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The relationship between the Gardiner and Leavitt football teams can best be described as on-again, off-again.

Since playing annually from 2005-12, the teams have met more sporadically as the Tigers bounced between Class B and Class C. They meet in a big one Saturday, as Gardiner (5-0) travels to face the Hornets in the football game of the week for central and western Maine.

With just 40 points allowed – third-fewest in the state behind Bonny Eagle (20) and Winthrop (26) – Gardiner’s defense has been menacing. The Tigers, ranked eighth in the Varsity Maine poll, have also displayed a balanced offense, led by quarterback Isaac Madore, running backs Owen Chadwick and Justin Doody,, and tight end Chase McGrane.

Leavitt (3-2), meanwhile, boasts one of the state’s best all-around athletes in Mason Henderson. The Hornets’ two losses have come by a combined seven points, and after falling 12-7 to Wells in the final minute last week, they will be particularly hungry to notch a signature win.

Keys to a Gardiner victory

• Stop the jet sweep. Gardiner coach Pat Munzing has noted for years that his Leavitt counterpart, Mike Hathaway, is a master of the jet sweep. If the Hornets can execute the play to get their athletes in space, the Tigers could be in trouble.

• Keep it simple. The way to compete with Leavitt’s scheme, Munzing said, is not to “reinvent the wheel” but instead to focus on what you do best. Expect Gardiner’s usual balanced attack, and don’t count on too much trickery.

Keys to a Leavitt victory

• Block better. Whether up front or on the perimeter, the Hornets’ blocking, Hathaway said, was lackluster against Wells. Leavitt can’t afford to miss blocks against Gardiner’s stingy defense.

• Red-zone offense. In addition to their blocking struggles against the Warriors, the Hornets came up empty on two drives inside the Wells 10. Leavitt must convert those drives into points Saturday.

Gardiner impact players

• Sophomore QB Isaac Madore (40 of 67 passing, 393 yards, 7 TDs, 3 INTs)

• Senior RB/LB Owen Chadwick (32 carries, 355 yards, 6 TDs; 40 tackles, 2 INTs)

• Sophomore RB/LB Justin Doody (65 carries, 435 yards, 4 TDs; 36 tackles, 3 sacks)

• Junior TE/DB Chase McGrane (20 receptions, 242 yards, 5 TDs; 3 INTs),

• Senior OL/DL Tyler Tourtelotte

Leavitt impact players

• Senior Mason Henderson (313 rushing yards, 4 TDs; 12 receptions, 164 yards, 3 TDs; 2 INTs)

• Sophomore QB Landon Marquis (41 of 60 passing, 580 yards, 6 TDs, 2 INTs)

• Junior RB/LB Randan Hutchinson (404 rushing yards, 5 TDs)

• Senior TE/DL Nick Mellen (30 tackles, 6 for loss, 4 sacks)

• Senior OL/DL Reed Langlois

Last meeting

• Sept. 25, 2021: Leavitt, 33-0

What they’re saying

• “It’s a typical Gardiner team that’s fast on defense, runs to the ball well and puts a lot of guys around the football, so we need to win at the line of scrimmage and put together a good mix of things on offense to be ready for those guys. We’ll have our work cut out for us.” — Mike Hathaway

• “Hath is a great coach, and with all the weapons he’s got and the way they distribute the ball, you can spend way too much time saying, ‘OK, they run this out of this formation and this out of that.’ You can’t worry about that against a team like Leavitt; you have to focus on being yourself and playing your scheme.” — Pat Munzing

• “(Leavitt has) some speedy kids and some athletic kids, and their coach is really good. They won’t give up, so we’ve just got to do the same thing, match their intensity and do everything better than they do.” — Isaac Madore