“The Rivals,” a documentary on the Cape Elizabeth and Mountain Valley of Rumford football teams, will premiere on television at 9 p.m. Saturday on the Smithsonian Channel.

Smithsonian is on Time Warner Cable Channel 532 for subscribers with high definition and the higher-tier package.

“We wish it was a little more available,” said Kirk Wolfinger, the director whose company, Lone Wolf Films, produced it.

Wolfinger feels it will happen as more viewing options become available. Wolfinger said he plans to screen the film more to increase viewership. DirecTV customers have the channel.

The film chronicles two football programs, one established, the other relatively new, from economically different communities who have developed into intense but respected foes.

The idea of making “The Rivals” began in 2006, said Wolfinger, when he attended the Cape Elizabeth-Mountain Valley game in Rumford. His son, Ezra, was thrust into the game as a freshman quarterback when the starter was injured.

“I was a dad with a camera filming a home movie when a real movie happened,” said Wolfinger. “The first impression from the game’s atmosphere was that the Mountain Valley crowd hated us. We kept the game closer than I think they expected us to. After the game, I told Aaron Filieo, the Cape head coach, that I thought there was a film here.”

Wolfinger said Mountain Valley and its coach, Jim Aylward, allowed Lone Wolf filmers complete access.

The film won the Audience Choice Award at this year’s Woods Hole Festival, the best picture at the Phoenix Film Festival and best documentary at the 2009 Los Angeles Reel Film Festival. Last week the film won the Chris Award at the Columbus, Ohio, International Film Festival.

Wolfinger said the film will be released on iTunes and DVD.

SACOPEE VALLEY forfeited its opener to Jay last Friday night when it didn’t have enough players to field a team. Injuries and academic ineligibilities forced the school to notify Jay and the Maine Principals’ Association of its situation. Coach Chuck Hamity said the Hawks have about 25 players at full strength.

With the ineligible players back, Hamity said the Hawks will have enough players against Freeport tonight.

Michael Burnham, an associate director of the MPA, said Sacopee notified his organization and Jay that it might have to forfeit.

Sacopee could tred a fine line this season. Should it forfeit another game, it would be ineligible to play varsity competiton for the rest of this season and the next two seasons.

“That’s a policy for all sports,” said Burnham.

Forfeits are more likely to happen at the end of the season. With a small squad, Sacopee didn’t have any wiggle room when injuries and ineligibilities hit.

“It wasn’t an easy thing to do,” said Athletic Director Chris Hughes, “but it was the right thing do to maintain the integrity of our academic policy.”

Hughes said he’s confident the Hawks will play their remaining seven games.

PORTLAND AND Deering have played 197 football games against each other in a rivalry that began in 1891.

Last Friday’s season opener was their 99th meeting in the regular season or playoffs.

The teams also will play this season for the 99th time on Thanksgiving.

Portland leads the series with 115 wins against 65 losses and 17 ties. Portland also holds the advantage on Thanksgiving at 54-37-7.

If the teams don’t meet in the playoffs this season or next, the 2011 Thanksgiving Day Game will be 100th on the holiday and 200th overall.

Last Friday night, Portland and Deering ended their scoring with 90-plus yard drives in contrasting ways.

Starting from their 7, the Bulldogs took only three plays to score. After a 2-yard loss and a 3-yard gain, Portland scored on a 92-yard pass-run as Imadhi Zagon found Mike Herrick, who outfought a defender for the ball at midfield.

That made it 14-14.

The Rams responded with a 16-play drive covering 98 yards. Quarterback Jamie Ross scored on a 2-yard run with 14 seconds remaining.

FALMOUTH WILL play its home game tonight against Fryeburg Academy at Deering High’s Memorial Field.

The Yachtsmen had to move the game because the running track on its new synthetic turf field hasn’t been installed. The school’s former field is the site of a new elementary school. The new field is behind the elementary school.

The Yachtsmen had hoped the field would be ready for the start of the season, but the project ran into ledge that required blasting.

“The turf field has been done for two weeks,” said Athletic Director Todd Livingston. “We’re waiting for the installation of the track and the fencing around it.

“We were looking for the bleachers to go up this week along with landscape items that need to be completed.”

Livingston started looking for alternative sites for his football, soccer and field hockey teams. He said he’s hoping to start using the new stadium complex Sept. 20.

Falmouth’s home football game against Lake Region will be played at 7 p.m. Sept. 18 at Cape Elizabeth High’s Hannaford Field.

The Yachtsmen’s first football game on its new field will be at 1 p.m. Oct. 2 against Wells.

Falmouth’s 34-25 opening-game victory last week was its first-ever win against York.

Staff Writer Tom Chard can be reached at 791-6419 or at:

tchard@pressherald.com