SOUTH BERWICK — Falmouth needed a spark and fiery Connor Aube provided it Friday night in a 22-20 overtime win over Marshwood in a Class B South football game.

Falmouth (7-0) has a two-game lead in the standings after beating the Hawks (5-2), the defending state champions.

Aube moved from running back to quarterback in a Wildcat formation and helped engineer a game-tying touchdown – and 2-point conversion – to tie it with 1:22 left in regulation.

In overtime, Aube scored on a fourth-and-2. Falmouth faked the extra-point kick and Austin Wheeler ran in for a 22-14 lead.

Marshwood then took its turn in overtime from the 10, scoring on a fourth-and-7 pass from Cole McDaniel to Justin Stacy.

But on the 2-point conversion, McDaniel was stopped while rolling out, leading to a Falmouth celebration.

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“The defense did what it needed to do and the offense made plays,” Aube said.

But Aube will admit frustration when the Hawks erased a 6-0 halftime lead and jumped ahead 14-6 early in the fourth quarter.

“It was a heartbreaker. You’re thinking there it goes,” Aube said.

But it was Aube who got going. The Falmouth offense had been stalled all night. Its first-half touchdown was set up by Aube’s 50-yard punt return to the Marshwood 10.

So in the fourth quarter, Falmouth Coach John Fitzsimmons moved Aube to quarterback, where he usually took off after receiving the shotgun hike.

“We had to get something going and he’s so dangerous,” Fitzsimmons said. “He was so tired but he refuses to quit. He’s one of the best players Falmouth has ever had.”

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After Zach Doyon (19 carries, 136 yards) gave Marshwood a 14-6 lead, Falmouth set up with 7:45 left.

Facing a third-and-18 at the 34, Falmouth went to the Wildcat, and Aube broke tackles for an 18-yard gain and a first down,

“That was the biggest play of the game,” Marshwood Coach Alex Rotsko said. “It was a smart thing to do, to put the ball in his hands. He’s just a good athlete.”

The Yachtsmen drove to the 20. Quarterback Jack Bryant re-entered and completed a second-down pass for 3 yards – with Aube staying in to block.

On third-and-7 from the 17, Bryant took the shotgun hike. Aube came out of the backfield to catch Bryant’s pass and reached the end zone to close the score to 14-12.

On the 2-point conversion, Bryant and Aube again lined up in the backfield. This time the hike went to Aube, who bulled up the middle for the tying 2 points.

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In OT, on fourth-and-2, the hike bounced off Aube’s hands.

“I dropped the ball and made do with what I had thanks to the big guys up front,” said Aube, who still made it in.

The Yachtsmen, who had one extra-point try blocked, went for the fake with Wheeler, the holder, sprinting around the left end.

“They were charging hard up the middle,” Fitzsimmons said. “That gave us a chance. And Austin is very fast.”

Marshwood got the home crowd back into it with McDaniel’s scoring pass. But it quickly quieted when the Hawks couldn’t score the 2-point conversion.

Brandon Martin scored Falmouth’s first touchdown. The Hawks got their first touchdown on a 2-yard run from Stacy.

Falmouth is at Greely next week. Marshwood plays at York.


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