WATERVILLE – Powered by a big offensive line and a pair of 215-pound backs, Waterville rolled over Morse 53-18 in an Eastern Class B football game Saturday at Drummond Field.

The Purple Panthers (3-1) compiled 516 total yards, all but 52 on the ground. Aaron Saucier, a 215-pound senior, rushed for 150 yards and four touchdowns, most of it in the first half, as Waterville bounced back from a disappointing loss to Gardiner last week.

“The stupid mistakes we made against Gardiner, we worked on tightening those up this week,” Saucier said.

Racean Wood and J.T. Whitten also rushed for more than 100 yards for Waterville. Wood, a junior, rushed for 141 yards on 11 carries and scored three touchdowns. Whitten, another 215-pound senior, rushed for 116 yards on 16 attempts.

Three members of the offensive line — senior Nick Margitza, and juniors Tom Cox and Connor McLeod — weigh 260 pounds or better. Seniors Mike Bailey and Mike O’Neil round out the group that manhandled the smaller defensive line of the Shipbuilders.

“We’ve been aggressive all year, and we definitely showed it today,” sophomore quarterback Aidan Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald completed his first pass of the year, a 44-yard toss to tight end Nick Danner on the game’s opening drive.

“It’s not as bad as it looks,” Waterville Voach Frank Knight said. “He’s had some dropped balls, and he’s overthrown intentionally in tight coverage. He’s getting better every week. We’re pleased with his progress.”

Wood scored on sweep plays of 33 and 21 yards to stake the Purple Panthers to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Morse (1-3) scored late in the quarter when D’Vaughn Myers took an option pitch from Kevin McKellar and raced 80 yards down the right sideline.

The Shipbuilders moved the ball fairly well; they just couldn’t slow the Panthers. Morse rushed for 185 yards, led by Myers (88 yards), and McKellar completed 14 of 26 passes for 160 yards and two touchdowns.

McKellar hit Keegan Drouin with a 35-yard scoring pass on the opening drive of the third quarter and threw a shovel pass of 5 yards to Wade Hunt in the fourth.

Saucier scored on a 19-yard run in the third quarter before Knight emptied his bench.

“We turned the corner as a team this week,” Knight said. “We improved in all areas, including our attitude.”

WESTBROOK 22, FRYEBURG ACADEMY 8: Terry Webber rushed for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns to lead the Blue Blazes (1-3) past the Raiders (2-2) at Fryeburg.

Graham Strondak added a 5-yard touchdown run and Ben Grant got a safety for Westbrook.

LISBON 28, FREEPORT 14: Four players had rushing touchdowns for the Greyhounds (4-0) against the Falcons (3-1) at Lisbon Falls.

After James Purdy threw a 60-yard pass to Chris Farley to give Freeport a 7-0 lead, Lisbon got consecutive scores from Jordan Torres (27-yard run), Quincy Thompson (5-yard run) and Zach Splude (7-yard run). Mason Haley finished the Lisbon scoring with a 25-yard run.

BUCKSPORT 14, MT. VIEW 2: Will Nunn gained 63 yards on 13 carries for Mt. View (2-2), but Bucksport (4-0) won at home.

OAK HILL 54, TELSTAR 21: Joel Wells returned two kickoffs for touchdowns as the Raiders (2-2) won their second consecutive game, beating Telstar (0-4) at Bethel.

Cody DePuy of Oak Hill rushed for 139 yards on 17 carries with a touchdown. He also caught a pass for a score.

Kyle Flaherty and Brandon Potvin each added two touchdowns for Oak Hill.

 

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