Some anticipated Week 1 showdowns were battles to the end, others were blowouts, others still saw new stars emerge. In any case, the opening week of the 2025 Maine high school football season gave us plenty to talk about as teams turn the page to Week 2.

Another set of appetizing showdowns is on the way. Here are five storylines to follow ahead of games Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

New RB standouts look to shine again

Winslow’s Michael Loubier (213 rushing yards, four touchdowns vs. Maranacook), Winthrop’s Ross Fichthorn and Carter Rand (combined 277 yards, three touchdowns vs. Oak Hill), and Cheverus’ Colton Jewett (273 yards, four touchdowns vs. Gorham, his former team) made their names known throughout the state with their outstanding Week 1 performances.

Now, it’s time to see what these running backs can do for an encore.

Although Loubier will no longer be Winslow’s lead back with Hassan Hobbi set to return, he should still get his share of carries Friday at Belfast (0-1). Fichthorn and Rand will look to repeat their success on a short week Thursday as the Ramblers host Mountain Valley (0-1), while Jewett’s Stags will face Messalonskee (0-1) on Saturday.

Teams looking to bounce back

Speaking of Messalonskee, the Eagles’47-0 loss to Cony was bitter one for a team that had hopes of contending in Class B North. Elsewhere, a South Portland team that was the subject of positive chatter in Class A South lost 48-6 to Bonny Eagle, while a Foxcroft Academy team that had lost just three times this decade dropped a 26-6 contest to Hermon.

A new week, though, presents new opportunities following those lopsided defeats. South Portland’s contest at Noble (1-0) and Foxcroft’s at Oceanside (0-1) on Friday are games the Red Riots and Ponies must win to show they can still be factors. Meanwhile, with Cony and Lawrence off to winning starts, a victory over Cheverus is crucial for a Messalonskee team looking to keep pace in Class B North.

Big tests for Class C newbies

Foxcroft is one of five teams new to the statewide 13-team Class C this fall. The others? Gardiner (31-0 win over Oceanside last week), Greely (42-0 win over York), Old Town (30-28 loss to Medomak Valley) and Wells (32-12 win over Nokomis) all have intriguing contests on the docket this weekend.

Greely and Wells will battle two of Class C’s top teams Friday, with the Rangers hosting the classification’s traditional power, Leavitt (defeated Hampden Academy 50-6), and the Warriors making a 300-mile round trip to battle Hermon. Gardiner and Old Town, meanwhile, will face each other Friday at Old Town’s Victory Field.

Who’s the Class D favorite?

With Wells and Foxcroft, the programs that have defined Class D in recent years, now in Class C, the picture in the smallest 11-man class looks wide open. A few teams made big statements in Week 1, and Week 2 will provide some additional clarity.

Winthrop might be the leader in the clubhouse in Class D South after beating Oak Hill, which looks to bounce back this week against Morse (0-1). Freeport (1-0), which beat Mountain Valley, can boost its credentials with a home win Friday against Medomak Valley, while a matchup of 1-0 Poland and Dirigo teams in Dixfield will also be telling.

Winslow entered the year as the favorite in the North, and the 54-0 win over Maranacook did little to shake that status. As for who could emerge as the Black Raiders’ biggest threat, that might be answered Thursday when the region’s two other 1-0 teams, John Bapst and Maine Central Institute, battle in Pittsfield.

Upstarts face challenges

Westbrook enjoyed an outstanding start to the season Saturday, defeating Marshwood 27-16 in South Berwick. Elsewhere, Bangor welcomed Deering to Class A in the form of a 21-0 victory Friday at Cameron Stadium, and Massabesic marked its return to the largest class with a 26-6 road win over Lewiston.

Now, the Blue Blazes, Rams and Mustangs will head on the road for chances to further prove themselves.

Westbrook faces a Falmouth team hungry to get back into the win column after its 12-game winning streak was snapped by Kennebunk. Bangor, meanwhile, takes on one of the state’s biggest powerhouses in Thornton Academy (1-0), while Massabesic travels to face an Oxford Hills (0-1) team hoping to be a major player in Class A North.