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BANGOR – Bangor High played its traditional smashmouth brand of football Friday night – on defense.
But offense? That was another story, a display of sudden impact that made the difference as the Rams outlasted Skowhegan 28-22 in the Eastern Maine Class A championship game at Cameron Stadium.
Senior quarterback Brian Hackett completed just two passes, but one went for 72 yards to Aaron Gallant for a touchdown, the other for an 88-yard TD to Anthony DeRosa.
And when Skowhegan took a 22-21 lead on a 9-yard run by Aaron Chambers with 5:24 to play, Bangor mustered one more big play, a 62-yard run by Nick Payson that set up his game-winning 1-yard run with 2:54 left.
“We thought we were going have to [get big plays],” said Bangor coach Mark Hackett. “We thought it was going to be a four-score game. You like to say three usually, but we didn’t think we could beat this team without scoring four times.”
Gallant’s versatility also proved crucial, as the senior scored one TD receiving, one TD rushing while Payson was nursing an injured ankle, delivered a key block on Payson’s long run and teamed with younger brother Alex Gallant to make some key tackles in the Bangor secondary.
“Aaron’s got a huge heart,” said Hackett. “I think he’s [an A] student, and his heart’s more than that. We can put him in any position, and he doesn’t care. He just plays.”
The win avenges Bangor’s only loss – a 44-8 Week 4 defeat at Skowhegan. The Rams (10-1) will face the winner of Saturday’s Western A clash between Bonny Eagle (10-0) of West Buxton and Portland (7-3) in the state final Nov. 20 at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.
Skowhegan finishes 5-6.
“I think both teams made a lot of big plays,” said Skowhegan coach Mike Marston. “I think we probably controlled the ball a little better, but they came up with big plays.”
Bangor needed all the big plays it could muster because Skowhegan dominated possession of the football.
Chambers, who rushed for 202 yards in the regular-season meeting, gained 211 yards in the rematch, but required 42 carries as Bangor’s defense limited his long gainers.
“We knew we needed to contain him, and then they started running up the middle, so we had to adjust to that, too,” said senior linebacker Ricky Dexter.
Skowhegan also got 94 yards from sophomore fullback Josh Whiting as the Indians outrushed Bangor 313-128.
Whiting scored from 10 yards out to cap a 12-play drive that gave Skowhegan a 6-0 lead with 6:33 left in the first quarter.
Hackett found Gallant behind the defense for a 72-yard TD pass as Bangor took a 7-6 lead midway through the second quarter.
Skowhegan grabbed a 14-7 lead as Chambers scored on a 1-yard run and Mike LaCasse passed to Whiting for the two-point conversion with 1:01 left in the half.
By intermission, Skowhegan had run 36 plays compared to 14 for Bangor.
Bangor had more success defensively after the break, thanks to a 5-3 set featuring linebackers Dexter and Mike McPike and some inspired line play led by Eric Anderson.
The Rams forged a 14-14 tie when Gallant stepped in at tailback and scored on a 19-yard run with 3:21 left in the third quarter, a drive set up by yet another big play, a 38-yard run by wingback T.J. Vanidestine.
Brian Hackett passed down the left sideline to DeRosa, who got past Skowhegan’s Jason Lisherness and raced to the end zone to give the Rams a 21-14 lead with 9:30 left in the game.
“We never try to change our game plan,” said the quarterback, “but [Skowhegan] forced us to have to get some quick touchdowns and we just came up big, and the offensive line gave us time.”
But Skowhegan went 81 yards to regain the lead on Chambers’ second TD of the night. The drive was aided by Chambers’ 26-yard run, a play that turned into a 41-yard gain when the Rams were whistled for a personal foul.
A two-point run by Chambers gave the Indians a 22-21 lead, but Bangor had one weapon in waiting – Payson.
Held to nine first-half yards and 24 yards to the midpoint of the fourth quarter, the junior broke the next play from scrimmage 62 yards to the Skowhegan 12.
Payson (14 carries, 92 yards) finished the drive four plays later, and Tyson Barron added his fourth extra-point kick to give Bangor its margin of victory.
Skowhegan moved one more time into Bangor territory as LaCasse had three completions for 32 yards. But Vanidestine forced the game’s lone turnover, an interception with 43.9 seconds left, and Bangor could make plans for the state final.
RAMS 28, INDIANS 22
Skowhegan (5-6) 6 8 0 8 – 22
Bangor (10-1) 0 7 7 14 – 28
S-Whiting 10 run (pass failed)
B-Aa. Gallant 72 pass from B. Hackett (Barron kick)
S-Chambers 1 run (Whiting pass from LaCasse)
B-Aa. Gallant 19 run (Barron kick)
B-DeRosa 88 pass from B. Hackett (Barron kick)
S-Chambers 9 run (Chambers rush)
B-Payson 1 run (Barron kick)
Skowhegan Bangor
First downs 20 8
Rushing att.-yards 63-313 25-128
Passing comp.-att. 3-7 2-7
Passing yards 32 160
Total yards 345 288
Punts-avg. 4-31.0 4-29.3
Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-0
Intercepted by 0 1
Penalties-yards 3-25 3-25
Rushing
Skowhegan: Chambers 42-211, Whiting 12-94, Lisherness 6-6, Jenness 1-2, LaCasse 2-0; Bangor: Payson 14-92, Aa. Gallant 2-21, Vanidestine 4-20, Dexter 2-4, B. Hackett 3-(minus 9)
Passing
Skowhegan: LaCasse 3-7-1-32; Bangor: Hackett 2-6-0-160; Payson 0-1-0-0
Receiving
Skowhegan: Lisherness 2-22, Chambers 1-10; Bangor: DeRosa 1-88, Aa. Gallant 1-72
A-1,750 (est.)
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