Skowhegan Area High School football coach Mike Marston was recently named Coach of the Year by the Maine Football Coaches Association.

Marston coached the Indians to the Pine Tree Conference Class A title and the team's first trip to the state championship since 1989.

Marston, who will be an assistant coach for the East in this summer's Lobster Bowl, was selected as the Morning Sentinel Coach of the Year last fall.

The rosters for the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl, the annual all-star football game to benefit the Shriner's Hospitals, are set.

While the roster usually is in flux right until the start of training camp, the following central Maine players have been selected to participate:

Greg O'Neill (Cony); Andy Kelley (Gardiner); Kevin Pressey, Matt Perkins (Lawrence); Nick Miller (MCI); Pat Norwood (Maranacook); Kyle Grover (Messalonskee); Chris Reynolds (Mt. Blue); Andrew Jannelle (Oak Hill); Cody Williamson, Peter Boardman, Billy Clark (Skowhegan); Cam Bishop (Waterville); Scott Siviski (Winslow); Sam Perkins (Madison); Jake Steele, Kevin Hart (Winthrop)

Dan O'Connell of John Bapst will coach the East and Dean Plante of Old Orchard Beach will coach the West squad at this summer's 20th Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl, the annual high school all-star football game played to benefit Shriner's hospitals.

O'Connell led Bapst to the Class C state title last fall with a win over Winthrop.

Western Maine won last year's game, 24-6, and leads the series 15-4.

Kickoff is set for 4 p.m., Saturday, July 25.

Sunday's Fitzpatrick Trophy luncheon in Portland gave us a chance to reflect on the last high school football season. Bonny Eagle quarterback/defensive back Nate Doehler was a deserving winner, and semifinalists Billy Clark of Skowhegan and Justin Staires of Mountain Valley were worthy candidates, too.

We'll get a final chance to see these three, and many of the other outstanding seniors in the Class of 2009, represent their schools in the Lobster Bowl all star game this summer.

The Fitzpatrick Trophy presentation is a good time to look at the state of high school football in Maine. I'm happy to say the sport is in great shape.

For weeks, Heisman Trophy voters around the country have said how difficult it was to vote this year, with no clear cut favorite.

The same can be said by those of us who vote for the Fitzpatrick Trophy, awarded to the top senior football player in the state of Maine each year.

On Thursday, the three finalists for this year's honor were named: Billy Clark of Skowhegan, Nate Doehler of Bonny Eagle and Justin Staires of Mountain Valley.

I've had a vote for the Fitzy since 2002. This year had the strongest group of candidates I've seen.

Every season, the central Maine high school football officials award a sportmanship trophy to one of the area teams.

This season, the trophy went to Messalonskee.

The Eagles accepted the award at halftime of Friday's boys basketball game. Messalonskee reached the Pine Tree Conference quarterfinals this season, losing a close game to Edward Little of Auburn, 28-21.

Here's my final top 10 of the high school football season:

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Deering
3. Skowhegan
4. Mountain Valley
5. Thornton Academy
6. Lawrence
7. John Bapst
8. Edward Little
9. Windham
10. Winthrop

It's often the little things that eventually mean the most in high school sports, perhaps offering a word of encouragement to a teammate or even helping an opponent up.

Travis Lazarczyk just called in from the Class A state championship game with news that the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl will be played on a Saturday in 2009.

"It was brought up as a suggestion," said Rick Hersom, who is on the Lobster Bowl committee. "For people up north with a long drive it is a lot easier to get to."

The game has always been played on a Friday night in July in the past. This year, the game will be played at 4 p.m. on a Saturday.

It will still be held at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford.

Derek Smith killed the clock by taking a knee and the John Bapst Crusaders beat Winthrop High School 21-14 to win the Class C state championship at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

With just one day left in the high school football season, here is how I voted in the media poll. The outcomes of Saturday's three championship games could sway next week's final poll a great deal.

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Skowhegan
3. Deering
4. Thornton Academy
5. Lawrence
6. Mountan Valley
7. Morse
8. Edward Little
9. Windham
10. Winthrop

Jordan Conant had on big winter mittens, a mask covering his face another and a hat covering his head, ears and the back of his neck (but he still had on his trademark green bandana). And he kept complaining that his cheeks were numb.

And Conant was fired up.

Travis Lazarczyk and Bill Stewart are back for another edition of Gridiron Gurus. This week they preview the state championship games.

Brad Greenleaf said the competition with himself and Jordan McGowan for the starting quarterback job on the Skowhegan football team this summer was intense.

When Bonny Eagle of Standish and Skowhegan meet in the Class A state championship game next Saturday, it will be the first time since 2004 the teams play each other.

Skowhegan and Bonny Eagle were paired up in the 2003 and 2004 seasons, when PTC teams played one crossover game against a SMAA opponent each season.

