A championship football team certainly needs to have a talented group of skill position players, but it also needs to have the big boys up front that are able to control the line of scrimmage.

Thornton Academy clearly had both and, when it came to the men in the trenches, defensive tackle Eli Ayotte was a major reason why the Golden Trojans were able to capture back-to-back state championships the past two years.

The Frank J. Gaziano Memorial Scholarship Awards Committee recognized Ayotte’s impact on the Trojans and have named him a finalist for the defensive lineman award, which will handed out on Saturday in Augusta. Ayotte’s journey to back-toback titles and a Gaziano nomination started long before he strapped on the helmet for the Golden Trojans.

“I started in the fifth grade, I started a little later than everyone else,” said Ayotte, who said he was a defensive tackle from the beginning. “My first year didn’t go so great, I remember losing most of our games.”

Luckily for Ayotte, the losing would pretty much stop in the fifth grade – and by the time he stepped onto the high school field, losses would be few and far between. The past two years, the Trojans would only lose two games and neither would come when it counted most – in the postseason.

The two state championships had a different feel, according to Ayotte.

In 2014, the Trojans cruised to a 35- 14 win over Windham in the state title game.

“The first one was more like we were going out to get something,” said Ayotte, who was a three-time All-SMAA selection. “I think it was just harder, we hadn’t achieved it yet, we were new to it, new to the experience.”

When the Trojans captured their second straight state title with a 24-14 win over Portland in November, Ayotte summed up the feeling in one word.

“Relief,” said Ayotte.

One reason for the feeling of relief was because the Trojans had a target on their backs after winning the 2014 crown.

The only loss for the Trojans came against a Windham team that was dead set on avenging the loss in the previous state title game.

“It was just a learning experience,” said Ayotte of the mid season loss to Windham. “No one was really too down on themselves, we just knew we had to pick it up the next week of practice.”

The Trojans would bounce back from that tough loss and capture the school’s eighth state championship.

“It was a great experience all around. I had fun the whole time,” said Ayotte, who would be named the Gerry Raymond Award winner as the top lineman in Class A South this past season.

Ayotte was thrilled to be able to represent Thornton Academy for the past four years – both on and off the field.

“TA’s just a great place. You won’t find another community like it. Everyone is just involved, everyone loves the team,” said Ayotte.

The standout was also happy to experience the back-to-back state titles with some of his best friends.

“We’ve always been close. Those are my boys and they always will be,” said Ayotte of the Trojans’ senior class.

Ayotte, who will head to Maine Maritime Academy to play football in the fall, is hoping to end his career with a Gaziano Award.

“It would be crazy. It would definitely be a great way to cap off my career as a high school football player,” said Ayotte.

Ayotte would especially love to win the award with fellow TA senior Isaac Patry, who is up for the offensive lineman award.

“That would be even better, I’d love to see him win that,” said Ayotte.

— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.