PARIS — The Portland High football team opened the regular season with a 40-20 win over Oxford Hills on Friday night at Don Gouin Athletic Complex.

Quarterback Louis Thurston started hot for Portland with a pair of first-quarter touchdowns, his first on a 63-yard run just 20 seconds into the game.

“Last year they didn’t let me run the ball too much, so I wanted to open it up, and then I just got out there and didn’t even have to make a move,” Thurston said about his first touchdown. “The blocking on that play was perfect, all I had to do was walk into the end zone.”

After the Bulldogs regained possession later in the period with an end-zone interception, Thurston connected with Cordell Jones on a 72-yard touchdown pass with 6:42 remaining to give the visitors a 14-0 lead.

Jones later threw a TD pass to Brody Viola later in the quarter to make it 21-0.

The Vikings got on the scoreboard when junior Cameron Pulkkinen caught a 9-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Carter Wyman to cut the deficit to 21-7 going into the second quarter.

“Cam is a big, strong kid,” Oxford Hills coach Nate Danforth said. “We count on him to be one of our return guys and to make big plays for us, and he came through for us, big time. We’re proud of him. He’s somebody, he’s a difference maker, so we’re happy he got one tonight.”

Oxford Hills pulled within a touchdown in the second quarter, when Brayden Murch’s 20-yard reception from Wyman set up Eli LaVerdiere’s score with 3:34 remaining to make it a 21-14 game at the half.

The Bulldogs added to their lead late in the third quarter on a 38-yard TD pass from Thurston to Aiden McGowan.

But Pulkkinen returned the ensuing kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to pull the Vikings to within 28-20.

Portland took over from there, as Jones scored off a direct snap with 3:36 remaining in the third to make it 34-20 after Murch blocked the Bulldogs’ extra-point attempt.

“Not the prettiest win, but,  special things are coming,” Jones said. “That’s all I gotta say.”

Viola scored his second touchdown of the night early in the fourth quarter on an 8-yard pass from Thurston to end the game’s scoring.

Portland coach Sean Green said the key to Portland’s win was “spreading the ball to our playmakers,” as there are several Bulldog players that make a difference when the ball’s in their hands.

“We have a tremendous offensive and defensive line as well, and I think ball distribution is important,” Green said. “There’s a lot of guys that need to touch the ball in our offense, and that’s definitely a big part of it.”