Geography ensures that not many state championship football matchups can be construed as renewals of a rivalry. Rarely do opponents even have a history.
Friday night’s Class C clash between Leavitt and Winslow at the University of Maine is a distinct exception, on all counts.
It’s the second consecutive meeting with a Gold Ball in the balance for two powerhouse programs. Leavitt ripped open a close game in the fourth quarter and celebrated a 47-18 victory in Portland one year ago.
“We know they’re seeking vengeance,” Leavitt junior receiver and defensive back Max Green said. “They want some blood after the state game last year. We know they’re going to come in with the mindset of let’s go out there and execute and kick Leavitt’s (butt), and we’re going to try say no and execute too.”
That showdown wasn’t the Hornets and Black Raiders’ first double-bill, either.
Leavitt and Winslow were Class B rivals in the Pine Tree Conference for a decade. At the conclusion of a 2009 regular-season game, Black Raiders coach Mike Siviski pulled his team off the field and delayed the post-game handshake because he felt that the Hornets had run up the score.
The Hornets breezed to the state title that year. Campbell Conference champion Leavitt (10-1) is making its fifth state game appearance in six seasons and seeks its fifth championship since 1995 and seventh overall.
Little Ten Conference kingpin Winslow (10-0) won nine Class B titles, the most recent in 2001. The Black Raiders have lost in the past two Class C finals, falling to Foxcroft in 2012. Siviski has more than 200 career wins.
“Mike hasn’t changed a lot in his time. I’m sure they’ll have a few wrinkles ready,” Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway said. “Obviously they’re very good at tailback. They’ve got a pretty good wideout there, an experienced quarterback, and they put some kids around that who are pretty good. It’ll be tough.”
Those players, in order, are Dylan Hapworth, who has been Winslow’s leading rusher four consecutive years and rushed for 1,646 yards so far as a senior; 6-foot-6 tight end/safety/linebacker Justin Martin, who has turned 5 of his 11 catches into touchdowns while anchoring the defense with six interceptions; and Bobby Chenard, a three-year starting QB who is 28 for 52 with 9 TDs.
Winslow scored 443 points this season in one fewer game than Leavitt needed to amass 440.
“I definitely think it’s going to be a shootout,” Leavitt senior receiver and defensive back Gabe Seeley said.
The teams employed two polar-opposite styles in putting up those video game numbers.
While the Black Raiders’ steady diet of Hapworth is decidedly old-school, and similar to what Leavitt saw from Chris Carney and Wells in the West regional final, Leavitt unabashedly passes to set up the run.
“Hapworth, he’s good. They have a dynamic offense,” Green said.
Levi Craig is a dual threat at QB. In addition to throwing for 2,933 yards and 34 TDs, the junior was the Hornets’ second leading rusher and led the team with eight scoring runs.
“He can tuck it and run. Sometimes he should maybe do that more often,” Hathaway said. “We feel like we’ve got a couple of pretty good threats there. Billy (Bedard) and Ike (Isaiah Calder), those guys, on some of those sweeps and counters. If we can mix that in with some play-actions and screens and our usual vertical pass game, I think we’ve got a pretty good game plan.”
Green, Seeley, Bedard and tight end Mitchel Davis all have 34 or more catches in the Hornets’ dynamic offense.
Those four against Martin, Trenton Bouchard and Jacob Trask will be a marquee matchup, when either team has the ball. Trask had two touchdowns in the East final against Waterville, a 29-12 Black Raiders’ victory, and has intercepted three passes on the year.
Julian Kirouac (665 yards) is Leavitt’s leading rusher behind an offensive line that was completely rebuilt this season. Lone holdover Will Parkin starts at left guard, surrounded by John Davis at left tackle, Kyle Knight at center, Kevin Knight at right guard and Chandler Lajoie at right tackle.
“We’ve been all year trying to mix it in as much as we can to stay pretty balanced,” Hathaway said. “Julian has come on pretty good here at the end of the year running the ball. That’ll be part of the plan on Friday night. We’re going to try to be balanced and give them a lot to prepare for.”
Cold weather is a potential concern, with temperatures expected to plummet into the teens during the game.
Field conditions won’t be an issue. Both teams played the regional in a quagmire after two early-season snowfalls, but Morse Field at Alfond Stadium is outfitted with FieldTurf.
“The footing will have to be better than it was on Saturday,” Hathaway said. “Hopefully that will take care of it. Hopefully the receivers will have some good ground to make some cuts on. Hopefully Levi will be able to get his feet set in the pocket. Hopefully it’ll make a difference.”
Parkin (13 sacks) and Taylor Woodbury (11 sacks) will pressure Chenard when he looks to throw. Defensive tackles Parkin, Adam Smith and Bryce Cobb, inside linebackers Lajoie and Kirouac and free safety Bedard have been consistent run-stuffers.
Both teams have a different look than they did in 2013. Leavitt graduated 20 seniors. Winslow has only seven upperclassmen on its roster.
Winslow’s closest game was a 26-25 rally over Foxcroft. Leavitt has won 10 consecutive games since a 35-34 overtime loss to Cape Elizabeth on opening night.
“After the Cape game we got really (ticked) off,” Seeley said. “Even Coach thought we weren’t going to do as good as last year, but we could still tell he had that drive. He pushed us all not to take what other people said.”
koakes@sunjournal.com
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