December 23, 2024
HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

Rain leads to ‘playoff Monday’ LTC semifinal berth on line for John Bapst against Orono

Postponements caused by Saturday’s inclement weather mean it’s playoff Monday for several high school football teams – some officially and others in an unofficial, but just as real, sense.

The unofficial playoff game is set for 5 p.m. at Cameron Stadium in Bangor, where John Bapst hosts Orono. If John Bapst wins, the Crusaders earn the fourth LTC Class C playoff berth. If John Bapst loses, Rockland heads to the playoffs.

A John Bapst victory would leave both the Crusaders and Rockland with identical 5-4 records and tied in Crabtree points, given that they have played the same LTC foes and their Western C crossover opponents, Winthrop (John Bapst) and Old Orchard Beach (Rockland), each finished with a 4-5 record.

But John Bapst would win the tiebreaker against Rockland by virtue of its 27-26 victory over the Tigers in Week 4.

A John Bapst loss to Orono would leave Rockland at 5-4 and John Bapst at 4-5, with Rockland earning the playoff spot by virtue of having more Crabtree points thanks to its better win-loss record.

Either John Bapst or Rockland will advance to face top-seeded and defending EM champion Foxcroft Academy next weekend. The undefeated Ponies (9-0) defeated both teams during the regular season, Rockland 42-14 in Week 1 and John Bapst 26-6 in Week 8.

The other LTC Class C semifinal next weekend will send No. 3 Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln (6-3) to No. 2 Bucksport (7-2). Bucksport edged the Lynx 7-6 during their regular-season meeting in Week 5.

Two Pine Tree Conference Class B playoff games postponed from Saturday will be played at 1 p.m. today, with the winners to meet in a regional semifinal next weekend.

Sixth seed Mount Desert Island (5-3) plays at No. 3 Waterville (6-2), while No. 7 Leavitt of Turner Center (4-4) is at No. 2 Winslow (7-1). MDI and Waterville did not play during the regular season, while Winslow whipped Leavitt 44-8 in Week 1.

The other PTC B semifinal is set, with No. 4 Hampden Academy (6-3) at No. 1 Gardiner (9-0). Hampden won its quarterfinal by outlasting No. 5 Belfast 30-24 in overtime while Gardiner routed No. 8 Morse of Bath 67-12.

And in Eastern Maine Class A, the season continues where it began for Bangor High School.

Bangor, 7-1 after a 45-21 victory over Oxford Hills on Friday night, will open postseason play as the No. 2 seed in the Pine Tree Conference Class A ranks. The Rams will face No. 3 Lewiston (6-2) at Cameron Stadium on Friday night.

Those teams met in Week 1, with Bangor outscoring the Blue Devils 42-35. Both teams carry modest winning streaks into the rematch, with Bangor having won three in a row while Lewiston has won its last four games.

The other PTC “A” semifinal is a rematch of a game played Friday night as top-ranked Lawrence of Fairfield (8-0) hosts No. 4 Messalonskee (5-3). Lawrence, the only team back from last year’s Eastern “A” playoff field, defeated the Eagles 21-12 at Fairfield – the first time this season the Bulldogs have allowed more than one touchdown in a game.


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