LIVERMORE FALLS – The latest installment of the Jay-Livermore Falls rivalry came down to which team could make the plays when it needed to make them most.

Jay stopped Livermore Falls inside its own five yard line twice, once in the first half and once in the second half, and that proved to be the difference as the Tigers pulled off a 28-14 win in a battle of unbeatens.

“It was amazing. Just a great team effort,” said Jay coach Mark Bonnevie. “The kids always believe they can make the next play, no matter the circumstances. That’s what they’ve been like all season and it showed on that red zone defense.”

Justin Wells, who earned the Roland Ouellette Trophy as the game’s most valuable player, threw for 157 yards and a touchdown. The senior QB wasn’t at his sharpest, completing 11-of-24 passes, with several drops. But he and his receivers came up big on third and fourth downs, completing six-of-eight for 98 yards.

“We know when it’s time to step up and make a play,” said Wells. “I give credit to (line) coach (Brian) Roy and everybody up front. (The protection) allowed us to do what we can.”

“The better team won tonight,” said Livermore Falls coach Brad Bishop. “It’s a whole new season next week.”

The Tigers and Andies will enter the playoffs next week as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds respectively. Jay now leads the all-time series between the two schools 37-33-1.

After forcing the Andies (8-1) to punt from midfield on their first series, the Tigers (9-0) came out for their first possession with Wells working out of the shotgun. The senior completed just four-of-nine passes on the drive, but connected with Adam DeSanctis on one third down to keep the drive alive at midfield. Eight plays later, he tossed a 20-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Deering on fourth-and-13 to make it 6-0.

The Andies responded with a 10-play, 63-yard drive capped by a five-yard TD run up the gut by Brad Bryant (33 carries, 144 yards). Tyler Cote’s extra point gave them a 7-6 advantage at the end of the first quarter.

Jay took the lead for good midway through the second quarter. A third-down screen pass from Wells to Joel Ouellette, with Deering and Mike Nemi clearing the way, went for 23 yards down to the one. Wells snuck it in from there, then threw for the two-point conversion for a 14-7 lead.

Jay’s defense made its first big stand on Livermore’s ensuing drive. The Andies marched down to the Jay four, where they went for it on fourth-and-goal. A handoff to Ryan Webster (14 carries, 60 yards) went nowhere, however, as the Tigers, led by Chris Jewett and Ryan Bourassa, threw Webster back for a three-yard loss.

The Tigers enjoyed good field position in the second half thanks to two big special teams plays. The first was a 23-yard punt return by DiPompo that, added to a late hit by Livermore Falls, set up the Tigers at Livermore’s 27. Wells completed a 24-yard pass to DiPompo on third-and-10 to push the ball to the three, and Trevor McCourt punched it in from a yard out to make it 20-7.

“The big play of the game was the penalty, which was a stupid penalty on our part,” Bishop said. “That opened the door right there.”

A fake punt pass from Nemi to DiPompo on Jay’s next possession went for 26 yards to the Andies’ 18 and set up Jay’s next score, a four-yard run by McCourt that, with the two-point conversion, made it 28-7 with 2:58 left in the third.

Livermore Falls pulled back within two touchdowns on a two-yard Bryant run early in the fourth quarter. The Andies then got the turnover they needed when Cote picked off Wells’ first interception of the year to set the Livermore offense up at the Jay 43.

The Andies drove down to the Jay one-and-a-half and needed just a half-yard for the first down, but the Tiger defense stuffed Bryant short of the first down with 7:14 left.

“You hear a lot from (fans) in the back of the end zone and I guess that just gives you more motivation,” DiPompo said. “We know it’s either going to be Brad up the middle or one of the other guys outside. You’ve just got to react to the one outside and I think we’re a little quicker to the outside, so a few more guys can stay to the middle and try to stop Brad.”

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