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DOVER-FOXCROFT — It’s July, and a new football season isn’t too far away — but first, per Maine tradition, it’s time for last year’s seniors to shine one last time.

Lobster Bowl week began Monday with the first practices at Foxcroft Academy. Players from both the East and West teams took to the practice field ahead of the 34th Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl, scheduled for 4 p.m. Saturday at Lewiston’s Don Roux Field.

Ninety-one players and 41 cheerleaders from across the state will participate in this year’s game, an annual showcase of the top senior players from the previous fall. Participants raise money for the Maine Shriners Hospitals for Children.

Head coaches for this year’s game are Dan O’Connell of John Bapst for the East and Brendan Scully of Deering for the West. The East squad won last year’s game 28-23, its first win since 2018 (event was not held in 2020 and was held in altered format in 2021).

Varsity Maine will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 34th Shrine Lobster Bowl in the buildup to the event. Check out Varsity Maine on Instagram or read our stories at pressherald.com, centralmaine.com and sunjournal.com.