Injuries forced Lewiston seniors Lonnie Thomas, left, and Jeffrey Randall to switch positions earlier this season — Thomas from quarterback to receiver, and Randall from receiver to QB — and they have since connected on five touchdown passes. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

The Lewiston football team had been in this position before, and Jeffrey Randall had played the position before.

For the second year in a row, Randall took over at quarterback midway through the season due to injuries to starter Lonnie Thomas. A separated LC joint in his left shoulder caused Thomas to miss significant time in 2023. Earlier this season, he suffered bone bruises on his knees that forced the QB change.

Instead of sitting out, though, Thomas has moved to wide receiver, where Randall had been playing. The quarterback switch happened around the same time that Joe Dube and Ryker Pardis were moved from from the backfield to the offensive line, and the Blue Devils (4-3) have found their stride, winning two games in a row while scoring 34 and 51 points, their two highest outputs of the season.

They close out the regular season Friday night at rival Edward Little (1-7) at 7 p.m.

Changing quarterbacks isn’t as big of a deal as it would be for most teams, Randall said.

“I mean, Lonnie and I are really utility players on this team, I feel, and it doesn’t necessarily matter where you put us, we’re going to go out there and try to make plays,” Randall said. “And kind of think of us as a duo situation, and it doesn’t matter if I’m at slot or if he’s at wide receiver, or who’s at quarterback, I think the connection is there. We’re going to find each other on the field, and we’re going to make plays.”

Lewiston quarterback Jeffrey Randall drops back to pass during last Friday’s game against Brunswick in Lewiston. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Thomas said he had no doubts about Randall’s ability to play quarterback.

“I have my full faith in Jeffrey,” Thomas said. “He can do it all, and I have my full faith he’s going to get me the ball, and he knows I’m going to make plays for him.”

Besides, Randall isn’t new to quarterback. Along with finishing the season under center last year, he also was the Blue Devils’ starting QB his sophomore season.

Randall has thrown for 404 yards and six touchdowns this season, while also running for 295 yards and one TD along with 146 yards receiving and two more scores.

The senior duo has been lighting it up in the past two weeks in a pair of Lewiston victories (34-29 over Windham and 51-0 over Brunswick). All six of Randall’s touchdown passes were thrown in those to games, and five have been to Thomas.

“It’s just kind of a mindset,” Thomas said. “We’ve been playing together our whole lives. We’ve known what we want to do, where we try to get the ball, and we just end up in the same spot every time and get going.”

Randall said that Thomas’ athleticism makes him a perfect target.

“We just got to put the best people in the best spots that are a fit,” Randall said. “And Lonnie’s got enough height and really (has the) wingspan to be out there at wide receiver. He’s probably got the best hands on the team.”

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound Thomas has 207 yards receiving to go with his five touchdown catches. He has also rushed for 56 yards and three more TDs, to go along with 243 yards passing and two touchdown tosses.

He injured his knees during the Blue Devils’ 10-7 win over Bangor on Sept. 13 but continued to play QB through Week 6.

He said the injury hasn’t affected his speed or ability to get open.

“It lingers, but it definitely doesn’t affect the way I’m gonna play,” Thomas said. “I’m still gonna go out there and do what I need to do, and I know Jeff’s gonna give me the ball and he knows how to get me open.”

Lewiston coach Jason Versey said the offense benefitted from having Thomas at receiver and Randall at quarterback.

“Well, it’s a blessing in disguise, really, because Lonnie is an incredible athlete, great wide receiver, and it really opened up our offense,” Versey said. “So, in hindsight, maybe we should have had him play wide receiver last year. … And with the offense that we run, we really need to have a steady hand and a great command of the huddle and the offense. So, Jeffrey gives us that, but I know I’m very confident that Lonnie could fill in at any moment if necessary.”

Lewiston’s Lonnie Thomas, left, celebrates with teammate Deion Jackson after Thomas caught a touchdown pass during last Friday’s game against Brunswick. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal

Both QBs have taken care of the ball, each throwing only one interception this season.

The 6-foot-1, 205-pound Randall also strengthens the Blue Devils’ running game.

“The triple option requires, you know, quick reads and quick decision-making,” Versey said. “And (the defense) in most cases, they’re reading a pitch key, a dive key and a pitch key. And so you have to make a quick snap decision based on what those guys do. So both Jeffrey and Lonnie are incredibly smart and they make really good decisions. I think Jeffrey gives us a stronger run game because he’s very, very proficient in running and making decisions that way.”

RIVALRY SHOWDOWN

Lewiston, which is currently second in the Class A North Crabtree standings, ends the regular season with the annual Battle of the Bridge game against archrival Edward Little (1-7) on Friday at 7 p.m. in Auburn.

“Growing up, yo, EL-Lewiston has always been a rivalry game,” Randall said. “Especially having friends over on the other side of the bridge, you know, makes it more fun, competitive, and you just want to go out and play against your friends — but, you know, obviously root for your own team and shake hands after the game.”

Randall will be making his third start at quarterback against the Red Eddies. The Blue Devils won the first two — 34-18 last year at home in an emotional game a week after the mass shooting in Lewiston, and 31-6 two years ago in the final game at Walton Field, the home of Edward Little football from 1935-2022.

Friday will be Lewiston’s first game on the new turf field at Edward Little High School.

Thomas said the Battle of the Bridge game is important to him, especially since he had to sit out last year.

“It’s been everything,” Thomas said. “We’ve been playing it. We’ve been seeing it our whole lives. It’s been played here, there, somewhere, every year. A couple of years at Bates, but it means everything to this program and really the city. Last year, I couldn’t play because of my injury. This is my first year starting in the game. It definitely means a lot.”

Lewiston has won four straight against Edward Little, dating back to 2019.