Bangor-Mt. Blue highlights grid tilts> Orono, Stearns look to remain unbeaten

Several games on Friday’s crowded high school football schedule involve teams attempting to turn the corner. They’re either trying to recover from devastating losses, trying to get back above .500, or trying to prove they’re for real this season.

All three apply to the 7 p.m. Pine Tree Conference opener between Bangor and Mt. Blue at Farmington. Both teams are 1-1 and come into the game following losses.

Mt. Blue’s offense is built around senior quarterback Dustin Ireland, who passed for more than 1,000 yards last season and is the PTC’s leading passer this year.

Ireland has thrown for 315 yards, but only one touchdown and four interceptions. He’ll have to pick his targets carefully. Bangor’s Mike Pelkey and Tommy Waterman are among the PTC leaders in interceptions with two each.

The Cougars must try to generate a running attack against a Bangor defense that has limited opponents to 201 rushing yards. Mt. Blue’s ground game has generated only 153 yards in two games.

Conversely, Bangor’s running game is the best in the PTC. The Rams have rushed for 395 yards. This doesn’t bode well for the Cougars defense, which has given up 427 yards on the ground.

Mount Desert Island (1-1) at Orono (2-0), 7 p.m.

The Trojans got off to a great start with a win over Bucksport but hit a tough stretch with back-to-back games against Messalonskee last week and Orono this week.

The highest priority for the Trojans is getting on the scoreboard. The Riots haven’t given up a point this season.

The Riots haven’t been meek on offense, however. They’ve scored 75 points and lead the Little Ten Conference B division with 712 total yards. MDI is third with 564.

Waterville (2-0) at Oxford Hills (1-1), South Paris, 7 p.m.

This conference-opener is a rematch of last year’s PTC final.

The Vikings are second in the league with 443 yards rushing. Waterville is fifth with 338. With both teams so run-oriented, the team that passes better may win. On paper, the Panthers look like that team with 140 passing yards to Oxford Hills’ 35.

Defensively, Waterville has been difficult to pass on. The Panthers have allowed only 70 yards through the air, but the Vikings have allowed a league-worst 245. Against the run, the Panthers rank third and the Vikings fourth.

Rockland (1-1) at Stearns (2-0), Alumni Field, 7 p.m.

Talk about teams with opposite histories. Rockland, whose program was almost cut numerous times, snapped a 16-game losing streak last week. Stearns is unbeaten and the four-time defending East Class C champ while Rockland has finished at or near the bottom of the LTC standings four of the last five years.