In 2003, Skowhegan defeated Bonny Eagle, 27-26. In 2004, Bonny Eagle evened the series with a 42-8 win. That season, the Scots also won their first state championship.

Bonny Eagle will play for its fourth state title in five years on Saturday. Skowhegan, on the other hand, is in the state final for the first time since 1989, and hopes to win the gold ball for the first time since 1978.

The muddy mess that was the football field behind the Winthrop Grade School turned out to be a terrific place to celebrate on Saturday.

Here's how I voted in this week's poll.

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Deering
3. Skowhegan
4. Thornton Academy
5. Lawrence
6. Mountain Valley
7. Edward Little
8. Morse
9. Windham
10. Winthrop

Win or lose in the Pine Tree Conference championship game against Skowhegan on Saturday, the 9-1 Edward Little football team already has had a fantastic season.

Last year, the Red Eddies went 1-7, despite high expectations. Part of this year's improvement comes from head coach Darren Hartley tweaking the lineup a little. But most of it comes from the experience gained during last season's struggles.

"I have 13 or 14 seniors who really took it on the chin last year," Hartley said.

Last season, Hartley said at the start of the season he expected the team to win four or five games and compete for a playoff spot. When that didn't happen, he had an administrator question him.

"He said maybe I shouldn't said we're a playoff team," Hartley said. "I asked him what he thought I should say."

Staff writers Bill Stewart and Travis Lazarczyk return for another edition of Gridiron Gurus. This week they discuss the Pine Tree Conference Class A championship game between Skowhegan and Edward Little, as well as the Campbell Conference Class C title game between Winthrop and Lisbon.

Last week, we looked at four Player of the Year candidates from the Pine Tree Conference Class A division. Today, let's look at four candidates in the PTC B.

Remember, all stats are regular season only:

Tyler Green, Leavitt: 1,076 rushing yards, 17 touchdowns.
Jasper Cousins, Mt. Desert Island: 20 catches for 288 yards, 12 total touchdowns, 71 solo tackles, four interceptions.
Forrest Chadwick, Gardiner: 712 rushing yards, 314 receiving yards, 15 total touchdowns, three interceptions, 41.8 yards per punt average.
Pat Wolfe, Morse: 947 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns.

Gardiner Area High School senior Pete Caradonna had successful leg surgery Friday at Maine General Medical Center. However, the injury $suffered in the final regular season game against Leavitt $ was worse than originally thought.

I don't think anynone saw this coming -- OK, I KNOW no one saw this coming. In Friday night's PTC A semifinal, Skowhegan's passing yardage (149) nearly equaled Lawrence's total yardage (150).

Staff writers Travis Lazarczyk and Bill Stewart return for another edition of Gridiron Gurus. This week they talk about the highly anticipated Pine Tree Conference Class A semifinal matchup between Skowhegan and Lawrence, the PTC B semifinal between Gardiner and Mount Desert Island and the Campbell C Conference game between Livermore Falls and Winthrop.

Here's my top 10 for the week:

1. Deering
2. Lawrence
3. Bonny Eagle
4. Thornton Academy
5. Skowhegan
6. Mountain Valley
7. Edward Little
8. Lewiston
9. Windham
10. Winthrop

The Winthrop High School football team plays its home games on Friday nights and therefore has had plenty of chances to see Lisbon, which plays its home games on Saturday afternoons.

That advance scouting paid off in a big way Saturday.

There's plenty of excitement left this season for Pine Tree Conference Class B football fans. But if two-year cycles hold true to form, the PTC will be even better next year.

Here is how I voted in this week's top 10. The entire poll can be found in today's paper:

1. Deering
2. Lawrence
3. Bonny Eagle
4. Thornton Academy
5. Skowhegan
6. Mountain Valley
7. Edward Little
8. Lewiston
9. Windham
10. Winthrop

Travis Lazarczyk and Bill Stewart return with another edition of Gridiron Gurus. This week, they preview the opening round of the playoffs.

Gardiner Area High School football coach Jim Palmer said starting fullback/linebacker Pete Caradonna will miss the remainder of the season with a broken right leg.

The playoffs are set in the Pine Tree Conference, in both the A and B divisions.

In Class A the quarterfinal matchups are as follows:

#8 Mt. Blue (2-6) at #1 Lawrence (8-0)
#7 Messalonskee (3-5) at #2 Edward Little (7-1)
#6 Bangor (3-5) at #3 Lewiston (7-1)
#5 Brunswick (5-3) at #4 Skowhegan (7-1)

In Class B, the quarterfinal games are:
#8 Oak Hill (2-6) at #1 Leavitt (7-1)
#7 Waterville (3-4) at #2 Mt. Desert Island (6-1)
#6 Hampden (4-3) at #3 Gardiner (5-2)
#5 Morse (5-2) at #4 Winslow (6-2)

Last fall, Cony High School's Greg O'Neill rushed for over 200 yards in a win over Oxford Hills.

