want to lose but I also don’t want to talk about it. So if that’s over, the talking about it, that’s fine with me,” Roche said.
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