Brewer hosts Old Town in a battle of opposites

Not many headliners dot the schedule as the Maine high school football season heads into its seventh week, but several teams are looking to either continue streaks and/or build up more momentum as they face big tests just before playoffs start.

Old Town (0-6) at Brewer (6-0), Doyle Field, 7 p.m. Friday: This is a matchup of two teams going in opposite directions as the Witches are trying to go 7-0 for the first time in 32 years while Old Town is trying to avoid a winless season.

Halfback Josh Caldwell leads Brewer’s offense with 54 points on nine touchdowns plus 564 yards on 89 carries. Seth Emerson has 431 yards and two TDs on 58 carries. Brewer is the third-leading rushing team in the LTC with 1,453 yards and is also third in defense, allowing 189.5 yards per game.

The Indians are averaging only 139 yards per game and are giving up 338.8 yards per game.

Bangor (4-2) at Waterville (3-3), Drummond Field, 1 p.m., Saturday: The Pine Tree Conference’s top two passers will be on the same field as Waterville’s Ryan Lockard tries to stop a recent slide by the Purple Panthers and Zak Ray tries to lead Bangor to a fifth straight victory.

Lockard has completed 42 of 82 passes for 784 yards and six TD’s while only getting intercepted twice. Ray has connected on 36 of 72 for 544 yards and six TD’s, but has thrown five picks.

Waterville has two of the top four receivers in the league with senior back Nate Hart (11 catches, 239 yards) and sophomore tight end Brian Tormollan (12, 225) while Bangor has three of the top 11 in P.J. Dowe (eight, 186), Wes Day (10, 180), and Mike Prentiss (16, 160).

Waterville’s Matt Hilton is the fifth-leading PTC rusher with 490 yards on 109 carries, while Bangor’s Ryan Largay is ninth with 453 yards on 125 carries.

Bucksport (4-2) at Mattanawcook Academy (4-2), Alumni Field, Lincoln, 7 p.m., Friday: The premier game on the LTC schedule this week has plenty of playoff implications as both teams are fighting for second place after losing to unbeaten Foxcroft Academy.

Chris Woodman (51, 328), Gunner Siverly (67, 304), and Phil Harvey (48, 296) lead the rushing attack for the Golden Bucks while Dow Cain directs the passing game with 519 yards and seven TDs. John Harvey is Cain’s favorite target with 11 catches for 243 yards.

The Lynx of Lincoln arguably have the most balanced offense in the LTC with leage-leading quarterback Dustin Hanscom (57-for-122, 970 yards, 10 TDs), leading receiver Jon Carney (27, 516, eight TDs), Brad Greenlaw (eight, 267) and third-leading rusher Tyler Gardner (82, 535, six).

Maine Central Institute (2-4) at Foxcroft Academy (6-0), Oakes Field, 7 p.m., Friday: The Huskies face a must-win game to salvage their dwindling playoff hopes while the Ponies are looking every bit as good as their preseason publicity.

The Ponies spread the ball around between Josh Sands (50, 252, six), Danny White (46, 386, five), and Lincoln Robinson (53, 206, four) when they’re running, and Josh Withee (450 yards, five TDs), Matt Earnest (four, 114) and Brandon Hall (five, 103) when they’re passing.

The Ponies are averaging 292.7 yards in offense a game while leading the PTC in defense with 140.1 per game. The Huskies are getting 223.5 per game while yielding 250.1.

Orono (3-3) at Dexter (2-4), 1 p.m., Saturday: The Red Riots are primed to make a playoff run as they are only 15 points away from fourth-place Stearns of Millinocket in the Crabtree point standings. Dexter is only nine points behind the Red Riots, so this game could turn out to be a winner-take-all proposition.

Tigers tailback Adam Russell is the No. 2 rusher in the LTC with 939 yards on 115 carries and No. 5 in scoring with eight TDs and 48 points.

Orono prefers to attack through the air as senior transfer student Jason Coleman is the LTC’s second-ranked quarterback with 788 yards and seven TDs on 53-for-97 passing.