STANDISH — From 2013 to 2019 the Bonny Eagle-Thornton Academy football rivalry was unparalleled in Maine high school football.

Each team won three Class A titles. They met in the A South final three straight years (2013-2015). It seemed every game was a tossup with big stakes attached.

Since Bonny Eagle’s victory in the 2019 Class A championship game, Thornton has won five straight, including this year’s 42-21 regular-season win in Standish when Golden Trojans senior running back Connor Ayoob ran the ball 40 times for a whopping 304 yards.

Saturday at 1 p.m., at Hill Stadium in Saco, the two 9-1 teams will meet for the sixth time in a Class A South final. Thornton is the unanimous No. 1 team in the Varsity Maine poll. Bonny Eagle is ranked second.

The current Scots have never beaten Thornton in a varsity game, which includes a regional final loss as sophomores in 2023.

“Certainly not happy about that, but we’re ready to come out and flip the script this week,” said senior captain John Havu, a nose guard on defense and a tight end. “Mentality is very important for flipping that script.”

Thornton’s players aren’t about to start resting on past success.

“Everyone thinks we can just go back to what we did the last game. It would be great to be able to do that, but that’s just not going to happen,” said Thornton tri-captain Dom Hussey, an outside backer and short-yardage back. “They know what they have to do to stop us, so we’re going to have to make some adjustments. It will be a battle back and forth.”

GREAT GAMES, CHAMPIONSHIP TEAMS

The two programs are led by coaches who have nearly equal tenures and success. Bonny Eagle’s Kevin Cooper (187-85 career record) is in his 28th season with the Scots and has seven state titles on his resume, the first two coming back-to-back in 2004 and 2005.

Thornton’s Kevin Kezal (198-56) is in his 27th season and coached six title teams. His first championship was 2012, the most recent in 2023. Thornton has played in six straight state finals.

Each of the five previous times the teams have met in the A South final, the winner claimed the state championship: Thornton in 2014, 2015, and 2023; and Bonny Eagle in 2013, and 2016. Plus, the Scots won the 2019 title by beating Thornton in the championship game when Class A was an eight-team statewide division.

At the rivalry’s height, even the year neither team won it all (2017, Scarborough) they played two games with equally unpredictable results. First, Bonny Eagle smoked the Golden Trojans in Saco, 49-14, handing Thornton its only running time loss in the Kezal era. Then, Thornton beat the Scots in the regional semifinal with JV quarterback Kobe Gaudette getting the start for the Trojans.

“There’s a lot of times the winner has a really good shot at being state champions,” Kezal said. “It’s one of those things where it’s two really good football teams going after each other. Teams that are very similar, I’d say, the way they run them, the way the kids respond. Boy, it’s a heck of a game.”

THIS TIME

The formula for a Bonny Eagle victory starts with better run defense against Ayoob — and to get more from its own ground game.

“Obviously, he’s a great back. We’ve just got to be able to stop somebody like that,” said Colby McCormack, a tri-captain, linebacker and the Scots’ top running back. “We’ve just got to keep the same energy. I think they started tiring us out.”

By the end of the regular-season meeting, Thornton had big advantages on the scoreboard, rushing yards (357-37) and total yards (405-222). The Trojans scored on all four of their second-half possessions without even attempting a pass.

But Bonny Eagle had two critical mistakes that bracketed halftime: a 71-yard touchdown was called back because of an illegal shift just before the half ended and then the Scots fumbled the opening kickoff of the second half. Instead of being tied 14-14 with the ball, minutes later they were trailing 21-7.

“We just need to work hard, execute. Can’t make mistakes. Because mistakes swing every game. Every game,” said Caden Cooper, Bonny Eagle’s third captain, a wide receiver and safety.

BY THE NUMBERS

Thornton’s offense has revolved around Ayoob, who has rushed for 1,601 yards and 24 touchdowns. The Trojans have gained 2,315 yards on the ground. Junior quarterback Noah Fullerton is 54 of 103 for 1,016 yards and 11 touchdowns with four interceptions. Nate Neely has been the top target with 23 catches for 410 yards and three scores.

Bonny Eagle has big-play potential, particularly in the pass game. Quarterback Colin Moran is 69 of 125 for 1,268 yards with 16 TDs and three interceptions. Moran (796 yards) and McCormack (902 yards, nine TDs) are the top running threats, with Lucas Klehn adding a power-back element (12 TDs on 38 carries). Drew Gervais, a big target with great speed, has 31 catches for 614 yards and seven TDs. Nick Breton (12-202) and Caden Cooper (10-118) are also dangerous targets.