TOPSHAM — Should they meet again, and as the top two teams in eight-man large school South, a rematch isn’t farfetched, the Mt. Ararat and Cheverus football teams would be hard-pressed to duplicate the show they put on Friday night.
Junior Matthew Fogg rushed for a key touchdown late in the fourth quarter and the Stags (3-0) held on to win a wild 44-32 decision over the Eagles (4-1) before a large and boisterous crowd.
“It’s exciting,” Cheverus Coach Mike Vance said. “It’s a great venue, a great setting and just a heck of an atmosphere here (Friday).”
Cheverus trailed 32-28 a the half before rallying despite turning the ball over four times.
Marshall Fowler rushed for a 1-yard touchdown with 2:35 left in the third to give the Stags a 36-32 lead.
It stayed that way until Fogg made two big plays in the fourth to put the game away.
First, he sacked Eagles quarterback Mack Wilkins on fourth down a minute into the quarter to force a turnover on downs.
Then, on the ensuing play, he rushed for a 37-yard touchdown to make it 44-32.
“It was crazy,” he said. “That touchdown, it was a big sigh of relief. We needed to make one more play and we did.”
The Eagles, the 2019 eight-man state champions, received a big night from junior Shea Farrell.
The junior running back rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. He also hauled in a 30-yard touchdown pass as time expired in the first half to give the Eagles a 32-28 lead at the break.
“We fought hard,” he said. “It was a great game. We’re going to see them again, in the playoffs, I hope.”
WINDHAM 43, MESSALONSKEE 12: Will Ledbetter passed for more than 200 yards and two touchdowns, and Haddon Boyle rushed for two TDs as Windham (4-0) rolled to a win over visiting Messalonskee (2-3).
The Eagles also got touchdown runs from Tate Chork and Jason Scott. Ledbetter connected with Alex Yeaton for a 57-yard scoring pass in the second quarter and hit Max Arbor for a 15-yarder in the third.
Boyle scored on runs of 26 and 35 yards.
Donovan Jackson ran for over 100 yards and threw two touchdown passes for Lewiston.
SKOWHEGAN 61, BRUNSWICK 14: Quintcey McCray caught a 64-yard touchdown pass on Skowhegan’s first play from scrimmage, returned a kickoff for a score and added a 12-yard touchdown reception as the River Hawks (2-3) routed the Dragons (1-3) in Skowhegan.
Marcus Hampton also scored three touchdowns.
Dalton Cooper rushed for both Brunswick touchdowns.
SANFORD 27, LEWISTON 24: Jake Beninati rushed for 45 yards and a touchdown, and threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Logan Ricker as the Spartans (3-2) built a 21-0 halftime lead and held off the Blue Devils (1-4) at Sanford.
Cam Suhy rushed for 81 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Bissonette added a 4-yard rushing touchdown.
Donovan Jackson ran for over 100 yards and threw two touchdown passes for Lewiston.
GORHAM 28, MASSABESIC 0: Landon Bickford passed for three touchdowns and Izak Young scored on a 60-yard interception return as the Rams (2-3) shut out the Mustangs (1-4) in Waterboro.
Bickford was 6 of 12 for 125 yards, including a 23-yard TD pass to Tommy Sallinen, and two scoring strikes to Charlie Gay, for 25 and 52 yards.
OLD ORCHARD BEACH 53, TRAIP ACADEMY 6: Asher Hubert ran for a 34-yard touchdown, had a 54-yard interception return for a TD and kicked five extra points to power the Seagulls (4-1) past the Rangers (0-5) in an eight-man game at Kittery.
Jacob Payea rushed for two touchdowns. Brady Plante threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Riley Provencher, and Eilija Vasquez scored on a 54-yard run.
MEDOMAK VALLEY 18, HERMON 7: Levi Ward rushed for a pair of touchdowns as the Panthers (3-2) beat the Hawks (1-1) in Hermon.
Ward reached the end zone from 1 and 5 yards. Hayden Staples scored Medomak’s first touchdown and racked up 106 yards in the first half on 16 carries.
OCEANSIDE 12, NOKOMIS 0: Touchdown runs from Hale Morris and Aiden Sargent were enough for the Mariners (2-1) in a win over the Warriors (1-4) at Rockland.
Bill Stewart of the Kennebec Journal contributed to this report.
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