MPA sets times for state football finals Foxcroft faces Lisbon in 2:30 p.m. game

The last time Foxcroft Academy played in an afternoon state final, it won its most recent championship.

That came in 2003, when the Ponies defeated Lisbon 26-20, and those teams will meet again in the afternoon this Saturday as the second of three 2006 state finals to be played at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland.

Foxcroft and Lisbon, both 11-0, will vie for the Class C championship for the second straight year, and for the third time in the last four years, in a 2:30 p.m. start.

The Maine Principals’ Association on Monday slotted the Classes A, B, and C finals into designated time slots based on travel considerations among the teams involved. Class C was given the afternoon slot based on the fact that Foxcroft Academy has the longest distance to travel among the six surviving programs.

When Foxcroft and Lisbon met most recently last November, they played the night game, with Lisbon using a goal-line stand in the final minute to preserve a 12-7 victory.

This Saturday’s first game, set for an 11 a.m. start, will be the Class A matchup between Eastern Maine champion Lawrence of Fairfield and Western Maine winner Gorham. Lawrence remained undefeated at 10-0 with a 19-5 victory over Bangor last Friday night to earn the program’s first trip to the state championship game since 1996.

Gorham (10-1) edged Deering of Portland 9-7 on Saturday to reach the state game in just its second year as a Class A program. The Rams do have experience playing in a state final at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland, however, having lost to Belfast 28-16 in the 2003 Class B title game.

The nightcap at 6 is a rematch of the 2004 Class B state final between Eastern Maine winner Winslow and Western Maine champion Mountain Valley of Rumford.

Winslow (10-1) has a strong nucleus back from that 2004 squad, led by tailback Justin Lindie, quarterback Stephen Siviski and tight end-linebacker Kevin McCabe. The Black Raiders avenged their only loss of the season with a 21-3 victory over previously unbeaten Gardiner in last Saturday afternoon’s Eastern Maine final.

Mountain Valley, which defeated Winslow 21-7 in 2004, improved its record to 11-0 and cruised to its second WM title in the last three years by whipping Cape Elizabeth 47-6 in last Saturday’s regional final.

All three games are being shown by WABI-TV of Bangor.

Score one for the doctor

The late George Allen had President Nixon to suggest plays for him when Allen coached the Washington Redskins in the early 1970s.

At Foxcroft Academy, the team doctor chips in.

The Ponies used what coach Paul Withee called the “Doc Swett” play, named after Dr. Richard Swett, to good field-position advantage during the fourth quarter of their 14-13 victory over Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln on Saturday in the Eastern Maine Class C championship game at Oakes Field in Dover-Foxcroft.

The play, on third down and five from the Foxcroft 38 with about four minutes left, was a halfback option pass in which quarterback David White gave the ball to wingback Brad Bellemare, who rolled right and lofted a deep pass toward wide receiver David Farrar.

“We’ve practiced that all year, and it was the perfect time,” said Bellemare, a senior who was in the mix to play quarterback for Foxcroft this year until White made the switch from offensive guard. “I got the ball and threw it. He was wide open and made an incredible catch.”

Indeed, Farrar reached over a shorter MA defender along the sideline to make the catch, good for a 33-yard gain.

“It was third-and-long and we had to convert,” said Farrar. “We gave it to Brad and he threw it up where I could get it and hopefully I would come down with it.”

The surprise play – Foxcroft had thrown just twice previously in the game – gave the Ponies what turned out to be their only first down of the second half as the Ponies held on to win their fourth Eastern C title in the last five years.

“We hadn’t run that all year,” said Withee. “That’s our Doc Swett Special, we call it. Doc Swett has been our team doctor since I’ve been here. … We had put that play in and he said, ‘You’ve got to run that halfback pass.’

“He wants us to throw it back to the quarterback, and that probably was open on that play, but we just thought it was a good time to run the play, and Brad threw a good ball and Farrar made a nice catch.”

Even Mattanawcook coach Art Greenlaw appreciated the play’s timing and execution.

“That was a great call,” said Greenlaw. “You’ve got to hand it to them. That was a great call, and they executed it very, very well. That’s a sign of a championship team.”