TURNER — Noah Carpenter threw for six touchdowns and ran for another as top-seeded Leavitt handled fifth-seeded Cheverus 64-28 in a Class C South semifinal Friday in Turner.
The Hornets (10-0) advance to face third-seeded Cape Elizabeth (8-2) in the regional final. The Capers, who beat No. 2 Wells 20-14 on Friday, edged Leavitt in the 2021 C South title game.
Carpenter threw four TD passes in the first quarter — 20 yards to Brett Coburn, 3 yards on a shovel pass to Dayton Calder and 50 and 30 yards to Sawyer Hathaway — as the Hornets raced to a 36-0 lead after 12 minutes. Carpenter also had a 64-yard TD run and completed a 2-point conversion pass, and Leavitt’s defense forced a safety early in the opening period.
Carpenter added two more scoring strikes in the second quarter — an 85-yarder to Will Keach and an 18-yarder to Coburn — and the Hornets, who racked up 410 yards of offense in the first half, went into halftime with a 50-16 lead.
The Stags (6-4) got on the board when Giovanni St. Onge hit Matthew Fogg for a 10-yard TD reception early in the second quarter. Fogg followed with a 2-point conversion run.
Silvano Ismail helped Cheverus gain some momentum when he caught a 23-yard TD pass from St. Onge just before halftime and teamed with St. Onge for a 40-yard scoring reception on the opening drive of the third quarter to decrease the Hornets’ lead to 50-22. Leavitt, though, answered with a 55-yard run by Keach.
Fogg scored on a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter. Leavitt’s Mason Henderson returned the kickoff 80 yards for the final TD of the game.
Carpenter finished the game 10-of-13 passing for 236 yards and six carries for 113 yards rushing.
Leavitt’s first-team defense only allowed 87 yards and one TD before the second team began subbing in late in the first half.
FREEPORT 41, OAK HILL 12: Jordan Knighton scored three touchdowns, and Alex Graver added a touchdown and two field goals as the second-seeded Falcons (6-3) advanced to the Class D semifinals by defeating seventh-seeded Raiders (2-7) at Freeport.
Knighton caught a 35-yard TD pass from Aiden Heath and had a 55-yard touchdown run as Freeport built a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Knighton’s third TD came on the final play of the half as Freeport made it 28-6.
Max Peters returned a blocked punt 35 yards for a score for the Falcons in the second quarter, Graver scored on a pass in the third, then added field goals in the third and fourth.
FRIDAY’S SCORES
Class A
Quarterfinals
Bonny Eagle 14, Scarborough 13
Sanford 42, Lewiston 35
Class B North
Semifinals
Falmouth 35, Cony 28
Skowhegan Area 66, Lawrence 48
Class B South
Semifinals
Portland 40, Kennebunk 20
South Portland 22, Massabesic 6
Class C North
Semifinal
Hermon 49, Oceanside 28
Class C South
Semifinals
Cape Elizabeth 20, Wells 14
Leavitt Area 64, Cheverus 28
Class D
Quarterfinals
Foxcroft Academy 69, Madison/Carrabec 0
Freeport 41, Oak Hill 12
Lisbon 41, John Bapst Memorial 0
Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale 20, Poland Regional 9
Class 8-Man Large North
Final
Waterville 22, Mount Desert Island 12
Class 8-Man Large South
Final
Yarmouth 20, Mt. Ararat 18
Class 8-Man Small North
Final
Orono 57, Stearns/Schenck 36
Class 8-Man Small South
Final
Old Orchard Beach 20, Dirigo 16
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