WELLS — For most of the first quarter, Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale held the high-powered Wells offense scoreless as it looked for an upset Thursday night in a Class D South football semifinal.

Then the undefeated Warriors scored three touchdowns in a 49-second span, putting the Ramblers in a hole they couldn’t overcome as top-seeded Wells earned a 41-22 win.

Payton McKay finished with 196 yards rushing and four touchdowns, and backfield mate Tyler Bridge scored twice and rushed for 124 yards.

Wells (10-0), which now has a 26-game winning streak, including the Class D championship last year and the Class C title in 2016, will host Madison or Oak Hill in the regional final next Friday night.

“I think Winthrop was trying to stop Tyler, and we were able to hit a couple plays with Payton,” said Wells Coach Tim Roche. “We found a kid (in McKay) who can run as good as Tyler.”

Bridge rushed for 307 yards and seven TDs in a 49-14 quarterfinal win over Poland. This time, it was McKay who benefited most from the work of guards Dylan Whitney and Joshua Martinez, tackles Nate Curtis and Morgan Welch-Thompson, center Cameron Barker and tight end Matt Ouellette.

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“The offensive line stepped up, made the blocks and opened the holes for us that allowed us to score,” said McKay. “This (win) wasn’t easy. (Winthrop) played hard all game.”

Bridge capped a 48-yard drive with a 5-yard plunge with 2:48 left in the first quarter. The touchdown was set up by a 42-yard pass from Matt Sherburne to Bridge on third-and-5.

On Winthrop’s next possession, Sherburne and Ouellette pressured Keegan Choate into an errant throw on third down. A 15-yard punt return by Bridge put the ball on Winthrop’s 47. McKay went in untouched on the next play – a trap up the middle.

Henry Thiffault jumped on a fumble at Winthrop’s 27 on the ensuing kickoff. McKay got the ball again on another trap play and scored again to make it 20-0.

Wells had four TD runs of at least 44 yards.

“They broke some big plays and we can’t afford to give up big plays against a team (like Wells),” said Winthrop Coach Dave St. Hilaire, whose fifth-seeded team finished 5-5.

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“To quote Yogi Berra, it was deja vu all over again (with the long TDs).”

Wells often pinned Winthrop deep in its territory with Bridge’s punting. Winthrop’s average starting field position for its six first-half drives was its 17. The Warriors allowed one first down and 31 yards in the first half.

McKay’s third touchdown, from 44 yards with 6:57 remaining in the second quarter, made the score 26-0 before Winthrop scored with a 77-yard kickoff return by Jake Sousa.

McKay scored again on his team’s opening drive in the second half after it appeared he was bottled up on third-and-inches. He spun out of a defender’s grasp and rumbled down the left sideline for a 46-yard TD and a 34-8 lead.

Winthrop answered quickly with a 16-yard touchdown pass from Choate to Dylan Lajoie, but Bridge slipped through a small opening on the right side of the offensive line for a 45-yard touchdown run early in the fourth.

“We expect to win here at Wells,” Roche said. “I know it might sound arrogant, but that is what we expect at Wells.”


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