This was a game for the traditionalists. No flea flickers, no double reverses, no fake punts. Just straight ahead, trench warfare, smash-mouth football.

In a throwback to the days of up-the-gut duels between opposing running backs, the John Bapst Crusaders edged the Maine Central Institute Huskies of Pittsfield 12-6 in overtime at Cameron Stadium in Bangor Saturday night.

The victory clinched the No. 2 spot and a first-round bye next week in the LTC playoffs for the Crusaders (6-2).

MCI, which falls to 5-3, will enter the playoffs as the No. 3 seed and will host No. 6 Mount Desert Island Saturday.

John Bapst senior quarterback John Cornett scored on a one-yard plunge on third down in the first offensive series for Bapst in overtime to provide the winning margin.

The Crusaders won the coin toss in overtime, but elected to go on defense for the first series.

“I really felt when we won the toss in overtime and we went on defense, (the game) was ours,” said John Bapst head coach Don Cornett. “You could tell the confidence on our sideline… those kids believed in it.”

Cornett’s strategy worked as Bapst stuffed three straight runs by MCI and forced them to kick for a field goal on fourth-and-seven. The 17-yard field goal attempt hit the bottom of the crossbar and bounced off.

Cornett’s performance (13 carries for 88 yards, 3-for-5 passing for 52 yards) highlighted an offensive attack for the Crusaders keyed by John Bapst’s depth at running back.

“It’s their team, it’s not just Cornett. They’re really tough,” said MCI halfback Chuck Norris, who finished with 115 yards on 19 carries and a touchdown.

It was the first-half performances by junior fullback Tate Weatherford (15 carries, 38 yards, 1 TD) and junior back Josh Stark (14 carries, 50 yards) that allowed Cornett, who sprained his right ankle Friday, to primarily hand off and stay rested for the second half.

The first score of the game didn’t come until late in the third quarter. With 4:37 left in the third, MCI’s Chuck Norris broke three tackles going through the left side of the line and cut a sharp right to elude two potential tackles and rumble 31 yards into the end zone.

The Huskies tried for the two-point conversion, but Aaron Cianchette was caught and hauled down two feet short of the endzone.

The Crusaders wasted no time coming back.

Exactly five minutes, four second later, Weatherford scored the Crusaders’ first touchdown early in the final quarter on a two-yard run to the right side to tie the game and cap a 15-play, 62-yard drive that ate five minutes off the game clock.

With the game deadlocked at 6-6, John Bapst elected to kick for the extra point. After the ball was hiked, Norris swept in from his defensive back’s position through the line of scrimmage and swatted down the kick by Bapst’s Jason Goodwin to preserve the tie.

Both teams continued to enjoy limited success running the football through the rest of the quarter, but the defenses held firm and didn’t allow any marches deep into their territory.

Spearheading the defense for the Crusaders was Cornett with 13 tackles from his safety’s spot and defensive guards Kevin Malipors with 12 tackles and fumble recovery.

Tate Weatherford and Josh Stark each had eight tackles and a sack. End Nate Hall tallied 11 tackles.

For the Huskies, Adam Francis and Aaron Cianchette each intercepted a pass.

Crusaders 12, Huskies 6 (OT)

John Bapst 0 0 6 0 6 -12

MCI 0 0 6 0 0 -6

MCI – Norris 31 run (rush failed)

JB – Weatherford 2 run (kick blocked)

JB – Cornett 1 run (PAT not attempted)

John Bapst MCI First downs 13 9 Rushing: att. – yards 42-176 32-148 Passing: att. – comp. 5-3 3-2 Yards passing 52 20 Total yards 228 168 Intercepted by 0 2 Punts – average 3-36.3 6-34.3 Fumbles – lost 4-2 3-1 Penalties – yards 4-30 6-55

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING – John Bapst: Cornett 13-88, Weatherford 15-38, Stark 14-50; MCI: Norris 19-115, Cianchette 8-25

PASSING – John Bapst: Cornett 3-5-2-52; MCI: Ferguson 2-3-0-20

RECEIVING – John Bapst: Baxter 2-31, Rassi 1-21; MCI: Hughes 2-20