SACO – All preseason Kevin Kezal has been saying that this might be the deepest Thornton Academy football team he’s ever had. Friday afternoon, the Trojans proved his point.
Eight different players scored touchdowns as Thornton opened the Western Class A season with a 69-0 rout of Kennebunk at Hill Stadium.
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The Trojans scored 35 points in the second quarter to break open what had been a competitive contest.
“I thought we executed very well,” said Kezal, in his 11th season at Thornton. “I know (Kennebunk’s) numbers are low. But I was proud of the way our kids kept up their intensity. Our depth is going to be an asset. We’ve got 60 kids and we used them all.”
Kennebunk’s roster is much smaller, and younger, than Thornton’s roster. The Rams simply couldn’t keep up with the Trojans. Kennebunk took the opening kickoff of the season and drove from its 28 to Thornton’s 11 as quarterback Matt Dube completed five passes for 51 yards.
But an offensive pass interference penalty put the ball on the 26. Then TA junior John Remmes intercepted a Dube pass, returning it 22 yards to Thornton’s 28. “I knew we needed to make a play,” said Remmes. “I knew it would be a passing situation and just got a good break on the receiver.”
Remmes’ interception not only stopped the Rams, but provided the Trojans with a jolt.
Five big plays later, Thornton had the lead, 6-0, on a 28-yard run by Corbett Smith, who shifted his way through the secondary, making several Rams miss.
Kennebunk punted and Thornton went in for another score, this one a 5-yard run by Remmes. He rushed for the conversion points that made it 14-0.
“The most obvious thing to us is the number of people we can put on the field on a Friday night or, in this case, Friday afternoon,” said Joe Rafferty, in his 32nd year at Kennebunk. “It shows. We are extremely thin.”
Thornton’s defense forced five consecutive punts after Kennebunk’s first drive, each time the Trojans’ offense cashing in with a touchdown. “Any time the defense makes a play, we want to go right out there and score and reward them,” said senior quarterback Josh Woodward.
Woodward had a phenomenal first half, with 164 yards rushing, including a 40-yard option keeper for a touchdown. The Trojans rushed for 409 yards, and scored nine rushing touchdowns; in addition to Smith, Adam Lamontagne scored three touchdowns while Remmes, Woodward, Dimitri Skinsacos, Nick Kenney and Casey Wiseman each had one. Woodward also threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to James Ek, who was 7 for 7 in PAT kicks.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Woodward. “The last three weeks we’ve been working hard and it finally pays off.”
Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
mlowe@pressherald.com
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