The senior hasn't seen much time at tailback this fall, filling in at fullback for the injured T.J. Vallee, but returned to that position in his final game in a Cony uniform Friday night.

Senior Night in any sport is always emotional, but that was especially the case in Skowhegan Friday night, as the Indians dedicated the game to a friend who wasn't there.

Schools around central Maine are helping make Ricky Gibson's dream of lights and bleachers at Maranacook a reality.

Gibson, a Maranacook sophomore, was diagnosed with Pontine Glioma, an aggressive tumor in the brain stem, in September. When Make-A-Wish asked Gibson if he wanted anything, he requested lights and bleachers at the Black Bears' field.

With a total cost estimated at around $200,000, Make-A-Wish helped kick start a fundraiser with a $6,000 donation last week.

Here is how I voted in this week's top 10:

1. Deering
2. Lawrence
3. Bonny Eagle
4. Thornton Academy
5. Skowhegan
6. Mountain Valley
7. Lewiston
8. Cape Elizabeth
9. Mt. Desert Island
10. Winthrop

I went with MDI at #9 because since a week 1 loss to Winslow, the Trojans are undefeated and playing the most consistent football in the PTC B. Top to bottom, the PTC B is the toughest league in the state, and playing well in it has to count for something.

Travis Lazarczyk and Bill Stewart return with the latest installment of Gridiron Gurus. This week, they focus on Pine Tree Conference Class B matchups between Leavitt and Gardiner, as well as Waterville and Winslow.

Mike Hathaway doesn't pretend to be any type of Crabtree points expert (who is?), but the Leavitt Area High School football coach does teach physics.

The regular season is over, and the Gardiner Tigers open the playoffs tonight against Morse.

OK, so it's a regular season game, but that's not how coach Jim Palmer sees it.

"These next two games are good for us," he said. "It really starts our playoffs right now."

After Morse, the Tigers host Leavitt (5-1) in the regular season finale.

The Shipbuilders have won three straight games after dropping their first two. Last week, they knocked off previously undefeated Leavitt 19-12.

"They have a good group, but it was just a matter of them putting it all together," Palmer said. "It looks like they've done that."

It's rare that two undefeated football teams meet in a late season game, as is the case this week when 6-0 Lawrence plays at 6-0 Skowhegan.

Here are some examples of other big late season games in central Maine from recent seasons.

2006: Winslow and Waterville met in the regular season finale. Both teams were 6-1, with a loss to Gardiner. Winslow won, defeated Waterville again in the conference semifinals, and went on to win the Pine Tree Conference Class B title.

Maine Central Institute lost to a better than it's record 2-4 Rockland football team on Friday 15-13. The Huskies had a chance to tie the game in the final minute, but quarterback Caleb Lasselle was stopped short on a two-point conversion attempt.

Messalonskee football coach Wes Littlefield is a tough guy. He played that way at Winslow and expects the same from his own players.

Bill Stewart and Travis Lazarczyk are back for another segment of Gridiron Gurus. This week, the focus of Gurus is on the Winslow-Gardiner game, a rematch of the last two Pine Tree Conference Class B championships games.

Are you ready for Gardiner-Winslow?

Here is the top 10 in the state, as I see it through five weeks:

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Lawrence
3. Deering
4. Skowhegan
5. Thornton
6. Mountain Valley
7. Lewiston
8. Gardiner
9. Leavitt
10. Winthrop

Skowhegan fans arriving at Clark Field for Friday night's Homecoming game against Bangor weren't greeted by the vandalism on the senior booth at the edge of the field.

The Skowhegan seniors made sure of that.

"A group of senior boys came down (Friday) afternoon and cleaned it all off," Skowhegan athletic director Terry Michaud said.

The booth had been painted over in Bangor maroon and white, with the words "Billy Clark, Indians" and "Bangor Rams." The vandals painted over the names of all the seniors, too.

Clark is a senior running back for Skowhegan. He gained 189 yards and scored four touchdowns in the 44-20 win over Bangor.

Cony High School showed Edward Little High School something offensively the Eddies were completely unprepared for.

Things are about to get a little tougher for the Winthrop football team.

Two games to watch in the Pine Tree Conference Class A this week. Undefeated Skowhegan hosts 2-2 Bangor. These are two of the better running teams in the league, so this game will be decided in the trenches. It could come down to a turnover.

Mt. Blue is at Messalonskee in a battle of 1-3 teams. The winner has a much easier path to the playoffs. The loser likely has to win out, and with tough games on both schedules, that could be difficult.

