LEWISTON — Lewiston leaned on its running game, especially during a rally in the second half, to win the Battle of the Bridge rivalry football game in a rare Wednesday night edition.
Behind Joseph Dube’s three touchdowns, the Blue Devils defeated Edward Little 34-18 at Lewiston High School’s Don Roux Field.
Dube has been a utility player for the Blue Devils (4-5), playing tight end and offensive line earlier this season.
“I didn’t really play running back until this week,” Dube said. “Just going in, grabbing the ball, run as hard as I can, get yards.”
The junior had six carriers for 58 yards and had a blocked punt early in the third quarter.
It’s the fourth straight victory for the Blue Devils over their rivals.
“It feels really good, I don’t think I lost to EL,” senior running back Tafari Corson-James said.
Lewiston coach Jason Versey said after last week’s mass shooting in the city, this game — originally scheduled for last Friday — was bigger than football and the stakes for the Blue Devils, which was a playoff spot in the Class A North playoffs with a win.
“It was vital this community came together,” Versey said. “A game can do that; a game can bring a community together and forget for a minute. To actually be engrossed in a playful competition that has some meaning and pride in it.
“The bigger picture is the fact we came together as a community. We were united. When this day is passed, no one is going to remember that score. Honestly, they are going to remember how they felt when they got here and how we were able to lift up folks that are hurting right now and start the process of healing. I promise you in five years, no one is going to remember the scoreboard. They are going to remember this event and how special it was.”
The pregame ceremony included recognition of the first responders around the city and state, and speeches from Lewiston superintendent Jake Langlais and Lewiston Police chief Dave St. Pierre. James Taylor sang the national anthem, followed by a flyover.
Edward Little (0-9) coach Rick Kramer said it was key for the two teams to get on the field after the tragedy.
“It was absolutely important,” Kramer said. “I live in Lewiston, coach in Auburn. … All together, we had a great football game. We came up short, but that’s all it is. I thought it was a great effort by our kids.”
Things didn’t go Lewiston’s way early in the game.
After Lewiston’s second three-and-out of the game, the Blue Devils went for a punt at the 50-yard line, but Edward Little’s Kohlson Alexander ran through the Blue Devils’ offensive line and blocked the attempt. Edward Little’s Drew Smith picked up the loose ball and ran for a 45-yard touchdown with 5:36 remaining in the first quarter for a 6-0 lead.
“We made some substitutions on special teams this past week,” Kramer said. “It actually paid off really well and we did a nice job. I think our younger kids have bought in and are really getting it.”
The Blue Devils started a 17-play drive from their own 34-yard line that extended into the second quarter. Quarterback Jeffrey Randall and running back Jayden Sands picked up most of the yards with their legs. The drive stalled when the Blue Devils fumbled the ball at Edward Little’s 30, with the Red Eddies recovering.
On the ensuing Edward Little drive, running back Jack Pepin appeared to pick up a first down, but he was called for a personal foul penalty, bringing the ball to the Red Eddies’ 18-yard line. On the next play, Edward Little QB Kade Masselli found wide receiver Bennett DuBois down the right sideline. DuBois was eventually brought down after a long gain at Lewiston’s 8-yard line by a horse-collar tackle, which placed the ball at the Blue Devils’ 4-yard line. Two plays later, the pair connected again for a 4-yard TD for a 12-0 lead with 4:47 remaining in the second quarter.
“We knew what they were going to try to do on defense,” Kramer said. “We knew Bennett was going to be a target for us today.”
The Lewiston offense found life on the next drive. Randall found Sands for a 14-yard pass to their own 39. Randall later hit Ryker Paradis for five yards to the EL 42, and connected with Paradis again for a 26-yard completion to bring the Blue Devils to the Red Eddies’ 4-yard line. Dube punched the pigskin in from four yards out to cut the deficit to 12-6.
“It felt great. Going into that drive, we came together and we were like, ‘We got to step it up, we aren’t playing like how we need to play,'” Dube said. “It was nice to come together as a team and drive it down the field. I am happy I got to punch it in.”
The running game came alive for the Blue Devils to start the third quarter. On the first play of the second half, Sands ran 38 yards for a TD and Lewiston converted a two-point conversion for a 14-12 lead.
Later in the third quarter, Sands opened Lewiston’s drive with a 19-yard scamper, Dube had a 22-yard run and later a 19-yard run to the house and Lewiston took a 21-12 lead with 5:28 remaining in the third.
Toward the end of the third, Corson-James picked up 36 yards and 24 yards on the ground before Dube found the end zone from two yards out early in the fourth quarter for a 27-12 advantage.
Corson-James had seven carries for 119 yards.
“Blocking. I thank my (offensive) linemen,” Corson-James said. “It’s all about the blocking.”
Paradis scored from the 31-yard line on a sweep play, giving the Blue Devils a 34-12 lead with 8:32 remaining in the fourth quarter.
“We knew we were a good football team,” Versey said. “We knew we could put points on the board. To me, it was only a matter of time to grind them down a little bit at a time. We knew by the third and fourth quarter that we would be on top.”
Edward Little picked up the final score of the game when Masselli found DuBois with a 14-yard strike to cut the deficit to 34-18.
Masselli went 12 for 20 for 230 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
“I think one of the things I am proud of is we got better throughout the season,” Kramer said. “We played hard, we played our hearts out in this game tonight. We just made too many mistakes.”
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