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AUBURN — Junior quarterback Kyle Johnson led Bangor to its third win of the season, a 35-0 victory over Edward Little in a Class A North football contest on Friday.

Johnson ran for three scores and threw for another, as the Rams won their second consecutive game to improve to 3-5.

“Coming off a big win last week that gave us a lot of momentum, and we definitely didn’t take them lightly,” Johnson said. “Coming down here off a big win, we wanted to come and take care of business and get on a little win streak, so it felt good to come down here and do what we came to do.”

Last week, Bangor defeated Winnacunnet of New Hampshire 28-27.

Johnson, a former running back in his first season playing QB, ran for 109 yards on eight carries and completed 3 of 4 passes for 45 yards.

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“I got to give all my credit to my O-line, my running backs and my wide receivers,” Johnson said. “I mean, the blocking that they give, the routes they run, the runs that they get — it all goes to them. I’m the one that’s getting all the glory, but the real glory goes to them.”

Bangor scored the only touchdown of the first quarter, a 9-yard run by Johnson. Earlier in the drive, he ran for 22 yards from the Edward Little 36-yard line to the 14.

The Rams found the end zone two more times in the second quarter, on 7- and 16-yard runs by Johnson.

Bangor coach David Morris said Johnson has “really done it all year long,” for Bangor as a junior captain to lead the team.

“(He’s) just had a very consistent (season), and guys caught the ball when he threw it, and he ran and the guys block for him and run it,” Morris said. “He’s just been a great leader for us.”

In the third quarter, Bangor’s Nevin Howell recovered fumble and returned it 31 yards for a touchdown, increasing the Rams’ lead to 28-0.

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Edward Little (1-7) quarterback TJ Kramarz was back at the helm on Friday after missing last week’s game against Oxford Hills due to an injury. Coach Rick Kramer said it helps to have the senior back on the field, but noted Kramarz is still “not 100-percent better.”

“I think when he’s at 100%, he’s a different player,” Kramer said. “I think it’s the first time we’ve had a quarterback get hurt, (and) it was a couple weeks ago, but he kind of loosened up towards the end of the game and got a little more into it.

“We play tight, and when it’s a big night and emotions are running high, sometimes our kids get a little bit wound up.”

Bangor’s fifth and final touchdown was scored in the fourth quarter on a 23-yard pass from Johnson to Fionn Parker-Cummings to bring the score to 35-0. Both teams earned several unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, which Morris said can happen when two teams that haven’t won a lot of games are battling to make the postseason.

“We really have a goal, and we’re trying to keep our eyes on the prize, so to speak,” Morris said. “I didn’t doubt our team, we knew what we needed to do and football is an emotional game.”

Bangor senior captain Ian Blackwell, who finished with 66 yards rushing, said that shutting down trash talking and other things that can draw unsportsmanlike penalties is his responsibility as a senior captain, which is a role he takes seriously.

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On the flipside, Blackwell often hyped up the Rams on and off the sidelines, and he said the energy on the sideline this season is the best he’s seen in his four years on the team.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been offered water by the water boys, so, I mean, it’s crazy,” Blackwell said. “They get hyped for everything, even small runs, big runs, touchdowns. I mean, it’s great. We love each other. We’re a family.”

Jackson Varney also ran for 28 yards for the Rams, which Morris said was huge because Varney was playing for the first time since being injured in Bangor’s season-opening loss to Thornton Academy.

“Just a great, very good football player,” Morris said of Varney. “He got hurt the first game against TA and has been out. This is his first time back, and lots of emotion on his part, but did really well and we’re just glad he’s back.”

Injuries are all too familiar to the Red Eddies, with different players watching from the sideline nearly every game. Kramer said he takes responsibility for each loss, because it’s his job to figure out who will excel in which position.

“It’s my job to fix it,” Kramer said.

Edward Little finishes its season at home against Lewiston next Friday. The Red Eddies have consecutive scoreless losses (falling 49-0 last week to Oxford Hills), and Kramer said it’s vital to keep positive energy despite the lack of scoring plays.

“It’s not like they beat us; the problem is when you beat yourself — that’s one that hurts the most,” Kramer said. “So, you have to take chances when your offense isn’t going well.”

Haley has been with the Sun Journal sports department since November 2023. She graduated from Occidental College in Los Angeles in May 2022 with a degree in international relations. Haley also played lacrosse...

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