Not much movement in my top 10 this week. Edward Little slides out following last week's loss at Bangor, and Lewiston climbs in.

Staff writers Travis Lazarczyk and Bill Stewart are back with another edition of Gridiron Gurus. This week they focus on the Pine Tree Conference Class B clash between Gardiner and Waterville.

As always, here is how I voted in this week's media poll. I heard you, Edward Little fans, and welcome the Red Eddies to the top 10.

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Lawrence
3. Deering
4. Thornton Academy
5. Skowhegan
6. Mountain Valley
7. Massabesic
8. Gardiner
9. Edward Little
10. Winthrop

Oak Hill struggled against two of the best teams in the Pine Tree Conference's Class B division, Gardiner and Leavitt, in the first two weeks of the season.

In the first two weeks of the season, the Winthrop High School football team outscored its opponents 89-28.

In Week 1, the Ramblers started substituting in its second string in the second quarter of a 46-13 win over Traip.

In Week 2, Winthrop cruised to a 43-15 win over Yarmouth.

Week 3 against Jay was supposed to be a test. It was more like a pop quiz.

Only five of the 26 Maine high school football games Friday night were decided by seven points or less. I was lucky enough to see one of those five, and Lawrence-Bangor really was a good one.

Sports writers Bill Stewart and Travis Lazarczyk return with another edition of Gridiron Gurus. This week they talk about matchups between Lawrence and Bangor; Lewiston and Cony; Gardiner and Hampden; and Winslow and Leavitt.

There are a few big games this weekend, starting with Lawrence at Bangor on Friday night.

The Bulldogs and the Rams have played for the PTC A title the last two season, with Lawrence winning each time. Lawrence hasn't lost to Bangor in since 2004, and is 5-0 against the Rams under coach John Hersom.

Also on Friday, Waterville plays at Mt. Desert Island. Waterville is 2-0, MDI is 1-1, and both teams have high expectations this season.

On Saturday night, Winslow plays at Leavitt. Both teams are 2-0. Leavitt boasts the top rushing attack in the league, and will be a tough early season test for the Black Raiders.

X-rays taken Monday on Maranacook Community High School tailback Pat Norwood's right ankle came back negative, Black Bears coach Kevin Norwood said.

The heat and the workload finally caught up to Belfast running back Willy Fogg on Saturday in Winslow.

Defending Class A champion Bonny Eagle is ranked fourth in the East, according to USA today.

The Scots, who improved to 2-0 with a 42-0 win over Windham on Friday, sit behind No. 1 Gateway of Monroeville, Penn., No. 2 Don Bosco of Ramsey, N.J., and No. 3 River Hill of Clarksville, Md.

Bonny Eagle plays at South Portland next week.

The Leavitt Area High School football team has a new motivational prop. A wheelbarrow.

Desmond Nutter stood in the middle of the field, the rain pelting the Messalonskee High School fullback.

Cony football coaches and fans seemed relatively happy with their team's 14-0 loss to Lawrence on Friday night in Augusta. Considering the Rams recently went through a 27-game losing streak, it's easy to understand why. At some point, though, expectations will have to rise. They did at Lawrence, which went through a down period not that long ago.

Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel football beat writers Travis Lazarczyk and Bill Stewart filmed another edition of Gridiron Gurus. This week they talk about matchups between Lawrence and Cony, Maranacook and Hampden, Skowhegan and Mt. Ararat, and more.

Here's how I voted in this week's Kennebec Journal/Morning Sentinel/Portland Press Herald media poll:

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Lawrence
3. Deering
4. Thornton Academy
5. Skowhegan
6. Mountain Valley
7. Bangor
8. Gardiner
9. Waterville
10. Winthrop

Be sure to check out the entire poll in Friday's paper.

Question Pat Norwood's judgment if you like, but it's tough to question the Maranacook senior's heart.

The big question mark surrounding Lawrence football coming into this season, if a team with one loss in two years can have a question mark at all, was the lack of experience in the offensive backfield.

Starting halfbacks Shawn Champagne and Devon Costigan, quarterback Jack Hersom and fullback Isaiah Underwood all graduated.

Mt. Blue quickly learned the Bulldogs' backfield is hardly a mess.

Six different players had at least one carry in the first half of Lawrence's 41-0 Friday night win. The Bulldogs first scoring drive went 78 yards, all on the ground, and the team ran up 236 yards in the first half while building a 34-0 lead.

Lawrence had nine runs of 10 yards or more in the first half. As quarterback Ben Violette becomes more comfortable in the passing game, the Lawrence offense will be as dangerous and balanced as it was last season.

The plan wasn't for Zach Farrington to be the place-kicker for the Winthrop High School football team. Kevin Hart filled that role last year and did a nice job.

A few leftovers from Friday night's Cony/Mt. Ararat football game, won 28-26 by host Mt. Ararat.

