With three weeks left in the Pine Tree Conference’s Class A regular season, it appears that six teams are fighting for the league’s four playoff spots.

One playoff scenario even has a coin toss to determine the top three spots. Bangor has beaten Brunswick and lost to Lawrence. If Brunswick beats Lawrence on Oct. 21, and the three teams each finish 8-1, there will be a three-way tie at the top of the league. Head to head won’t work, since each will be 1-1 against the others. The PTC A plays a round-robin, nine-game schedule, so Crabtree Points won’t help, either. In this scenario, a coin flip would determine the top spot, and the No. 2 seed would go to the winner of the head-to-head game between the two other teams.

Here’s a look at each team in the hunt, in their current order in the standings:

• Lawrence (6-0): The Bulldogs need three wins to earn their fifth undefeated regular season in six years, but it won’t be easy. Lawrence ends the season at home against Brunswick and at Messalonskee.

• Bangor (5-1): Since losing to Lawrence in week two, the Rams have scored at least 50 points in three of four games. Bangor plays Lewiston, Messalonskee and Skowhegan to close the season, each fighting for a playoff spot.

• Brunswick (5-1): Six turnovers cost the Dragons a week one win against Bangor. Brunswick has just one game left against a team in contention, but it’s a big one, at Lawrence in week eight. While most teams struggle at Lawrence’s Keyes Field, the Dragons have won a playoff game in Fairfield each of the past two years to end the Bulldogs’ season.

• Messalonskee (4-2): A week three loss at Skowhegan suddenly is huge to the Eagles, who after a trip to Mt. Ararat on Friday host Bangor and Lawrence in the final two games. If Messalonskee and Skowhegan end up tied, the Indians win the tiebreaker with their 34-14 head-to-head win.

• Lewiston (3-3): One of the preseason favorites, the Blue Devils might have to win out to make the playoffs. Lewiston has a tough game at Bangor this week.

• Skowhegan (3-3): The Indians were 1-7 last season and could be the surprise of the league. This week’s game in Auburn against Edward Little is huge. The Indians host Mt. Ararat next week before closing the season at Bangor.

• • •

Injuries are starting to take a toll on the Lawrence backfield. Shaun Carroll, Jr., who leads the PTC A in rushing with 1,061 yards, played against Lewiston with a groin injury. Although Carroll ran for 121 yards on 19 carries, he appeared slowed by the injury.

Carroll’s backup, Josh Doolan, ran for 18 yards on three carries in the first half but left the game in the third quarter after aggravating a hamstring injury on a 40-yard punt return for a touchdown early in the first half.

“He’s been struggling with that most of the season,” coach John Hersom said of Doolan’s hamstring.
Doolan’s twin brother, Jake, suffered a concussion in Friday’s game.

With Carroll not 100 percent, the Bulldogs had quarterback Spencer Carey run more. Carey went into Friday’s game with 165 yards on 30 carries this season. Against Lewiston, he ran 11 times for 67 yards.

“We just tried to mix it in with (Carey) a little bit running when we didn’t want to pass,” Hersom said after the game.

• • •

At 5-1, Winslow knows its heading to the Campbell Conference Class C playoffs.

“We’re in the playoffs, but we don’t know where,” coach Mike Siviski said.

It appears the Black Raiders could fall anywhere from second to fifth. One win in the final two games should secure Winslow a home game in the first round. The Black Raiders play Saturday at Oak Hill and close the regular season at Poland on Oct. 21.

“(Oak Hill’s) fighting for their playoff lives, so we know they’re going to come right at us,” Siviski said.
Saturday’s 28-27 overtime win against Dirigo is an example of Winslow’s improvement. In recent years, the Black Raiders were on the losing end of many close games.

The roster features 15 freshmen and 11 sophomores. Those younger players are learning from the seniors, Siviski said.

Winslow still needs to put together a strong four quarters, Siviski said.

“Two and a half, three quarters is not going to do it,” he said.

• • •

Around the state: The four teams that moved down from Class A to B this season — Mt. Blue, Brewer, Westbrook and Marshwood — are a combined 13-11. Mt. Blue and Brewer are each 5-1 in Eastern B, while Westbrook (2-4) and Marshwood (1-5) have struggled in Western B. The consolidated teams that moved up from C to B — Madison (2-4), Oceanside (2-4) and Spruce Mountain (3-3) — are all still in the playoff hunt.

Defending Class A state champ Cheverus is rolling. The Stags (6-0) outscored their past three opponents by a combined 135-8.

Friday’s loss at Wells snapped a 17-game win streak for Mountain Valley.