Xavier Lewis has been to Keyes Field. He’s seen the fans, lined up two, sometimes three deep along the rope that surrounds the field. He’s heard the fans heckle opponents. If he ran out of bounds, those fans would be close enough to whisper in his ear. They’re so close, you can tell if they had onions on their pregame pizza at Sonny’s.
As a member of the Bangor High School football team, Lewis heard the Keyes Field crowd cheer for the Lawrence Bulldogs. On Friday night, Lewis knows those fans will be cheering for him.
A junior receiver and defensive back, Lewis transferred from Bangor to Lawrence this season. Now, he sees the best rivalry in the Pine Tree Conference’s Class A division from the other side.
“It’s different. It’s a lot different,” Lewis said. “They (Bangor) take it just as hard as they do here. It’s a big week, obviously. Two very talented teams, and it’s a lot of focus.”
The Bangor-Lawrence rivalry has grown into one of the most intense in the state, and when they meet on Friday at Keyes Field, it might be the last time in a while. If the proposal to expand high school football to four classes passes next spring, Bangor, with 1,198 students, will remain in Class A. Lawrence, with 712 students, will be slotted in Class B, and will have to petition the MPA if it wants to remain in Class A.
No final decision on a petition to play up in Class A has been made, Lawrence athletic director Bill MacManus said, adding that it’s unlikely the Bulldogs would do so.
“Right now, we’re the third-smallest school in Class B East (next season),” MacManus said. “I would assume we’re going to stay where we are, which is B East.”
Count Bangor head coach Mark Hackett among those who hope Lawrence continues to play in Class A.
“I just really love playing them,” Hackett said. “Whatever team represents this end of the state (in the championship game) has to play the best competition, and Lawrence is one of the best.”
Today’s Lawrence-Bangor rivalry is built on the mutual respect Hackett and Lawrence head coach John Hersom have for each other.
“I love John. I went to college with John,” Hackett said. “It’s just a real healthy rivalry. There was a time, it was really ugly.”
Added Hersom: “We kind of know from year to year what we’re going to get from Bangor. They’re just a good, well-coached team. They’re hard-nosed and kind of believe and do the same things we do.”
Since the 2006 season, no teams have dominated any league in the state the way Lawrence and Bangor have dominated the PTC A. In the past six seasons, either Lawrence (2006, 2007, 2011) or Bangor (2009, 2010) has represented the conference in the Class A state championship game five times.
Really, the Rams and Bulldogs have shared dominance of the league for decades. Going back to 1987, the year the current state championship game format was installed, with the winner of the PTC taking on the winner of the SMAA, either Lawrence or Bangor has represented the East 13 of 25 times. Since 2000, either Bangor or Lawrence or both has played in the conference championship game nine times.
“They have that pride,” MacManus, a 1963 graduate of Bangor, said of both programs.
To add a little spice to the rivalry this season, two of Hersom’s sons, Jack and Mike, are assistant coaches on Hackett’s Bangor staff. Hersom said his wife, Roberta, spoke to Jack and Mike on Tuesday, about their first days of school in new classrooms. Otherwise, the lines of communication are closed.
“Stuff on the field, we’re not sharing this week,” Hersom said. “They know they have a job to do, and they know we have a job to do down here.”
This will be the 11th meeting between these schools since the 2005 season and, although Lawrence has a 10-1 edge in wins, the Bulldogs haven’t routed the Rams.
In 2008, Bangor led Lawrence 24-14 at the half before the Bulldogs rallied for a 27-24 win. In the 2007 PTC A championship game, Bangor led 13-12 after three quarters, only to see Lawrence rally for a 27-13 win. In the 2006 regular season, the teams played a defensive gem, with Lawrence winning 3-0.
“I don’t like to lose, but when they beat us, I’ll root for them (in the championship game),” Hackett said.
Lewis is excited to switch from the Bangor red to the Lawrence blue.
“It’s just like any other game. I’m focused on my job, to do my role, to win for my teammates and I’m not worried about going against old friends or anything. I’m just going out there to play football,” Lewis said.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
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