READFIELD — Lisbon took out the frustrations of an opening-season loss against undermanned Maranacook on Friday night.

Coming off a loss to Winthrop last Saturday at home, the Greyhounds made short work of the Black Bears, winning 36-0 in a Campbell Conference Class D game at Ricky Gibson Field of Dreams.

The Greyhounds scored all their points in the first half, cashing in on all five of the their drives. Coach Dick Mynahan went to his bench to begin the second half and neither team threatened to score.

“We knew we had to come back strong and make a statement to the league,” said senior running back and defensive end Noah Francis. “We came out of the gate and played hard and the outcome was good for us.”

Maranacook (0-2) suited 22 players and lost three to injury during the game. The Black Bears had no one to deal with Francis who has surprising quickness for someone who weighs 280 pounds.

“I’ve been running the ball since fifth grade,” said Francis, who gained 68 yards on six carries and scored two touchdowns.

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The Greyhounds started with great field position on their three first-quarter drives thanks to a pair of botched punts — one of which was blocked — and a fumble. The first drive went for 28 yards on three plays with Francis bulling over from 6 yards out for the score. Maranacook freshman quarterback Skyler Boucher was hit and fumbled on his team’s next possession with the Greyhounds recovering at the 13. Jared Glover scored on the next play and Tyler Halls rushed the conversion in to make it 14-0.

“What we need to do to get better is exactly what we did this week,” Mynahan said. “We went out in full gear and worked really hard practices on Tuesday and Wednesday and prepared well for the game. This probably is one of the better practice teams I’ve had in a long time.”

Tyrese Joseph blocked Maranacook’s next punt and it took the Greyhounds just three plays to go 29 yards with Lucas Francis (six carries, 58 yards) scoring from 22 yards out.

The Black Bears didn’t get much going in the first half. Senior Drew Davis rushed for 32 yards in the first half and 34 in the second on 16 total carries and also had a long run called back because of a penalty.

“We’re just not sustaining our blocks,” Maranacook coach Bill Getty said. “And Lisbon’s got it going. They’ve got outside sweeps, inside power and they’re well coached.”

The Greyhounds scored on a 62-yard drive to open the second quarter with Halls finishing it off with a 1-yard plunge. Noah Francis capped the scoring with a 12-yard run in which he flattened a Black Bear defender on the way to the end zone.


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