When the Ramblers win, it’s typically a tight game that is decided by one play. And based on the way the past two weeks have unfolded, everyone wearing green has to love the sound of that.
Fluttering hearts and weak stomachs have been the rule, with Winthrop/Monmouth (3-1) essentially relying on Hail Mary heroics to beat Dirigo and Maranacook in the closing seconds.
Oak Hill (4-0) has been more systematic and authoritative, routing three of its first four opponents in the quest to win a third consecutive Class D championship.
Two terrific teams with distinct styles meet at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in Wales.
The Raiders rolled over the Ramblers 48-8 a year ago and 49-0 in 2012. They have enjoyed similarly one-sided wins this season over Old Orchard Beach, Boothbay and Telstar. The one significant test ended with Matthew Strout’s fumble recovery inside the Oak Hill 20-yard line to secure a 20-14 win over Dirigo.
Dalton Therrien has been prolific at quarterback with its ability to run, throw and lead an offense that consistently adapts to whatever defense it encounters.
With three-year starters Garrett Gile, Brendan Tervo and Austin Goucher charting the course in the trenches, the Raiders have distributed the ball to a vast supply of backs, including Cruz Poirier, Levi Buteau and all-purpose Jonah Martin.
Martin, Strout, Darryn Bailey and Colby Spencer have been Therrien’s primary targets through the air.
Winthrop/Monmouth QB Matt Ingram hasn’t put up wild numbers to match Therrien, but his flair for the dramatic has been second to none in the Campbell Conference.
Against Dirigo, Ingram found Andrew Pazdziorko on fourth-and-10 for 17 yards in the final minute of regulation, then floated one to Ben Ames, who made the grab just shy of the goal line.
Ingram’s quarterback sneak with six seconds to go gave the Ramblers an improbable 12-7 win.
He wasn’t done. Against then-unbeaten Maranacook, Winthrop/Monmouth drove 57 yards in the final minute, capped by Ingram’s 28-yard touchdown connection to Ames with 12 seconds left for a 17-14 triumph.
Winthrop/Monmouth overcame five turnovers and two blocked kicks to win. The Ramblers also gave it away four times in a 14-7 opening-night home loss to Lisbon. Such mistakes almost certainly would be disastrous against Oak Hill.
Alec Brown, Dustin Tripp and Nate Scott lead the Ramblers’ Wing-T rushing attack behind a veteran offensive line that includes Brendon Dunn, Josh Ward and Hunter Hamlin.
Oak Hill’s 14-game winning streak is the second-longest in the state, trailing Winslow by one.
The Ramblers’ most recent win in the series was 18-13 in 2013, highlighting an undefeated regular season. Winthrop/Monmouth also topped Oak Hill 15-8 in 2010 and 27-24 in 2011.
koakes@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
