Old Orchard Beach broke open a close game by scoring 38 unanswered points in the third quarter en route to a convincing 60-14 win over Stearns/Schenck in the 8-man small school state championship played in Kennebunk Saturday.
The Seagulls finished a perfect 11-0 on the season while capturing their second state title in three years.
Stearns/Schenck finished the season 9-2.
The key sequence of the game came late in the second quarter with the score tied 14-14. That’s when OOB senior quarterback Brady Plante threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to senior wide receiver Riley Provencher. Plante then scored a 2-point conversion run to stake the Seagulls to a 22-14 lead at the half.
The Seagulls received the ball to start the second half and Provencher reeled off a 75-yard return for a touchdown to open the floodgates in the third quarter.
Plante threw TD passes of 56 and 88 yards to Provencher to spearhead the relentless attack. Plante finished with four touchdown passes and more than 400 passing yards in the game.
“We’re a team that can make big plays and big moments, and that’s what we did,” Plante said after the win.
Provencher had three touchdown receptions and more than 200 receiving yards for OOB.
“Stearns played tough but our kids lift, they train, they’re physical and they’re talented,” said Seagulls head coach Dean Plante after the victory.
Stearns quarterback Cam Atkinson scrambled early and often against OOB’s defense. He threw TD passes to Gavin Gagnon and Sam Jacobs to keep the Minutemen in the game in the first half. The offense stalled in the second half amid a flurry of turnovers.
