Oxford Hills’ Jordan Silver shakes hand with teammates during introductions before the Lobster Bowl on Saturday. (Brewster Burns photo)
SACO — The postgame highlight of the Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic is always the players being surrounded by families and friends for pictures and pats on the back.
Oxford Hills’ Jordan Silver greeted a dozen supporters on the field after the 29th annual edition of the all-star football game Saturday at Thornton Academy’s Hill Stadium, or about one supporter for every tackle he made as a starting inside linebacker for the East in its 40-14 win over the West.
Described by his defensive coordinator at Oxford Hills, Nate Danforth, as “the prototypical smashmouth linebacker,” Silver was the backbone of an East defense that shut out the West for nearly the first three quarters of Saturday’s game.
The inside linebacker was particularly dominant in a first half that saw the East limit its opponent to 63 yards of total offense.
One of the keys to stifling the West was containing Fitzpatrick Trophy-winning running back Owen Garrard of Scarborough. Silver was pumped up for another opportunity to face the 230-pound ball-carrier after losing to him and the Red Storm, 49-0, last fall.
“I was pretty determined to stop him because my defense (at Oxford Hills) didn’t really get an opportunity to stop him. So I was excited to go against him one more time,” said Silver, who was an all-conference linebacker and one of the top tacklers in Class A North as a senior.
Playing virtually every series on defense in an all-star game that players typically alternate series gave Silver plenty of cracks at the bruising Garrard and the rest of the West’s offense.
“I’m feeling pretty good,” he said. “I’m going to be sore tomorrow, but it’s worth it.”
Silver wasn’t the only one who went the extra yard for his squad Saturday. Poland’s Aaron Paradis not only played cornerback for the West, but also answered the call when coaches asked for placekicking volunteers at the start of training camp.
“Anyone who wanted to try out for kicker could step up,” said Paradis, who handled kicking duties for Poland the last two years. “It was just me and some kid from Gardiner (Austin Weymouth), who has a nice boot on him. He can kick as well. I appreciated the opportunity.”
Although his name was misspelled in the official Lobster Bowl program (“Paradise”), Paradis found himself in a calm place when he teed up the opening kickoff, and on the two occasions he was sent in to kick the extra point.
“The nerves went right away at the beginning. And you can’t get nervous when your teammates score a touchdown,” said Paradis, who nailed both of his PAT attempts.
“This week has been amazing. It’s been a dream of mind for so long,” Paradis said. “I’ve made a lot of friends. The people here are incredible. There are no negative people. We’re all family. People we were foes with at one point are now all friends. And it’s awesome to do something for the Shriner kids.”
Paradis plans to continue playing at Husson University, but Saturday’s game was the last time Silver planned on putting on a helmet and pads.
“I love football so much, but I just want to get a head start on my career (in plumbing and heating) and get to work,” Silver said. “This has been a good way to end it. I’m happy to end it with this group of guys.”
Silver’s peers named him one of the East’s four captains in his final game.
“This was the ultimate place for Jordan to be his best,” said Danforth, who served as defensive backs coach for the East. “He had peers that didn’t know him, but he led by example and they jumped in to follow him. He was the mold (East head coach Dan) Cooper wanted this week.”
“It meant the world to me,” Silver said. “To get the recognition made me really happy because I’d worked really hard to get here.”
“I met so many friends here, friends for life,” Silver added. “I mean, when you’re at Oxford Hills, you hate pretty much everybody between Portland and Auburn and Lewiston. But I met all of those kids and they’re really nice people.”
Oxford Hills’ Jordan Silver celebrates as a teammate returns an interception for a touchdown during the Lobster Bowl at Thornton Academy in Saco on Saturday. (Brewster Burns photo)West kicker Aaron Paradis of Poland, along with holder Connor Sirois of Bonny Eagle, watch an extra point kick go through the uprightsduring the Lobster Bowl at Thornton Academy in Saco on Saturday. (Brewster Burns photo)Poland’s Aaron Paradis upends Messalonskee’s Austin Pelletier. (Brewster Burns photo)
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