YORK — Fryeburg Academy posted an impressive 43-6 win Friday night in Class C South football game at York, scoring on its first six possessions and exhibiting the qualities associated with a team capable of making a deep playoff run.

In their fifth straight win, the Raiders (5-1) received excellent offensive performances from quarterback Cohen Carter and running back Gunnar Saunders. Carter, a boarding student from Halifax, Nova Scotia, with a physique reminiscent of Sonny Jurgensen (look him up youngsters) completed 8 of 12 passes for 154 yards with well-thrown deep-ball touchdowns to three different receivers. He also stretched across from the 2 on the opening drive to start the scoring.

Saunders gained 136 yards on 13 carries, all in the first half. Saunders, a senior, consistently made at least the first York defender miss, either with power or a quick cut. He rushed for touchdowns of 8 and 2 yards.

Logan Walton, a rangy wide receiver, caught Carter’s first touchdown pass, a 29-yarder, and also had two interceptions. Overall, Fryeburg’s first-team defense allowed only 57 yards and forced three turnovers in a little more than a half, with good play up front allowing players like linebacker Malik Sow to come up and make several clean, forceful tackles.

Fryeburg led 22-0 at the end of the first quarter and 36-0 at halftime (with a 270-47 edge in yardage), and increased the lead to 43-0 on its first drive of the second half when Carter connected with Jagger Helwig for a 28-yard score.

The lone touchdown for York (2-4) was a 3-yard run by Nicholas Beaulieu on the first play of the running-time fourth quarter.

“We knew we had to come out here firing and that’s exactly what we did. We just put it to bed early,” Carter said. “Gunnar Saunders, when he runs the ball like he does, it just opens everything up for us to throw.”

Fryeburg has always had international boarding students. Seldom have they made an impact on the football field, said Dave Turner, who is in his 30th year at the school, 16th as the varsity football coach.

“We do have more this year. In the past, we haven’t. We just happen to have a few this year who are playing. Which is great,” Turner said.

Carter is in his second year at the western Maine school. This season he was joined by two others from Nova Scotia, including Walton. Big two-way linemen Anton Kravchuk (6-5, 275) and Luca Huebner (6-3, 240), along with Sow, the linebacker/blocking back, played last year for a German club team.

“I feel like our first game against Leavitt we were not very good, but I feel like if we continue to play this way, we can show them something,” said Kravchuk, who is from Ukraine.

Since losing its season opener to Leavitt, 45-8, Fryeburg has outscored its opponents 215-55. Granted, the Raiders have not played a schedule close to comparable to the Class A-laden list Leavitt has faced. But Fryeburg is getting better, and has size and playmakers.

“Hats off to them. They’re a real good team,” said York Coach Matt Nelson.

Saunders is a Fryeburg local. His dad, Sedge Saunders, was the varsity basketball coach for many years. He said it’s not always easy blending the local and boarding school populations into a cohesive team.

“The challenge is building the chemistry so we play well together, but that’s come easy for us,” Saunders said. “A lot of teams in the past, chemistry has been an issue, but this year we just bonded very well together.”

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