The high school football season kicks off tonight and we are trying something new.

Anyone else find it hard to believe the NFL is underway? Seriously, it seems like just yesterday that Eli Manning and the Giants were -- sigh, I can't go there. Not yet. Not now.

The high school football season starts this weekend, and with that comes our weekly media poll.

Here is how I voted this week.

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Lawrence
3. Deering
4. Skowhegan
5. Bangor
6. Mountain Valley
7. Gardiner
8. Thornton Academy
9. Foxcroft Academy
10. Waterville

It's been a tough week for the Oak Hill football team.

So, the Gardiner Area High School football team Friday night won the 131st meeting with Cony 14-13 before an estimated crowd of 3,900 at Hoch Field.

The experiment of placing the Cony/Gardiner football game at the beginning of the season instead of the end was an unqualified success Friday night in Gardiner.

The 131st Gardiner-Cony game is Friday night, and each team will debut new quarterbacks.

The Friends of Gardiner Football reformed this year after a 10-year hiatus. The organization folded when Rob Munzing stepped down as coach in large part because a number of parents left and no one picked up the ball.

The Winthrop football team returns eight starters on an offense that put up nearly a 30 points a game last season.

The defending Class B state champion Gardiner Tigers are back to work, and new head coach Jim Palmer likes what he sees so far, anyway.

For high school football fans, fall has officially arrived.
High school sports across the state opened practice today, many with double sessions, as they prepare for the upcoming fall sports season.

The number 4 jersey has taken on special meaning at Maine over the last few years. Free safety Aaron Dashiell wore the number and was a two-time All American in 1999 and 2000. Linebacker Stephen Cooper took on 4 and is now playing in the NFL for the San Diego Chargers.

Number 4 was passed on to defensive back Brandon McGowan, who plays for the Chicago Bears. Defensive back Daren Stone wore 4 and was drafted by the Atlanta Falcons. Last season, linebacker John Wormuth, known as Johnny Football to the Black Bears, wore the magic number and was a team captain.

"Expectations rise if you're wearing number 4," head coach Jack Cosgrove said.

This year, number 4 belongs to junior linebacker Mark Masterson. The Williamstown, N.J. native knows the significance of the number.

"A lot of good players had number 4, so hopefully I can continue the tradition," Masterson, who had 31 tackles last season, said. "It's really an honor. You can't replace a Johnny Football."

The University of Maine began practicing for the upcoming season on Monday. A handful of players from the central Maine area are on the roster, and a few of them could see significant playing time this year.

Junior Jordan Stevens of Temple is listed as a first team defensive end for the Black Bears after playing linebacker last season.

Steven Shea of Corinna, a redshirt freshman, is pencilled in as the starting right tackle on offense.

Stevens's former teammate at Mt. Blue High School, John Moloney, is competing for the kicking job, while Augusta's Gabe Hinds is a redshirt freshman quarterback.

Don Clark of Winslow is a freshman offensive lineman on the roster.

The Black Bears open the season on Aug. 30 at the University of Iowa. Maine's first home game is Sept. 13 vs. Stony Brook.

While Colby head football coach Ed Mestieri wouldn't go into specifics, on Wednesday he said he hopes the new artificial turf soon to be installed at Seaverns Field will entice some of the area high schools to play a game on the Waterville campus.

"At some point, maybe the high schools can be involves," Mestieri said.

It's unlikely the Colby football team will play many games under the stadium's new lights. Travel in the New England Small College Athletic Conference is tough enough without starting a game after dark and getting home in the wee hours. But what if Waterville and Winslow wanted to play their annual rivalry game under the lights? Colby would be the perfect spot.

One of the interesting things discovered while going through the information that will be in the Winslow High School football history book due out this fall was how far back the school's nickname goes.

Winslow teams have been known as the Black Raiders since 1933. In 1932, thanks to someone at the Morning Sentinel, Winslow teams were dubbed the Orange Blossoms.

"That was the Sentinel sports department that called us that," longtime Winslow coach Jim Poulin said. "That was never anything official by the school."

Invitations have been made to seniors all over the state to play in the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl football game in late July, and a number of central Maine players have been selected.

The Lobster Bowl is in its 19th year, and all proceeds from the game, which pits the top graduating seniors from Eastern Maine against their counterparts from the West, go to Shriner's Hospitals.

At least one player from every team in the state is invited to play in the game, and each school can have no more than three players selected.

Quarterback/safety Jack Hersom of Lawrence High School won the prestigious James J. Fitzpatrick Award today at the Holiday Inn By The Bay in Portland.

Gardiner Area High School quarterback/linebacker Kyle Stilphen and Lawrence High School quarterback Jack Hersom were both named finalists Friday for the James J. Fitzpatrick Trophy given annually to the top senior football player in the state.

