Statewide, the playoffs are set in every division except Eastern Class D, where the Little Ten Conference has one more week of regular season play before its four-team playoff begins. All three games featuring area teams this weekend are rematches of a close regular season game.
The most interesting playoff rematch in the area may be in Eastern Class C, where No. 5 Madison (4-4), making its first playoff appearance in a generation, plays at No. 4 Belfast (5-3).
The two teams will square off Saturday at noon in Belfast. On Sept. 26, Belfast won at Madison in the highest scoring game in the state in years, 82-60.
Each of the Pine Tree Conference Class B quarterfinal games features a rematch of an early season game. No. 6 Brewer (4-4) plays at No. 3 Lawrence (6-2). On Sept. 19, Lawrence won at Brewer, 17-0. No. 5 Mt. Blue (4-4) plays No. 4 Messalonskee (4-4). These rivals also played on Sept. 19 in Farmington, with Mt. Blue taking a 14-7 win.
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Maine Central Institute completed its undefeated regular season with a 53-8 win at Houlton on Saturday. The Huskies play an exhibition game against Medomak Valley this week, but at the same time have an eye on the playoffs.
“We’ll prepare like we would any other week,” coach Tom Bertrand said. “We think we’re going to get Mattanawcook in the playoffs, so we’ll prepare for that as well.”
The Huskies are getting healthy just in time for the postseason. Running back Jonathan Santiago, who led the league in rushing before aggravating a knee injury in a Sept. 26 game against John Bapst, returned to action against Houlton. Santiago touched the ball 10 times and scored five times, Bertrand said.
“He’s back,” Bertrand said.
Senior fullback/defensive lineman Eric Hathaway, who also hasn’t played since the John Bapst game with a knee injury, should be back to practice this week and ready for the playoffs, Bertrand said.
A highlight of the exhibition game against Medomak Valley will be the playing debut of junior Nick Hubel, Bertrand said. Hubel has muscular myopathy, which is characterized by slow muscle development and weak muscles. Still, Hubel is a big part of the MCI team and is at practice every day and on the sidelines for each game.
Bertrand said he discussed getting Hubel into the game for a few plays with Medomak Valley coaches, and they agreed to the move.
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While MCI is getting injured players back, the reverse is happening at Mt. Blue. In Saturday night’s 26-21 loss to Skowhegan, the Cougars saw junior running back Alex Gilbert leave the game with an injury in the third quarter after carrying the ball 13 times for 84 yards.
Gilbert’s injury came on top of an injury to senior running back JT Williams, who had just one carry in the Skowhegan game. Williams injured his knee on Sept. 19 against Messalonskee, returned last week against Brewer, and re-injured the knee.
After Saturday’s game, coach Jim Aylward said the status of Williams and Gilbert for this week’s playoff game at Messalonskee was unknown.
“Everyone’s beat up at this time of year. It seems our injuries are more obvious than some teams’,” Aylward said.
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Nokomis beat Camden Hills 64-15 on Saturday to conclude its best season to date. The Warriors went 4-4. If Nokomis was eligible for the Eastern Class C playoffs it would have earned the No. 5 seed.
According to the 2014 MPA football bulletin, Nokomis’ enrollment of 704 students would put it in Class B. The Warriors spent the last two seasons playing in Class C, which helped the program grow. Now, the school has a decision to make.
When the MPA football committee meets over the winter to determine classifications for the next two year cycle, Nokomis must decide if should play in Class B, where its enrollment dictates, and take its chances facing a tougher schedule, or does it remain in Class C for another two years, where wins may be easier to come by but the postseason is an impossible achievement?
While some schools petitioning down, Camden Hills in Eastern C and Ellsworth/Sumner in Class D, are not ready to play in Class B, Nokomis appears on the verge of being able to hold its own against the tougher competition.
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Around the state: Thursday’s LTC game between John Bapst and Orono at the University of Maine is essentially a playoff game. The winner will be the No. 3 seed in the conference playoffs and play a semifinal game at Bucksport. The loser is out… Just three teams made it through the regular season undefeated: Marshwood, Winslow and MCI… Watch out for defending state champion Leavitt in the Western C playoffs. Since losing in overtime to Cape Elizabeth in week one, the Hornets are 7-0 with an average margin of victory of 31 points.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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