All the state’s high school football teams began preseason practices this week with the same destination in mind: Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on Saturday, Nov. 22.

For the second straight year, the three state championship football games will be played on the artificial turf of Fitzpatrick Stadium.

This year’s schedule is by design, based on a vote last week by the Maine Principals’ Association football committee.

A year ago, the MPA decided on short notice to play all three title games at Fitzpatrick on Nov. 23 after a snowstorm blanketed much of the state the previous weekend, leaving the original sites for the Class B (Cony High School in Augusta) and Class C (Winslow High School) finals unplayable. The 2002 Class A championship game already had been scheduled to be held in Portland.

“Everyone was very happy with how it turned out,” said MPA assistant executive director Larry LaBrie. “There were a lot of people, including myself, who were hesitant to do it, but we were kind of forced into it last year.”

This year’s “Super Saturday” schedule has been tightened slightly in an effort to guard against cold evening temperatures. Game times this year will be 11 a.m., 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m., rather than the 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. starts a year ago.

The order of games for Super Saturday won’t be determined until Monday, Nov. 17, two days after the regional champions are determined. LaBrie said the class with participating teams located closest to Portland will play the 11 a.m. game, followed at 2:30 p.m. by the class with teams traveling the farthest. The remaining state championship game will begin at 6 p.m.

The same formula was used to determine the 2002 Super Saturday schedule, when Portland defeated Edward Little of Auburn 41-6 in the first game of the day for the Class A title, followed by Boothbay edging Foxcroft Academy 25-20 for the Class C championship and Scarborough outlasting Belfast 14-12 for the Class B crown.

“The six coaches involved were very responsive to having the games played there last year,” LaBrie said.

LaBrie said some conversations were held with officials at other possible venues, including the University of Maine in Orono and Husson College in Bangor, but logistically Fitzpatrick Stadium offered the best option for the 2003 season.

LaBrie said site selection for the state championship football games is done on a year-by-year basis.

A hoop finals a day-night affair

Speaking of state championship games, the state Class A basketball finals, played for the first time in separate afternoon and evening sessions last March, will have the same schedule next season.

The girls’ championship game will be played in the afternoon at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, and the boys’ game will follow in the evening.

The split sessions are part of a two-year experiment that began with the 2003 finals, LaBrie said.

Attendance figures released after the 2003 Class A finals at the Bangor Auditorium revealed paid attendance of about 3,000 for the girls’ game and 3,700 for the boys’ game. The Bangor Auditorium has a capacity for basketball of approximately 5,500.

The MPA will take up the split-session concept again at its spring meeting next April. If the concept is renewed, LaBrie said the split sessions likely would be done on a two-year rotation so the girls’ game wouldn’t always be in the afternoon each yeaer when the finals are held in Bangor, and the boys’ game wouldn’t always be in the afternoon on years the finals are played in Portland.

In that case, when the “A” finals return to Bangor in 2005, the boys’ game would be played in the afternoon and the girls’ game will follow in the evening.

Ernie Clark may be reached at 990-8045, 1-800-310-8600 or eclark@bangordailynews.net