It’s hard enough trying to prepare to face the multi-faceted option offense employed by Mattanawcook Academy, but trying to duplicate it?

That’s the challenge facing the Winthrop Ramblers. Pity their practice, or “look” team.

“Pity me because I’m playing quarterback on the look team!” said Winthrop coach Norm Thombs, whose young Ramblers have come of age in the playoffs.

There hasn’t been much reason to pity Thombs this year. Despite having only four senior starters on the team, Winthrop went 7-2 to secure the fourth playoff slot in Campbell Conference Class C before knocking off No. 1 Boothbay and No. 2 Livermore Falls to secure the school’s first state final appearance since 1995.

“We knew if we could pull things together, we could go quite a ways in the playoffs,” Thombs said.

With a win over the unbeaten Mattanawcook Lynx of Lincoln in Saturday’s Class C state final in Winslow, Winthrop will have gone as far as possible.

The other state finals feature 8-3 Kennebunk vs. 8-3 Belfast at Cony High School’s Alumni Field for the “B” crown and 9-2 South Portland vs. 8-2 Oxford Hills of South Paris at the University of Maine’s Morse Field in Orono for the “A” title.

The “A” game will begin at noon with the “B” and “C” games scheduled for 1 p.m. kickoffs.

Class C – Winthrop features potent passer Lee St. Hilaire, a sophomore quarterback who completed 112 of 193 passes for 1,812 yards and 30 touchdowns in 10 games.

“We thought he’d have a year like he has. Other coaches from other leagues who’ve seen him play tell me I’m very lucky,” Thombs said.

Winthrop’s pro-set offense uses three-receiver sets, but the 5-foot-11 St. Hilaire spreads the passes among six different receivers led by junior wideout Ian Mortimer (34 catches, 700 yards, 14 TDs).

Prolific passing aside, Winthrop can run too. Junior tailback Jason Pierce rushed for 143 yards on 25 carries as T.J. Buck and Clyde Moody – two-thirds of the rotation responsible for over 1,500 rushing yards – were out with ankle and back injuries, respectively.

Lightning-quick strong safety Moody leads the team with 140 tackles. Junior linebackers Kevin Lorette and Miah Clark also lead Winthrop’s “40” defense.

Class B – After losing in the Western Maine final last year, Kennebunk coach Joe Rafferty figured his Rams would be right in the thick of things again this year.

After all, their best player, wide receiver-safety Nick Pulire, was back for his senior season and was moving to quarterback to take full advantage of his athleticism.

After injuring his right shoulder three weeks ago, Pulire moved back to wideout and junior Joe Maxfield took the snaps.

But Lady Hard Luck wasn’t done with Pulire yet. Last week, Pulire suffered what he thought was a cracked rib after a jarring tackle caused him to fumble, but finished the game and made a game-saving interception. Later, X-rays at the hospital confirmed he’d suffered a 50 percent collapsed lung – a condition that will keep him out of Saturday’s state final and at least half of his upcoming basketball season.

It’s a big loss. Not only do the Rams lose a two-way starter, they also lose their punter and main kick returner. In his absence, Marc Metcalf and Adam Bean, who normally rotate in with Pulire, will be fulltime starting receivers.

Bean will also shift from cornerback to Pulire’s safety slot while Metcalf takes over for Bean. Offensively, the spotlight shifts to halfback Dave Pardue and Maxfield.

Pardue rushed for 98 yards and a TD, and Maxfield passed for 130 yards and two TDs last week.

Class A – This is the fourth state final in the last eight years for John Wolfgram’s South Portland Red Riots, who are 3-0 in these games.

After tough losses in the Western Maine final the last two years, the Riots are back in the state game thanks to a solid running game.

Junior tailback Matt DiBiase has rushed for 1,500-plus yards out of the wing-T and wing-I formations. He and fullback Rusty Rutherford combined for 305 yards last week in a 34-0 shutout of defending state champ Sanford.

Junior quarterback Matt Orlando has come on down the stretch on his first season as the starter and has two favorite targets: juniors Chris Devinney (split end) and Brandon McCrossin (wingback).

Defensively, tackle Beau Voisine, end Joe Hezlep, and linebackers Rutherford and Mike LeConte are the leading tacklers. The Riots alternate between 5-2 and four-man front sets.