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CLASS B NORTH PLAYOFFS

No. 5 MESSALONSKEE (3-5) at No. 4 GARDINER (4-4)

Where: Hoch Field

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Messalonskee lost to Falmouth 31-14; Gardiner def. Oceanside 20-8

Last meeting: Messalonskee def. Gardiner 13-6 (Week 4)

Impact players: Messalonskee — Tatum Doucette (QB/DB), Malachi Cusano (WR), Drake Brunelle (WR/DB), Denny Martin (TE/DL); Gardiner — Owen Chadwick (RB/DB), Brayden Elliott (WR/DB), Asher Nagy (QB), Kyle Doody (RB/DE)

Outlook: After a defensive battle between these two midseason, they now meet in do-or-die mode. Both of these teams might be coming off the best performances of their respective seasons, Messalonskee’s loss to an unbeaten Falmouth juggernaut a much closer one than the score would indicate. Gardiner stalled in the red zone against the Eagles in the Week 4 matchup, something that will have to be different this time around. Doucette has gotten hot for Messalonskee recently, a good sign for the Eagles as they go up against a stiff Tigers defense. This will be a hard-fought quarterfinal battle in Gardiner.

NO. 6 SKOWHEGAN (2-6) AT NO. 3 LAWRENCE (5-3)

Where: Keyes Field, Fairfield

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Skowhegan lost to Hermon 39-6; Lawrence def. Hampden Academy 39-35

Last meeting: Lawrence def. Skowhegan 32-7 (2024, Week 3)

Impact players: Skowhegan — Jason Aubin (QB), Bryson Howard (RB/DL), Ayden Mulcahy (RB/LB), Miller Foss (WR/DL), Jaimeson Shanoski (OL/DL); Lawrence — Michael Hamlin (QB), Colton Carter (RB/LB), Brady Richards (OL/DL), Preston Roy (RB/LB)

Outlook: The Bulldogs earned a hard-fought victory against Hampden last week in a Class B-Class C crossover. That win should be a confidence booster for Lawrence, which seems to have found its rhythm in the back end of the regular season. Expect the Bulldogs to try to wear down the Skowhegan defense with a rushing attack led by Carter and Roy (Dustan Hunter-Bellows is sidelined with a foot injury). Skowhegan will need its best defensive performance of the season to beat Lawrence. Offensively, expect the River Hawks to attack with a rushing attack led by Howard, Mulcahy and Aubin.

CLASS C NORTH PLAYOFFS

No. 6 BREWER (1-7) at No. 3 NOKOMIS (4-4)

Where: Nokomis Regional High School, Newport

When: 1 p.m. Saturday

Last week: Nokomis def. Brewer 22-6

Last meeting: See above

Impact players: Nokomis — Seth Bowden (RB/LB), Landon Rowell (QB/LB), Jeff Carr (RB/DB), Kentin Snowman (OL/DL); Brewer — Caleb Colby (TE/DL), Ethan Leavitt (QB/DB), Jake Perry (WR/DB), Morgan Judkins (RB/LB)

Outlook: It’s a rematch of the game played a week ago in Brewer with the Witches headed to Newport this time for a regional quarterfinal showdown. The Warriors have been solid at winning the turnover battle lately, doing so 4-0 in a 39-21 victory over Skowhegan in Week 7 and 2-0 against the Witches last week. Look for Nokomis to rely on the ever-consistent Bowden, who ran for 215 yards and two scores in the regular-season finale. Leavitt, meanwhile, could air it out for the Witches. The Warriors are the favorites here, but with how wild Class C North has been this season, you can never rule out an upset.

CLASS D NORTH PLAYOFFS

No. 7 MADISON (2-6) at No. 2 WINSLOW (4-4)

Where: Poulin Field, Winslow

When: Noon Saturday

Last week: Madison lost to Maranacook 34-0; Winslow def. Old Town 34-6

Last meeting: Winslow def. Madison 52-7 (Week 2)

Impact players: Madison — Nathan Cornforth (TE/DL), Mason Courtney (OL/DL), Jacob Hilenski (RB/LB), Jayden Horton (QB/DB); Winslow — Liem Fortin (RB/LB), Hassan Hobbi (RB/K), Tucker Pomerleau (QB), Seth Bard (OL/LB)

Outlook: This game is a huge step for Madison, which is seeking its first playoff victory since 2018. Regardless of what happens, the Bulldogs have already had their best season in recent memory, snapping an 18-game losing streak and netting two wins in the regular season. An upset win over the Black Raiders would be a cherry on top of Madison’s season. Meanwhile, after losing four straight games midseason, Winslow has found its footing, winning its past two to earn the No. 2 seed. in the regular season with hope of using its momentum to make a deep run in the D North playoffs.