There will be some folks in Pittsfield pulling for the University of Delaware in this weekend's 1-AA football national championship game. Johnathon Smith, a 2004 Maine Central Institute graduate, is a linebacker for the Blue Hens.

Delaware takes on two-time defending champion Appalachian State in the final.

Smith transferred to Delaware this year after three years at Connecticut. As a linebacker, Smith has 14 tackles for the Blue Hens. As a fullback, Smith has 12 carries for 68 yards, a 5.7 yards per carry average.

Neither Cony nor Gardiner's band played at the annual rivalry game on Friday, seriously detracting from an already lackuster atmosphere.

This is the week when memories of the Cony-Gardiner game flood conversations and newspaper stories. My most vivid recollection goes back to 1959 when I was just a young pup.

Remember Cony football?
It's been awhile — nearly a month — since the Rams last played a game (Oct. 26). They've spent the last few weeks practicing, scrimmaging and even playing some flag football. Oh, they've also paid close attention to Gardiner and its run through the postseason. Cony senior captain Cam O'Brien said Monday night, "We kept track of them, but we did our own thing."

Here's the final top 10 in Maine high school football for the 2007 season, as I see it.

1. Bonny Eagle
2. Lawrence
3. Bangor
4. Deering
5. Gardiner
6. Marshwood
7. Mountain Valley
8. Foxcroft Academy
9. Skowhegan
10. Cape Elizabeth

Gardiner Area High School leads the Class B state championship game, 14-0 at the half. Here are stats for the Tigers, called in by staff writer Bill Stewart.
Gardiner has rushed 28 times for 150 yards.
Brad Carleton leads the way with 11 carries for 85 yards, while Bass Chadwick has rushed nine times for 30 yards. Kyle Stilphen has rushed five times for 23 yards and completed one pass for 49 yards to Forrest Chadwick.

Brad Carleton has five rushes for 37 yards and a 10-yard touchdown run as the Gardiner Tigers jumped out to a 14-0 lead over Mountain Valley after the first quarter of the Class B state championship game.

The following report is from staff writer Bill Stewart, from Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

The five Gardiner Area High School football players who were monitored for a potentially fatal skin disease made the trip to Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland Saturday and were expected to play in the Class B championship game according to principal Chad Kempton and coach Matt Brown.
"Everything is clear," Kempton said. "They are good to go."
Trainer Chris Sementelli checked every player for signs of MRSA staph, an infection that resist antiboitics, before anyone was allowed to board the bus at Gardiner Area High School this afternoon. The entire team was cleared to play.
Kempton said had any player showed signs of MRSA staff they would not have been allowed to play Saturday against defending Class B champ Mountain Valley.

Minutes before receiving the Gold Ball for winning the Class A state championship trophy, Bonny Eagle High School players unrolled a banner that read DYNASTY.

They have Lawrence High School in a place called Franklin, Maine, not Fairfield, but even with that error, you'll find a short paragraph previewing the Class A state championship game between Bonny Eagle and Lawrence in the Sports Illustrated cover dated Nov. 19.

The blurb, which features photos of Lawrence quarterback Jack Hersom and Bonny Eagle tailback Joh Ruby, can be found on page 125 of the issue, on the Inside High School Football page. It points out that this is a matchup between the last two Class A state champions and that both teams are undefeated. It also mentions stats and scores from each team's regional final win.

Lawrence fans plan to get up early. Gardiner fans plan to stay out a little bit late.

The Pine Tree Conference Class A doesn't give a Most Valuable Player Award for the playoffs, so I'm going to go ahead and give it to Lawrence quarterback Jack Hersom.

In three playoff games, Hersom completed 72.7 percent of his pass attempts (32 of 44) for 622 yards and four touchdowns. Hersom threw no interceptions.

Hersom's favorite target throughout the PTC playoffs was Nick Nelson, who caught 17 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

Three terrific local rivalries highlight the high school football regional finals this weekend.

Trucks and cars parked just outside the endzone. Fans ringing the field three or four deep. Bleacher full of screaming fans on both sides of the field.
Keyes Field on Friday nights has become the place to be in high school football.

I can't think of a high school football team in recent years that has been on more of a roll than the Lawrence Bulldogs are right now. Not only has Lawrence won 21 consecutive games, the Bulldogs have won their two playoffs games by a combined score of 92-0.

Lawrence knocked off Mt. Blue 42-0 last week, and on Friday, the Bulldogs took care of Skowhegan 50-0. In both games, the Bulldogs were as dominant as the score indicates.

They are among the most anonymous participants in sports, but offensive linemen are vital to a team's success, and one reason Gardiner is winning football games.

The Waterville Senior High School football is a threat in the Pine Tree Conference Class B playoffs.

