DOVER-FOXCROFT – Saturday night’s preseason football clash of reigning state champions between Belfast and Foxcroft Academy was less about winning and more about building toward the games that really count – beginning next weekend.

The Oakes Field scoreboard said Foxcroft won 22-18, though Belfast held an 18-14 edge while both teams used its starters while the Ponies won the battle of the backups 8-0.

But the real result was obvious: both Class B Belfast and Class C Foxcroft will be key players in the Eastern Maine football world again this fall.

“We were very pleased,” said Belfast co-coach Butch Arthers. “We were kind of disappointed after Monday’s scrimmage with Rockland, but our line improved 100 percent and our quarterback play was very, very good compared to Monday, so we were really pleased.”

Belfast senior Josh Aldus, a 1,000-yard rusher last fall, rushed 10 times for 158 yards and a touchdown, while junior quarterback Andy Whalen completed 3 of 4 passes for 26 yards and rushed for 29 yards.

Defensively, Belfast got some big hits from junior defensive end Hugh Morse, but Foxcroft was able to rush for 181 yards.

“Defensively we weren’t able to do the things that we wanted to do,” Arthers said. “We really wanted to mix our defenses up, but assignment-wise we didn’t get that done. We did find one defense that our kids executed pretty well, but we’re not going to be able to stay in it for nine games, so we’ve got to work on that.”

Freshman Jared Rideout rushed for 67 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries for Foxcroft, while seniors Bobby Gilbert (6-45, TD) and Andrew Pomeroy (11-32) also had productive evenings.

“This game gave us an opportunity to see whether or not we’re ready to play in another week,” said Foxcroft coach Paul Withee. “I think that we are. I think that we still have a lot of work to do, but I’m pleased overall with where we’re at.”

Foxcroft, in particular, has had to cope with injuries as it prepares for its season opener here Friday night against Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield. Wideout Matt Carey (fracured tibia) already is out for the season, while starting quarterback Shayne Croan also sat out the exhibition due to injury. In addition, tailback-linebacker Bobby Gilbert is awaiting the arrival of a shoulder harness that will alleviate an injury he aggravated late in the first quarter.

“When we take Bobby Gilbert out of the middle of our defense, we’re not a very good defensive team right now,” said Withee, whose club yielded 225 rushing yards. “But with him in the middle, with his presence and the way he flies to the football, it allows us to do a lot of different things.”

Gilbert didn’t play on defense against Belfast, but he returned the opening kickoff 50 yards to set up his own 11-yard TD run less than four minutes into the contest.

Belfast countered with a 66-yard drive. Whalen passed to Garren Horne for 16 yards, then rolled left for a 19-yard gain that coupled with a Foxcroft penalty advanced the ball inside the 10-yard line. One play later, Whalen found Morse over the middle for a 5-yard TD pass to pull the Lions within 7-6.

A fumble recovery by Josh Gallant set up a 70-yard Belfast drive. Aldus first broke off a 52-yard run, and later scored from 11 yards out to give Belfast a 12-7 lead.

Aldus ripped off 56 yards on the first play of the second half to set up a 4-yard TD run by Whalen that stretched the advantage to 18-7.

But Foxcroft recovered a fumbled Belfast punt return, and junior Justin Freeman scored on a 5-yard run to cut the gap to 18-14 with 2:13 left in the third quarter.

At that point, the coaches agreed to let the reserves battle it out for the rest of the game, and Rideout scored from 3 yards out with 1:59 to play.