GARDINER

Gardiner High School’s Dennis Meehan is not a hockey player, but the Tigers quarterback/cornerback knows a thing or two about a “hat trick.”

Meehan scored football’s version of a natural hat trick, running and passing for a score and returning a Morse interception in the first quarter of a 31-8 Pine Tree Conference Class B victory on Friday night.

The loss drops the Shipbuilders to 1-1, with another tough road trip this upcoming Friday at undefeated Leavitt.

“We weren’t ready for the physical nature of this game,” said Shipbuilders coach Jason Darling after his team fell behind 21-0 after 12 minutes. “We lacked composure, and that comes right to me.”

Meehan set the tone on the game’s first drive. Facing a third-and-seven at the G-38, he swept right and sprinted down the Morse sideline untouched for a 52-yard touchdown run. His first of four extra points gave the Tigers (2-0) a 7-0 lead just 1:25 in.

“Our blockers hit their keys, and I had nothing but open field,” said Meehan of his touchdown run. “I saw my blockers in front of me and that was it. They were superb all game in opening up big holes for us to run through.”

Things get worse

Morse’s first drive started well, with running back D’Vaughn Myers dashing through the left side of the Gardiner defense for 25 yards.

On third down, quarterback Kevin McKellar’s pass was intercepted by Meehan, who broke six tackles on his way to a 55-yard interception return and a 14-0 lead with 8:11 remaining in the opening quarter.

“I didn’t expect the ball there, but it tipped off the receiver’s fingertips and right to me,” said Meehan.

Darling gathered his offense, trying to fire them up. But, Gardiner’s defense forced a three-and-out and a Shipbuilder punt.

Meehan went to work again, using a nine-play, 66-yard drive to finish off a dominating first quarter. Meehan’s 21-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Jamison completed the four-minute drive, and Gardiner kept coming, making it a 28-0 contest just 28 seconds into the second quarter.

The key play was a Meehan-to- Jamison 45-yard pass to the M-9, with running back Seth Wing rumbling into the end zone on the next play behind the offensive line of Tyler Eldridge, Mitch Chesley, Brandon Moore, Jeff Minchin and Andrew Doody-Veillieux.

The Morse offense continued to sputter, with a key offensive pass interference call pushing the Shipbuilders back, forcing another punt.

For the first time, the Shipbuilders held the Tigers out of the end zone, but Meehan still found a way to impact the game, using his powerful foot to boot a 40-yard field goal for a 31-0 Gardiner advantage with 4:37 left until halftime.

“His is just a great athlete,” said Darling of Meehan, who helped Gardiner gain 229 yards in the first half.

Morse twice lost the ball on downs deep inside Gardiner territory, with McKellar completing five-of-13 in the air for 158 yards in the first half. Receiver Keegan Drouin caught three of McKellar’s passes for 100 yards, while Myers rumbled 57 yards after making a short catch across the middle before being hauled down at the G-20.

Despite being kept off the scoreboard in the second half, Gardiner possessed the ball for nearly 16 minutes, using the running of Steve Sirois (17 carries, 89 yards), Meehan (5-63, TD), Tyler Caron (10-54), Wing (5-38, TD) and Jeff Abram (4-41) to take large chunks of time off the clock.

Morse ended Gardiner’s seven-quarter shutout streak (the Tigers shut out Belfast 22-0 in the opening week) in the fourth quarter. Myers ran for 24 yards, but fumbled at the 2. Teammate Scott Peterson was in the right place, falling on the ball in the end zone to get the Shipbuilders on the board. McKellar ran in the 2-point conversion to complete the scoring.

McKellar threw for 202 yards, with Drouin finishing with a game-high 141 receiving yards. The Shipbuilders struggled on the ground, rushing for 74 yards on 25 carries, with Myers leading the way with 42 yards on 12 rushes. Defensively, McKellar had eight tackles and Myers six, with Charles Moore registering a sack.

“We have to go back to work,” said Darling. “These kids work hard, and this game won’t stay with them long. We will regroup and come back hard at Leavitt.”

Meehan had a team-high seven tackles, while linebacker Hunter Belanger registered six stops, including a sack. Gardiner gained 273 yards on the ground on 44 carries, held a 15-8 firstdown advantage and possessed the ball for 27 minutes.

Gardiner 31, Morse 8

First quarter
G — Dennis Meehan 52-run (Meehan kick), 10:35.
G — Dennis Meehan 55-interception return (Meehan
kick), 8:11.
G — Tyler Jamison 21 pass from Meehan (Meehan
kick), 1:57.
Second quarter
G — Seth Wing 9-run (Meehan kick), 11:32.
G — Meehan 40-yard field goal, 4:37.
Fourth quarter
Mo — Scott Peterson recovered fumble in the end
zone (Kevin McKellar run), 11:07.
Records – Gardiner 2-0, Morse 1-1.
Next for the Shipbuilders – Friday at Leavitt (2-0), 7
p.m.