There's still Gardiner to play, but the official season ended for the Cony High football team with Friday night's playoff loss to Lewiston. Cony fans had to like what they saw of their team this season.

If you're planning on going to the PTC Class B quarterfinal between No. 6 Mt. Desert Island and No. 3 Winslow on Saturday, leave a little early. Kickoff has been moved to noon.

The game is still at Winslow's Poulin Field, but the start time was moved up in anticipation of nasty weather later in the afternoon.

If the game time is moved again, we'll have the informaiton here.

Here's how I voted in this week media poll:

1. Lawrence
2. Bonny Eagle
3. Bangor
4. Gorham
5. Mountain Valley
6. Lewiston
7. Thornton Academy
8. Massabesic
9. Cape Elizabeth
10. Skowhegan

The Lawrence High School football team is dropped to 54th in the nation in this week's maxpreps.com national high school football rankings.

The Bulldogs were 26th last week, but fell 28 spots to 54 after defeating Messalonskee 29-14 on Friday night.

Saturday's Pine Tree Conference game between Nokomis and Maranacook got a little testy toward the end after Nokomis coach Dave Evans felt the Black Bears were rubbing it in with the score 41-0.

Wet conditions have hurt Gardiner's offense the past two weeks, but the defense has been rock solid.

With the regular season winding down, here is my top 10 for this week:

1. Lawrence
2. Bonny Eagle
3. Gorham
4. Bangor
5. Mountain Valley
6. Lewiston
7. Thornton Academy
8. Massabesic
9. Cape Elizabeth
10. Skowhegan

The Lawrence High School football is ranked the 26th best team in the nation, according to the folks at maxpreps.com and NFLHS.com.

According to the poll found at nflhs.com, the 7-0 Bulldogs moved up 10 spots this week. Lawrence is the highest-ranked team out of New England (Ansonia, Conn. is ranked 36, Everett, Mass. is 44, and Boston College High is 74).

Only Don Bosco Prep of Ramsey, N.J. was ranked higher than Lawrence out of the Northeast. Don Bosco is ranked 12.

I won't go through all 64 possible outcomes of this weekend's games in the Pine Tree Conference Class A. We also don't know who's playing who just yet in the first round. But we do know where the games are:

Gardiner High School football coach Matt Brown believes his Tigers can still secure the top spot in the playoffs with a win at Leavitt next week.

For years, the Pine Tree Conference has been known as a power football league. Teams pound away at each other with tough ground games every week.

The PTC is still home to plenty of smash mouth football, but this season, more teams have taken to the air than in any recent season.

Not much movement this week, at least on my ballot. Thornton is in, Winslow is out, and Massabesic moves down a few spots.

1. Lawrence
2. Bonny Eagle
3. Gorham
4. Bangor
5. Mountain Valley
6. Lewiston
7. Gardiner
8. Skowhegan
9. Thornton Academy
10. Massabesic

If we learned anything from Saturday's Gardiner-Winslow football game it is how far ahead Gardiner and Winslow are ahead of the rest of the conference.

Not only is the Lawrence leading the Pine Tree Conference in scoring at 46 points per game, the Bulldogs are doing it with balance, and they're getting a number of players involved.

Friday night's 56-7 win at Mt. Ararat is a good example. In the first half, before both teams went to the second team and junior varsity players, the Bulldogs racked up 330 yards of total offense. Lawrence gained 174 yards on the ground in the first half, and added another 156 through the air.

AUGUSTA — The Cony High School football team is happy to have its first winning streak in over three years, but wasn't very happy with how it played in a 24-23 overtime win over Brewer.

The Maranacook football team travels to Wales Saturday for a key Pine Tree Conference Class B playoff game. The winner of this game between 2-3 Maranacook and 1-4 Oak Hill puts itself into playoff contention.

Here is my ballot in the weekly media poll. Be sure to check Friday's paper for the complete poll.

1. Lawrence
2. Bonny Eagle
3. Gorham
4. Bangor
5. Mountain Valley
6. Lewiston
7. Gardiner
8. Massabesic
9. Skowhegan
10. Winslow

Now that Cony's 27-game losing streak is over, the Rams hope they can start a winning streak.

The most anticipated regular season game in the Pine Tree Conference Class B will be this Saturday, when undefeated Gardiner travels to Winslow’s Poulin Field to take on the undefeated Black Raiders. Barring any other setbacks, the winner has the inside track at home field throughout the playoffs.

Gardiner lead the league in points with 237 and is first in points allowed (36). Winslow is second in both categories, scoring 211 while surrendering 50. Gardiner has scored at least 46 points in each of its four games. Winslow hasn’t been held to less than 40 since Week 2 at Belfast.

Gardiner Area High School has been tested just once this fall, but the Tigers have plenty of competition amongst themselves to keep motivated.

