For nearly a decade, come-from-behind victories have been elusive for the John Bapst football program.

But this year, it’s becoming the norm.

Two weeks ago, the Bangor school scored three unanswered touchdowns to defeat Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield 27-13. Last Saturday, they scored perhaps their most important victory since the program’s last winning season in 1997, outlasting Rockland 27-26.

Pretty good for a program that endured a 41-game losing streak from 1998 to 2003 and has compiled a 13-62 record since the start of the 1998 campaign.

Three of those wins have come this year, as Bapst is 3-1 and already has matched its win total for each of the last three seasons – with five games still left.

“I think it’s huge for us, and especially for the program,” said junior tailback Nick Smith, who rushed for 180 yards and three TDs against Rockland. “In the past few years we’ve thought three wins were a lot, and now having three wins in our first four games is huge, and the feeling that we can beat anyone in this league is big for us.”

The two come-from-behind wins came after the Crusaders’ lone defeat, a 26-8 loss to Bucksport. That game, completed on a Monday after being suspended due to lightning two nights earlier, left just three off-days before Bapst’s next game against MCI.

To fourth-year coach Dan O’Connell, the quick turnaround was a good thing.

“We had talked about trying to move the MCI game,” he said, “but I was a big proponent of not moving the game because after the Bucksport game it was my thought that the sooner I could get these kids back on the horse, the better, and it worked out pretty well for us.”

The Rockland game featured two programs on the upswing. Rockland nearly lost its team due to low numbers several years ago but has bounced back under coach Daryle Weiss to forge 5-4 records each of the last three years.

But like John Bapst, the Tigers are looking at 2006 to end a lengthy postseason drought.

“That was the talk all week,” said O’Connell. “We’re pretty honest with the kids, and we know how the league lines up and what we have left on our schedule. We know Rockland’s a good program and they’re going to get their wins. If we want to be in the playoff hunt, which is one of our goals, we knew we had to have that game.”

John Bapst never led until Smith scored from 3 yards out with less than four minutes left, but the Crusaders never trailed by more than eight points.

After taking the lead, Bapst had to withstand a final Rockland drive that ended with an incomplete pass into the end zone.

“I think the week before against MCI the kids for the first time had that come-from-behind victory that we hadn’t gotten over the hump with before,” O’Connell said. “To be in that same situation again, I think the kids believed if we did what we were supposed to do … we could stay in the game and overcome the deficit.”

Pivotal to the Crusaders’ success has been their offensive line: brothers Steve and John Kelly at tackle, guards Micah Raymond and Jim Ouellette, center Brent Hutchins, and tight ends Ryan Moriarity and Justin Frye.

That group has provided pass blocking for first-year quarterback Charlie Merritt and sparked a ground game featuring Smith and Kyle Gallant.

“Our chemistry is getting better,” said Ouellette. “We all know what the person beside us is going to be doing every single play. Coach has been hard on us, but we get the sled out and push it up and down the field, and we go over all the key things everyone needs to know. We’re getting better every day.”

John Bapst still has more than half of its schedule to play, beginning Friday at Stearns of Millinocket and including dates against reigning Eastern C champion Foxcroft Academy and 2005 finalist Mattanawcook Academy of Lincoln.

But the victory over Rockland has buoyed the Crusaders’ collective spirit.

“It was a playoff game for us, essentially,” said Ouellette. “If we could beat them, and we’ve got a couple of other teams on our schedule we expect to be able to beat, it looks like our record may be good enough to get into the playoffs this year, and that’s our goal. Our next step is to get into the playoffs.”

A look westward

Bonny Eagle of Standish and Deering of Portland, which represent the last three Class A state champions in football, are again on top of the Western A standings through four weeks of the 2006 season. Bonny Eagle, state champ in 2004 and 2005, and Deering, which won the gold ball in 2003, are tied with second-year Class A program Gorham atop the Southern Maine Activities Association’s Cumberland County division. They are joined in the unbeaten ranks by Marshwood of Eliot, which leads the SMAA’s York County division. Deering visits Gorham Friday in the SMAA game of the week, while Bonny Eagle visits Deering on Oct. 14 and hosts Gorham on Oct. 20. … Mountain Valley of Rumford has yet to be scored upon in 2006, having outscored its four foes by a combined 180-0. The 4-0 Falcons, tied with Cape Elizabeth atop the Western B standings, should get their first test this week at 3-1 Greely of Cumberland Center.