Last weekend’s high school football action featured five wild endings to five remarkable games, including Lewiston’s game-winning field goal versus Bangor, Hermon’s gutsy decision to go for two versus Hampden Academy and Greely’s 28-point, fourth-quarter outburst to beat Stearns by two.
Here are five matchups from this week’s slate of games that could produce similarly interesting results.
Stearns/Schenck at Orono, Friday 7 p.m.
Fans that know 8-man football well have had this game marked on their calendars all year. Friday’s tilt in Orono brings together northern Maine’s top passing offense (Orono) and northern Maine’s top rushing offense (Stearns), in a rematch of the last two 8-man Small school regional title games.
The Red Riots (2-1) have bested the Minutemen (2-1) the past two years, and wound up winning the state championship in 2023, but Stearns has returned more key players than Orono and has much more to fight for. It’s also worth noting that Stearns came the closest of any team to beating the undefeated Riots last year.
Raising the stakes for Friday’s game is Stearns’ shocking comeback loss to Greely (2-1) last week, and Orono’s 30-point rout at the hands of Mt. Ararat (3-0). Their opponents compete in the 8-man Large school division, but neither Stearns nor Orono take losses lightly, regardless of who they faced.
Bangor at Lawrence, Friday 7 p.m.
The Bangor Rams (0-3) have had a really tough schedule to start the season, and the reigning B North regional champion Bulldogs (2-1) are no slouch either. The Rams are one of three winless teams in Class A North, so their playoff hopes are very much alive and will give Lawrence everything they have.
Bangor and Lawrence shared a fierce rivalry in the 2000’s and 2010’s, fighting over hegemony of what was then known as the Pine Tree Conference and Class A East. The Hersom family coaching tree helped rekindle the rivalry in 2022, and the two sides have since traded blows the past two seasons. Bangor won its home opener last year, 21-6 over the Bulldogs.
Lewiston at Portland, Friday 6 p.m.
Elsewhere in Class A North, the upstart Lewiston Blue Devils (2-0) will head down to Fitzpatrick Stadium to play the reigning regional champion Portland Bulldogs (2-1) this Friday.
Lewiston is coming off a clutch victory over Bangor on the road, and previously beat Bonny Eagle (2-1) by nine points at home in week one. Meanwhile, Portland had its 14-game regular season winning streak snapped by that same Bonny Eagle team last Friday, losing 14-8 on the road.
The Blue Devils barely snuck into the playoffs last year before being dispatched by Portland in the first round, and could really shake up the A North football ecosystem with a win over the preseason favorites.
Hampden Academy at Medomak Valley, Friday 7 p.m.
At the top of the Class C North Crabtree standings are four teams with 2-1 records: Hermon, Oceanside, Hampden Academy and Medomak Valley.
After two convincing wins over Skowhegan and John Bapst, Hampden was finally bested by Hermon in a thriller last weekend. Meanwhile, the Panthers of Waldoboro have bounced back from a tight week one loss to Hermon and rallied off two victories over Nokomis and Brewer. Friday’s game will be crucial in dictating the C North playoff race moving forward.
Ellsworth/Sumner at Houlton/Hodgdon, Friday 7 p.m.
Up in Aroostook County, the undefeated Ellsworth Eagles will take on the undefeated Houlton Shiretowners, in a marquee 8-man Small school matchup. Neither team has played powerhouses Orono or Stearns yet, so Friday’s game is a must-win for both sides.
Finishing just 1-7 last season, Ellsworth has rallied around senior quarterback Thomas Jude and junior running back Ripley Strout, who have connected for five touchdowns and 174 yards and accounted for four more touchdowns apiece.
Strout is the Little Ten Conference’s top ball carrier in yards (369 on 33 attempts), but Houlton’s do-it-all senior quarterback Isaiah Ervin has him beat in yards per carry (365 yards on 24 attempts) and touchdowns (nine rushing, seven passing).
