CAPE ELIZABETH — Matt Woodbury ran for 132 yards and Matt Klepinger scored two touchdowns to lead Yarmouth over Cape Elizabeth 27-7 in a Western Maine Class C football game Friday night at Hannaford Field.

Klepinger’s 13-yard touchdown run in the final minute of the first half broke a 7-7 tie. Yarmouth (4-2) held Cape Elizabeth (3-3) scoreless in the second half.

Both schools came into the game with identical records and only a few points separated them in the Crabtree Standings.

Each had beaten a school higher in the standings — Yarmouth over Spruce Mountain and Cape Elizabeth over Wells — to whom Friday night’s opponent had lost earlier this season.

So it wasn’t surprising that, until the final minute of the first half, the game was dead even.

Yarmouth had driven 71 yards on its opening drive, with Klepinger carrying the final 19 yards on a toss sweep. Cape Elizabeth answered with a 74-yard drive, with Jack Drinan scoring from five yards out.

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At 7-7, defenses took over. Neither team could manage a first down in its next two possessions, with Cape Elizabeth wasting a 41-yard punt return by Drinan that brought the ball to the Yarmouth 21. The Capers got no closer.

The tie appeared likely to continue into intermission when Yarmouth allowed a Nick Moulton punt to roll dead at its own 11 with 1:15 left. Somehow, without ever putting the ball in the air, the Clippers marched 89 yards on four plays for a touchdown.

Woodbury gained 10 yards off tackle. Klepinger swept left for 28 more and the Clippers called time. Woodbury swept right for 26 yards, and a tackle out of bounds tacked on 13 more, to the 13, with 46 seconds left in the half.

Once more eschewing the pass, Yarmouth ran wide again, this time with Klepinger sweeping left end for the touchdown. Andrew Beatty’s kick made it 14-7 at the half.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Clippers put the game away in the fourth. Cody Cook ran four yards for one touchdown and, following a Cook interception, Tom Lord plunged in from the 1 to end the scoring.


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