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Yarmouth High’s eight-man football team is looking to repeat the 2022 scenario that led to its first state championship since Class C titles in 2010 and 2011.

Mt. Ararat would prefer a playoff outcome similar to 2019 when it won Maine’s inaugural eight-man championship.

The two high-scoring programs, both 7-1, were among the 10 initial adopters of eight-man football in 2019. They will meet for the third time in the playoffs at 7 p.m. Friday when No. 3 Yarmouth travels to Topsham to face No. 2 Mt. Ararat in a Large School South semifinal.

In 2019, the Eagles beat Yarmouth in the Large School semifinal. In 2022 both teams were 7-1 in the regular season. Mt. Ararat earned home field with a lopsided win against the Clippers but Yarmouth won the regional final, 20-18.

Earlier this fall, the teams met in the season opener. Mt. Ararat won at home 44-20, getting consistent pressure on Yarmouth quarterback Iggy McGrath.

KEYS TO A YARMOUTH VICTORY

• Protect McGrath. In Week 1, Mt. Ararat’s top lineman Adrian Reyes (6-foot-2, 250 pounds) had his way with a backup. Yarmouth’s top lineman, senior guard Brayden Kloza (6-4, 270), returned from injury the following week. Yarmouth is averaging 51.4 points in its seven wins. Given time, McGrath has proven to be efficient and productive (36 TDs, 2 interceptions). Adam Pelotte and Jackson Jabar are the top targets, and Nick Mantle (23 catches, 535 yards, six TDs) is an excellent third option.

• Keep improving on defense. Overall the Clippers have allowed a not-great 25.5 points per game. But since a 52-38 shootout win at No. 1 Spruce Mountain (6-1) in Week 3, Yarmouth is allowing 16.8 ppg, led by linebackers Liam Henning and Harper Ericson, and defensive end Lucas Tebbenhoff.

KEYS TO A MT. ARARAT VICTORY

• Win the battles up front. Reyes is not Mt. Ararat’s only outstanding lineman. Martell Bowman is another big interior presence, and Nick Doughty and Ethan Fournier control the edges on a defense that has allowed 104 points (13 ppg), the fewest of any eight-man team. Offensively, quarterback Will Davis (13 of 21, 250 yards, 5 TDs) has rarely had to throw this season because four Eagle backs have over 400 yards and average at least 10.4 yards per carry.

• Limit mistakes. Mt. Ararat coach Frank True said he’s always emphasizing to his team to focus on “fixing us,” meaning to not only limit physical miscues and inopportune penalties but to be sharp in assignments.

YARMOUTH IMPACT PLAYERS

• Junior QB Iggy McGrath (144 of 213 passing, 2,439 yards, 36 TDs, 2 INTs)

• Senior WR Adam Pelotte (43 catches, 754 yards, 17 TDs)

• Junior WR Jackson Jabar (48 catches, 839 yards, 9 TDs; 27 carries, 288 yards, 3 TDs)

• Junior RB Raph McGuffie (77 carries, 477 yards, 5 TDs)

MT. ARARAT IMPACT PLAYERS

• Senior RB/DE Nick Doughty (113 carries, 1,249 yards)

• Senior slot/DB Aidan Ramsay (35 carries, 420 yards; school-record 11 interceptions)

• Senior RB/LB Avery O’Connor (59 carries, 702 yards)

• Junior RB/LB Josh Merriman (58 carries, 602 yards)

LAST MEETING

Sept. 5, 2025: Mt. Ararat, 44-20

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING

• “They did a great job of converting third and fourth downs (in the regular-season meeting). We were in good situations, and they converted and then scored a touchdown. If we make a couple of those plays and get off the field, it will make all the difference.” — Nick Orsi, Yarmouth coach

• “They sling it around and they do a lot of good things with it. I expect they’ll get theirs. The question is, will they be able to stop us? It’s probably going to come down to the last possession or two, a special teams play or two.” — Frank True, Mt. Ararat coach