CUMBERLAND — Backup quarterback Tripp Bush guided Kennebunk on two long scoring drives Friday night as the Rams opened the Class B South football season with a 12-0 win over Greely at Hutchins Field.

Bush, a sophomore who saw limited action with the varsity last season, took over with about three minutes left in the first half after starter Justin Wiggins left the game because of a shoulder injury.

Kennebunk Coach Joe Rafferty said Wiggins could have returned if necessary, but Bush played well enough to stay in the game.

“We really didn’t lose (Wiggins),” Rafferty said. “He was good to go, but, you know, it was Week 1.

“He just had a bruise on his shoulder. It wasn’t anything beyond that.”

Initially, Wiggins didn’t think he would be able to throw the ball, Rafferty said.

“Before we got out of halftime, he was throwing well, but we were also doing well,” Rafferty said. “Tripp went in and did well, so we kept him in there.”

The Rams opened the scoring with 47 seconds remaining in the first half when fullback Pat Saunders bulled in from the 1 to complete a 7-play, 54-yard drive following Greely’s first successful punt of the game.

Both teams had a good chance to score earlier in the first half.

Just four minutes into the game, Wiggins threw a pass into the end zone from the Greely 27, but it was picked off by Nick Gauvin just beyond the goal line. The Rams started that possession from the Greely 25 following a muffed punt attempt.

Four minutes into the second quarter, Greely had first-and-goal just inside the 10, but a sack by defensive end Dante DeLorenzo and two incomplete passes ended the threat.

After taking the lead just before halftime, Kennebunk stretched its advantage on the opening drive of the second half.

The Rams held the ball for five minutes, and Saunders went in from the 2 to cap an 11-play, 63-yard drive. Bush kept the drive alive on a third-down play by throwing an 18-yard pass to Brian Hickey for a first down at midfield.

Following the ensuing kickoff, Greely marched 60 yards on seven plays to set up first-and-goal at the 3. But the Rams stopped four straight running plays to take over on downs.

“It was bad play-calling on my part,” Greely Coach David Higgins said. “It was all my fault down there. I did a poor job of calling the plays inside.”

The Kennebunk defense played well, limiting the Rangers to seven first downs and 169 yards.

“The shutout was huge, and I thought the defense played very, very well,” Rafferty said. “On offense, we made some mistakes. People get excited and (Greely) was putting a lot of guys in the box, pressuring us.”

Still, the Rams produced 240 yards of offense, with all but 28 of it coming on the ground.

Saunders rushed for a game-high 102 yards on 14 carries.

For the Rangers, Gauvin, the quarterback, rushed for 64 yards on 11 carries and halfback Joey Cassela gained 62 yards on 15 carries.

Greely was called for 10 penalties.

“We did some good things. We did some bad things,” Higgins said. “We’ll have to improve upon them going into next week.”

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