It’s Week 7 of the high school football season, and crunch time for a host of teams as they battle for home-field advantage in the upcoming playoffs, or for sheer survival.

Bangor Rams (2-4) vs. Mt. Blue Cougars (1-5), 7 p.m. Friday, Caldwell Field, Farmington: Bangor has played arguably the most difficult schedule in Eastern Maine Class A, with unbeaten opponents each of the last four weeks.

The Rams went 1-3 during that span, defeating Edward Little of Auburn while losing to Lawrence of Fairfield, Skowhegan and Lewiston.

Those four opponents currently sport a combined record of 23-1, leaving coach Mark Hackett’s club in good stead when it comes to the strength-of-schedule aspect of the Crabtree point ratings, but still needing to get back on the winning track to regain some momentum.

“We’ve been playing with heart and emotion, but we just haven’t got it done yet,” said Bangor coach Mark Hackett.

“There’s no pressure on us, we’ve just got to go out and win some games.”

Mt. Blue has struggled this season, with just a home-field victory over Brewer in Week 3 to its credit. Running out of the spread offense, the Cougars have been one of the more prolific passing teams in the Pine Tree Conference Class A ranks.

“They are probably the most improved team in the league,” said Hackett.

Brewer Witches (3-3) vs. Messalonskee Eagles (2-4), 7 p.m. Friday, Veterans Field, Oakland: This could be one of the quickest games of the season, given that both teams employ the double-wing offense that focuses on ball control.

Desmond Nutter leads Messalonskee with 726 rushing yards, while Brewer is paced by senior Billy Bissell (581 rushing yards, five TDs) and Pat McEwen (282 rushing yards).

Brewer is coming off its second shutout victory of the year, a 14-0 decision over Cony of Augusta in which the Witches’ defense, featuring linebacker Jonathan Thoms, lineman Matt Junkins and defensive back Dom Drake – held the Rams to 156 total yards.

Messalonskee is coming off a frustrating 36-27 loss at Edward Little in a game in which the Eagles held a 27-23 lead before fading late.

“Messalonskee’s big, and their fullback [Nutter] is in the 230-, 240-pound range,” said Brewer coach Don Farnham. He’s a hard, punishing runner, and they do a really nice job with the personnel they have of controlling the ball and the clock.”

These teams are battling for one of the final playoff spots in eight-team PTC field, perhaps against each other, which only heightens the importance of this contest.

“We’re just playing one Friday night at a time,” said Farnham, whose team closes out its regular season next weekend with the 101st edition of its cross-river rivalry with Bangor. “Both of us are probably in the same situation where we need to win two games to guarantee going to the playoffs and at least one game to have a chance.”

Bucksport Golden Bucks (6-0) vs. Mattanawcook Academy Lynx (4-2), 7 p.m. Friday, Curry Field, Lincoln: Bucksport continues its quest for its first perfect regular season since 2004 against a defensive-minded MA team that is in a multi-team battle for home-field advantage in the LTC quarterfinals.

Bucksport’s Nate Warren is continuing a remarkable senior season and now is up to 1,383 yards – or 231 yards per game – with 15 rushing touchdowns. Alex Giosia and Andrew Findlay also have had strong seasons rushing behind quarterback Kyle McGeechan.

Mattanawcook has one of the stingiest rushing defenses in the league, allowing less than 3 yards per carry thanks to strong play led by Greg Hand (nine quarterback sacks) and Nate Ireland (88 tackles).

John Bapst Crusaders (5-1) at Orono Red Riots (4-2), 7 p.m. Friday: John Bapst, just an opening-week overtime removed from being undefeated, squares off against Orono in a game with tons of implications relative to playoff seeding.

Bapst remains in line to earn the LTC’s second seed if it wins out against Orono and Foxcroft Academy in next weekend’s rematch of the 2007 Eastern C final. Orono, along with Mattanawcook Academy and Foxcroft, are all 4-2, with just two of the three likely to earn quarterfinal home games on Halloween weekend.

This game matches John Bapst’s wide-open attack featuring quarterback Derek Smith (769 passing yards, 8 TDs) and tailback Bill Wetherbee (461 rushing yards, 326 receiving yards) against Orono’s potent ground game led by Blaine Silk (490 rushing yards).

Rockland Tigers (2-4) vs. Foxcroft Academy Ponies (4-2), 7 p.m. Friday, Oakes Field, Dover-Foxcroft: This game is a rematch of a 2007 LTC semifinal won by the Ponies en route to the Class C state championship.

Rockland, coming off a must-win 15-13 survival of MCI, may need at least one more win in its final two games in order to qualify for the eight-team playoffs, but will face a tough test in a Foxcroft team seemingly finding its stride late in the season.

The Tigers are led by reigning LTC player of the week Sam Weiss (950 rushing yards) and QB Dylan Meklin (1,174 passing yards).

Foxcroft, winner of three straight games, hopes to secure the No. 2 seed in the LTC playoffs, a goal that likely will require wins over both Rockland and at John Bapst next weekend in its regular-season finale.

Foxcroft features junior running back Ian Champeon (515 rushing yards, 11 TDs). The Ponies also have gotten a boost from junior QB Ryan Stroud, who has replaced injured starter Jamie Nason and thrown 10 touchdown passes compared to just one interception.

eclark@bangordailynews.net

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