LISBON — For the first time this season, the Lisbon High School football team played a game on Thompson Field.

Throughout the summer and into the fall, the new track was under construction, forcing the Greyhounds to play “home” games at Brunswick and Lewiston.

For Lisbon running back Henry Adams, Saturday was the first time the junior was permitted to play in a game all season — Grades put him on the shelf for the first four games.

Adams made up for it against Traip Academy as the Greyhounds rolled to a 49-12 Western D win, giving Lisbon a perfect 4-0 mark. The Rangers, with just 20 players dressed, fell to 2-2.

For Adams, it was a day to remember. He opened the game with a 59-yard kickoff return, later capping the short drive with a 7-yard touchdown run. Adams rushed for 93 yards, including one more trip to the end zone, caught two passes for 54 more and recovered a fumble on a Traip kickoff.

“It feels good to come back. I was so fired before the game. It was hard to sit still, watch my teammates make plays,” Adams said. “I am so glad to be able to come back and help my brothers out. Every Wednesday and Thursday we have hit day with full pads, and I was able to get my work in on the scout team. I was ready.”

“He has been carrying the ball against us, and that is a tough haul, something that is not a lot of fun,” Lisbon coach Dick Mynahan said of Adams. “He had to go a long time before having this opportunity, some seven weeks. I am pleased that he stuck it out, and he helped us out and gives us more depth.”

Early Lisbon

Adams return gave the Greyhounds the ball at the Traip 19. Joe Philbrick gained three yards on fourth-and-one for a first down, and Adams followed his blockers on the next play for a touchdown. Kyle Bourget kicked the extra point for a 7-0 Lisbon lead.

The Rangers had trouble moving the ball against the Lisbon front seven, led by Sean Ball, Andrew Golino, Darren Ward and Adam Desjardins.

“They scored 31 points against Boothbay, where we only had 20, and we felt they were going to run the ball much better,” Mynahan said. “We wanted three and outs today, and we got several of those. The defense played really well today.”

“We worked hard all week, keeping the outside nonexistent,” Ball, who had seven tackles and two sacks of Traip quarterback Matt Kashmer, said. “Everyone did their job on defense. Traip is a much better team, and I give them props for sticking in to the end. This is our first home game all season, and we love it here, with our new track. This win meant the world for us.”

Traip showed its pride on defense. Twice in the first quarter the Rangers stopped the Greyhounds on fourth down. But, turnovers, an interception and two fumbles, allowed Lisbon to get the offense going with good field position.

A fumble on a snap was recovered by Lisbon’s Josh Collier at the T-21. On the first play of the second quarter, Noah Francis bulled his way into the end zone for a 14-0 Lisbon lead.

Lisbon forced a Traip punt, and a 10-play, 51-yard drive followed with Francis catching a swing pass from Bourget (4-for-9, 86 yards, TD) and outracing a Rangers safety to the end zone for a 21-0 halftime lead for the ’Hounds.

“This was a tough football game, and they stopped us twice on downs down deep,” Mynahan said. “They gave us a tough time and we had to work hard. I was worried we would be over-psyched playing here for the first time this year, but they did a good job handling themselves out there.”

Traip, which picked up just two first downs and gained a mere 36 yards on 18 plays in the opening half, fired up the Lisbon coaching staff on its first drive of the second half. Anthony Sowell swept left, was hit by several Lisbon defenders before coming out of the pile and sprinting 46 yards for a touchdown.

But, Lisbon answered with a solid drive. Tyler Halls picked up 24 yards on a reverse, and Adams swept left for a 6-yard TD run for a 27-6 lead.

Philbrick’s 2-yard touchdown run came late in the third quarter, and Jared Glover (3 yards) and Blake Berube (38) ran for scores in the fourth quarter to complete the scoring for the home team.

Kashmer (nine rushes, 45 yards) scored on a 63-yard bootleg with 2:40 left in the contest.

Francis picked up 75 yards on 14 carries for Lisbon and caught one pass for 30 yards. Bourget had an interception, while Golino had six tackles, including three sacks. Ward picked up five tackles.

Thomas Thumith had a game-high 12 tackles for Traip, with Sowell adding seven. David Gibson picked up a second-quarter interception.

Lisbon is slated to visit Maranacook on Friday (7 p.m.).

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