After Kennebunk beat Biddeford in the regular season despite three turnovers, and beat Marshwood in the Class B South semifinals while committing four turnovers, observers had to wonder: What could the Rams do if they held onto the ball?
Biddeford, and the rest of the state, found out Friday night. The Rams gained 497 yards in a 42-21 regional final win.
Kennebunk hadn’t scored that many points or won by such a wide margin since a 35-6 victory against York in Week 4.
All season long, North champion Brunswick has seemed head-and-shoulders above every other Class B team. Kennebunk kept winning close games and getting a lot of “yeah, but” compliments.
Now the script looks a bit different for the Class B championship game Friday night at the University of Maine – especially after Brunswick narrowly escaped with a 14-12 win over Brewer in the North final.
“I know they’re (undefeated), but so are we,” said Kennebunk Coach Joe Rafferty. “Brunswick is a very good football team and their statistics are out of sight. How much better are they than Biddeford or Marshwood? I don’t know that.”
The Dragons might be asking the same type of question after seeing what Kennebunk did to Biddeford. The Rams had three 100-yard rushers. Fullback Patrick Saunders (19 carries, 176 yards) continued to get the tough carries up the middle. Jake Littlefield (13 carries, 121 yards) showed his explosiveness with three scores. And don’t forget about baby-faced sophomore quarterback Tripp Bush (nine carries, 137 yards) who is elusive on option keepers.
Kennebunk will be looking for its first state title since 1991, when it beat Old Town 13-12 in Rafferty’s 13th season at the helm.
Rafferty is in his 38th year and still exudes a genuine excitement for the game and appreciation for his players’ efforts. Kennebunk lost championship games in 1999 to Belfast (29-16) and 2013 to Cony (30-23).
Brunswick is 0-4 in state championship games, including the last two state finals against Marshwood (44-18 in 2014, 21-14 in 2015). The Dragons lost the 2003 Class A final to Deering 28-0 and lost 20-14 to Lawrence in the 1983 Class B final.
Brunswick won Class B titles in the pre-playoff days in 1961 and 1963 (tie with Madison).
Bonny Eagle and Wells shared similar motivation entering the regional finals. Both teams had lost in the regional final the previous two seasons.
“We’ve been to Western Maines three times now. We had lost two in a row, so we just came in knowing that we’ve got to win this one, we’ve got to go to states,” said Wells senior running back Evan Whitten.
Bonny Eagle junior running back/linebacker Nick Thorne said he was playing for the Scots’ senior class, particularly two-year captain Parker Gammon, the team’s center and inside linebacker.
“This is my third year playing with these seniors, and every year I’ve dreamt of being out here winning one of these with these guys,” Thorne said. “We’ve pushed so hard this season. We came out here tonight and we were like, ‘Man, last time we’re playing on the home field, we’re leaving it all on the field.’ There was a lot of emotion built up, and I walked on this field and I was playing for Parker Gammon. Tonight was for him.”
If the theme of going one step further holds this weekend, it bodes well for Portland in Class A and Brunswick in Class B. Portland lost last year’s state final to Thornton Academy.
When it comes to the Class C matchup, Roche said Saturday he didn’t know a thing about MDI. But Cape Elizabeth Coach Aaron Filieo said he knows enough about Wells to pick the Warriors to win the Gold Ball.
“I don’t think (MDI) would have beaten us and I don’t think they’ll beat Wells, either,” Filieo said. “Certainly, there’s a lot of seniors (at Wells) and they’ve been there before, at least the coaches and the program have been there. MDI hasn’t been there before. If Wells does what they do well and they execute, they’re just very efficient.”
Prior to the season openers, the Portland Press Herald highlighted 10 football coaches who were “forging legends of their own.” Each championship game features one of those coaches: Bonny Eagle’s Kevin Cooper (career record of 127-61), Kennebunk’s Rafferty (178-170), Wells’ Tim Roche (123-62) and Lisbon’s Dick Mynahan (209-84). Two men who didn’t make our list but probably would in the future, especially if their teams win this weekend, are Portland’s Jim Hartman, who won back-to-back championships at Yarmouth in 2010-11 and has the Bulldogs in consecutive title games, and Brunswick’s Dan Cooper, whose team is in the Class B championship game for a third straight season.
Jordan Cluff of Wells was a difference maker on both sides of the ball in the Warriors’ 27-14 win Saturday at Cape Elizabeth, playing the atypical combination of wide receiver and defensive tackle. He caught three passes, each time picking up a first down. Defensively, he was especially effective on third down.
Is Cluff the only player in Class C who lines up at both receiver and defensive tackle?
“I don’t know. I couldn’t say, but I love what I do,” Cluff said.
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