LISBON — Tyler Halls won’t soon forget his first start at quarterback for Lisbon High School.
He was a sophomore summoned into emergency duty one week earlier when senior and three-year starter Kyle Bourget suffered a torn ACL just before halftime in a semifinal win over Old Orchard Beach.
Halls, a speedy receiver with good hands and a live arm developed on the baseball diamond, was the Greyhounds’ only viable relief option. He looked much more proficient than a wide-eyed newcomer running for his life, but Halls and Lisbon still dropped a 7-6 verdict in the regional final to eventual Class D state champion Oak Hill.
With a full season under his belt, Halls, who has emerged as one of the top quarterbacks in the region, gets a second shot at the Raiders in Saturday’s southern title game. Kickoff is set for 12:30 p.m. in Wales.
“I feel like I fit right in. I played quarterback in eighth grade. I liked it. I was pretty comfortable in the (2014) playoffs, to be honest,” the junior signal-caller said. “It was a pretty tough position to be in. I thought we’d win that game, but mistakes, like Oak Hill always does, they capitalized.”
Halls has been sensational in its first full postseason under center. He is 14-for-21 with 195 yards and three touchdowns passing and an additional 175 yards and three scores on the ground in wins over Boothbay and Dirigo.
In the semifinal win at Dixfield, a scrambling Halls threw a 19-yard strike to leaping Henry Adams with 1:10 remaining in regulation to break a 7-7 tie.
“He certainly gives a chance in any game we’re in, and he works hard at it,” Lisbon coach Dick Mynahan said. “We knew he could play almost anything and adjust to it pretty fast. He’s a gifted athlete.”
Halls has guided Lisbon (7-2) to a four-game winning streak with his excellence in all phases of the game. He also had a game-winning interception return for a touchdown against OOB and set up Lisbon’s win over Dixfield with a long punt return prior to the go-ahead drive.
Accustomed to throwing strikes ever since he started for Lisbon’s baseball team as a freshman, Halls shows the same knack after taking the shotgun snap from center. He has completed passes at a 64 percent clip.
He credited Lisbon assistant coach and offensive coordinator Chris Kates, who starred at quarterback for the Greyhounds and Maine Maritime, for easing the transition.
“The accuracy, that’s probably been my toughest thing,” Halls said. “I had the arm strength with baseball and everything. The timing for the routes and everything was hard. You’ve got to make your reads. It’s pretty easy now with Coach Kates there, who’s played college football and semipro football.”
Halls’ continued improvement mirrors the development of an all-underclass offensive line, featuring sophomores Noah Buiniskas and Dakota McIver at left tackle and guard, junior center Devin Libby, and juniors Jared Glover and Tanton Mattson at right guard and tackle.
“They make their blocks on every play,” Halls said. “Pass protection is excellent. I have a lot of time back there.”
Adams, Tyrese Joseph and Kaleb Little have been the leading beneficiaries on the receiving end.
Defensively, Halls is a free safety who enjoys that now-familiar classification of being his own “island.” Opponents rarely throw in his direction.
“He’s a really good defensive back. I guess because he’s really a receiver, that’s why,” Mynahan said. “He would be a starting wide receiver for any team around, I think. That leads right into pass coverage.”
Lisbon led Oak Hill, 6-0, during the regular season before Halls’ fumble was returned for a touchdown to change the prevailing winds of a 27-18 defeat.
He learned as much from that game as he did from the crash course last November.
“We’ve got to jump on it early. No mistakes, of course,” Halls said. “They take advantage of your mistakes.”
Putting its best all-around athlete at quarterback was no miscue by the Greyhounds.
“He’s making a lot of adjustments,” Mynahan said of Halls. “He’s getting good at it.”
koakes@sunjournal.com
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