LISBON FALLS

Prior to Saturday’s Lisbon Old Orchard Beach Western D semifinal football game at Thompson Field, predictors felt the result was going to come down to which quarterback performed the best, either Lisbon’s Kyle Bourget or Seagulls signal-caller Bryan Roberts.

But, it was possibly the smallest player in uniform that made all the difference in the end, as diminutive Greyhounds running back Shawn Grover rushed for 203 yards and scored two touchdowns in Lisbon’s 25-12 win.

The victory sets up a Western D Regional final between third-seeded and defending Class D champion Oak Hill and the top-seeded Greyhounds this upcoming Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on Thompson Field. The Raiders downed No. 2 Dirigo, 25-6, on Friday and defeated Lisbon, 28-14, in the regular-season finale on Oct. 25.

Against the Seagulls, Grover took the game over in the second half, rushing for 179 yards on 11 carries, including a 72-yard scamper that set up a Noah Francis 9- yard TD run with 5:41 remaining to give the Greyhounds a 25-6 lead.

“Shawn did a great job keeping us in the game, and he broke a couple for us today and had a break-out game,” said Lisbon coach Dick Mynahan of Grover.

Bourget went down with a lower leg injury in the second quarter and didn’t return. Tyler Halls took over at quarterback, using his legs to add 54 yards on 13 rushes. Francis chipped in 25 yards on seven lugs. He also scored twice.

Turnovers

The Lisbon defense stepped up early, forcing a pair of Old Orchard Beach (5-4) turnovers in the first quarter. Blake Berube stripped a Seagulls running back and pounced on the loose ball to give Lisbon possession at the OOB-38. The Greyhounds converted a fourth down and later grabbed a 7-0 lead when Francis scored on a 1-yard run.

Halls came up with an interception on OOB’s next possession, but the Seagulls defense kept Lisbon out of the end zone to take over on downs. The Lisbon defense forced a punt, and Bourget pulled up and went immediately to his bench.

It took the Greyhounds some time to get back into rhythm with Bourget out as the Seagulls fought through another Roberts interception, this one by Lisbon safety R.J. Sargent.

“We didn’t capitalize, and Kyle going down in the first half hurt,” said Mynahan. “The biggest adjustment is having the kids realize that they could go out and play without him. Kyle is a great athlete and a pressure player. His passing game has been big for us all year, and would have big for us today.”

OOB coach Dean Plante was pleased to be down just 7-0 at the half, especially after the Seagulls managed just 81 yards of offense and turned the ball over three times.

“Our kids fight, and they play with nothing but pride,” said Plante. “Lisbon always does a great job scheming, and they had us reeling offensively. We turned the ball over and set them up with a short field a couple times.”

The second began like the first, with neither team gaining much on offense. That is until Grover began finding room while sweeping right. After Francis intercepted a Roberts pass, Grover gained seven yards. One play later, he burst through a hole and sprinted 16 yards to paydirt and a 13-0 Greyhounds lead.

Grover felt the key was the blocking on Roberts, who was stellar on both sides of the ball, including 15 tackles.

“If we blocked him out, I would cut in, and if he cut in we would take it out, and it was just reading my blocks all the way,” said Grover. “I haven’t had this much yardage before, and they were looking at me. I don’t think they expected me to cut it up as much. I knew that I had to take the hits and get up. I just ran 100 percent and didn’t stop.”

Roberts showed his abilities on offense on OOB’s next series. He swept right, broke a tackle and rumbled 80 yards for a touchdown to get the Seagulls to 13-6 with 2:42 remaining in the third quarter.

The OOB defense needed a stop, but Grover, who had 79 yards in the third quarter, gained 20, 17 and 13 yards on consecutive runs to move the Greyhounds to the OOB- 13. Early in the fourth, Grover completed the drive with a 6-yard run for a 19-6 advantage.

“We get a stop there and we have the entire momentum heading to the fourth quarter,” said Plante.

Lisbon forced a punt on OOB’s next series. On the first play from the L-15, Grover broke a tackle and kept going, finally getting hauled down at the OOB-13 for a 72-yard gain. Francis bolted into the end zone a short time later to make for a 25-6 contest.

The Seagulls refused to go away, as Roberts, who picked up 181 yards on 22 carries and threw for 79 yards on 9- for-16 passing, scored on a 2- yard run with 3:30 left. OOB’s Hunter Boutot recovered an onside kick, and Roberts drove the Seagulls to the L-3. But, the Greyhounds held on downs, with Tanton Mattson stuffing Roberts on a fourth-and-one.

“That is what good teams do,” said Plante of the Greyhounds, who improved to 8-1.

Evan Christensen had three receptions for 48 yards for OOB, with Joe Anderson adding three catches for 20. Boutot had nine tackles, while Zach Demers made five stops.

For Lisbon, Joe Philbrick made eight solo tackles, with Darren Ward and Henry Adams adding six each. Andrew Golino sacked Roberts twice.

No. 1 Lisbon 25,
No. 4 Old Orchard 12

Western D Semifinals
At Lisbon Falls
OOB— 0066—12
Lisbon— 70612—25
First quarter
L — Noah Francis 1 run (Kyle Bourget kick), 6:32.
Third quarter
L — Shawn Grover 15 run (pass
failed), 3:34.
OOB — Bryan Roberts 80 run (pass
failed), 2:42.
Fourth quarter
L — Shawn Grover 6 run (run failed),
10:15.
L — Noah Francis 9 run (run failed),
5:41.
OOB — Bryan Roberts 2 run (pass
failed), 3:30.
Records — Lisbon 8-1, OOB 5-4.
Up next for the Greyhounds — This
upcoming Saturday at home against
No. 3 Oak Hill in the Western D
Regional final, 12:30 p.m.