WINSLOW — All week, Winslow High School football coach Mike Siviski reminded his team of the last time it played Hermon, just a few weeks ago in Week 7 of the regular season. Yes, the Black Raiders pulled away for a 23-point victory, but it allowed the Hawks to get 19 first downs and run for 236 yards.
“We kind of harped on the kids and said, if you guys let them do that we’re going to be in trouble,” Siviski said. “To our benefit, we did not let them do that this time.”
Hermon’s River Mullen fumbles the ball as he is hit by Winslow’s Rob Clark during a Class C North semifinal game Saturday in Winslow. Morning Sentinel photo by Rich Abrahamson
In Saturday’s Big 11 Conference semifinal rematch at Poulin Field, the Black Raiders clamped down on Hermon’s running attack. The Hawks gained 105 yards on 27 carries, and Winslow cruised to a 49-7 win.
Top-seed Winslow, now 9-1, will face No. 2 Maine Central Institute (8-2) in the Class C North final Saturday at Hampden Academy. No. 4 Hermon ends the season at 5-5.
“Coach Siviski and his staff really got those guys amped up to play us. We had a really great game, outside of what the score said, last time we were down here (a 37-14 Winslow win) in Week 7. They’re a really good football team, top to bottom,” Hermon coach Kyle Gallant said.
Fifty-six of Hermon’s yards on the ground came on one play, Travis Spell’s touchdown run with 7:49 left in the second quarter. Spell’s score and Alex Kivell’s extra point tied the game at 7-7, but it was all Winslow from there, and quickly turned that way.
“Our defensive line, that was the best game they played all year. Offensively and defensively, I thought our line did a fantastic job,” Siviski said. “(Offensively) We spread it around enough to cause them problems. We’re proud to get the win and keep advancing. A nice team win.”
Winslow answered the Hawks’ touchdown with a six-play, 66-yard drive, scoring when Cody Ivey caught a 25-yard touchdown pass from Colby Pomeroy for a 13-7 lead. When Justin Bolduc recovered a Hermon fumble at the Hawks 32 on the ensuing drive, Winslow needed one play to increase its lead. Pomeroy found a wide-open Marek Widerynski for the touchdown, and Pomeroy’s pass to Nathan Newgard on the conversion gave the Black Raiders a 21-7 lead.
On Hermon’s first play of the next possession, Winslow’s Alex Demers recovered a fumble on the Hermon 36. On the next play, Pomeroy connected with Ivey again for the 36-yard touchdown pass, his third touchdown pass in as many offensive snaps, and Winslow’s lead was 28-7.
“We’re trying to be a little unpredictable. We threw on first down a couple times. The hogs did a good job giving me time, and the receivers made some plays,” Pomeroy said.
Early in the third quarter, Newgard caught a 16-yard touchdown pass, Pomeroy’s fourth of the day, to increase Winslow’s lead to 35-7.
“Last week against Medomak Valley they threw the ball much more than I’d seen. We knew it was coming. Colby Pomeroy is as good as it gets, and when you’ve got weapons outside like that, it’s tough. I thought we did a better job against the run than we did in Week 7, but when you’ve got a great football team like that, it’s hard to stop both,” Gallant said.
Winslow quarterback Colby Pomeroy runs against Hermon defender Ian Facellam, left, during a Class C North semifinal game Saturday in Winslow. Morning Sentinel photo by Rich Abrahamson
Gallant knew for his team to have a chance to win, there would be times he’d need to make bold decisions. One of those time came late in the first quarter with the game scoreless. Hermon faced fourth down and 1 from its own 11, and lined up in an attempt to draw the Black Raiders offside. When that didn’t happen, Gallant called timeout. When play resumed, the Hawks went for it, and quarterback Wyatt Gogan was stopped inches short on the keeper. Two plays later, Evan Bourget’s 7-yard touchdown run gave Winslow a 7-0 lead.
“When you’re playing a really, really good football team like Winslow, you’ve got to take risks. I looked at the guys in the huddle and said ‘What do you want to do?’ Those seniors and I started together in eighth grade. I kind of left it up to them,” Gallant said. “They said ‘Let’s go for it, Coach.’ We didn’t (convert) but those are the risks you have to take against a really, really good football team. Sometimes things go your way and sometimes they don’t. You’re the bad guy when they don’t. You’re the great guy when they do.”
“The line stepped it up. We had a good week of practice, and we were ready for anything they were going to throw at us,” Pomeroy said.
Pomeroy finished with 123 yards passing. Bourget led Winslow’s ground game with 107 yards on 18 carries.
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