TURNER — Opinions varied sharply on how Leavitt would readjust to Class B football this season, but certainly any honest assessment included the idea that nine penalties and five turnovers in a game would make it tough to win at the higher level.
The Hornets not only won their homecoming game Saturday night with those scary digits, but rolled over York, 36-6, at Libby Field.
Credit a defense that matched the Wildcats’ efficiency with five takeaways of its own and celebrated the return of senior safety Billy Bedard from an early-season injury. Bedard’s quickness and the gang-tackling sensibilities of Hunter Sirois, Adam Smith, Chandler Lajoie and Kevin Knight ruled the evening.
“It was good for our defense,” Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway said. “You could see he gets those guys going. It was good to have his spirit back, and obviously good to have his tackling back.”
Leavitt (3-0) kept pace with Falmouth and Kennebunk as the lone undefeated teams out of a dozen in Class B South.
And the Hornets’ offense, while plagued by the giveaways, flags and dropped passes galore, still enjoyed its usual feast.
“We’ve got to clean some of that up,” Hathaway said. “The good thing about it is, they don’t stop playing. We keep coming at you and keep coming at you. “
Levi Craig rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 111 and another score. Sirois added 12 carries for 72 yards and found the end zone twice.
After a first quarter dominated by York running back Cullen McCarty, who barreled in to make it 6-0 with 12 seconds left in the first quarter, Leavitt held the 6-foot-1, 210-pound senior to 19 yards. He wound up with 70 overall.
“We just had to trust our reads,” Bedard said. “They have a great running back. We had to key on him. If we trust our reads, we have good enough players to make the plays.”
Knight had two fumble recoveries and Bryce Cobb scooped another to lead Leavitt’s defense. John Rousseau and D’Andre James each picked off a pass.
Leavitt answered York’s initial score immediately with an authoritative drive. Craig’s 21-yard strike to Max Green (five catches, 46 yards) was a key play to set up an 18-yard quarterback keeper into the end zone.
York stuffed the two-point try to keep it 6-6, but Bedard’s stop of McCarty and a fumbled snap produced a three-and-out and set up an 11-yard, 74-yard march.
It put Leavitt ahead to stay.
“When we make big plays, we get excited,” Bedard said. “We don’t want to be flat. Being flat, they can run all over us. Making plays helps get us going.”
Sirois’s 22-yard run off right tackle set the table for a one-handed grab by Green, a 4-yard score. Bedard took a shovel pass from Craig and scampered home for the two points and a 14-6 halftime lead.
Leavitt held York to three first downs in the second half, and the ever-increasing lead made McCarty a non-factor. York QB Trevor LaBonte was 12-for-28 for 107 yards, including six connections with Andrew Rodrigues.
“That was the big thing we talked about all week, getting off blocks and running to the football,” Hathaway said. “It sounds simple, but that’s kind of what we’ve always been about in this defense. They did a nice job tonight. That’s not a kid you’re going to bring down one-on-one.”
Leavitt padded its advantage out of the half after an exchange of turnovers. Consecutive runs of 21 yards by Green on a reverse and 11 by Craig, then a flag for pass interference, led to Craig’s surge up the middle from 10 yards out.
Sirois added scores of 12 and 2 yards in the fourth quarter.
“Over halftime we have great coaches, so they make really good adjustments, but we’ve got to pick it up in the first half,” Bedard said.
And the schedule gets no easier, with Class B champion Marshwood (2-1) at home and Falmouth on the road next in line.
Leavitt has outscored opponents 73-21 in the second half this season.
“Part of it is our guys are giving us good information when they come off the field,” Hathaway said. “The line is coming over. The receivers are coming over. Our coaches in the booth are doing a good job. It’s just everybody doing their part.”
koakes@sunjournal.com
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