WALES — Few football teams have had a stronger run over the past few seasons than Oak Hill High School.

The two-time defending Class D champion Raiders have won 23 of their previous 24 games dating back to the 2013 season and are off to another fast start at 4-0 so far this fall.

Winthrop/Monmouth (3-1) is looking to be one of those teams to close the gap in Campbell Conference Class D and so far the Ramblers have shown they may have the grit to do so.

The Ramblers enter Saturday afternoon’s showdown for first place fresh off a pair of wins in which they scored go-ahead touchdowns with 6 and 12 seconds remaining, respectively, in the fourth quarter.

Here is a look at how the two teams match up:

Players to watch: Winthrop/Monmouth — QB Matt Ingram, FB/DE Alec Brown, SE/CB Bennett Brooks, HB/OLB Dustin Tripp, HB/S Nate Scott, WB/DE Andrew Pazdziorko, C/DT Brendon Dunn, G/MLB Josh Ward, TE/CB Ben Ames, G/DT Jack Vickerson. Oak Hill — QB Dalton Therrien, WR/DB Jonah Martin, RB/LB Levi Buteau, OL/DT Brendan Tervo, WR/DB Conner Nilsson, OT/DT Connor Elwell, C/DL Garrett Gile, OL/DE Austin Goucher, RB Cruz Poirier.

Winthrop/Monmouth coach Dave St. Hilaire on Oak Hill: “We can’t afford to have those turnovers (we had last week against Maranacook). We’re going to have to play sound football and clean up a few things to put us in position to be competitive with them.”

Oak Hill coach Stacen Doucette on Winthrop/Monmouth: “They have an emotional team. They believe they’re going to win right down to the end and they don’t quit. They are the most aggressive defense in our conference, they run the Wing T to perfection with good fakes and good plays. They’re a well-coached team and a good football team.”

Three keys for Winthrop/Monmouth:

1. Give yourself a shot. The Ramblers have won a pair of games the past two weeks in the final 12 seconds. If Winthrop/Monmouth has a chance to tie or take the lead late in the fourth quarter, it has developed the confidence to believe the game is never over until the final horn sounds.

2. Take care of the ball. Winthrop/Monmouth got away with turning the ball over — barely — last week against Maranacook. Against a dynamic offense like Oak Hill’s, extra possessions can be a killer.

3. On your toes. The Raiders mix up their offense as well as anyone in the conference, at times spreading out wide and others lining up in the double wing. Winthrop/Monmouth will have to be prepared and have its coverage assignments squared away for when Oak Hill goes to its no-huddle attack.

Three keys for Oak Hill:

1. Push the tempo. The Raiders have as good of depth as anyone in the conference and use it to their advantage. Oak Hill could prevent any late-game heroics for a third straight week from the Ramblers by utilizing its conditioning to its advantage in the fourth quarter.

2. Know your assignments. The Ramblers spread the ball around evenly in its offense with Ingram, Brown, Brooks, Tripp, Scott, Pazdziorko and Ames each capable of making plays. Oak Hill will have to have a balanced defensive effort to slow up Winthrop/Monmouth.

3. Keep your foot on the pedal. If the Raiders have a chance to put the game away before the fourth quarter, they are going to have to make sure to take every advantage to do so. Winthrop/Monmouth has shown a penchant for fourth-quarter comebacks and Oak Hill would do well to snuff that out before the Ramblers have an opportunity to steal another win.

Evan Crawley — 621-5640

ecrawley@mainetoday.com

Twitter: @Evan_Crawley

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