BANGOR – A Bangor High School football team desperate for a win to climb back into Class A North playoff contention gave a good account of itself for virtually the entire first half in its game against defending A North titleist Portland on Friday night at Cameron Stadium.
But the Bulldogs were simply too much for the Rams, taking a 21-7 lead on a perfectly-executed 41-yard screen pass from senior quarterback Louis Thurston to junior wide receiver-running back Cordell Jones with 1:13 left in the first half and they went on to post a 35-7 victory.
Class A North leader Portland improved to 5-1 and has now won 13 of its 14 regular season games since returning to Class A from Class B at the outset of last season.
Bangor fell to 1-5.
Portland’s defense limited Bangor to 114 total yards while the offense racked up 301 yards. The Bulldogs exhibited impressive balance with 194 rushing yards and 107 yards through the air.
Jones scored three touchdowns including a pair of one-yard runs in the first period and finished with 164 all-purpose yards as he carried the ball 10 times for 101 yards and caught three passes for 63 more yards.
Thurston completed eight of 15 passes for 107 yards and carried the ball four times for 62 yards including a 48-yard TD run in the third quarter.
Senior running back Aiden McGowan added a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and finished with 59 yards on 15 carries.
“We definitely didn’t play very well. Bangor is a really well-coached football team. Their kids play with excellent purpose and excellent intent. They should be proud of the way they played,” said Portland coach Sean Green. “We need to come out here and execute for four quarters of football. Our effort was much better in the second half.”
He said his team has “skilled players all over the place and it starts with our offensive and defensive lines. We weren’t great in the first half but we definitely stepped up in the second half and when these guys (Jones, Thurston and McGowan) got their holes, they ran hard for the most part and we protected the football well. They did a great job.”
Jones gave the Bulldogs a lead they never relinquished with a one-yard TD run on their first drive after he set it up with a scintillating 39-yard run in which he broke a number of tackles.
“I just saw the hole and when I get in space, I try to make as many defenders miss as possible,” said Jones. “All I think about is scoring.”
On Bangor’s next possession, defensive lineman Dominic Huntington recovered a Bangor fumble at the Bangor 16-yard line and, three plays later, Jones registered his second TD run.
The Rams climbed back into the game when they stopped Portland on fourth-and-four at the Bangor-48 yard line. Facing a third-and-three, Portland’s Carter Lucca was stuffed for a one-yard loss by junior defensive end Griffin Faulkner and then Thurston’s fourth-down pass fell incomplete.
Senior running back Mason Knights rattled off Bangor’s longest play from scrimmage with a 46-yard run to the P-6 and workhorse quarterback Kyle Johnson scored on a determined six-yard run on fourth-and-goal as he bulled his way into the end zone with 11:44 left in the half.
A late first-half drive by Bangor stalled at the P-36 with 3:48 left in the half and the Bulldogs marched 64 yards on seven plays to give themselves some valuable breathing room.
Thurston threw a 10-yard pass to an open Lucca, who was on his knees, to extend the drive on a fourth-and-six.
Thurston said he knew Lucca was going to be open based on Bangor’s pre-snap alignment.
“We were playing catch out there,” said Thurston.
Two plays later, Thurston rolled right and threw a screen pass across to Jones and he scampered into the end zone virtually untouched.
“There was good blocking. That’s what happens when you do the right things,” said Jones.
“We have good athletes. We just get them the ball in space and they make a play,” said Thurston.
Bangor couldn’t cash in on a Eli Marsh interception early in the second half and Portland strung together a four-play, 70-yard drive featuring a 16-yard run by Jones which set up Thurston’s 48-yard TD run after he faked the ball to Jones.
After a three-and-out by Bangor, Portland marched 79 yards on 15 plays with McGowan’s one-yard run finishing it off with 9:00 left in the contest.
“Sometimes you have to tip your hat to the other team,” said Bangor coach David Morris. “Obviously, Portland is a good football team. We missed some plays but our effort was outstanding and I’m proud of the guys. They played hard and with a lot of heart. We’re getting better.”
Knights finished with 54 yards on five carries before leaving the game late in the first half with a leg injury. Johnson completed three of 10 passes for 33 yards including a terrific off-balance throw across the field to Fionn Parker-Cummings for a 16-yard gain.
