WALES — Levi Buteau’s first practice under the lights as a member of the Oak Hill High School football team in his freshman season was not exactly what he was expecting.
“When (head coach Stacen Doucette) told us the first time we were practicing under the lights, I thought we were going in the gym,” Buteau, now a senior, said.
Kennebec Journal weekly honor roll
• Oak Hill quarterback Dalton Therrien rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries, and also completed 7-of-11 passes for 107 yards and a touchdown pass to Connor Nilsson in a 13-10 win over Winthrop/Monmouth Saturday.
• Winthrop/Monmouth’s Alec Brown had 20 carries for 89 yards and a touchdown in a 13-10 loss to Oak Hill.
• Winthrop/Monmouth’s Bennett Brooks had six catches for 135 yards in a 13-10 loss to Oak Hill.
• Winthrop/Monmouth’s Nate Scott had 19 rushes for 65 yards and three catches for 40 yards in a 13-10 loss to Oak Hill.
• Kents Hill’s Luke Arsenault had three catches for 76 yards in a 35-0 loss to New Hampton Sunday.
The lights, as Buteau would come to learn, were the three that illuminate the small section of parking in between the school and football field.
After the sun set Monday and it became too dark to practice, the Raiders were once again under those lights to finish up walk throughs on defensive formations. While not ideal, the late afternoon walk throughs have become a tradition of sorts and a symbol of the team’s success.
“We know if we’re practicing in the lights, it’s been a long season,” Doucette said following Monday’s practice. “That’s our goal and it’s kind of special to the kids. They enjoy it.”
The Raiders (9-0) enter Saturday’s 12:30 p.m. Campbell Conference Class D championship against Lisbon (7-2) in the midst of a run of unprecedented success. Oak Hill has won 19 straight games, with its last defeat coming Sept. 13 of last year at home to Dirigo.
This will be Doucette’s first class to have him as a coach for all four seasons and the group of seniors has amassed an impressive career record of 38-6 — including a pair of Class D championships.
“Hopefully we’ll do it again this year,” Buteau said.
• • •
Good field goal kickers are often scarce in high school football but Winthrop/Monmouth football had one in junior Tyler Cote this past season.
Cote hit the upright in his one attempt in last Saturday’s 13-10 loss to Oak Hill, but had a strong day punting the ball and has been fairly consistent throughout the season.
Had the Ramblers been a little closer — or going in the other direction — Cote may have gotten a chance to tie Saturday’s game late in the fourth quarter. Winthrop/Monmouth faced a fourth-and-10 at the Raiders’ 19-yard line with less than one minute remaining on what would be the Ramblers’ final offensive play.
Winthrop/Monmouth elected to go for it partly because it was just at the edge of Cote’s range and also because the kick would have been directly into a stiff 10- to 15-mph breeze.
“His range is 35 yards and that was a 36. Thirty-seven is probably his max right now so it was too far out,” Winthrop/Monmouth coach Dave St. Hilaire said. “We weren’t too worried about the snap and the hold because we’re pretty automatic, but it’s just outside that range.”
Cote should get his chances next season on what could be a very good Winthrop/Monmouth team. The Ramblers will only lose Dustin Tripp, Josh Ward, Brendon Dunn, Ben Ames and Zach Berube to graduation.
• • •
Running backs thanking their offensive line is hardly uncommon, but Brunswick’s group of Corban Teel, Logan Ouellette, Andrew Cilia, Sullivan Boyd, Josh Goddard and Patrick Greene certainly made their presence felt in last Friday’s 40-0 win over Mt. Blue in the Pine Tree Conference B semifinals.
“Our line got it done,” said running back Will Bessey, a likely Fitzpatrick Trophy candidate. “It made it easier for me and I love those guys.
“…I believe my line is the best in the state and they’re just awesome.”
Whether it was Bessey, Jesse Devereaux or Hunter Garrett, the Dragons’ running backs often got two or three yards beyond the line of scrimmage before a Mt. Blue tackler had a chance to make a play — hardly a problem exclusive to the Cougars.
Brunswick (8-1) will be counting on its offensive line Friday at 7 p.m. when it hosts Brewer (9-1) — the only team to beat the Dragons this season — for the PTC B championship.
“We’re excited. They beat us fair and square up there but the two best teams in the league should be playing for the conference championship,” Brunswick head coach Dan Cooper said. “It should be a good game.”
• • •
It has been a tough season for Kents Hill (1-5) but Manchester’s Luke Arsenault has been a bright spot. The nearly 6-foot-6 tall wide receiver/linebacker has more than 400 yards receiving and four touchdowns on the year, and is also the team’s leading tackler.
“He’s our best overall player and our leader,” Kents Hill head coach Steve Shukie said. “He’s an incredibly coachable kid. He’ll work on that one little thing until he’s really got it and he has natural abilities too. Not only is he tall, but he can jump and make plays in the air.”
Evan Crawley — 621-5640
ecrawley@mainetoday.com
Twitter: @Evan_Crawley
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