MILLINOCKET – The Stearns Minutemen won a three-overtime thriller over Maine Central Institute Friday night to win their third straight game since coming out of the gate at 0-3.

Ryan Sweeney scored the final touchdown of the game for the Minutemen on a 6-yard run for a 18-12 lead in the third overtime. The touchdown was his second of the game. A completion to Kevin McLaughlin from Derek DiFrederico on a fake extra point kick extended the Minutemen’s lead to 20-12.

On MCI’s final possession of the game the Huskies seemed to have been backed into a corner when Ryan Bennett completed a pass to Jacob Lasselle on fourth-and-15 to go to bring MCI within two. The rush for the two-point conversion for the tie was stopped at the line to secure the victory for Stearns.

Sweeney finished the game leading all rushers with 97 yards on 25 carries for the Minutemen.

Josh Moore blocked a MCI punt in the third quarter to set up the first Stearns touchdown of the game. The ball was recovered at the MCI 5-yard line.

McLaughlin and Matt Leino each had an interception for Stearns. Tyson Quint had an interception for MCI. Brian Wintle and Kevin Williams each had a sack for the Huskies.

MCI (2-4) 6 0 0 0 0 6 6 – 18

Stearns (3-3) 0 0 6 0 0 6 8 – 20

MCI- Bennett 17 to Lasselle (rush failed)

S-DiFrederico 3 run (kick failed)

S- Sweeney 3 run (kick blocked)

MCI- Bennett 4 run (rush failed)

S-Sweeney 6 run (McLaughlin pass from Difrederico)

MCI- Lasselle 15 pass from Bennett (rush failed)

Hampden 36, Old Town 6

At Hampden, Brian Groshon returned from a strained knee ligament to rush for four touchdowns and lead the Broncos to their first win of the season.

The former 1,000-yard rusher and All-Conference running back carried the ball 20 times for 127 yards. It was his first full game since he hurt the knee in week one against Foxcroft Academy.

“It was a tremendous lift spiritually to have [two captains back from injury],” said Hampden head coach Mike Corneil. “Luckily this is one of those sports where one or two people can make a big difference for the team.”

Senior captain and starting offensive lineman Ben Jewell returned for the Broncos Friday night with Groshon. He had missed the first five games of the season after having a pin surgically implanted to fix a broken thumb. Jewell saw limited time on the field after receiving clearance to play the day of the game.

Joe Bryant gained 98 yards on 17 carries for the Broncos and added a one-yard touchdown. The 263-pound former defensive tackle was converted to a running back in week five to try to fill the void left by Groshon’s absence.

Groshon led the Hampden defense with 10 tackles. Chris Kimball led the 1-5 Indian defense with three tackles for a loss.

“They just whooped us. They’re backs ran hard and their line blocked,” said Old Town head coach Ian Braun. “If you look at the other five teams they played, four of those teams are now 4-1.”

Old Town (1-5) 0 6 0 0- 6

Hampden (1-5) 6 16 14 0-36

HA – Groshon 2 run (rush failed)

HA – Groshon 10 run (Dionne pass from Thomas)

HA – Groshon 3 run (King pass from Thomas)

HA -Groshon 3 run (Thomas rush)

OT – Sokolowski 41 pass from Stormann (rush failed)

HA – Bryant 1 run (rush failed)

Brewer 55, MDI 0

At Mount Desert, the Witches amassed 456 rushing yards behind Seth Emerson’s 159-yard, 10-carry, two-touchdown performance en route to the shutout.

Quarterback Sean Collins contributed 66 rushing yards and converted three of seven passes for a another 44 yards. Inside linebackers Ryan Hahl and Chris Cote recorded six and five tackles, respectively. Cote also scored three touchdowns.

Brewer (5-1) 7 21 20 7-55

MDI (1-5) 0 0 0 0- 0

B – Caldwell 3 rush (Sutherland kick)

B – Cote 16 rush (Sutherland kick)

B – Emerson 22 rush (Sutherland kick)

B – Cote 15 pass from Collins (Sutherland kick)

B – Caldwell 13 rush (kick failed)

B – Emerson 65 rush (Sutherland kick)

B – Cote 32 rush (Sutherland kick)

B – Rancourt 35 rush (Sutherland kick)

Mattanawcook 30, Orono 6

At Lincoln, the Lynx broke loose for 21 fourth-quarter points to pull away from the pesky Red Riots.

Mattanawcook clung to a 9-6 edge before Tyler Gardner (25 carries, 109 yards) scored on a 9-yard run to give the Lynx a lift, then Mike Woodward recovered a fumble in the end zone.

Corey Tash (10 carries, 78 yards) capped the quarter with a 30-yard scoring scamper. Gardner had a 1-yard TD run in the first quarter, while Tyler Libby registered a safety by tackling an Orono player in the end zone.

Quarterback Dustin Hanscom completed seven of 17 passes for 69 yards, including five to Jon Carney good for 55 yards.

Ryan Levesque scored on a 1-yard run for Orono.

Orono (2-4) 0 6 0 0 – 6

Mattanawcook (4-2) 9 0 0 21-30

MA – Gardner 1 run (Malone kick)

MA – Safety, Tyler Libby tackled Orono player in end zone

O – Levesque 1 run (rush failed)

MA – Gardner 9 run (kick failed)

MA – Woodard fumble recovery in end zone (Carney rush)

MA – Tash 30 run (Malone kick)