Through four games, South Portland had difficulty establishing the running game. The Red Riots, while keeping all four games close, ended up on the losing end of each.

At Saturday’s homecoming game against Biddeford, South Portland found success on the ground and found itself with its first victory of the year, topping the Tigers 21-6 in front of an ample student crowd at Martin Memorial Field.

Ryan Curit carried the ball 31 times for 150 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Red Riots (1-4). His second score capped a 16-play, 80-yard drive that ate up the first 8:19 of the second half. Curit ran in from two yards out and quarterback Dave Hardison found Mike Foley for the two-point conversion to make it 14-0.

“It was a statement drive,” said South Portland coach Steve Stinson. “We’ve been on the receiving end of those drives, now we got to give one out. Those drives take a little bit out of you, when the other team is able to just matriculate it 80 yards on you and convert when they need to on third down.”

Twice the Red Riots converted third-and-long pass plays to keep the drive alive. On third-and-eight from their own 22, Hardison found Alex Catrett over the middle for a 25-yard gain. Then on third-and-nine from the Biddeford 39, Hardison and Catrett hooked up again for a 14-yard pass play. Curit carried on 11 plays on the drive, twice picking up first downs in third-and-short situations and finally scoring on fourth-and-goal.

“The story of the game was our inability to stop the run,” said Biddeford coach Scott Descoteaux. “They were able to move the line of scrimmage backwards and they were able to pick up small chunks of yardage when it counted.”

The Tigers (2-3) marched 75 yards on their first possession of the second half and quarterback Nate Curran kept the ball on third-and-four from the South Portland 5 and dove in for the score to make it 14-6 with 9:24 left in the game. After forcing the Red Riots to go three-and-out on their next possession, Foley picked off Curran’s pass on Biddeford’s first play of the drive to give South Portland possession at the Biddeford 43. Eight plays later, Tuan Tran dove in from a yard out. Matt Hebert’s kick made it 21-6 with 4:36 left. A punt and an interception by Jon DiBiase ended the Tigers’ final two drives.

South Portland took a 6-0 lead with 45 seconds left in the first quarter. After the Red Riots’ initial drive stalled at the Biddeford 44, Cal Skillings’ punt was muffed by Biddeford (the first of four Tiger turnovers on the day) and South Portland recovered on the Biddeford 22. Six plays later, Curit ran in from a yard out. The two-point try failed.

In the second quarter, Biddeford fumbled at the South Portland 20 and the Red Riots recovered. Three plays later, Travis Vigneault got it back for the Tigers, picking off Hardison and returning the interception to the South Portland 33. After driving to the 20, Curran was sacked twice and Biddeford turned the ball over on downs.

Patrick Chute carried 19 times for 79 yards for Biddeford. Curran was 2-for-8 passing for 31 yards. He also rushed 12 times for 47 yards (three of those attempts were sacks, which resulted in a total loss of 25 yards).

Hardison was 4-for-12 for 84 yards.

Play of the game

Hardison’s 25-yard completion to Catrett early in the third quarter on third-and-eight from the Red Riots’ 22. Without this completion, South Portland (leading 6-0 at the time) is forced to punt on its opening drive of the half and likely give Biddeford good field position. Instead, the Red Riots extend the drive for 13 more plays, finishing it with a touchdown and two-point conversion.

Unsung hero

Cal Skillings, his 53-yard punt early in the fourth quarter pinned the Tigers deep in their own territory with the score 14-6. On the next play, Biddeford threw an interception and the Red Riots drove in to take a two-touchdown advantage. Later in the fourth, Skillings again pinned the Tigers deep (their own 12) on a short kick, which helped ice the game.

They said it

“This is the best football team we’ve had since I’ve been here, by far,” Stinson said. “We’re getting better. We hadn’t gotten into the win column. We had some very close losses. I think the kids know they’re a good football team. Today gives them that opportunity to feel like a winner, which is what they deserve. They’ve been working their rear ends off.”

Up next

After a brutal early schedule (Gorham, Cheverus, Bonny Eagle and Windham to start the season), the Red Riots will play at Westbrook at 7 p.m. on Friday. Westbrook (1-4) is coming off a 42-0 loss to Thornton Academy. The Blue Blazes’ singular win did come against defending state champ Bonny Eagle, but it was via a forfeit after it was discovered the Scots used an academically ineligible player late in their blowout victory over Westbrook. South Portland’s first victory was tough to come by; its second should be a bit easier.

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