This time, when the Portland High football team made a big mistake with a state championship in the balance, there was no panic. Instead, there was a decisive response.

The Bulldogs won their first Class A football championship since 2002, dominating defending champion Thornton Academy in a 35-14 victory Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

Portland (10-2) snapped a five-game losing streak in state finals, including losses to Thornton in 2015, 2018 and 2023, along with setbacks to Bonny Eagle (2016) and Skowhegan (2022 in Class B).

“It’s special. Very special,” said Portland quarterback Louis Thurston, who threw for two touchdowns and ran for two. “These brothers that I have here, it’s the closest team I’ve ever been a part of, and that’s a big reason why we won.”

Thornton, playing in its sixth consecutive state final, finished 9-3.

A year ago, when Thornton won, 24-14 against previously undefeated Portland, the Bulldogs were undone in large part by their own mistakes and shoddy special teams play.

When Thornton’s Trent Wilson blocked Brody Viola’s punt in the end zone and Connor Ayoob recovered it for a touchdown early in the third quarter, Thornton led the rematch, 7-6, despite having gained only 38 yards. Then Thornton recovered the ensuing kickoff and took over at Portland’s 46-yard line.

Deja vu? Time for Portland to worry?

No way, said Portland Coach Sean Green. “That’s exactly what we needed. That punt block and then them recovering the kick woke us up,” Green said.

The Portland defense immediately forced a punt. Thornton finished with 217 yards – most of them coming from running back Mauricio Sunderland in the fourth quarter when he gained 73 of his 118 yards.

In Portland’s regular-season 14-7 victory over the Trojans in Saco, Thornton had one first down and 7 yards in the second half.

Portland celebrates with the Gold Ball after beating Thornton Academy, 35-14, in the Class A state championship game on Saturday in Portland. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

“We get the ball right back on the squib kick and we couldn’t do anything with it,” said Thornton Coach Kevin Kezal. “Their defense was dynamite. Both times we played them. We felt we had good calls, but sometimes what looks good on paper just doesn’t work on the field, and credit Portland.”

Then Thurston (13 carries, 119 yards; 9 of 14 passing, 126 yards) revved up Portland’s offense. The Bulldogs scored 22 points over the next 6:10.

Thurston swept around the right side and found himself running free in a massive gap. His 81-yard touchdown, followed by a 2-point conversion pass to Viola, put Portland up 14-7.

“It was a triple option and they just didn’t pick me up. So I’m not going to complain,” Thurston said. “I did (feel faster than normal). It was a special moment and I was not going to let it slip.”

Thurston later connected with Aidan McGowan on a 64-yard touchdown pass, with McGowan getting behind the Thornton defense in the middle of the field.

Then Portland got the ball back when Colin Haigh recovered an onside kick by Justin Bouchard. Four plays later, Thurston lofted a pass into the end zone that Cordell Jones grabbed with a leaping catch over the coverage of Stevo Jones. Suddenly, Portland had a 28-7 lead with five seconds left in the third quarter.

“It all comes from Coach. He just kept telling us, go 1-0 every play,” Thurston said. “Next play. Forget about it. Go win the next play, and that’s what we did.”

Sunderland (24 carries, 115 yards) scored on a 21-yard run to cut the deficit to 28-14, but Portland put the game away after it forced a turnover on downs at the Thornton 12. Four plays later, Jones scored from the 1.

Defensive tackles Colin Kelly and Anthony Tavares controlled the middle, while edge-setters Lisandro Rodrigues and sophomore Alex Martin kept Thornton quarterback Wyatt Benoit pinned in and under pressure. Benoit completed 5 of 14 passes for 87 yards and was held to 15 yards rushing on 13 carries, getting tackled for a loss six times.

“We’re the best team in the state, the best defense in the state, and the best line in the state. That’s why we won that Gold Ball,” said Rodrigues. “Just stopping their run and stopping their QB because Wyatt Benoit is a good player. That was my job, keeping him contained.”