Schoolboy football championships to be decided today > Titles on the line in Classes A, B, C

The players and coaches of Maine’s 55 schoolboy football teams were all dreaming about it when preseason workouts began back on Aug. 19.

Now, almost 14 weeks later, only six teams will have the distinct privilege of playing for it – a state championship. The gold footballs representing supremacy in Maine high school football will be up for grabs during Saturday’s action at three sites.

Undefeated Gardiner and defending champion Biddeford will clash for the Class A title at Whittier Field on the Bowdoin College campus in Brunswick. In Class B, Old Town and Kennebunk will square off at Poulin Memorial field in Winslow.

The Class C title game at Hoch Field in Gardiner will send Stearns of Millinocket against Jay. All three games begin at 1 p.m.

At Winslow, Coach Jim Walsh’s 10-1 Indians and the 10-0 Rams of Joe Rafferty will both go after their first Maine Secondary School Principals’ Association state football title.

Defense has been the key for both teams. The Campbell Conference champion Rams, led by Jeff Seguin, Rob Palmer and Jamie Cook, allowed five TDs all season (3.6 points per game) and have posted five shutouts. The LTC titlist Indians, paced by Dan Baker, Mike Hines and Tony Ianozi, have given up 11.4 ppg and boast three shutouts.

Offensively, it will be Kennebunk’s option attack (251.8 yards per game) against Old Town’s run-oriented game (295 ypg). Todd Sturman, Derek Huff and Thanh Nguyen key the Rams, while the Indians look to Chris Ware, Chris Richards and Blaine Demont. Both quarterbacks can throw.

At Gardiner, the LTC champion Minutemen (8-3) take on the 7-3 Tigers. Stearns won the “B” title in 1987, while Jay shared the “C” crown in 1979.

Stearns, under Dave Evans, has let its stingy defense do most of the talking. The Minutemen, led by Steve Brown, Andy Hanscom and Jason Morrow, have allowed 7.6 ppg and had five shutouts.

Jay, coached by Mike Henry, has given up 10.7 ppg, while scoring an average of 23 points per contest. Stearns is hoping to give the Tigers plenty to think about with their multiple looks, with Kevin LeGassey, Lateef O’Connor and Drew O’Connor among the main weapons.

Jay also features a balanced and quick-striking attack, with Scott Hill, Todd Dumeny and Victor Mortero among the mainstays at the “skill” positions.

At Brunswick, 11-0 Gardiner could become the first Pine Tree Conference team to win the Class A championship since the 1987 reclassification. But, 9-3 Biddeford will be a stiff test.

Gardiner’s ball-control offense has pounded away at opponents with bruising HB Chris Whalen, but Mark Ladner is a threat to run and has shown a propensity for completing passes in key situations. Biddeford is also versatile, with Chris Cote directing a unit that features soph backs Keith Grenier and Grady Beaulieu.

Gardiner, under Rob Munzing, led the PTC in rushing defense and passing defense, giving up only 8 ppg. Mike Landry’s Biddeford team allowed 10.9 ppg.