Welcome to the 2023 Maine High School Football season preview

2022 was a return to normal after the wackiness that was 2021. And yet there were some new wrinkles to the same old – same old. We said hello to a new program and welcomed back a returning program. Five Class A schools traveled across the border to take on peers from New Hampshire’s Division I. Schedules were opened up amongst the classes. There were five Thursday games to kickoff the season. Kennebunk traveled up the road to Biddeford for their home contests as work was being done for an artificial turf surface at Veterans Memorial Field. New lights at Fryeburg Academy and Lisbon kicked off an era of Friday night contests for programs that traditionally played their home games on Saturday afternoons. Six Gold Balls were handed out in November and awards were handed out to some very deserving athletes in conclusion of the fall season. It has been 276 days since the 110th Maine Thanksgiving Day Turkey Bowl and Portland’s 37-0 victory over their cross-town rival Deering, which was the last football game played in 2022. And it was 43 days ago that we saw the East beat the West 28-23 in the 33rd Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic.


*****A QUICK RECAP OF 2022*****
The two 8 man state championship games led the way on the week prior to the 11 man championships. These contests were held at Augusta on the artificial turf of Fuller Field. In the first contest of the day Yarmouth came from behind with a seven-minute, 86-yard drive punctuated by a three-yard run by Michael McGonagle for the go-ahead score for the 30-26 victory. It was the school’s third football Gold Ball and the third for head coach Jim Hartman. During the small school class championship game it was Old Orchard Beach that scored early and often en route to a 46-22 victory and their first Gold Ball in football since 1993.

Going into the 11 man state championships, there was a format change to the schedules of the four contests. Instead of there being a Friday-night state championship followed by three games on Saturday, all four games were held on Saturday with the contests split between Portland and Bangor. The Class A and B championships were held at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland while the Class C and D championships were held at Cameron Stadium in Bangor. Both morning games began at 11 am and both afternoon games began at 2:30 pm.

Two schools finished with perfect records in 2022. Oxford Hills ran the table with a perfect 11-0 record as they defeated Thornton Academy 21-7 at Fitzpatrick Stadium to secure their first gold ball in their school’s history. Leavitt also went undefeated in their season that ended with a Gold Ball celebration at Cameron Stadium following their 46-6 win over Medomak Valley. Other schools that celebrated state championships were Skowhegan, who lifted a Gold Ball in football for the first time in 44 years with their 20-14 win against Portland at Fitzpatrick Stadium. Back in Bangor, Foxcroft Academy secured the first ever back-to-back state championship victories in their football program’s history. In 2021 they defeated Winthrop/Monmouth/Hall-Dale. In 2022 they defeated Lisbon 41-22.

The state end-of-season individual awards saw Eli Soehren get the nomination for the 51st Fitzpatrick Trophy as Maine’s top senior football player. He was Oxford Hills’ second recipient of the prestigious award alongside Jeremy Tardiff (1994). The Gatorade Maine Player of the Year award went to Leavitt’s Noah Carpenter, a junior. He is the second Hornet to receive this award in three years, joining Wyatt Hathaway (2020). The Gaziano Memorial Lineman Awards would go to Leavitt’s Beau Mayo (offense) and to Oxford Hills’ Zach Louvat (defense). They are the first recipient’s of the awards for their schools in the 13-year history of the lineman award program.


*****LONGTIME COACHES RETIRE*****
2022 saw the final game coached by two long-standing members of the coaching ranks. When Joe Rafferty was first hired on as Kennebunk’s coach in 1979, it is entirely possible that some parents of players in the final year of his tenure had yet to be born. In his 44 years as a coach his teams won 217 games in 401 contests, went to four state championships, and brought the 1991 Class B championship to the school’s trophy case. Joe finished one year and one game shy of the Maine longevity marks set by the legendary John Wolfgram.

For 27 years Joel Sankey walked the sidelines of Bucksport’s Carmichael Field as the head coach of the Golden Bucks. As the school made the move into the 21st century, the football program has moved between three classes and yet was always competitive. His teams won 178 games in 273 contests, they went to five state championships, and they brought the 2004 Class C championship to the city. Amongst active coaches at the time of Joel’s retirement he had the third most games coached overall, second most games coached in Maine, and second most coaching wins.

