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DOVER-FOXCROFT – It was simply a matter of time for the Foxcroft Academy Ponies.
The Foxcroft Academy offense controlled the football for 33 of the game’s 48 minutes, mounting four lengthy scoring drives while grinding out a 27-17 LTC victory over archrival Dexter at Oakes Field here Saturday.
Coach Paul Withee’s 6-2 Ponies unofficially locked up the No. 3 spot in the LTC Class B standings. FA will play host to No. 6 Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln in Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Despite the setback, the 6-2 Tigers of Coach Dan Champagne should retain the top spot in LTC Class C, thus earning a first-round bye this week.
The Ponies were almost unstoppable, amassing 259 yards rushing behind its undersized offensive line. Mike Smith, Jamie Baird, Jared Young, John Rand, Bryan Grant, and Tom Cole were the guys up front who opened the holes for FA’s backfield trio.
Junior halfback Mike Hardy picked up 107 yards on 15 carries, while senior fullback Dennis Chase had 85 yards on 22 tries and senior quarterback John Sharrow 63 yards on 14 attempts.
“That’s Pony pride, sir,” said Baird, a senior tackle. “We planned on both our offense and defense being there for us. Our offense has always clicked for us and it’s never going to stop.”
The Ponies marched methodically down the field against the Tigers four times and scored on each one. Three times, FA moved slowly along, only to break a big play for a touchdown.
“Our kids were getting tired, but I really didn’t feel they could stop us defensively,” Withee said. “I think we had too many weapons to go to and we could throw the ball any time we wanted to.”
Foxcroft had the football almost 69 percent of the time and made it count. The most impressive of their drives came at the outset of the second half.
With Chase and Hardy carrying most of the running load, the Ponies embarked on a 9-minute, 31-second scoring march that included 18 plays from scrimmage and covered 70 yards. Foxcroft converted on two third-down situations and two fourth-down plays to keep the drive alive.
Sharrow had a key, 17-yard option run midway through the drive, which was capped by Hardy’s one-yard run at the 2:29 mark. FA led 19-3.
Dexter showed its resiliency and fought back. The Tigers displayed their ability to strike quickly, scoring two unanswered touchdowns in a span of less than seven minutes to cut the deficit to 19-17 with 7:25 to play.
Craig Wintle broke a 52-yard scoring run with 1:55 left in the third to make it 19-9. Then, after FA punted for the only time, sophomore quarterback Aaron Titus replaced the injured Brian Smith (ankle) and engineered a 10-play, 82-yard TD drive.
Wintle had a clutch, 24-yard run and capped the march with an eight-yard scoring run. He also added the conversion rush.
“I was real impressed the way they were able to bounce back and score on us and not quit at all,” Withee said. “They moved the ball when they did have it.”
However, the Ponies put it away on their next possession. Sharrow found Smith, who slipped behind the Dexter secondary and scored on a 65-yard pop pass over the middle. Sharrow’s rush put FA up by 10.
Foxcroft had taken a 7-0 lead in the first with a 12-play, 80-yard drive. Sharrow ranleft on the option, then cut back to the opposite sideline and ran 44 yards for a touchdown with 2:26 left.
Brian Smith, who had missed a 41-yard field goal early in the game, made it 7-3 with a 35-yarder with 7:56 left in the half.
The Ponies charged right back, going 70 yards on 13 plays to score. This time, Sharrow threw a 26-yard TD pass over the middle to Chad Burgoyne.
Smith keyed the FA defense with 9 tackles, while Chase and Hardy made 5 each. John Watson had 10 hits for Dexter, Smith and David Spaulding 9 each.
Ponies 27, Tigers 17
Foxcroft Acad. 7 6 6 8 -27
Dexter 0 3 6 8 -17
FA – Sharrow 44 run (Smith kick)
DEX – B. Smith 35 field goal
FA – Burgoyne 26 pass from Sharrow (kick blocked)
FA – Hardy 1 run (pass failed)
DEX – Wintle 52 run (rush failed)
DEX – Wintle 8 run (Wintle rush)
FA – M. Smith 65 pass from Sharrow (Sharrow rush)
Foxcroft Dexter First downs 19 12 Rushing: att. – yards 52-259 30-242 Passing: att. – comp. 7-4 8-3 Yards passing 105 58 Total yards 364 300 Intercepted by 1 0 Punts – average 1-32.0 1-35.0 Fumbles – lost 3-1 0-0 Penalties – yards 5-35 5-40
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Foxcroft: Hardy 15-107, Chase 22-85, Sharrow 14-63, Burgoyne 1-4; Dexter: Reardon 16-122, Wintle 8-102, B. Smith 4-10, Titus 1-8, Cobb 1-0
PASSING – Foxcroft: Sharrow 4-7-0-105; Dexter: B. Smith 3-7-1-58, Titus 0-1-0-0
RECEIVING – Foxcroft: M. Smith 3-79, Burgoyne 1-26; Dexter: Giracca 3-58
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