It’s getting late in the high school football season and that means one thing – some great matchups. Two clearly stand out Friday night: Falmouth at Marshwood and Cape Elizabeth at Yarmouth.

Based on Crabtree standings, you can’t do better than this. The winners are likely to be the top seeds in their divisions heading into the playoffs.

Will Bessey of Brunswick, who suffered a hip pointer last Friday during a loss at Brewer, is expected to play Friday night at Mt. Blue. Whitney Hayward/ Staff Photographer

Falmouth, the top-ranked team in Class B South, at 6-0 is off to its best start. Marshwood (5-1), the defending Class B champion, is ranked second.

“We go in believing we can win but knowing we’re going to have to play really well,” Falmouth Coach John Fitzsimmons said. “We have a lot of respect for the Marshwood program and Coach (Alex) Rotsko. After graduating all those players, they’re 5-1. That’s the sign of a very good program.”

Marshwood has scored 61 points in each of its last two games. Rotsko said he’s seen a lot of improvement after not seeing much early in the year.

The teams have played three common opponents – Biddeford, Westbrook and Leavitt. Falmouth beat Biddeford and Westbrook, both by 14-7, and Leavitt, 24-14.

Marshwood beat Biddeford in an opener 21-7, lost to Westbrook 16-13 and beat Leavitt, 29-28.

In Class C South, Cape Elizabeth is ranked first and Yarmouth second. Both are 6-0.

The played twice last season, both close games. Cape won 31-28 on a late field goal in the regular season and Yarmouth won the playoff meeting, 14-12.

“Yarmouth is a very good team,” said Cape Coach Aaron Filieo. “The team that beat us last year is essentially the same one back. They’re a year older and a year faster. We’ve put ourselves in good position for the tournament but we still have a lot of work to do.”

ADAM SMITH, the Leavitt High lineman who suffered a ruptured spleen during a game last Saturday, remains at Maine Medical Center. His condition was listed as satisfactory Thursday, according to hospital spokesperson Susan Pierter. Coach Mike Hathaway said Smith might be released Friday.

Smith was injured during a fourth- quarter punt. He walked off the field, then collapsed. Medical personnel at the game quickly recognized Smith’s potentially life-threatening injury and had him transported to the hospital.

BONNY EAGLE, which lost its first two games by a combined five points, has won four straight to become a Class A South contender. Bonny Eagle won the past two weeks without senior quarterback Zack Brannon, who has an injured ankle. Junior Cameron Day has run the spread offense.

“We’ve been able to get our quarterback run game going with Cam,” said Coach Kevin Cooper.

“Teams have to account for him … which has helped us get our running backs going as well. Nick Clark and Cam Theberge have had big rushing games in two of the last three weeks. Cam (Day) has also hit a couple of big touchdown passes to Ben Autry and Eben Cram the past two weeks.”

The Scots have talented sophomore and junior classes.

“All of our running backs are juniors or sophomores and seven of our 11 starters on defense are underclassmen,” said Cooper.

Sophomore running backs Nick Thorne and Christian Napolitano have run well recently, and junior Keith Hoffses has seen time at receiver. On defense, junior Lukkas Pierce and sophomore Arlo Pike have played well in the line. Junior Parker Gammon has stood out at inside linebacker, said Cooper, with Thorne and Napolitano showing improvement at outside linebacker. In the secondary, Day, Clark, Theberge and Hoffses have stood out.

Cooper said he expects Brannon to be back at quarterback Friday against Sanford, but how much he plays hinged on his progress in practice this week.

“He will definitely see some game action,” said Cooper.

Bonny Eagle, ranked third in Class A South, will close the regular season next weekend at Thornton Academy, a possible preview of the regional final.

BRUNSWICK RUNNING BACK Will Bessey suffered a hip pointer in last week’s 34-27 loss at Brewer and was removed in the third quarter. Coach Dan Cooper said Bessey started the game with the flu.

“Will wasn’t himself,” said Cooper. “Brewer was taking advantage of him and we decided he had had enough. Brewer was very good and even with a healthy Bessey, we probably wouldn’t have won.”

Cooper said Bessey will play Friday night at Mt. Blue.

“He’ll be all right. Will may be a little sore but he’ll play.”

Cooper came away impressed with Brewer quarterback Logan Rogerson, who threw for three touchdowns and ran for another. The loss was Brunswick’s first.

“We hadn’t faced a quarterback like that,” said Cooper. “At times he made us look like a (junior varsity) team. He runs and passes really well. He’s every bit as good at quarterback as Bessey is at running back.”

MANY PEOPLE think of Westbrook (3-3) as a passing team, but the Blue Blazes displayed a strong running game in a 40-10 win over York last Friday. Wet field conditions might have influenced the decision to keep the ball on the ground.

The Blue Blazes amassed 485 yards rushing, which Coach Jeff Guerette said is likely the most in his eight-year tenure. Zach Hutchins carried 21 times for 203 yards and three touchdowns, and Miece Loureiro had 17 carries for 220 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Another factor for staying on the ground may have been that York returned an intercepted pass 70 yards to take a 7-0 lead in the first quarter.

Westbrook is ranked sixth in Class B South. Eight teams make the playoffs. On Friday, the Blue Blazes will be home against Morse (2-4), which is ranked ninth.

“We were pretty physical against York,” said Guerette. “We found success with the running game and stayed with it.”

Guerette has been encouraged by his team’s play over the last month.

“You always want to be playing your best football at the end of the season,” he said.

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