SCARBOROUGH— Coming off an emphatic victory a week ago, the Sanford Spartans traveled to Scarborough Friday night hoping to begin a win streak. The Spartans had their opportunities to do just that, but offensively, they kept shooting themselves in the foot and defensively, they had no answer for the Red Storm’s high- octane attack in a 37- 15 setback at the Kippy Mitchell Sports Complex. Sanford intercepted Scarborough quarterback Jack Hughes on the game’s first play and started at the Red Storm’s 15, but failed to gain a yard and squandered a chance to strike first when placekicker Peter Hegarty sent a 33- yard field goal attempt wide left. Scarborough grabbed a 7- 0 lead when Hughes connected with Connor Kelly for a 52- yard touchdown, but the Spartans roared back and drew even on a 32- yard bomb from quarterback Frankie Veino to Tya Laviolette. The Red Storm answered as Owen Garrard bulled through a huge hole and raced for a 28- yard touchdown. After Sanford had a score called back due to a holding call, then saw Hegarty miss a 32- yard field goal wide right, Hughes connected with Kelly for a 31- yard TD and a 21-7 advantage early in the second period.

The Spartans again threatened and got as close as the Scarborough 4 before turning the ball over on downs. The visitors then got a break when the Red Storm snapped the ball out of the end zone for a safety. Sanford turned that into a touchdown as Veino and James Roche connected for a 43-yard score with exactly three minutes left in the half (the PAT was blocked). Scarborough roared right back, as Hughes connected with Tim Carion for a 26-yard TD and while the Spartans produced 198 yards of offense in the first half, they trailed, 28-15, at the break.

“We didn’t do a good job finishing,” said Sanford coach Mike Fallon. “Against a really good team like that, if you leave potential scores off the board, you’ll be in trouble and that’s what happened.”

Sanford’s scoring opportunities dried up in the second half and the Red Storm put it away. After an interception, Scarborough went up by 20 early in the third period on a 1-yard pass from Hughes to behemoth 6-foot-6 tight end Jake Gardner. The Spartans twice more drove into Red Storm territory, but gave the ball up on downs the first time and saw Veino get intercepted the second. Scarborough defensive lineman Mahlon Glidden then dominated the fourth quarter, sacking Veino four times, the fourth coming in the end zone with 2:31 to play, bringing the curtain down on the Red Storm’s 37-15 victory.

“It seems like we always catch them when their quarterback looks like Tom Brady,” Fallon said. “They had some unbelievable throws and unbelievable catches. At times, it was like, ‘what else can we do defensively?’ Hats off to Scarborough, they were prepared. You have to be spot-on for 48 minutes and we weren’t tonight.”

Veino went 15-of-33 for 199 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions.

Hughes finished with 318 passing yards and three TDs for the 3-1 Red Storm.

Sanford hopes to get back on track Friday when it hosts Lewiston.

“We didn’t play as well tonight as we have the past two weeks, but it’s not a step back,” said Fallon. “We have a bunch of great kids. They’ll rally and work hard and we’ll get better and hopefully get back on the ‘W’ side here soon.”