Ruby, a senior running back at Bonny Eagle, and Hersom, a senior quarterback at Lawrence, are pictured in this week's issue of Sports Illustrated.
The magazine highlighted the Class A title game between the Bulldogs and the Scots as part of its "Friday Night Lights," a weekly segment on the magazine's "Inside High School Football" section.
Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium, Bonny Eagle defeated Lawrence 34-14 for its third Class A title in four years. The Scots completed an undefeated season and ended Lawrence's 22- game winning streak.
"I didn't know it was going to be in there," Ruby said. "I was surprised. One of my friends held it up, he was reading it and showed me. It was the strangest thing. How many kids can say they were in Sports Illustrated? In high school? That's a whole new thing."
However, the publication misidentified the location of Lawrence High. The school is listed as being in Franklin rather than Fairfield.
"Where's that?" Hersom asked when asked about Franklin, Maine.
Geography particulars aside, Ruby believes the recognition - at the bottom right corner of page 125 - will put Maine football on the map.
"Everyone's going to look at Maine as a top football state," Ruby said. "It gave us a lot of recognition. People will realize we have a lot of talent up here."
THERE WERE three generations of Coopers on the field and in the press box for Bonny Eagle at Fitzpatrick Stadium. Pete Cooper, the former Lawrence coach, was scouting plays in the press box as an assistant coach for his son, Kevin, the Scots' head coach. Kevin's son, Cameron, an eighth-grader at Bonny Eagle Middle School, was on the sideline watching his dad's team win another state title.
After the game, Kevin's two youngest sons, Caleb, 16 months old, and Caden, three weeks old, made an appearance on the field with Kevin's wife, Amanda.
WINNING COACHES expect to be drenched with the traditional bucket of water, but it still is a shock to their system, especially on a cold and windy day. Cooper got his bath as the clock was ticking down, and a few moments later, it was assistant John Suttie's turn. Suttie's drenching came in the middle of the field, and by all appearances, was a complete surprise.
Cooper and Suttie are life-long friends who grew up in Fairfield. They first got to know each other watching Lawrence High practices as youngsters, and they played on two Pine Tree Conference championship teams coached by Pete Cooper.
LARRY, THE LIVING and breathing four-legged Lawrence mascot, was at Fitzpatrick Stadium lending support to the Bulldogs football team. Or was he? Or she?
It seems Larry was really Cheyenne, and other than wearing a miniature Lawrence sweat shirt, had nothing to do with the school. Cheyenne, you see, is a Portland Bulldog, on loan for the game as a friendly gesture from its owner, Annmarie Gadbois of Portland.
Gadbois peeled back the collar of Cheyenne's Lawrence colors to reveal Portland High colors underneath. Gadbois also had a Portland shirt beneath her borrowed Lawrence sweat shirt.
"Cheyenne was here last year, too, when Lawrence won," said Gadbois. "But last year the Lawrence coach came up and rubbed her face for good luck. He didn't see her before the game this year. That's why they're losing."
BEFORE THE Class C game, Boothbay Region High students Emily Jones and Leah Hodder-Romano harmonized quite well in their rendition of the national anthem.
SIX ON-FIELD officials were used for each of the state championship games. Normally, no more than four or five officials are on the field, but side and back judges were added for Saturday's games.
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