YARMOUTH

Morse High School quarterback Connor Upham’s passing statistics heading to the fourth quarter were tough to look at on Friday night.

He was 1-for-2 in the air for minus-nine yards, with his team facing a short second down play near midfield in a tight 13-6 defensive battle with Mt. Ararat.

Upham turned those statistics into the positive on the next play, floating a 37- yard completion down the Eagles’ sideline to receiver Damon Osmond, leading to a game-clinching score in the Shipbuilders’ 21-6 Western B win on Friday at Yarmouth High School.

The game was moved to the Clippers’ turf field due to Mt. Ararat’s home field unplayable after three days of heavy rain. The win sends Morse into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed with a 4-4 mark and a road quarterfinal this upcoming Friday at 7 p.m. against third-seeded Falmouth (6-2), which downed the Shipbuilders 55- 14 on Sept. 12.

“We haven’t played our best game yet,” said Morse coach Jason Darling. “Regardless of who we are playing, we are going to play at 100 percent. I think we’re going to be a tough out for someone.”

For Mt. Ararat, the tough season ended with a 1-7 mark one season after making the postseason. Eagles coach Frank True loses eight seniors.

“These seniors have been good players, and they have been through a lot,” said True. “I wanted them to have more. It certainly wasn’t from a lack of effort or heart. They never quit.”

Turnovers

Mt. Ararat began the game with good field position, taking over at its own 49-yard line. Two first downs moved the ball to the Mo-29 before cornerback James Laser intercepted a Dylan Johnson pass to end the threat.

Morse picked up a pair of first downs, but a holding penalty and a big play by Eagles linebacker Jacob Schoenberg for a 9-yard loss forced the Shipbuilders to punt.

James Lovitt pinned the Eagles in the shadows of their goal post with a 41- yard punt to the MtA-8, and three plays later Josh McDougal stripped a Mt. Ararat runner of the ball, with Raz Baltazar recovering at the MtA-21.

“What has haunted us this year is building consistent drives. Mistakes and penalties cost us here and there,” said True, who watched Morse take a 7-0 lead on a 1- yard dive by Upham early in the second quarter.

Neither offense did much the rest of the first half, with Morse carrying its 7-0 lead to the half despite picking up just 55 yards of total offense.

Mt. Ararat didn’t move the ball much either, accumulating 88 yards. Morse was helped on defense by the return of Scott Petersen and Juwan Moore from injuries.

“Our defense did great. It was a total team effort and they made the tackles,” said Darling.

The opening kick-off of the second half provided some fireworks. Osmond grabbed a low kick at his own 25-yard line, cut left and burst through an opening for a 75-yard return for a touchdown and a 13-0 Shipbuilders lead.

Mt. Ararat answered on its first drive of the second half behind the hard running of Schoenberg. He picked up 48 yards on nine carries, including two fourth-down conversions before finally scoring on a 2- yard TD run to get the Eagles to 13-6 with 5:36 remaining in the third quarter.

“We played our hearts out and gave it our all,” said Schoenberg, who rushed for 83 yards on 18 carries.

“That drive was a confidence builder for us, and we were able to find some success running away from 78 (Moore). He really controlled things inside on us,” said True.

Late in the third quarter, Morse began a drive at its 7- yard line. Laser busted off a 19-yard run to move the ball to the Mo-37 and followed with a 9-yard gainer. With the Mt. Ararat defense crowding the line of scrimmage, Upham faked a handoff and lofted a perfect pass to Osmond for a 37-yard gain to the MtA-17.

“We came together as a team at the end, and everyone up front powered through,” said Upham, who finished 3-for-4 in the air for 41 yards and talked about his big pass play to Osmond. “We had been running the ball quite a bit, and we had lined up in that formation before and they just didn’t see it coming.”

“We finally got it to down and distance to give us a chance to get the ball down the field, and I think we had the mismatch and probably could have gone to that more today,” said Darling. “Today for us was about identity. We wanted to pound the football, and we did.”

Later on the drive, Upham found Matt Belanger for 13 yards to the MtA-1, and one play later Petersen dove into the end zone, followed by a 2- point conversion pass from Upham to Laser for a 21-6 lead with 6:30 remaining.

Morse held twice in the fourth quarter, including an interception by McDougal.

Mt. Ararat outgained Morse 214-181, along with holding a 12-8 edge in first downs.

“I think both teams played really well tonight,” said True.

Laser led the Shipbuilders with 51 yards rushing on nine carries, with Petersen adding 32, Justin Trottier 31 and Baltazar 27. Defensively, Trottier and Thaddeus Bushnell led Morse with six tackles each, with Baltazar, Andrew Payson, Osmond and Moore adding five apiece.

Johnson threw for 71 yards for Mt. Ararat (6-for- 17, two interceptions). Alex LaFountain hauled in four catches for 44 yards, while John Heatherman picked up 52 yards on the ground on 12 carries. Michael Tran paced the Mt. Ararat defense with nine tackles, with LaFountain, Robert Heatherman and John Heatherman picking up five stops each.

Morse 21,
Mt. Ararat 6

At Yarmouth High School
Morse— 0768—21
Mt.Ararat—0060— 6
Second quarter
Mo — Connor Upham 1 run (James
Lovitt kick), 10:06.
Third quarter
Mo — Damon Osmond 75 kick-off
return (kick failed), 11:49.
MtA — Jacob Schoenberg 2 run (kick
failed), 5:36.
Fourth quarter
Mo — Scott Petersen 1 run (Josh
McDougal pass from Connor
Upham), 6:30.
Records — Morse 4-4, Mt. Ararat 1-
7.
Up next for the Shipbuilders — Friday in Western B quarterfinal at Falmouth, 7 p.m.
Note — Mt. Ararat’s season is completed.