enlarge John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Jason Gould of Foxcroft Academy is pulled down by Boothbay Region’s Dylan Brandt on Saturday during their Class C state title game.

enlarge John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Jerrod Rideout of Foxcroft Academy, left, breaks away from the Boothbay Region defense Saturday. Foxcroft took an early 20-0 lead and outgained Boothbay 249 yards to 176.

enlarge John Ewing/Staff Photographer

Oh, the sweetness. The Foxcroft Academy Ponies washed away the bitterness of losses in the 2005 and 2006 Class C state title games with a convincing 26-8 win over Boothbay Region on Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium. It's the Ponies' second state championship in five seasons.

The Ponies overwhelmed Boothbay Region during the first 18 minutes of the game and went on to record a 26-8 win at chilly Fitzpatrick Stadium.

"They are the better team," Boothbay Region Coach Tim Rice said. "They're very good. They're athletic. They're big. They're physical."

All of those attributes were on display as Foxcroft Academy, making its fifth appearance in the state final in six seasons, moved into an early 20-0 lead.

The Ponies (12-0) scored touchdowns on each of their first three possessions.

"All of our backs did phenomenal," Foxcroft fullback Ben Provost said. "Our line was blocking well. It didn't matter who ran the ball. We had huge holes."

Following the opening kickoff, Foxcroft Academy marched 64 yards in 14 plays. With 5:54 left in the first quarter, quarterback Jamie Nason threw the first of his three touchdown passes, 19 yards to wide receiver Jason Gould.

Less than two minutes into the second quarter, Shane Atkins raced 43 yards down the left sideline for another touchdown to make it 12-0.

The run came eight plays after Atkins recovered a fumble at the Foxcroft 38.

With 5:34 left in the first half, Nason threw a 29-yard scoring pass to Gould to cap a nine-play, 84-yard drive that started when Atkins intercepted a pass.

Halfback Ian Champion ran for gains of 26 and 11 yards to move the Ponies deep into Boothbay Region territory.

The Seahawks (10-2) scored their lone touchdown when fullback Sean McDuff bulled 5 yards into the end zone with 3:19 left in the first half. The score was set up by a 59-yard kickoff return by Cris Graves.

Boothbay Region, making its first appearance in a state final since winning back-to-back titles in 2001 and 2002, looked on the verge of getting back into the game when it moved into Foxcroft Academy territory on its first possession in the second half. But an offensive pass interference call on a fourth-down play nullified Chris Noonan's catch for a first down near the Foxcroft 30.

"We had a drive going in the third quarter, and we didn't capitalize on it," Rice said. "A play can turn the whole game, and it did."

The Ponies sealed their victory by marching 48 yards in seven plays to score the final touchdown of the game. Nason threw a 12-yard scoring pass to Provost.

"We got a stop when we needed a stop," Foxcroft Academy Coach Paul Withee said, "and then we drove right down and scored."

Time of possession was about equal. Both teams ran 47 plays from scrimmage.

But Foxcroft Academy's offense was much more effective. The Ponies churned out 249 yards of offense while limiting the Seahawks' double-wing offense to 176 yards.

"We're a smart defense," said Provost, who also plays linebacker. "We just read our keys and stuck with what we did all season. Even though it was an offense we hadn't seen before, we still executed like we always do."

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 725-8795 or at:
pbetit@pressherald.com