It''s hard to watch a Winthrop/Boothbay football game, especially in Boothbay, and not remember The Catch.

I saw my first football game in Madison on Friday night and enjoyed it thoroughly. I've seen better games than Madison's 51-20 victory over Yarmouth, but I'm not talking about the game as much as the atmosphere.

As good as Lawrence High School was last season, it may be even better this fall. At least offensively.
The Bulldogs have become a much more pass oriented team, relying on quarterback Jack Hersom more and in different situations.

Cony High School welcomes back two key players for its Week 5 matchup with Edward Little. Tailback/linebacker Joey Record and tight end Eric Morang both return after missing two weeks with shoulder injuries.

Here is what my ballot looked like this week in the Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal/Press Herald high school football top 10. Did I get it right? Am I a fool for leaving your favorite team off? Discuss.

1. Lawrence
2. Bonny Eagle
3. Gorham
4. Skowhegan
5. Mountain Valley
6. Lewiston
7. Gardiner
8. Bangor
9. Massabesic
10. Winslow

Gardiner Area High School senior Brad Carleton normally plays the role of blocking back in the Tigers' offense and it is a role he plays rather well. Carleton has dished out some extremely punishing hits leading the way for tailback Bass Chadwick and quarterback Kyle Stilphen this fall.
He also has an uncanny ability to break off long touchdown runs.

The first half of the high school football season is complete, and the race for playoff spots in the Pine Tree Conference Class A division is tight.

Lawrence, Skowhegan and Lewiston are the league's remaining undefeated teams, and Bangor, Mt. Ararat and Oxford Hills each have one loss.

Two teams to watch in the second half of the season are Messalonskee and Cony. Although each team is 0-4, they've played the toughest schedules in the conference so far. Messalonskee's first four opponents — Bangor, Lewiston, Skowhegan and Oxford Hills — are a combined 14-2. Cony's first four opponents — Mt. Ararat, Lawrence, Lewiston and Skowhegan — are 15-1.

The Lawrence High School football extended its winning streak to 15 games against a tired opponent. The Bulldogs cruised to a 48-0 win over Brunswick High School on Saturday, just five days after the Dragons beat Edward Little 36-26.
Brunswick game with Edward Little was postponed until Monday because of a bomb scare at the school.

The schedule couldn't have worked out any better for a young Winthrop High School football team.

Bass Chadwick and his brother Forrest racked up 246 rushing yards in Gardiner Area High School's 24-8 win over Waterville on Friday night.

Hard to believe, but we are entering the halfway point of the high school football season as teams prepare for Week 4. With that in mind, here are a few things to watch for this weekend.

As I did last week, I'm posting how I voted in the Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal/Press Herald media poll. I'll try and do this throughout the entire season.

1. Lawrence
2. Bonny Eagle
3. Gorham
4. Skowhegan
5. Mountain Valley
6. Lewiston
7. Gardiner
8. Bangor
9. Massabesic
10. Thornton Academy

Check out Friday's paper for the complete poll.

Fresh off a big 26-20 win over Jay High School, Winthrop (3-0) is looking to the past to avoid a let down against 0-3 Madison this weekend.

Lawrence will play at Brunswick will play on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m., rather than Friday night.

This gives the Dragons one more day to prepare for the Bulldogs. Lawrence is tied with Skowhegan for most points scored in the Pine Tree Conference, with 124 in three games.

This is not how you'd want to head into a game against the defending state champions. A bomb threat last Friday at Brunswick High School pushed the Dragons game against Edward Little to Monday night. Brunswick won, 36-26.

Now Brunswick has just three days of practice to prepare for Lawrence, a team riding a 15 game win streak.

Short weeks are nothing new in high school football. Just last year, both Waterville and Winslow played first round playoff games on a Monday after lousy weather made Saturday unplayable. The difference then was, Winslow and Waterville wins on Monday set them up to play each other the next Saturday. Both teams had short weeks of practice.

Oak Hill High School coach Bruce Nicholas joked that the Raiders last two games have taken "a few years off his life."

In each of Gardiner Area High School's first two football games, Kyle Stilphen returned a punt for a touchdown. He had a chance to extend the streak early in the first quarter of the Tigers game against Hampden Academy and nearly did so.

Filled with confidence from its 26-14 win over Hampden Academy last Saturday, the Maranacook Community School football team is convinced this year will be different. Before the 2007 season, Maranacook had won just two games since becoming a varsity team in 2003.

This is how I voted in this week's Morning Sentinel/Kennebec Journal/Press Herald media football poll:

1. Lawrence
2. Bonny Eagle
3. Bangor
4. Gorham
5. Mountain Valley
6. Lewiston
7. Gardiner
8. Massabesic
9. Skowhegan
10. Thornton Academy

Check out Friday's paper to see this week's complete poll.