A pair of significant early season match-ups highlight Week 3 of the high school football season.

Bangor hosts Mt. Blue of Farmington in a battle of two of the three remaining unbeaten teams in the PTC Class A North, while defending Class C state champion Foxcroft Academy visits Bucksport in a much-anticipated LTC clash.

Mt. Blue (2-0) at Bangor, (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Bangor gets its first big test against a Mt. Blue team with a different point of offensive emphasis from recent editions through two weeks of the 2004 campaign.

Mt. Blue, which has been the PTC’s top passing team during much of Gary Parlin’s 12-year tenure as head coach, has used the ground game to great effect in victories over Waterville (24-7) and Westbrook (27-6). The Cougars have rushed for 675 of their 703 total yards this season, with junior FB Hazen Pingree (16 carries, -289 yards, 4TD) and senior RBs David DiGravio (14-131, TD) and Jordan Stevens (28-130, 2TDs) leading the way.

“They’re really a running team right now,” said Bangor coach Mark Hackett. “They give you several looks and they want to spread you out defensively, so we’ve got to be solid against the pass but be able to stop the run.”

Bangor has averaged nearly 300 yards per game on the ground. Junior TB Nick Payson (185 yards, 6 TDs) and senior FB Ricky Dexter (125 yards, 2TDs) both had big games against Cheverus. Senior TB Aaron Gallant, who rushed for 127 yards and two TDs against Edward Little, should return to the offense this week after resting against Cheverus due to back spasms.

Senior Brian Hackett has efficiently guided the Bangor offense, completing 11 of 15 passes for 129 yards. Senior Anthony DeRosa has made six receptions for 86 yards.

Bangor has been especially stingy on defense, allowing 203 yards in two games – just 19 yards through the air.

“[Mt. Blue] is by far the best team we’ve played so far this year,” Hackett said.

Foxcroft Academy (2-0) at Bucksport (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday: All eyes within the LTC have looked toward this clash as a battle for first place potentially home-field advantage in the Eastern C playoffs.

This also marks the home opener for Bucksport after impressive road wins against Maranacook at Readfield (62-6) and last Friday night at Rockland (35-6).

Foxcroft, meanwhile, brings a 14-game winning streak into the contest, and is 25-1 since the start of the 2002 season.

Coach Paul Withee’s Ponies feature LTC player of the week Bobby Gilbert, a senior who has rushed for 458 yards and eight TDs in victories over Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield (50-0) and Orono (33-6).

Bucksport also has displayed an impressive rushing attack led by senior TB Nick Tymoczko and senior FB-WR John Harvey. Tymoczko, who like Gilbert is a sprinter during track season, has rushed for 345 yards and five TDs in wins against Maranacook at Readfield (62-6) and at Rockland (35-6). Harvey has rushed for 166 yards and four TDs.

Senior QB Joey Carmichael also gives the Golden Bucks a solid passing threat.

Bucksport and FA also boast the league’s stingiest defenses, with the Golden Bucks allowing 118 yards per game and the Ponies yielding 119.5 yards per contest.

“It’s a big game, it’s a good test for both of us,” said Bucksport coach Joel Sankey. “But it’s not the last game of the year.”

Oak Hill (1-1) at Brewer (2-0), 7 p.m. Friday: Two weeks ago, Oak Hill of Wales struggled to contain Belfast RBs Josh Aldus and Garren Horne, yielding nearly 300 yards to that duo in a 36-6 loss.

This week, the Raiders face a Brewer option attack that has rushed for 770 yards in two games while amassing nearly 900 yards in total offense.

Brewer has three backs averaging more than 10 yards per carry: Kevin McAvoy (20 carries for 275 yards, a 13.8 average), Zack Wilson (14-163, 11.6 average) and quarterback Ricky Porter (14-143, 10.2 average). Porter also has completed 6 of 7 passes for 82 yards and a TD as coach Ed Ortego’s Witches have outscored Old Town and Hampden Academy by a combined 95-0 to open the season.

Oak Hill features senior WB-LB Troy Janelle, who has averaged 9.6 yards per carry while rushing for 144 yards and ranks among the Raiders’ defensive leaders with 26 tackles.

Rockland (1-1) vs. Mattanawcook Academy (2-0), Friday, 7 p.m. Friday at Lincoln: This figures to be a battle of contrasts: Rockland’s aerial attack against Ground Lynx.

Rockland, coming off a 35-6 loss to Bucksport, has passed for nearly 400 yards in two games behind freshman quarterback Andrew Weiss. Mattanawcook, meanwhile, has rushed for 817 yards in victories over Dexter and MCI.

While Rockland, a Class B-size school in terms of enrollment, isn’t eligible for the LTC Class C playoffs, this game could represent a major step in Mattanawcook’s bid to return to postseason play.