Football: Mt. Ararat/Hyde surges past Waterville

Mt. Ararat football coach Frank True, front right, stands with assistant coach and son, Frankie True, during an eight man Large School North-South crossover game against Waterville on Friday night. Bill Stewart/Kennebec Journal

TOPSHAM — Drenched in sweat and rain water, Shea Farrell removed his helmet and exhaled. He then cracked a smile and received a few congratulatory hugs from his Mt. Ararat/Hyde football teammates.

His relentless work on this night was done.

Farrell, a senior, rushed for 251 yards and scored four touchdowns — two on the ground and two through the air — to lead the Eagles to a 36-8 thrashing of Waterville in an eight-man Large School crossover game Friday night at Stadium Field.

Mt. Ararat/Hyde quarterback Mack Wilkins completed 5 of 8 passes for 78 yards and two touchdowns.

“This is a big win against a big team,” he said.

The Eagles (6-1), who entered the showdown sitting second in eight-man Large South, won their sixth straight game since a season-opening 8-6 loss to Morse. Waterville (4-2), meanwhile, suffered its second loss in three games.

Waterville junior quarterback Wyatt Gradie, who played the whole game after starter Dustan Hunter exited with an injury in the first quarter, completed 10 of 17 passes for 124 yards and a touchdown.

“Mt. Ararat is a tough team, a well-disciplined team,” Waterville coach Isaac LeBlanc said. “To beat this team, you are going to have to play four tough quarters and stay disciplined.”

Added Farrell, who was also a wrecking ball at linebacker: “Our goal is states. This was a big game for us. We are up for all the challenges. We wanted to make a statement.”

The Eagles certainly did just that, although it took a while to get going in a steady rain that enveloped the field throughout the first half.

After a scoreless first quarter, Mt. Ararat/Hyde pounced for two scores in the second to take a 14-0 lead into halftime.

Dash Farrell (44 yards on seven carries) opened the scoring with an 8-yard touchdown run with 8:39 left in the half. Wilkins then hit Shea Farrell on a seam route for a 16-yard strike as time expired. The score capped a 10-play, 72-yard drive.

“Shea always catches everything,” Wilkins said. “I just threw at him without looking and he hauled it in.”

The Eagles extended their lead on their first possession of the second half with a 12-play, 50-yard drive, which Shea Farrell finished off with a 25-yard touchdown reception from Wilkins.

Farrell would rush for a 48-yard touchdown later in the quarter to give the Eagles a commanding 28-0 lead.

The Purple Panthers, who failed to capitalize on some opportunities early in the game, finally broke through when Gradie threw a 39-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Spencer Minihan with 1:36 left in the third quarter.

“We did some good things,” LeBlanc said. “But we did miss some opportunities early.”