RUMFORD – Travis Ruff speaks for his fellow seniors when he evaluates the importance of Saturday’s Class B championship game against Morse (11 a.m., Fitzpatrick Stadium).

“It’s everything,” Ruff said.

“After last year’s loss (21-14 to Gardiner), we have thought nothing but state championship the whole time,” he added. “This is now the biggest game I’ve ever played in, and I’m just pumped. I can’t wait.”

Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward couldn’t wait to move Ruff to the offensive side of the ball for his senior season, and Ruff’s two-way talent is one reason the Falcons are unbeaten and playing in their third straight title game.

As a junior, Ruff emerged as one of the standouts in Mountain Valley’s heralded linebacking corps. A 5-foot-11, 170-pound outside linebacker, he brought athleticism to a brawny unit and stood as one of the top linebackers in the Campbell Conference by year’s end.

This year, he has developed into one of the top tight ends in Western B.

“We needed him on the field. He’s a playmaker,” Falcons coach Jim Aylward said. “You get a good sense after enough years of coaching of who are the kids you can rely on, and I thought moving Travis was one of the best things we did this year.”

The Falcons are best known for their physical running game, but if opponents get too preoccupied with stopping running backs Justin Staires and Matt Laubauskas, Ruff has been known to sneak behind cheating linebackers and defensive backs, particularly in the red zone.

He has caught three touchdowns in the last two playoff games. In the semifinals against Falmouth, he caught a 24-yard Cam Kaubris pass for a score late in the first half. Saturday in the regional final against Cape Elizabeth, he caught a 6-yard pass from Kaubris on fourth-and-six to put the Falcons up 8-0. Late in the half, Justin Staires played quarterback for a play and hit Ruff on a 26-yard scoring strike on fourth-and-long.

“They always seem to bite on the run every single time,” he said, “so I’m able to sneak right out back there and if Cam throws it up, I’m ready to catch it.”

“You’ve got to pick your poison with us, and Travis Ruff’s a big reason why I can say that,” Aylward said.

Ruff is still a vital part of a poisonous Falcon defense. Aylward calls him an “alignment/assignment linebacker,” meaning someone who funnels the run to the Falcons’ big hitters in the middle of the defense and matches up with tight ends and running backs in the passing game.

“We have some big studs in the middle, so I just try to play my gap and play sound defense,” Ruff said.

“He plays on the perimeter of the defense for us,” Aylward said. “He’s not the type of kid that we want to line up and have teams run right at him. He does a great job playing both pass coverage and run support. He does a great job of turning runs back inside.”

Ruff said playing with fellow linebackers Laubauskas, Matt Duka and Cole Clark allows him to be aggressive and use his athleticism as a disrupting force.

“It’s reassuring knowing that if you aren’t perfect every single time, you’ve got somebody there who has your back,” he said.

With Ruff around Saturday, Morse might want to watch their backs, lest Ruff find a way to sneak behind them.