No. 5 OLD TOWN (3-5) at No. 4 MAINE CENTRAL INSTITUTE (5-3) 

Where: Alumni Field, Pittsfield

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Last week: Old Town lost to Winslow 34-6; MCI def. Mountain Valley 28-8

Last meeting: MCI def. Old Town 21-12 (2024, Week 2)

Impact players: Old Town — Elijah Alston (RB/DB), Brady Paradis (OL/DL), Ethan Closson (QB), J.P. Reinzo (RB/LB); MCI — Drew Shorey (WR/DB), Caleb Kennedy (QB/DB), Oscar Keresey (OL/DL), Dom Rizza (OL/LB)

Outlook: After starting the season 2-3, the Huskies have won three straight games, including a strong win last week over Mountain Valley that earned them a home playoff game. MCI has shown an ability all season to fight with any team in Class D North and has multiple weapons offensively led by Kennedy at quarterback. The Coyotes found some early success this season, going 3-2 in their first five games, but have been outscored 98-18 over the course of a three-game losing streak. Still, the first game in Pittsfield was competitive, and this round should be no different.

CLASS D SOUTH PLAYOFFS

No. 5 OAK HILL (5-3) at No. 4 FREEPORT (5-3)

GAME OF THE WEEK

Where: Samuelson Track & Field, Freeport

When: 6 p.m. Friday

Last week: Oak Hill def. Lisbon 2-0 (Lisbon forfeited); Freeport def. Poland 28-6

Last meeting: Oak Hill def. Freeport 24-16 (2023, Week 5)

Impact players: Oak Hill — Forrest St. Laurent (OL/DL), Kaiden Delano (RB/LB), Braden Dubuc (QB), P.J. Smith (WR/DB); Freeport — David Ulrickson (WR), Teddy Peters (QB), Ben Bolduc (RB/LB), Jacob Benjamin (OL/DL)

Outlook: As the playoffs begin, there might not be a tougher collection of teams than the one you’ll find in Class D South. Five of the six teams have winning records, two of which are set to meet in Freeport as the Raiders and Falcons battle for the right to face top-seeded Wells in the regional semifinals.

Oak Hill might not have a better regular-season record than it did a year ago, but make no mistake: The Raiders are a much-improved team and one of the best in Class D. Two of Oak Hill’s three losses are to 7-1 Winthrop and 6-1 Dirigo, and both of those defeats came by a single point. In Delano, the Raiders have a running back who can put up 200 yards on a nightly basis. Combine that with a consistently improving quarterback in Dubuc throwing passes to two dynamic receivers in Smith and Nate Dillman, and you have an offense that can score on anybody.

Freeport, though, has a defense that could test Oak Hill. The Falcons went unbeaten in October, shutting out Maranacook 31-0 and beating Mountain Valley and Poland 22-6 and 28-6, respectively (also won via forfeit against Lisbon). The defense, led by Benjamin on the line and Ulrickson in the secondary, allowed just 171 yards to Mountain Valley and 130 to Poland. Offensively, Peters and Bolduc form a solid 1-2 punch in the run game, and while Peters doesn’t throw as much as some of his peers, he has a major weapon in the pass game in Ulrickson.

Oak Hill wins if… its offense can stay in rhythm. The Raiders have been efficient offensively ever since the loss to Dirigo, averaging 32 per points per game over that five-game span and scoring 84 total over their past two (not counting the forfeit win over Lisbon). Freeport’s defense will likely prove more challenging than most with what it throws at Oak Hill, but if the Raiders can be as opportunistic as they’ve been in recent contests, they have a great shot at a road playoff win.

Freeport wins if… its defense can throw Oak Hill out of whack and it excels on special teams. The reverse of the above is that the Falcons are a strong defensive unit, so the Raiders can’t automatically count on scoring in the 30s or 40s to win. In addition to their other strong players, Freeport has an elite kicker in Liam Emmons, who made three field goals in the win over Maranacook. The ability to get three points in a tight spot could make all the difference in a game like this.