A year ago the football coaches from Biddeford and Kennebunk high schools were looking ahead to 2016.

“The Kennebunk guys, I respect them and I like them,” Biddeford Coach Brian Curit said Thursday. “We were talking about the possibility of playing them in the Southern Maine final as many as 12 months ago. That was based on the fact that both of our teams had the most personnel coming back.”

Biddeford Coach Brian Curit has plenty of respect for Kennebunk and its coach, Joe Rafferty. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Kennebunk running back Jake Littlefield helped the Rams to a 13-7 playoff win over Marshwood, and says team unity is a key to the team success. "Through everything we work as a team. Play after play. If it's a mistake, just focus on the next one." Brianna Soukup/Staff Photographer

PRESS HERALD/ FIFTH QUARTER POLL

Here are the top 10 football teams in Maine, based on voting from Press Herald Staff Writer Steve Craig, Lee Goldberg of WCSH-6 and two coaches from each of the four classes.

(With total points, and first-place votes in parentheses)

1. Bonny Eagle (10) 100

2. Scarborough 86

3. Brunswick 72

4. Portland 68

5. Thornton 50

6. Kennebunk 42

7. Biddeford 38

8. Cape Elizabeth 30

9. Wells 20

10. Brewer 14

Three things to watch

1. After its near flawless offensive effort against Thornton, does Scarborough (8-2) have enough left in its tank to take down Bonny Eagle (9-0)?

2. Dry conditions will create more offense for both Wells and host Cape Elizabeth in the Class C South final than they showed in Cape’s 13-7 regular-season win.

3. Special teams are always important. Look for it to be the decisive factor in at least one of the South finals, particularly Class B’s Biddeford at Kennebunk game.

Regional championship games

Friday

Class A South: No. 3 Scarborough (8-2) at No. 1 Bonny Eagle (9-0), 7 p.m.

Class A North: No. 2 Windham (6-3) at No. 1 Portland (8-1), 7 p.m.

Class B South: No. 2 Biddeford (9-1) at No. 1 Kennebunk (10-0), 7 p.m.

Class B North: No. 2 Brewer (8-1) at No. 1 Brunswick (9-0), 7 p.m.

Saturday

Class C South: No. 2 Wells (9-1) at No. 1 Cape Elizabeth (10-0), 12:30 p.m.

Turns out the two veteran coaching staffs knew what they were talking about.

Friday night’s Class B South final of No. 2 Biddeford (9-1) at No. 1 Kennebunk (10-0) pits the league’s two most consistent teams and best defenses, giving it the makings of a close game.

“Here we are. We’re living the dream and now we just try to take one more step,” said Kennebunk Coach Joe Rafferty.

Biddeford has small edges in scoring (27.8 to 24.5) and scoring defense (8.9 to 11.6).

But based on the Rams’ season, they are the team most comfortable in a four-quarter battle. Kennebunk has won five of its last six games by six points or less, including its 16-12 home win against Biddeford, and playoff wins against Leavitt (16-14) and Marshwood (13-7).

“You know, we just kind of push it out until the end,” said running back Jake Littlefield. “Through everything we work as a team. Play after play. If it’s a mistake, just focus on the next one.”

Or as Rafferty put it, “At this time of the year everybody who’s left is good. You’ve just got to beat them by a point.”

Biddeford has gotten the job done quicker in the playoffs, using big plays to build quick leads for its stingy, swarming defense to protect in 29-0 and 22-6 wins against York and Greely, respectively.

The Tigers’ only second-half playoff points were a safety against Greely.

“I think that’s just a matter of the way things have gone,” said Curit, dismissing the idea his team wears down. “When you’re playing real good defense, you try to keep it close to the vest. Turnovers are what turn games.”

In the regular-season matchup, Kennebunk had a decided advantage in total yards (407-184) and rushing yards (336-110) despite being minus-3 in turnover ratio and Littlefield (5 carries, 24 yards) being a nonfactor.

Last week against Marshwood, Littlefield rushed for 189 yards and broke off six runs of at least 10 yards.

Biddeford should get at least an emotional boost from the return of senior fullback Brady Crepeau, who has missed five games including the Kennebunk contest. He began practicing Thursday.

“We don’t know how many snaps he’ll get and Curtis Petit has looked outstanding, but we’re really buoyed by Brady being back,” Curit said.

THE STATE’S two stingiest defenses meet in the Class C South final when No. 2 Wells (9-1) travels to No. 1 Cape Elizabeth (10-0) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday. The Capers earned the home field with their 13-7 rain-soaked win at Wells in the final week of the regular season.

Wells has given up 50 points all season and is coming off a 35-0 playoff win against a Fryeburg Academy team that won six straight games.

Cape Elizabeth, which has surrendered 47 points, beat Spruce Mountain 43-7 in its playoff opener.

But neither coach is sure the rematch will be a defensive game, especially with relatively mild and dry conditions expected.

“I think both our offenses were limited due to the slick turf and the late rain,” Cape Coach Aaron Filieo said.

Cape generated just 135 yards and Wells wasn’t much more productive with 199.

Wells Coach Tim Roche said Thursday he was still unsure who his quarterback will be. Starter Owen Berry missed the Fryeburg game because of tendinitis in his throwing shoulder. Backup Michael Wrigley threw two first-half touchdown passes.

“If Owen can play, he’ll start but we’re good with either one,” Roche said.

NO. 3 SCARBOROUGH (8-2) upset the Class A South region’s preseason predictions by knocking off two-time state champ Thornton Academy 36-29 to earn its first trip to a Class A regional final. Scarborough is at unbeaten top seed Bonny Eagle (9-0).

But in Class A North the preseason predictions held. No. 2 Windham (6-3) is at No. 1 Portland (8-1) in a rematch of the 2015 game – Portland won, 24-7.

Windham (6-3) earned a third straight trip to the regional final when Nazari Henderson blocked a 22-yard field-goal attempt by Cheverus to preserve a 9-7 win. Portland punched its ticket for the third time in four seasons, beating Oxford Hills/Buckfield, 55-7. Vinny Pasquali’s 55-yard punt return started the scoring and his 80-yard kick return capped it.

“Vinny has done a tremendous job,” Portland Coach Jim Hartman said. “He’s quick to start with and he also handles (the punts) very well. There’s no long rolls after punts and of course if he breaks one now and then, that’s a big plus.”

In the regular season, Portland won at Windham 42-21, using a punishing rushing game. Portland had a 32:26 to 15:34 advantage in time of possession.

Hartman said his team has evolved and can now play offense in a variety of ways. Dylan Bolduc has rushed for 1,099 yards at a 7.0 yards-per-carry clip. Jake Knop has a 10.5-yard average and has rushed for 536 yards. Quarterback Issiah Bachelder is completing 62 percent of his passes and thrown for 16 touchdowns, while rushing for 11 himself.

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