RUMFORD – Seniors Matt Laubauskas and Justin Staires each rushed for two touchdowns and Mountain Valley maintained their composure in a 41-7 win against Wells at slick Hosmer Field.

It was Laubauskas’ overall performance on both sides of the ball that provided the difference. He rushed for 109 yards with several bursts up the middle, scored from one and nine yards. The senior also intercepted a pass to set up another TD and was a force at inside linebacker along with junior Cole Clark.

Staires gained 79 yards and ran in from two and three yards. Sophomore quarterback Cam Kaubris threw TD passes of 43 and 33 yards to Travis Ruff.

The Falcon defense limited the Warriors to 55 yards in the game as outside linebackers Ruff and Matt Duka, tackles Ryan Laubauskas and Ken Grant and ends Christian Durland and Brady Fergola won the battle in the trenches.

“We may have won the game, but we didn’t accomplish what we wanted to,” Mountain Valley coach Jim Aylward said. “Wells won the physical battle. The score is actually deceiving and not deserving because except for a couple punts and penalties, Wells outplayed us. They are very, very good.”

Both teams fumbled on their initial possessions, but the Falcons took advantage of good field position after taking over in Warrior territory. Staires opened the scoring from two yards, and on the ensuing possession Matt Laubauskas used one hand to pick off Wells QB Joshhua Mayo at the 13-yard line. Laubauskas ran it in two plays later and Staires passed to Ruff for the conversion.

“We actually started out a little flat,” Matt Laubauskas said. “The momentum went back and forth, then we punted and picked things up. We couldn’t run east-west, but north-south smash mouth football worked for us.” The Falcons went on a 70-yard drive, with John Gorham running 40 and Laubauskas 24 up the middle. Staires scored and Duka’s extra point made it 21-0.

Wells responded quickly as Mayo passed to Kevin Banks for a 59-yard TD.

In the third quarter, Kaubris rolled right and Ruff was able to run past the coverage twice for scores.

“Wells was cutting us off (in the trenches),”Ryan Laubauskas said. “We wanted to have a clean game tonight with no mistakes and move the ball.”