Aiden Christensen readies to snap the ball during the 56-26 win over Orono on Sept. 21.  Cooper Sullivan / The Times Record

TOPSHAM — After Mt. Ararat’s 60-0 win over Waterville last Friday, no one was happier than Thomas Sandelin. The senior guard was back on the field after missing the Eagles’ previous two games while recovering from gallbladder surgery.

“Luckily I came back the Monday before the game and I was like, ‘Coach, I may hurt a little, but I’m clear to play,'” Sandelin said.

Playing through bumps and bruises is common in football. Mt. Ararat’s linemen are also willing to put up with the wear and tear for the ultimate prize — a Gold Ball.

“My knee is not the greatest, my hands aren’t great, but I can stick through them,” senior center Aiden Christensen said. “My injuries I’ve played with every year I’ve played so far, and I’m going to continue to until we go all the way.”

The Eagles (4-0) sit atop the South division of eight-man Large, thanks in no small part to the play of their offensive line. As a run-heavy team — Mt. Ararat has only attempted 10 passes — the Eagles have eclipsed 300 rushing yards in every game so far, with a season-high of 414 yards in the 56-26 win over defending Small school champion Orono.

Mt. Ararat visits Camden Hills (4-0) in a Large school showdown Friday night at 6.

Senior Dash Farrell and junior Nick Doughty tend to get most of the attention, but they’ve benefited from a tough line.

“Those guys don’t get a lot of credit,” MTA Coach Frank True said. “I give them plenty of credit. It’s funny, because every Saturday when we’re going through film, I give those guys a pretty hard time with all the missed blocks and all the stepping with this foot wrong, but those guys just keep grinding it out. They’re a resilient bunch…these guys are all coachable and they’re all willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. So far this year, it’s showing.”

Opposing defenses know Mt. Ararat prefers to run the ball, as the offense often lines up with five down linemen. The difficult part is stopping the counter and off-tackle plays. Sandelin, who also plays on the defensive line, says that trust has been a major factor in the line’s success, even if they haven’t played together on Friday nights for very long.

This season is just Christensen’s second year in the school district and his first as a starter. It is also just the second year that junior Adrian Reyes has been a part of the Eagles’ roster. Reyes was named to the 2022 Campbell Conference eight-man first-team offense as a freshman, but the following year he moved to South Carolina. Seniors Hunter Thibeault, tight end Kurt Coen and Will Stewart have also contributed up front.

“We’ve been together for nine months, basically. And I mean, we’re family now,” Christensen said. “He’s my brother, he’s my brother, that’s my brother over there, and I’m happy to call (the whole team) my brother…I think that’s why we love each other, and we want it for each other. We’re all going to go until we can’t go no more for the guy next to us.”

A junior for Mt. Ararat, Adrian Reyes provides size for the Eagles’ offensive and defensive lines. Cooper Sullivan / The Times Record

Reyes, who is a frequent visitor in opposing backfields as a defensive lineman, attributes his time spent as a backup at perennial contender Greenville High to improving his on-field skills and mindset.

“I’m trying to be my best at practice for the guys that are getting better, because I know playing against me everyday is getting them better,” the 6-foot-3, 260 pound Reyes said. “They aren’t going to be coming out here and playing against guys (as) physical (as me).”

“It’s great,” Farrell added. “I just know that it makes my job so much easier. (There’s) less hands on me, more space for me to juke around kids, and makes it so much easier for me to score.”

Conversely, the linemen appreciate how the ball carriers can take advantage, or even make something out of nothing.

“(The holes) don’t have to be big, they just have to be little,” Reyes said. “But good thing it’s both.”