But beyond the stats and wins and games and championships, both were viewed very highly in their respective communities by school administrators, peers, players, and parents. And both leave big legacies in the communities of Kennebunk and Bucksport. They are replaced at their respective helms by Keith Noel (Kennebunk) and Sean Geagan (Bucksport).


*****NEW ELDERS OF THE STATE*****
There are a few stark realities in the game of football. The lowest man wins, next man up, all games reach 0:00, seasons changes, people move on, and new faces emerge. John Wolfgram stepped away from the head coaching spot. Dick Mynahan and Mike Siviski retired. Rod Wotton moved elsewhere. Jim Aylward stepped down. Earle “Pete” Cooper stepped aside and Harold “Tank” Violette passed away.

As coaches move on, new people step up to take their place. And so is the case as Joe Rafferty and Joel Sankey moved on there are those to take their place. As so is the case with the elders of the coaching game. There are 12 coaches in Maine that have been at the helms of their teams for 20 or more years. The current elder is Alex Rotsko. He is been coaching for 31 years, with 12 of those seasons at the helm of Marshwood in addition to his 19 with East Longmeadow. In terms of most years coaching a Maine team, that longevity honor falls upon Sanford’s Mike Fallon. Since 1995, he has led 27 seasons of Redskins and Spartans football. After him (in terms of seasons coached) is Kevin Cooper of Bonny Eagle (25), Tim Roche of Wells (25), Kevin Kezal of Thornton Academy (23), Steve Allosso of Biddeford (22), Dean Plante of Old Orchard Beach (22), Tom Bertrand of Maine Central Institute (21), Mike Hathaway of Leavitt (21), Brad Bishop of Mattanawcook Academy (20), Dan O’Connell of John Bapst (20), and Matt Perkins (20).

And in time they will continue to help mold the athletic prowess and character of those on their team. And in time they will step down from their positions and new coaches will step forward. Such is the slow, steady march of football like in life.


*****REALIGNMENT*****
The biennial Maine Principals Association realignments brought a significant shift to the six classes with the return of two regions and 16 schools going to new places. The biggest shift is that the MPA Football Committee has overseen a leveling out of the number of schools in each region for the first time since 2017. This is in line with the return of regions in Class A and Class D. For this to happen it required a shift of Class B schools up and Class C schools down.

In Class A, there is a return of Noble, Portland, South Portland, and Windham to the state’s large enrollment classification. This is the first time since 2014 that Noble has been in Class A, while the other three last played in Class A in 2018. With four schools moving up a class, Class B will look a little different as they are five teams smaller than their 2022 edition. The only newcomer to the class is Westbrook. Class C represents the smallest class in terms of total schools with 11. That’s because six schools were moved. Westbrook was the only school that was moved up a class. The other five were moved to Class D. Four of them went to the North (Belfast, Maine Central Institute, Old Town, and Winslow). The sixth and final team went to the South (Wells).

The 8 man ranks saw some changes. Brunswick’s rebuilding efforts will see them going into the large school class. To even out the regions, Spruce Mountain was moved from the Southern region to the North. Mountain Valley was moved up from the small school class to the large school class. And to even out the regions, both schools were moved to the North. Ellsworth opted to play down a class and were placed in the small school class – Northern region. In order to even out the numbers the Mount View Mustangs, the Southern-most Northern region team, were moved to the South where they will be the Northern-most Southern region team.


*****MORE SCHOOLS GO ARTIFICIALLY GREEN*****
The move to artificial turf fields added a few new members with Edward Little, Hermon, and Winthrop joining the ranks. Hermon’s Pottle Field and Winthrop’s Maxwell Field were created over their existing locations. Edward Little’s new field is part of the $122 million bond for the building of a new Edward Little High School and athletic fields. These builds now give Maine 24 high schools with an artificial turf field for football. Hermon’s field in particular gives those Northern football-playing schools yet another option for games when wet weather happens.


*****BORDER BATTLES, PART TWO*****
Based on the successes of the five games between Maine and New Hampshire high schools in 2022, there was an expansion for 2023. In addition to out-of-state games for Bonny Eagle, Edward Little, Oxford Hills, Sanford, and Thornton Academy, we will also see Scarborough host Bishop Guertin of Nashua while Bangor will host Winnacunnet of Hampton.

