FRYEBURG — In a battle of unbeaten Class C football teams midway through the season, Leavitt held on for a 17-14 win Saturday afternoon against Fryeburg Academy.

The game was a big test for Fryeburg (3-1), which is seeking to take another step forward after going 7-3 last year and advancing to the Class C South semifinals.

Leavitt (4-0), a regular championship contender that piled up 147 points in its first three games, opened the game with a plodding, methodical trip down the field that took nearly six minutes. The Hornets marched 67 yards on 11 plays, culminating in a 10-yard touchdown pass from Tim Albert to Caleb Bowen.

Fryeburg’s response was a lightning quick one. On the Raiders’ first play from scrimmage, Jared Chisari took a jet sweep around right tackle and went 64 yards untouched to tie the game at 7-7.

Chisari gained 102 rushing in the first half on just four carries. He finished with seven carries for 112 yards.

Leavitt then spent six minutes putting together another impressive scoring drive, going 68 yards in 14 plays. Albert finished it with a 6-yard pass to Bowen.

“We would’ve liked to have been able to get off the field a little bit more today – especially on a hot day like this,” said Fryeburg Coach David Turner. “Especially on a hot day like this, and against a team with weapons all over the field like Leavitt, drives like that can really wear you out.

“Our guys made some nice adjustments after those first couple drives.”

An interception by sophomore Allen Peabody on the next possession set up Leavitt with a short field, starting at the Fryeburg 24. The Raiders’ defense held strong, though, stopping Leavitt on fourth-and-goal from the 9.

A pair of penalties and a false start ultimately forced Fryeburg to punt from it own end zone, and Fryeburg was hit with a pair unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on the punt, allowing Leavitt to start its next series at the Fryeburg 12.

This time, the Raiders’ defense surrendered just 1 yard before Leavitt was forced to try a field goal. Eli Lind connected on a 27-yarder to make it 17-7 with less than two minutes remaining in the half.

“That was a huge sequence,” said Turner, “because they had a chance to pull away a little bit. After making a stop on a short field, then giving them position again with a couple penalties, only allowing three points there was important because it kept it a two-score game.”

Fryeburg carried the momentum from that stop into its next drive. Chisari did a lot of the heavy lifting on a 71-yard scoring drive, carrying three times for 38 yards.

With 41.3 remaining in the half, junior quarterback Oscar Saunders (6 for 9, 61 yards) tossed a perfect pass down the seam, connecting with Scott Parker in stride. Having split the two safeties on his slant route, Parker sprinted into the end zone, and Fryeburg trailed just 17-14 at halftime.

From there, both defenses reigned. Fryeburg looked to have scored a go-ahead touchdown on a long run by Chisari in the fourth quarter, but it was called back because of a holding penalty.

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