SACO — The Thornton Academy football team punched its ticket to the Class A South championship game with a dominant 47-7 victory Saturday against Sanford.

Anthony Bracamonte ran 13 times for 142 yards and a touchdown, and also hauled in three passes for 74 yards and two scores as the top-ranked Golden Trojans set up a rematch with Scarborough for the regional title next Saturday in Saco. The game is set for a 1 p.m. start.

Thornton quarterback Koby Gaudette was 6 of 14 for 133 yards and three touchdowns.

Sanford (6-4), the No. 4 seed, fumbled a handoff on the first play from scrimmage, and Thornton’s Grant Dow recovered at the 33. The Trojans (9-0) didn’t waste much time making the Spartans pay, as Gaudette found Bracamonte in the end zone for a 22-yard touchdown. Brady Forbes nailed the extra point to make it 7-0 with 9:16 left in the first quarter.

The Trojans soon returned the favor, however, as Sanford’s Carson Bickford recovered a fumble at the Spartans 43.

Just two plays later, Sanford quarterback Xavier Levine hit Caleb Saucier for a 54-yard touchdown pass.

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“I think we just had to grind it out. It’s playoff football, where everything’s going to be a little tighter and you’re going to have to grind a little bit more,” said Thornton Academy Coach Kevin Kezal. “We got that lead and they came right back and scored, but from that point on, I thought we played really well and kind of took control of the game … . I’m really proud of the effort.”

Sanford tried an onside kick after its touchdown, but Thornton recovered it and drove for the go-ahead touchdown, as Gaudette hit Bracamonte for a 19-yard TD on fourth-and-16.

The play that really changed the complexion of the game came on the last play of the first quarter, when Levine scrambled for a 13-yard gain. Unfortunately for the Spartans, Levine was injured and left the game.

“We knew we were playing a tremendous team, and then we lose our quarterback early in the game. Obviously, that immediately kind of spoils the game plan,” said Sanford Coach Mike Fallon.

Gaudette connected with Payton Jones for a 45-yard touchdown that made it 21-7, and a 37-yard run by Bracamonte set up a TD run by Tommy Palmer that extended the lead to 27-7 at halftime.

Thornton started the second half with an 11-play drive that ended with a 25-yard field goal by Forbes.

Bracamonte added a 17-yard touchdown run late in the third, and sophomore wide receiver Gabe Older scored on a 9-yard run midway through the fourth, and the Trojans got a safety to complete the scoring.


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