For bragging purposes, New Hampshire won the overall series 3-2 in 2022 with the Bedford Bulldogs, Dover Green Wave, and Spaulding Red Raiders picking up wins over Thornton Academy, Sanford, and Edward Little respectively, while Bonny Eagle and Oxford Hills got wins over Merrimack and Portsmouth-Oyster River.


*****TEAMS WITH NEW HEAD COACHES*****
Mark Renna, Brunswick (previously coached Gray-New Gloucester)
Sean Geagan, Bucksport
Peter Cekutis, Cape Elizabeth
Brendan Scully, Deering (previously coached Massabesic)
Mike Caiazzo, Gray-New Gloucester
Robenson Saintard, Hampden Academy
David Day, Houlton
Keith Noel, Kennebunk (he coached Sanford in 2014)
Skip Bessey, Maranacook
Blair Doucette, Messalonskee
Sean Green, Portland (previously coached Cape Elizabeth)
Brad Cyr, Skowhegan
Jordan Hersom, Spruce Mountain


*****COACHING MILESTONES*****
5 years – Scott Flagg, Brewer
5 years – Pat Mooney, Mountain Valley
5 years – Dave Morris, Bangor
5 years – Matt Nelson, York
10 years – Matt Friedman, Mt. Blue
10 years – Frank True, Mt. Ararat
15 years – David Turner, Fryeburg Academy
20 years – Dan O’Connell, John Bapst
20 years – Matt Perkins, Windham
25 years – Kevin Cooper, Bonny Eagle
25 years – Tim Roche, Wells
30 years – Alex Rotsko, Marshwood
note – the listed years do not factor in the COVID-cancelled season of 2020.


*****POTENTIAL MILESTONES*****
Kevin Cooper, Bonny Eagle – 7 games away from 250 games coached
Danny White, Foxcroft Academy – 3 wins away from 100 wins
Dan O’Connell, John Bapst – 6 wins away from 100 wins
Alex Rotsko, Marshwood – 9 wins away from 100 wins in Maine
Brad Bishop, Mattanawcook Academy – 6 wins away from 100 wins
Dean Plante, Old Orchard Beach – 2 games away from 200 games coached
Dean Plante, Old Orchard Beach – 4 wins away from 100 wins
Mark Soehren, Oxford Hills – 5 games away from 100 games coached
Mike Fallon, Sanford – 12 games away from 250 games coached
Matt Perkins, Windham – 3 wins away from 100 wins


*****WINNING STREAKS ENTERING 2023*****
11 – Leavitt (last loss was 11/13/2021)
11 – Oxford Hills (last loss was 11/20/2021)
8 – Foxcroft Academy (last loss was 9/23/2022)
7 – Old Orchard Beach (last loss was 9/23/2022)
4 – Skowhegan (last loss was 10/22/2022)
3 – Yarmouth (last loss was 10/28/2022)


*****2022 STATE CHAMPIONSHIP DETAILS*****
The 8-man state championships for both the large and small school classes will be held on Saturday, November 11th, the location is currently TBA. The Class A and B state championships will be held on Saturday, November 18th, at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland. The Class C and D state championships will also be held on Saturday, November 19th, the location is currently TBA. The MPA will announce times for each of the games earlier in those weeks.


***** WHAT TO EXPECT FROM US IN 2023*****
We at Maine High School Football will continue our efforts to help bring Maine High School Football to you and to help bring Maine High School Football to the world. In addition to the sharing of news and stories from the state and national media outlets, you can expect the following features from us;
- Every game day we’ll have a running post of scores and updates from across the state.
- Every Sunday morning we’ll post updated Crabtree rankings for all six classes.
- Every Sunday night we’ll post highlights, factoids, thoughts, and opinions on the week as part of the “Thoughts on the Weekend” segment.
- Every Monday night we return a staff favorite as we gather our favorite quotes from around the state as part of the “He said it” segment.
- Every Wednesday night we will announce our selections for the Maine Super 6 Players of the Week, selected from accredited media reports as well as feedback from coaches and administrators, to honor the top performers each week.