Bangor solid in exhibition victory over Lewiston

BANGOR – If preseason football games are about discovery and resolution, Bangor batted .500 in its 28-6 victory over Lewiston at Cameron Stadium on Friday night.

And both results were good news for the Rams.

The discovery was a breakout performance by converted split end Mike Prentiss, who rushed for 95 yards and one touchdown and added 138 yards on three kick returns, including a 77-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.

“I love it,” said Prentiss, one of Bangor’s co-captains. “Since the beginning of the preseason I’ve been waiting for this time. When I get the ball, I just wait for the line to block, and then I hit the hole.”

What wasn’t resolved was Bangor’s search for a season-long starting quarterback, but that’s because senior Shaun Sullivan, being pressed for the job by first-time varsity player Jordan Heath, delivered a solid performance while getting nearly all the snaps.

Sullivan completed 4-of-8 passes for 43 yards and a touchdown, and led the Rams through a turnover-free evening.

“Quarterback is a tough position,” said Bangor coach Mark Hackett. “Shaun Sullivan is a little guy with a lot of spunk. He threw the ball well, and is charismatic enough to take charge of the team.

“Right now it’s his team. We keep telling him as soon as Jordan’s ready … but right now Jordan’s happy just playing in the secondary. If Jordan takes the quarterback job away it’ll be Jordan’s, but right now Shaun’s got him.”

This was not a Bangor performance without faults, as evidenced by nine penalties. But after struggling during its scrimmage against Gardiner a week ago, it was a considerable step forward.

“This was a huge improvement,” said senior co-captain P.J. Dowe, a two-way end. “The line came to play today, and it’s the offensive and defensive line that are going to win it for us.”

That line, featuring tackles Danny Day and Trevor Lagrange and center-nose tackle Eric Anderson, opened holes for Prentiss and stuffed Lewiston’s option game in the second half.

And when the Rams needed a big play, the special teams delivered, particularly Prentiss.

“The special teams made me pretty happy,” Hackett said. “The kickoffs, the extra points, all those guys are new, and we covered well and we returned very well. We’ve got good athletes, and Prentiss makes us look real good back there.”

A 25-yard punt return by Tyler Heber set up Bangor’s first score, a 25-yard pass from Sullivan to Dowe on fourth-and-5 with 4:17 left in the first quarter. Heath’s extra-point kick gave the Rams a 7-0 lead.

Lewiston crept within 7-6 with an 11-play, 53-yard drive. Sophomore quarterback Chris Ford and senior tailback James Spaulding combined for 50 rushing yards on the drive, with Spaulding scoring from the 1 with 5:28 left until intermission.

That momentum lasted 13 seconds, or as long as it took Prentiss to take the ensuing kickoff at the Bangor 23, run straight up the middle and fake out the last two would-be tacklers at the Lewiston 40 for an instant touchdown that extended the Bangor lead to 14-6.

Prentiss the kick returner became Prentiss the ballcarrier in the second half, rushing for 70 yards and adding a 1-yard TD run with 4:24 left in the third quarter. The score was set up when the Rams’ Kevin Flynn recovered a fumble by Ford. Prentiss then carried the ball on all six plays of the 31-yard drive.

“Mike Prentiss is starting to become a tailback,” said Hackett. “When he’s knocking down guys at the end of runs he looks more like a tailback than a split end. Last week he looked like a split end playing tailback.”

Heber scored Bangor’s final touchdown on a 19-yard run with 1:46 to play.

Lewiston 0 6 0 0 – 6

Bangor 7 7 0 14- 28

B-Dowe 25 pass from Sutherland (Heath kick)

L-Spaulding 1 run (rush failed)

B-Prentiss 77 kickoff return (Heath kick)

B-Prentiss 1 run (Heath kick)

B-Heber 19 run (Vanidestine kick)