Fullback Cullen McCarty has been a major force in York’s powerful running game, gaining 541 yards with three touchdowns through three games. In last week’s 37-14 win over Falmouth, he gained 241 yards.

“Cullen is running hard and hitting the holes,” said Coach Randy Small. “He’s getting more carries this season. Cullen has been rewarded for all the hard work he’s put in. He’s put on a lot of weight and added speed.”

McCarty, a junior, is the son of Pete McCarty, a former Bangor High and University of Massachusetts standout who won the Fitzpatrick Trophy in 1973 when Bangor captured the Class A state title.

McCarty played at UMass before embarking on a long college coaching career. His latest post is at the University of New Hampshire, where he is in his first year as the defensive line coach. It gives him a chance to watch his sons, Cullen and Jackson, play high school football. Jackson McCarty plays on the York freshman team.

York (3-0) plays at Mt. Blue (2-1) on Friday night. Down the road it looks like the Wildcats are heading to another classic game with Marshwood (3-0) on Oct. 24, the last weekend of the regular season.

“I’m not even thinking about that,” said Small. “We’re facing a very good Mt. Blue team. Our focus is on them.”

The trip to Farmington is York’s longest of the regular season, about 120 miles. It reminds Small of trips to Rumford to play Mountain Valley.

It will definitely have a similar feeling. Mt. Blue is coached by Jim Aylward, in his first season with the Cougars after a 25-year run with Mountain Valley, where he won four Class B state titles.

THERE ARE FOUR unbeaten Class A teams and two of them meet Saturday when Windham (3-0) travels to Cheverus (3-0) for a 12:30 p.m. game. It starts a crucial three-week stretch for the Eagles, who are at Bangor next Friday, then home against Portland on Oct. 11.

“This is definitely a big one,” said Windham Coach Matt Perkins.”We’re facing a real opponent on the road. I think it’s another step in our maturation process. We’re excited about the challenge.”

Windham started the season with a young group of players from last season. They’re no longer inexperienced.

“I feel we’re really balanced on offense. Every week we have someone else stepping up. They’re a great group to coach,” said Perkins.

Defensively, the Eagles have four touchdowns.

After Windham, Cheverus plays at Edward Little next Friday and at Thornton Academy on Oct. 11 – a possible preview of the Class A state final. A year ago Bonny Eagle beat Cheverus for the state title.

After Thornton, Cheverus hosts Bangor before closing the season at home against Deering. Windham and Bangor are Cheverus’ chief threats.

THROUGH THREE games Dane Johnson of Bangor leads Eastern Class A with 661 yards on 89 carries. He has 10 touchdowns. Joe Fitzpatrick of Cheverus is next with 562 yards on 59 carries. He has nine touchdowns. Dylan Koza of Windham is third with 375 yards on 38 carries. He has seven touchdowns.

Max Chabot of Deering has thrown for the most yards in Eastern A, completing 42 of 86 passes for 506 yards. His teammate, Pat Viola, has seven receptions for 147 yards. In Deering’s pass-oriented offense, Dom Bernard and Jacob Coon lead the conference in receptions with 12 and 11, respectively.

Coon is the leading punter with a 37.5 yard average on 15 punts. Patrick Mourmouras of Cheverus has made 16 of 16 PATs and is 1 of 1 in field goals.