Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

September 10, 2012

High School Notebook: Wells' defeat doesn't mean season is lost

From staff reports

When you've experienced an undefeated championship season the year before and haven't lost a regular-season game in nearly two years, one loss can be taken hard.

Wells Coach Tim Roche was trying to be the voice of reason Friday night after the Warriors' 28-20 loss to Westbrook -- ending a 15-game regular-season winning streak dating back to September 2010.

"Everybody is walking around like (it's devastating)," Roche said. "We have a great group of kids. Maybe we learn from this and get better, instead of this being a negative.

"I think we learned what we have to do to play better against them. I fully expect that next week (against Gray-New Gloucester) we will come out ready to go and play tough.

"Of course, I'm unhappy. Every coach hates losing. But it's not the end of the world. We have six more games, from what I see on the schedule. If we play well in those, we'll be fine."

AFTER WESTBROOK'S win over Wells, the feelings of accomplishment and joy were written all over the faces of the Blue Blazes players.

"We worked so hard," Westbrook quarterback Kyle Heath said.

Westbrook (2-0) has already beaten both of last year's finalists in Western Class B -- Mountain Valley and Wells.

But here's some news for the team: Prepare to work some more, because there's another tough opponent coming up.

"We'll get back to work on Monday," Westbrook Coach Jeff Guerette said. "We have a lot of things to work on. It's a long season."

Westbrook beat Wells because of clutch plays. "In close games like this, those big plays make the difference," Guerette said.

But Guerette saw enough flaws, which he will surely point out to his players Monday, as they prepare for Friday's home game against Greely (2-0).

QUARTERBACK NICK LEBLOND played it cagey after he helped Biddeford snap a 10-game losing streak by engineering a 23-7 win Friday against South Portland at Waterhouse Field.

The Tigers employed a no-huddle, spread offense during successful scoring drives at the start of both halves, but Le- blond was less than candid when he was asked after the game whether the series of plays was scripted or he had the freedom to improvise.

"We've got a great group of coaches, and they've had their own magical nights here at Waterhouse Field, and we put our trust in them," he said. Then he smiled. "I don't want to give everything away."

Against South Portland, Leblond, a senior who has started 11 consecutive games at quarterback, completed 16 of 22 passes for 217 yards and a touchdown.

In the first two games of the season, Leblond has completed 33 of 64 passes for 538 yards and three touchdowns.

THE CHEVERUS football team has an ingrained ability of staying in the present. Coach John Wolfgram wouldn't have it any other way.

Southern Maine high school football fans are already looking ahead to when the Stags play Thornton Academy next month.

But not the Stags. Their focus, they would have you believe, is in on Friday night's game with South Portland (0-2).

After 26 straight wins and two state titles, their single-minded focus is easy to believe.

"We're only thinking about South Portland," said star running back Donald Goodrich.

"Every team we play, we think they're the No. 1 team. They all have something they do well that we have to stop."

Against Portland, Goodrich scored the last three touchdowns in a 42-0 win. The Bulldogs stopped Goodrich early in the game but gave up big yardage to fullback Brent Green on trap plays. Green scored on a 20-yard run on his team's first play after the Stags blocked a punt.

(Continued on page 2)

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