DIRIGO 28, MARANACOOK 22: The Cougars (4-1) pulled away with a pair of third-quarter touchdowns to earn a key 8-man Small South win over the Black Bears (4-1) in Dixfield.
After a back-and-forth first half, Dirigo’s Dakota White recovered a fumble and returned it for a score to put the Cougars back on top 21-14. Later in the third, freshman quarterback Hudson Lufkin ran in his second score of the day, this one from 5 yards out. Colin Waugh’s kick made the lead 28-14.
The Black Bears cut into the deficit in the fourth period when Cody Goucher threw his third TD pass of the game to Robbie Vivenzio and ran then in the 2-point conversion to make it 28-22.
Maranacook scored first in the opening quarter when Goucher connected with Vivenzio for a 79-yard scoring strike.
The lead was short-lived, though. Dirigo’s Owen Smith returned the ensuing kickoff 80 yards, and Lufkin’s 2-point conversion run tied the game at 8-8.
Lufkin’s 3-yard run in the second quarter put the Cougars up 14-8, but the Black Bears tied the game on a 19-yard touchdown pass from Goucher to Vivenzio. Vivenzio finished with four catches for 113 yards and the three TDs.
SCARBOROUGH 10, LEWISTON 9: A 40-yard field goal by Caleb Wandell was the difference as the Red Storm (1-4) slipped past the Blue Devils (2-3) in Scarborough.
Lewiston broke the scoreless tie early in the second quarter when Michael Caron kicked a 27-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 9:32 remaining in the first half.
Scarborough answered quickly. A little more than a minute after Caron’s field goal, sophomore quarterback Alek Harris hit sophomore Lucas-James Renaud for a 73-yard touchdown pass to make it a 7-3 game for the Red Storm.
With about four minutes to play in the second quarter, Lewiston defensive lineman Riker Paradis forced a fumble on a sack, and the ball was recovered by teammate Adam Benson. The Blue Devils took the lead in the final minute of the half when quarterback Lonnie Thomas Jr. found running back Tafari Corson-James in the end zone for a 5-yard touchdown pass, putting Lewiston on top 9-7 with 44 seconds left.
Scarborough took the lead on Wandell’s 40-yard kick in the third quarter, and the score remained 10-9 for the rest of the game. The Blue Devils did have a chance to win, but their 40-yard field goal with 30 seconds left in the fourth was a little short.
“We had a lot of missed opportunities and failed to finish when necessary,” Lewiston coach Jason Versey said. “Scarborough kids played with a lot of heart and fought through adversity to keep us in check.”
Junior Jeffrey Randall had a big game for the Blue Devils, racking up 120 yards on the ground on 31 carries. Joseph Dube made three sacks and had six tackles. Braiden Blais and Paradis each had four tackles. Paradis added two sacks and a tipped pass to his forced fumble.
“No matter tonight’s outcome, I’ve been incredibly proud of my guys all year,” Versey said. “They play with so much class and character. They play the game the right way, and that means more to me than wins and losses. I truly love this group of young men.”
FRIDAY’S STATEWIDE SCORES
Belfast 35, Madison 0
Brunswick 60, Spruce Mountain 0
Bucksport 67, Mattanawcook 20
Camden Hills 29, Gray-New Gloucester 28, OT
Cape Elizabeth 30, York 27
Cony 27, Mt. Blue 26, OT
Deering 13, Falmouth 0
Dirigo 28, Maranacook Community 22
Foxcroft 35, Medomak Valley 0
Gardiner 21, Nokomis 0
Greely 28, Waterville 26, OT
Hampden 42, Old Town 13
Kennebunk 62, Biddeford 6
Leavitt 62, Lawrence 32
Lisbon 20, Winslow 19
Marshwood 42, Massabesic 7
Merrimack (N.H.) 27, Bonny Eagle 14
Messalonskee 34, Skowhegan 12
Mount Desert Island 38, Lake Region 0
Noble 28, South Portland 20
Oceanside 58, Brewer 6
Portland 35, Windham 7
Scarborough 10, Lewiston 9
Spaulding (N.H.) 57, Edward Little 18
Stearns 58, Ellsworth 42
Thornton Academy 41, Sanford 14
Wells 32, Poland 6
Westbrook 40, Gorham 14
SATURDAY’S AREA GAMES
Portsmouth/Oyster River at Oxford Hills, noon
Freeport at Oak Hill, 12:30 p.m.
Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale at John Bapst, 7 p.m.
Mountain Valley at Yarmouth, 7:15 p.m.
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