PORTLAND — Even after a tough start to his first state championship game, Bonny Eagle’s Kordell Menard had a hunch he’d end up making an impact.

He did even more than that. Menard was at the center of the turning point in what became the Scots’ 34-14 victory over Portland in the Class A state title game at Fitzpatrick Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Bonny Eagle receiver Kordell Menard makes a diving catch behind Portland defender Vincent Pasquali during the Class A state championship game Saturday afternoon. Portland Press Herald photo by Shawn Patrick Ouellette

Bonny Eagle started slowly and was still looking for a spark down 7-0 late in the second quarter when Menard delivered. The junior safety read Portland’s third-and-19 play perfectly and picked off Issiah Bachelder’s pass, setting the Scots up with a short field that they turned into Cam Day’s touchdown run with 58 seconds left in the half.

“I just saw it coming,” he said. “The crowd went wild, I could sense it (turning).”

Looking to go ahead in the second half, the Scots again turned to Menard. On fourth-and-6 from the Portland 13, Menard ran a skinny post route to the goal line in the middle of the field, where there was space in between defenders. Menard hauled in Day’s pass, took a hit and fell into the end zone for a 13-7 lead.

“I saw that one coming the whole time,” he said. “They were playing man, they didn’t have a deep safety. Coach called ‘skinny,’ I (went) inside, caught it with my chest.”

As for the hit?

“It hurt,” he said. “But you’ve got to keep going.”

It was a redeeming finish to a day that began with no catches on four targets, but after hauling in an impressive leaping 30-yard reception shortly before his pick, Menard began to shine.

“Kordell’s a great player, his hands are incredible,” Bonny Eagle coach Kevin Cooper said. “We said during preseason that Kordell was going to make a couple of unbelievable catches during the year and we’d walk away saying ‘Oh my God, how did he catch that?’ ”

• • •

There was no doubt the Class C final would be a matchup of running games. The Wells defense made sure it would be a one-sided contest.

The Warriors stymied and stuffed the Mount Desert Island ballcarriers throughout the game, allowing 45 yards on 23 carries while its own running attack ran roughshod in an emphatic 44-0 victory.

The Trojans didn’t come in looking to throw the ball — they attempted only seven passes, and completed just one — so the Warriors knew closing down the ground attack would mean closing down the opponent.

“We take a lot of pride in shutting down offensive run games,” said defensive tackle Courtland Austin, part of a dominant defensive front with Jake Spofford and Sean McCormack. “We knew that they weren’t going to want to pass the ball a lot, so we just had to shut their run game down.”

Wells allowed only 12 yards on 10 carries on its way to a 21-0 first-half lead, and didn’t give up a non-penalty first down until midway through the third quarter when the game was decided.

“We just think we’re fast,” coach Tim Roche said. “More than size, we’re just a fast team. I think we did the job and got there quick.”

• • •

Last week in its Big Ten Conference championship win over Winslow, MDI used a trick play with success. In the Class C state championship, the Trojans went back to the same play, with much different results.

In the final minute of the second quarter, MDI tried to use the halfback pass, with Drew Rich throwing to quarterback Andrew Phelps streaking down the left sideline. Wells sniffed out the play, however, and Michael Wrigley returned the interception 39 yards to give the Warriors a 21-0 lead.

Last week, the play went for more than 20 yards against Winslow. A few plays later, the Trojans scored on the final play of the first half.

Related Stories