That quote from Biddeford football coach Brian Curit certainly rang true on Friday night as his Tigers turned the ball over three times and defending Class B state champion Marshwood took advantage in a 21-7 win in the season opener for both squads.
The Tigers, who squandered a chance to score on their opening drive when Marshwood recovered a Biddeford fumble in the end zone, jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the second quarter on an 18-yard scoring strike from junior quarterback Joey Curit to wide receiver Patrick Pearl.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, who were making their debut in Class B, that would be the end of their scoring – and Marshwood would answer right back.
The Hawks returned the ensuing kickoff 45 yards to the Biddeford 31-yard line and would score eight plays later on a four-yard run by Zach Doyon.
The game would go into the half tied at 7-7, but the Tigers’ turnover woes would continue in the second half and Marshwood took advantage.
Biddeford received the secondhalf kick and drove the ball to the Marshwood 34 before a Curit pass would get picked off by the Hawks’ Nick Tice.
Marshwood would make the most of the interception as the Hawks drove down the field and took the lead when Justin Stacy plowed in from a yard out. Marshwood added a two-point conversion to make it a 15-7 lead at the 5:30 mark of the third.
Biddeford had a chance to get back into the game in the fourth, but Marshwood would turn a 4th-and-14 into a 27-yard touchdown pass from Jack Spear to Doyon.
“That’s a very good football team, I think that’s pretty obvious, but we were in position,” said coach Curit. “We fumbled into the end zone, I mean think of how the momentum certainly could have gone our way in regards to that. We fumbled another one, we had an interception – those things will kill you.”
The Biddeford coach took his hat off to Marshwood and its coaching staff.
“It’s evident when you watch them on tape and it’s evident when you play them, that is a very well-coached team. They are very, very sound fundamentally and they do things the right way. That’s a credit to coach (Alex) Rotsko with what he’s done here and we knew what we were up against,” said Curit.
Biddeford was led by Joey Curit, who went 8-of-16 through the air for 104 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The junior also added 76 yards on the ground on just nine carries.
Lucas Rhoy finished the night with 23 carries for 73 yards for the Tigers, who also got a strong performance from Pearl as the receiver hauled in four passes for 69 yards and a score.
Doyon led Marshwood with 83 yards on the ground and a score to go along with the big 27-yard TD catch.
The Tigers will get back to work this week as they prepare for their home opener with Noble next Friday night at Waterhouse Field.
— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 322. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @ JournalTsports.
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