LEWISTON — Lewiston expected Cheverus to run the ball at them aggressively. What they didn’t expect was how well they would pass the ball.
The Stags used their balanced attack to edge the Blue Devils 28-20 Friday night at Don Roux Field.
Senior quarterback Jack Casale connected on five of nine passes for 106 yards and a pair of touchdown strikes to his cousin, Dominic Casale, for the Stags.
After each team exchanged punts, Cheverus’ got on the board first with a 1-yard plunge from Casale on a quarterback keeper. The score was preceded with a 45-yard play action pass from Casale to Griffin Watson down to the one yard line.
The Blue Devils responded just two plays later when senior back Roman Dennis broke through the line darting down the left sideline for a 62-yard score.
“He sees the field well, he’s always close to busting one out,” Lewiston coach Bruce Nichols said.
Cheverus took to the ground using a heavy dose of Ryan Benedict, running at the Lewiston line repeatedly. Benedict carried the ball 17 times in first half alone, driving the Stags (2-1) deep into Lewiston territory. After a double fake reverse hand off, Jack Casale found his cousin behind the defense with a 14 yard score to round out the scoring in the first quarter.
“The kids had a big week in practice this week,” Cheverus coach Mike Vance said. “I knew they were going to come out strong,” he added.
Cheverus ended the second quarter with another solid drive before Lewiston’s Garrett Poussard blindsided Casale as he pulled back to pass causing a fumble. Poussard picked up the loose ball and scrambled down the right side out running a couple of pursuing Stags to pull Lewiston within two points with 36 seconds remaining in the half. Brock Belanger connected with Sean O’Donnell for the two point conversion to tie the score.
The momentum would be short lived.
Starting in Lewiston territory after the kickoff return followed by a pair of nine yard runs, Jack Casale found Dominic Casale one more time in the back of the end zone for a 26 yard touchdown as time expired, giving the Stags a 21-14 lead at the half.
Benedict would take over the second half gaining another 68 yards rushing finishing with 126 yards, wearing down the Blue Devil defense. Cheverus finished with 178 yards on the ground.
“Benedict ran well for us. We lost our wing back and he’s stepped up,” Vance said.
The Blue Devils could not muster much more as they stalled a couple of their drives with seven second half penalties for 52 yards. They scored a fourth-quarter touchdown on a 10-yard uncontested run up the middle by Dennis.
Lewiston got one more chance with less than a minute remaining but a Cheverus interception of Belanger sealed the game.
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