PORTLAND — A light rain first fell to the turf at Fitzpatrick Stadium only moments before the two participating teams were introduced to those in attendance. Not long after, the Marshwood High School football team provided the accompanying thunder and lightning.
The Hawks utilized big plays and a multi-pronged attack which belied their reputation as a run-heavy offense, rolling to a 63-20 win over Skowhegan in the Class B state championship Saturday night. Junior quarterback Tommy Springer threw for two touchdowns and rushed for another, while senior running back Kyle Glidden accounted for three scores — one rushing, one passing and one receiving — as Marshwood (12-0) completed an undefeated season with its third state title in the last four seasons.
For Glidden, whose father played on the 1989 Marshwood team that won a Class A title that season, it was the perfect way to cap his career.
“This is my last game. We’ve had a great run,” said Glidden, who ran for 140 yards and was Springer’s target for another 53 yards through the air. “I’m proud of these players that we were able to get it done… It’s a great feeling to know that you gave it your all. It’s awesome.”
Skowhegan (7-4) entered the night having found footing with a much-maligned defense, most recently blanking rival Lawrence in the regional final. But Marshwood had little trouble offensively in this one, with Glidden and classmate Matt Goodwin combining for 265 yards on the ground. When their legs weren’t churning, Springer was an extremely effective 5 for 9 for 94 yards passing.
Marshwood utilized a big sequence late in the first half to begin pulling away from the Indians.
Marcus Christopher’s nine-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Barnes (two receiving TDs) midway through the second quarter answered a Marshwood score, pulling Skowhegan to within 29-14, and things looked hopeful for the PTC B champions when the Indians’ defense forced the Hawks to punt on their ensuing possession.
It went downhill from there.
Skowhegan went three-and-out on a drive that started at their own 30-yard line, netting negative yardage on the possession. Following a Christopher punt, Marshwood needed only one play for Springer to hit senior wideout Jayke Longarini for a 41-yard touchdown down the right side, with Longarini eluding two tacklers upfield before spinning out of the grasp of Indian Colby Miller inside the Skowhegan five-yard line en route to the end zone.
“That was an amazing play. What a great effort by him,” Springer said of Longari. “It was just insane what he did.”
Instead of pulling to within one score of the Hawks — with the promise of the ball to begin the second half — the Indians were down three scores, 35-14, with 1:28 remaining until halftime.
“That’s definitely not the spark you wan’t going into halftime,” Skowhegan coach Ryan Libby said. “I wouldn’t say that necessarily was the backbreaker, but we had some really hard (times). After stuffing them three and out and having some intensity, and then immediately losing all that spark, that definitely hurt.”
The Skowhegan offense showed signs of life after falling into a 14-0 hole early in the first quarter, including Glidden’s 33-yard halfback option pass to Sam Cartmill. Christopher completed five of his first six passes in the game, hit Miller for a 43-yard completion that set up Barnes’ first score and finished the half having gone 9 of 14 for 85 yards.
Jon Bell fumbled one of Christopher’s completions in the opening period at his own 33-yard line, providing the path for Marshwood’s second score — Glidden to a wide-open Cartmill — on the first play from scrimmage following Bell’s turnover.
Bell did his best to answer, however, returning the ensuing kick-off 99 yards for a touchdown to cut Marshwood’s lead to 14-8 with 4:24 remaining in the opening quarter.
Christopher (15 of 29, 193 yards) came out of the halftime break firing a 94-yard touchdown to Barnes to make it a 35-20 game, but the Hawks would break it wide open before the third quarter was finished.
“We just had a hard time containing pretty much everything,” Libby said. “They’re a very good team. When you can’t put it together offensively and then you’re going to give up big plays…”
Goodwin broke a 64-yard touchdown run, and Glidden added his own form 42 yards out.
Marshwood put the exclamation point on the win with Joseph Taran’s pick six from the Skowhegan 35 and the rout was on.
“We had confidence all-around, in every aspect of our team,” Glidden said. “Everyone executed. It was awesome.”
First it rained, and then, as they say, it poured.
“Skowhegan has gotten so much better. The effort they put in, all of us had to think of it as 0-0,” said Springer, whose Hawks handed the Indians a 55-12 loss in the season opener. “We forgot about that last game. It was a great effort by them, but I think it was a better effort by us.”
Travis Barrett — 621-5621
tbarrett@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @TBarrettGWC
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