It was a long Friday night last week for both Belfast and Madison/Carrabec in their Eastern Class C game at Madison. When it was over, Belfast had won, 82-60.

That would be a high-scoring game for high school basketball these days, but football? If not the highest ever in Maine for combined points, it has to rank right up there. The Maine Principals’ Association, which oversees high school sports, keeps lists of state champions but doesn’t track scores.

Still, said Mike Burnham, an associate director of the MPA, “You don’t see a shootout like that very often.”

After a nondescript 6-6 opening quarter, the teams combined for 44 points in the second with Belfast leading 34-22 at halftime. It was 48-46 after three quarters.

The teams combined for five touchdowns in the first four minutes of the third quarter. With four minutes remaining in the game Belfast led, 76-60.

“Even at that point I didn’t feel safe with the lead,” said Belfast Coach Chris Bartlett.

The Lions scored a final touchdown. The score would have been higher except Belfast missed seven 2-point conversions.

“I remember walking off the field and it was 10:15 p.m.,” said Bartlett. The game started at 7.

Neither team was able to stop the other. Bartlett had a feeling it might be a wide-open game.

“We were missing four starters,” he said. “One of the kids we lost was a defensive end. Madison/Carrabec runs the pistol offense and they have three really good backs. I knew we would have trouble defending the outside.”

Madison/Carrabec had more trouble handling the Lions’ I-formation offense. Belfast running back Stephen Davis scored seven touchdowns and had two called back because of penalties. Davis scored on a 65-yard kickoff but his other scores were on short runs. He had 402 total yards.

Madison/Carrabec’s top offensive player was Derek LeBlanc, who had five catches for 143 yards.

Windham travels to Bangor on Friday night in a game between 4-0 teams in Eastern Class A. Windham was impressive in beating Cheverus, which had been unbeaten, 35-7 last Saturday on the road.

Bangor rallied from a 21-0 deficit to beat Portland in overtime 28-27 last week at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

“I think they’re the best team in Eastern Maine Class A,” said Bangor Coach Mark Hackett of Windham. “I thought they were the best when the season started. You saw what they did to Cheverus. That doesn’t mean I think we can’t beat them. We’re going to find out where we stand.”

Hackett said he got home at 1 a.m. Saturday after the 130-mile bus ride from Portland, then was up early Saturday returning to Portland with his staff to scout Windham. After Friday’s game, Bangor hosts Lewiston on Oct. 10, is at Cheverus on Oct. 18, then ends the regular season Oct. 24 at home against Oxford Hills.

Hackett and his staff will travel back to Portland for the Oxford Hills-Portland game at 7:30 p.m. Saturday – a game time that was changed to avoid a conflict with Yom Kippur.

Thornton Academy Coach Kevin Kezal easily has the most wins in school history. Kezal gained his 100th last Friday in a 48-7 win over Sanford. Kezal has an overall record of 100-38 since 2000. His team won the Class A state title in 2012.

Bob Cote (81) and Dick Agreste (80) are second and third in wins. Kezal’s winning percentage of .724 is second to George Martin, who had a .873 mark (63-7-5) from 1935-42.

With 197 yards last week against Portland, Dane Johnson of Bangor added to his rushing lead in Eastern Class A with 858 yards. Joe Fitzpatrick of Cheverus is second with 656.

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