Jeanne Crocker noticed the change on the Monday morning after last Friday night's big victory. Smiles were brighter as she walked the hallways to her principal's office at South Portland High. The buzz was louder.

South Portland had beaten Bonny Eagle on the football field.

"It was liberating," said Crocker. "Collectively and individually we were freed from the pall that hung over us. Winning that game allowed us to be exuberant. Seeing such excitement was so gratifying."

Let's not stop with South Portland. A week-old victory by the underdog over the defending state champion has rippled through southern Maine. Coming from behind to beat Bonny Eagle 48-45 was a victory for the have-nots over the haves. A victory for once-proud programs that somehow forgot how much work and commitment it took to win.

South Portland may have been the championship team of the 1990s, but Bonny Eagle emerged as the new winner. The passing of the championship torch hit South Portland hard. Community pride went downhill. So did the number of boys playing football. South Portland lost 19 straight games a couple of years ago.

Through the worst of times, young coach Steve Stinson talked about what the best of times would feel like. Last Friday night, his players found out.

"We can say these things – that every football team is beatable – to our players," said Coach Joe Rafferty at Kennebunk. "But life's lessons are better when they're experienced. I'm a football coach and I'm a teacher. We're all educators."

Rafferty has coached football for 31 years. He knows the cyclical nature of high school sports. "You work harder when you're down. We lost 63-7 in Week 1 and it was as ugly as it gets. In Week 2 we hung on and won.

"You come back to school after a win and heads are up, faces are brighter. You call each other by name. When you lose, you don't want to talk to anyone or look at anyone. I know that feeling. I'm a grumpy old man."

South Portland beat Bonny Eagle and suddenly Stinson was taking congratulatory calls from the men who make up Maine's high school coaching fraternity. He got e-mails with the same messages from Bonny Eagle.

"That shows you the class they have," said Stinson. "They knew what this win meant to us."

At Scarborough High, Coach Dave Sterling overheard his players talking about South Portland's stunning win. Scarborough has lost its first four games, three by close scores. "It's nice to see what South Portland did but our kids believe in themselves," said Sterling. "They know they can win every game they play."

The thing about confidence is it needs feeding. Today, every other high school football coach can face their own players and point to South Portland: This team beat Bonny Eagle. Who says we can't?

"My kids don't remember when Bonny Eagle started its program, came here with their junior varsity and got beat," said Rafferty. "All my kids see are all the Gold Balls (four state titles in five years). Bonny Eagle is beatable. Every team is.

"I was impressed with how South Portland played in the fourth quarter. They were down and they still believed they were going to win. As coaches, if we could bottle that chemistry, we'd be rich."

Tonight, South Portland (2-2) travels to Noble for its next game. Noble is 0-4. You can guess what first-year coach John Carver will be telling his players.

"As coaches, we all look for examples to motivate and show our players the way," said Stinson. "But there are no quick fixes to winning. It takes patience and it takes a vision."

And the understanding that games are still won on the field.

Staff Writer Steve Solloway can be contacted at 791-6412 or at:

ssolloway@pressherald.com