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WATERVILLE – Their defensive scoreless streak is no more, but the Rams’ win streak goes on.
In a physical, grind-it-out clash with Pine Tree Conference rival Waterville, the Rams prevailed with a 20-6 victory on a crisp, cool Saturday at Drummond Field to improve their record to 3-0.
But for the first time this season, an opponent managed to put something on the scoreboard against the Rams’ defense. Waterville broke Bangor’s 11-quarter scoreless streak with a 58-yard halfback option touchdown pass over the middle from Jake Johansmeier to wingback Cody Deguzman with 6:59 left in the game.
Bangor’s shutout streak wasn’t the only thing broken Saturday as Waterville starting quarterback-safety Chris Hart left the game with a broken collarbone just before halftime. Hart suffered the injury on a tackle after catching another halfback option pass from backup QB Ryan Lockard with 10 seconds to play in the first half.
“This was smash-mouth football, no doubt about it,” said Rams’ starting guard-linebacker Pat Knaide, whose blood-streaked face showed just how tough the going was. “There was some big-time hitting going on out there.”
The physical play seemed to suit senior substitute tailback Joe Cammack just fine. The burly back earned his first start after coaches decided to hold out Justin Libbey, who strained his left hamstring in Thursday’s practice.
Cammack made the most of his chance for a starring role and then some as he rumbled, bulled, and bashed his way to 164 yards and three touchdowns with a whopping 41 carries.
“The line played great in front of me and we just tried to drive it down their throats,” said Cammack. “Yeah, it was physical, but that’s the way we like it.”
The blockers – Knaide, center Ryan Curran, tackles Steve Case and Ben Guerette, right guard Jared Hockman, and tight end Eric Bell) paved the way as Bangor rushed 51 times for 212 yards.
“The credit goes to their offensive line. Whether it’s Cammack, Libbey or anybody running; against a line excecuting that well, you’re gonna have problems,” said Panthers coach Frank Knight.
The 0-2 Panthers got off to a solid start by outgaining Bangor in rushing yardage 57-17 in the first half, but the Rams’ defense stiffened as soon as Waterville approached midfield and forced them to punt each time.
Bangor broke the shutout in the second quarter with a 15-play drive covering 80 yards and ending with Cammack’s three-yard touchdown run off right tackle with 3:03 left in the half.
Waterville tried to answer, driving from its own 47-yard line to the Rams’ 16, but Matt Filteau’s 33-yard field goal attempt fell well short of the uprights with 10 seconds left.
Bangor came storming out of halftime by engineering a 13-play, 70-yard scoring drive capped by Cammack’s four-yard TD run through the right side 4:46 into the half. The touchdown run was Cammack’s seventh carry in the drive.
After the drive, both teams came down with a case jittery hands. The Panthers fumbled twice on the next drive before punting and then got the ball back after Deguzman stripped the ball from Cammack after a three-yard gain and Lockard recovered it at the W-42.
With 10:45 left in the game, the Panthers recovered another Rams fumble, this time at the W-43, but then gave it back to Bangor as Knaide recovered a fumble on a Panthers reverse. Six plays later, Johansmeier intercepted Rams quarterback Joe Vanidestine’s pass at the W-6, but Waterville again gave it right back. Bangor’s Curran recovered the Panthers’ fumble on the W-5 to set up Cammack’s 1-yard TD plunge three plays later with 7:15 left.
After Johansmeier’s halfback option TD pass made it 20-6 Rams, Bangor fumbled two more times, recovering one. The second proved harmless as the Rams stopped Waterville on 4th-and-12 at the W-49 and then ran the last 14 seconds off the clock for the win.
“We played 42 minutes of excellent football and then got a little sloppy there at the end, but it’s a great win for us just the same,” said Bangor coach Gabby Price.
Rams 20, Purple Panthers 6
Bangor (3-0) 0 7 7 6 – 20
Waterville (0-2) 0 0 0 6 – 6
B – Cammack 3 run (Bouchard kick)
B – Cammack 4 run (Bouchard kick)
B – Cammack 1 run (pass failed)
W – Deguzman 58 pass from Johansmeier (kick failed)
Bangor Waterville
First downs 16 13 Rushing att. – yds 51-212 33-130 Passing cmp. – att. 4-6 3-5 Yards passing 43 101 Total yards 255 231 Intercepted by 0 1 Punts – avg. 2-31.0 4-25.8 Fumbles – lost 4-3 4-2 Penalties – yds 5-40 6-30
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING – Bangor: Cammack 41-164, Bouchard 4-28, Schmersal 4-23, Vanidestine 2-(-3); Waterville: Johansmeier 13-45, Owens 7-40, Lockard 6-28, Hart 4-16, Boutin 3-1
PASSING – Bangor: Vanidestine 4-6-1-43; Waterville: Lockard 2-4-0-43, Johansmeier 1-1-0-58
RECEIVING – Bangor: Bouchard 1-16, Shain 1-14, Quirk 1-7, Bell 1-6; Waterville: Deguzman 1-58, Hart 1-26, Owens 1-17
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