BIDDEFORD — Biddeford linebacker Colin Petit sacked Skowhegan quarterback Marcus Christopher to thwart a 2-point conversion attempt on the final play in overtime and preserve a wild 56-54 victory Friday night at Waterhouse Field in a Class B crossover football game.
Christopher passed for seven touchdowns and 426 yards in regulation to rally Skowhegan (3-3) into a tie with 1:31 remaining, and had a potential game-winner broken up in the end zone with three seconds left in regulation.
Biddeford (4-2) scored first in overtime on a 1-yard run by Curtis Petit. Skowhegan blocked Shane Spaulding’s extra-point kick, but only after Jon Bell had taken an illegal running leap over the Biddeford line.
The Tigers accepted the penalty and sent their offense back on the field. Kurtis Edgerton’s run was successful to make it 56-48.
On Skowhegan’s overtime possession, Christopher completed two short passes, threw one incompletion, then connected from 6 yards on fourth down for his eight touchdown pass in his 43rd attempt, to Cameron Barnes.
Needing the 2-point conversion to force a second overtime, Christopher dropped back but Petit never gave him time to throw, blitzing up the middle unchecked to end the game.
“No one touched me,” Petit said. “He rolled out and I caught him from behind.”
Biddeford appeared to have the game in hand with just over two minutes remaining and Skowhegan out of timeouts. Instead of taking a knee at the Skowhegan 5 on first down, the Tigers ran off tackle and Skowhegan allowed Edgerton to score easily. Spaulding’s PAT kick made it 48-40 with 2:03 remaining.
“I called the guys over and said, ‘You’ve got to let them score if they’re going to run a play,’ ” said Skowhegan Coach Ryan Libby. “Lucky for us they did run a play.”
Skowhegan pitched the ensuing kickoff to dangerous returner Jon Bell, who took it to the Biddeford 25, stumbling only because of an apparent cramp. No matter.
Christopher connected with Barnes for a 25-yard touchdown pass, then hit Bell for the conversion pass to make it 48-48 with 1:31 remaining. Biddeford had led since late in the first quarter.
“We made so many mental errors,” Biddeford Coach Brian Curit said. “But you know what? They didn’t quit. That’s why we ended up winning 56-54. That’s a pretty good team. The way they throw the ball, wow.”
Biddeford took a 28-24 lead into halftime with Spaulding’s four PAT kicks the difference. Christopher threw scoring passes of 79 and 29 yards to Barnes, and 37 and 67 yards to Colby Miller, but Skowhegan missed two PAT kicks (wide each way) and twice failed at 2-point conversions, a run and a pass.
The Tigers scored on an 8-yard run by Curtis Petit, a 75-yard kickoff return by Scott Spellman, a 29-yard pass from Carter Edgerton to Colin Lavigne and a 2-yard run by Cam Lantagne.
It was the first of three short touchdown runs by Lantagne, who finished with 101 yards on 28 carries.
The Tigers took a 41-32 lead into the fourth quarter, then forced a punt early in the period.
But Christopher directed two scoring drives in the final four minutes to force overtime and set up the dramatic final play.
“We’ve had quite a few games like that this year,” Christopher said. “Our defense struggles to stop but we just keep grinding and putting up points, trying to keep in it.”
Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or
Twitter: GlennJordanPPH
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