Then Keene turned on what had been the line of scrimmage and offered his hand to the Lawrence players who had tried to beat him down for four quarters.
"I know what it feels like to lose," said Keene. "I've played hard in games and lost. I wanted them to know that."
Bonny Eagle beat Lawrence, 34-14. Strip away the hype and the chest-beating of a state championship, and what you had at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Saturday was simply a game that had to be won or lost on the field and nowhere else.
Yes, the ease by which Bonny Eagle won seemed surprising. The Class A game, the first of three on Maine's version of championship Saturday, was touted as the best matchup. Two unbeaten teams led by head coaches at the top of their game. Two offenses that could score often, two stubborn defenses.
Two grandstands full of proud supporters, each believing this was their year.
Lawrence had a 22-game winning streak, which included last year's win over Gorham for the state title. Bonny Eagle won championships in 2004 and 2005. Been there, done that.
"I don't know," said Keene, a senior guard and linebacker. "It seemed everyone was always favoring Lawrence. They were the team ranked No. 1."
Of course. Someone on the Bonny Eagle coaching staff had played the we-get-no-respect card. "Verbiage," said John Suttie, the most vocal of head coach Kevin Cooper's assistants. "It was verbiage."
The Class A trophy, the one with the gold football, was passed around. When it reached Keene, it stayed in his hands.
He and the other 12 seniors remember three years ago when their freshman team didn't win a game. They scored two touchdowns all season.
For Keene and Kyle Wedge, John Onesti and others, it was a rough introduction to Bonny Eagle football. Where would their class fit? What would be their legacy?
"I can't describe the feeling," said Wedge, who plays alongside Keene on the line. His eyes were wet. It seemed he wanted to be someplace else with his emotions.
"To go from 0-8 to 12-0 is an incredible feeling. We did it."
They won the state championship, in part, by draining the emotion from their biggest game. Quarterback Nate Doehler ran and passed and kicked Bonny Eagle to a 27-0 halftime lead. In the Lawrence locker room, emotions ran hot. It was time, the Bulldogs told each other, to take back the game.
In the other locker room, Cooper calmly reiterated a game plan and the belief that Bonny Eagle was a better team than Lawrence. "We didn't know that before the game," said Suttie.
Lawrence did rally, scoring twice. It found a way to contain Doehler. To the unknowing eye, Bonny Eagle seemed flat.
"Emotion is great, but it only lasts for two series," said Suttie. "We try to stress, just do your job."
The clock was against Lawrence. Even more, Bonny Eagle wouldn't break, getting the first downs that kept the ball in Doehler's hands. The seniors let their minds go back to a time when all games were lost. Saturday, that just wasn't going to happen.
"Lawrence is a good team," said Keene. "We knew they'd play better. We were ready for that."
Cooper got his water-bucket bath. Smiles and whoops all around. Somehow, it seemed restrained.
The seniors sought out each other in small groups for hugs and for last photo ops. "I don't think I'll play football again," said Keene. "This is probably it."
Nice way to go out. With a Gold Ball trophy in your hands.
Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or
at:
ssolloway@pressherald.com
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