WINSLOW — Winslow High quarterback Bobby Chenard threw just nine passes Saturday afternoon in the Eastern Class C football championship game against rival Waterville. Most of Winslow’s offensive plays were runs between the tackles.

What the Black Raiders lacked in flair, they made up for in effectiveness. Three of Chenard’s passes went for touchdowns and Winslow took a 29-12 win for its third consecutive regional title.

“We’ve still got one more,” Chenard said in reference to the state championship game. “Three years in a row now but it’s not enough.”

Winslow (10-0), the state runner-up in Class C each of the last two seasons, will face defending state champion Leavitt (10-1) on Friday night at the University of Maine in a rematch of last year’s championship game.

Waterville’s season ended in a regional final for the third year in a row. The Purple Panthers finished 8-2, with both losses coming to Winslow.

Winslow’s judicious use of the passing game worked after the Black Raiders began running their no-huddle offense out of their goal-line formation midway through the second quarter. After stopping a long Waterville drive at their own 19, the Black Raiders went 81 yards in 15 plays. The only pass play was an 11-yard touchdown catch by Justin Martin. After a Waterville facemask penalty on the conversion try, Dylan Hapworth ran in the conversion for an 8-0 lead with 4:06 left in the first half.

“We ran our goal-line offense, just pounding the ball. We kept running the ball. After a while that quick pass just opened up because everyone was biting up on the run. It was wide open,” said Chenard, who threw for 92 yards. “We’re in pretty good condition and we like to be quick off the ball. We just try to make teams feel uncomfortable. When we run the goal-line (offense), they can’t get their subs in. It’s just on the ball, on the ball, on the ball. It wears them out and we run right over them.”

Winslow Coach Mike Siviski went to the no-huddle offense after Waterville mounted a seven-minute drive that spanned the first and second quarters. While the drive stalled at the Winslow 19, Siviski felt his team needed a spark.

“It was ball control. We needed it. Waterville controlled (the ball) for most of the first half and we needed to get a few first downs,” Siviski said.

Winslow added to its lead after Dylan Hutchison intercepted a pass near midfield on the second play of the third quarter. After five runs, Chenard found a wide-open Jacob Trask for a 30-yard touchdown pass and a 14-0 lead.

Waterville capitalized on a Winslow turnover late in the third. After a Devon Begin interception set the Panthers up at their own 42, Waterville mounted a nine-play drive capped by quarterback A.J. Godin’s 1-yard touchdown run with 19.9 seconds left in the quarter.

Waterville Coach Matt Gilley was looking for an intensity he didn’t see from his team in a 35-7 regular-season loss to Winslow, and liked his team’s effort.

“The seniors came out determined and that rubbed off on the rest of the team. They were in the right mind-set,” Gilley said.

With 10:11 remaining, Chenard and Trask hooked up for another 30-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-2.

After Godin connected with Cam Thomas (68 yards rushing, 48 yards receiving) for a 17-yard touchdown with 5:53 left, Winslow’s Kenny Rickard (14 carries, 72 yards) scored on a 14-yard run up the middle to seal the victory.