HEBRON — Even though they played on different football teams, Ben Foss and Kris Gagne started dreaming about playing in the Lobster Bowl at roughly the same time.

“I’ve been wanting to do this since I saw (former Oak Hill running back Nick Brown) play in it my sophomore year,” said Oak Hill’s Ben Foss, who is playing wide receiver for the West.

“I remember my sophomore year going into (Lewiston coach Bill) County’s office and seeing all of the seniors fighting over who was on the list,” said Lewiston’s Gagne, a right guard for the East. “Once I found out what they were all fighting about, this was my goal, to be here my senior year.”

Foss and Gagne are one of about 90 former high school who have reached their goal of playing in Maine’s premier senior all-star football game.

The 21st Annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic is this Saturday at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford. Tickets are $10 for reserved seats and $8 for general admission and can be purchased at the gate, at the Kora Shrine Center or from any Shriner. Gates open at 1 p.m. and kickoff is at 4 p.m. the game benefits the Shriners Children’s Hospital and Shriners Burn Institutes, with 100 percent of the net proceeds going to help more than 125,000 patients, including roughly 1,500 from Maine.

The West leads the all-time series, 15-5, but the East is coming off a dramatic 17-16 victory last year in which Edward Little’s Cody Goddard and Sean Daigle hooked up for the game-winning touchdown pass with 36 seconds left.

The seeds for such dramatics are sewn six days before at Hebron Academy, where the players for this year’s game reported for training camp on Sunday (cheerleaders also reported for training camp on Sunday at Central Maine Community College). Getting players from so many different programs to jell in less than a week brings a sense of urgency to the quiet campus, in addition to the cause.

“Three-a-days are a little tough, but you’ve got to get used to it, got to get the job done,” said Leavitt’s Eric Theiss, a quarterback for the East.  “Obviously, it’s going to be a little tough getting prepared. We haven’t played in eight months, but we’re here for the kids in the hospital. This is what it’s about, but at the same time, we want to play our hardest and we’re here to compete.”

“I think it’s one of the reasons we as coaches like to come coach in this game,” said Bonny Eagle’s Kevin Cooper, who is the West’s head coach this year. “Being able to take 44 separate individuals and bring them together and make a team out of it and do it in a very short period of time, it’s hard and it’s a process, but it’s a fun process.”

Theiss has an advantage because the East’s offensive coordinator is his head coach at Leavitt, Mike Hathaway, so the offense is second nature to him. But even though fellow Hornet Josh Strickland is also suiting up for the East, Theiss is playing in a backfield with Bangor Fitzpatrick Trophy finalist Lonnie Hackett and numerous other players unfamiliar with the scheme, so getting the timing down is the focus of the long, hot practices.

Lewiston coach Bill County, the head coach for the East, doesn’t have any concerns about his skill players being able to pick up the plays and make something out of them. He and Hathaway, both veterans of the Lobster Bowl, said the group they have to work with this week, which also includes Lewiston’s Ronnie Turner, Brunswick’s Rashon Edgerton, Cony’s Rick Orio and Christian Powers of Lawrence, is as talented as any they have ever worked with in the game.

“We’re trying to put together an offensive line that is going to make sure we have enough time and can get a little space for those kids to be as good as they are,” County said. “I think by far, that’s the toughest spot to coach in the Lobster Bowl.”

Gagne said the unit developed good chemistry quickly.

“It’s taken a while to work together on the line, but off the field, talking with each other and hanging out, that happened really fast. So we clicked really well and now we’re just working on getting together on the field,” he said.

The West’s offense is far from feeble, with state champion quarterbacks Nic Crutchfield of Dirigo and Windham’s Jackson Taylor joined by Thornton Academy’s Steve Trask, South Portland’s Ryan Curit, Cape Elizabeth’s Tom Foden and Ryan Nason of Bonny Eagle at the skill positions.

“”We’re hoping on offense that we’ll be fast, we’ll be exciting and be able to put a lot of points on the board,” Cooper said. “We can’t rely on talent alone to win this game. We’re going to win this game on what our togetherness is, how hard we’ve worked and how prepared we are.”

The West also may have a little extra inspiration. Kicker Eddie Warren of Sacopee Valley is a double-amputee who was a patient at the Shriners Hospital and wears prosthetic legs from the Shriners.

“Boy, he’s amazing,” County said as Warren kicked field goals for the cameras at Tuesday’s media day. “We discuss (the meaning of the game) every day with the players. The Shrine’s done a nice job of bringing patients in and even have a player this year, so the kids really get it.”

“And we’re spoiled as coaches,” he added. “We get to come here and work with great kids, bright kids. We get fed every day. I don’t have to do dishes. I don’t have to mow the lawn. I don’t have to do anything.  And then, at the end of it, people thank you for helping the Shriners Hospital. It’s kind of ridiculous. I get to do something I love to do and, in the meantime, we’re helping out a cause that has changed people’s lives.”

Local participants in the 21st Annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic

East players

Edward Little: Wade Colon

Leavitt: Josh Strickland, Eric Theiss, Mat Pellerin

Lewiston: Ronnie Turner, Andy Pulk, Kris Gagne

Mt. Blue: Nick Watson

Oxford Hills: Nate Dubois

Coaches: Bill County, Lewiston, Mike Hathaway and Chris Gray, Leavitt

West players

Dirigo: Nic Crutchfield, Tyler Chiasson

Jay: Austin Clark

Lisbon: Art Stambach

Livermore Falls: Chandler White

Mountain Valley: Ryan Laubauskas

Oak Hill: Ben Foss

Poland: Josh Cooper

Winthrop: Cory Staples

Coach: Brad Bishop, Livermore Falls

East cheerleaders

Leavitt: Margaret Benson, Kelly Nutter

Lewiston: Kassandra Bowen, Erica Webber

Oxford Hills: Chelsea Coffin

West cheerleaders

Livermore Falls: Lindsey Flagg

Mountain Valley: Brittany Garcia

Oak Hill: Amber Chase

Coaches: Deb Loveless, Jessie Becher and Kate Robichaud, Oxford Hills, Lynnette Morency, Lewiston