The playoffs are here.
Eight-player football large and small begin postseason play this weekend, and Classes B, C and D have their first playoff games the following weekend.
Here are some high school football games happening this weekend with the biggest implications for teams from northern Maine.
No. 5 Dexter/Piscataquis at No. 4 Houlton/Hodgdon, Saturday at TBA
Dexter at Houlton is the marquee matchup of eight-player small’s first playoff round. Both teams are 4-3 this season, but took two very different paths to get to this spot.
In 2022, Dexter was the undefeated No. 1 seed heading into the playoffs, and was ready to steamroll everyone until an upstart Orono team upset them 61-22 in the regional semifinal. Houlton, meanwhile, finished 1-6 and didn’t even make it out of the first round.
This year, Dexter is the underdog, having lost to Houlton 52-38 in Week 3 and just barely earning its winning record with a surprise victory over No. 2 Bucksport last week. The Tigers will have to make the trek up to The County on Saturday, and Houlton will be ready to show that the food chain is different this year.
Dexter at Houlton should be extremely hard-fought, and whoever wins will have the privilege of challenging this year’s No. 1 seed, the juggernaut Orono Red Riots, on the road next week.
Medomak Valley at Oceanside, Thursday at 6:15 p.m.
Medomak, 6-1, and Oceanside, 7-0, have been Class C North’s two best teams all season, and have likely had this game circled since the summer.
Both sides are powered by star-studded senior classes, which will be eager to settle the score once and for all. Oceanside boasts the electric Galley twins and reigning Big 11 Player of the Year running back Aiden Sergent, while Medomak will counter with its powerful combination of running back Aaron Reed and quarterback Chase Peaslee.
“Eight and zero would be great. [It] would mean a lot to the area, and the program,” second-year Oceanside head coach Sam Weiss said. “But the real record is 1-4 — our head-to-head record with Medomak historically. Last year was 35-32 them. It’s our last revenge game from last season. We want the No. 1 seed.”
Medomak was last year’s regional champion, dispatching Oceanside in the regular season, and then outlasting them in the playoff bracket. Oceanside was a surprise factor last year, but could cement itself as Class C North’s new hegemon with a win at home on Thursday.
Nokomis at Hermon, Friday at 7 p.m.
Nokomis at Hermon is another interesting game happening this weekend, with the winner likely earning Class C North’s No. 3 seed, and home field advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
After starting 1-3, an injury-riddled Hermon squad has rattled off three straight wins, and is hungry for a third consecutive deep playoff run. The Hawks have made it to the regional final for two straight years, and a win over Nokomis will validate their newfound confidence right when it matters most.
“We’re moving forward finally,” Hermon head coach Kyle Gallant said. “Our injuries were a hurdle for a while — they continue to be — coupled with playing experienced football teams. We are starting three ninth graders, and I couldn’t be more proud of how they have stepped up to the challenge.”
Like Hermon, 3-4 Nokomis has also had an up-and-down season, surprisingly knocking off a streaking Hampden team two weeks ago, and then losing to a winless Brewer side this past Friday. But the Warriors now must refocus, and Nokomis could reclaim the No. 3 seed with a win in Hermon.
Hermon and Nokomis are two ground-and-pound teams with talented young backs, and this matchup should be fun to watch. Freshman Sam Hopkins for Hermon and sophomore Seth Bowden for Nokomis have been on a roll.
Bangor at Noble, Friday at 7 p.m.
Bangor improved to 4-3 with a hard-fought 42-26 victory over Edward Little on Homecoming last Friday, bouncing back from a tough 35-point loss to Cony in Week 6. Bangor is right ahead of 3-4 Lewiston in the Crabtree standings, and has a true test in 5-2 Noble as it tries to hold onto the fourth and final Class A North playoff spot.
Noble is first place in the Class A South standings, but it should be noted that the Knights’ record is somewhat misleading. Similar to the Rams, the Knights have beaten up on Class B teams, but have struggled against Class A foes like 4-3 Bonny Eagle and 7-0 Portland.
On paper, Bangor and Noble are pretty evenly matched, but the Rams definitely need to be wary of Noble’s strengths and determination to stay in first place. According to the Maxpreps Maine high school football rankings, Noble is the 16th best team in the state, and Bangor is 22nd. Regardless of who wins Friday, this matchup is bound to shake up the state’s power rankings.
No. 7 Ellsworth/Sumner at No. 2 Bucksport, Saturday at TBA
This first round matchup in the eight-player small North playoffs makes the cut, just because of the geographical proximity of these foes. Any game between these Hancock County neighbors is worthy of attention, especially when the game in question is an elimination game.
The 5-2 Golden Bucks have been truly solid the past two seasons, but their upset loss to 3-3 Dexter last week shows that no win is guaranteed. Ellsworth will come to Bucksport with everything it has, especially after the confidence boost it got when dropping 34 points on the Golden Bucks on Oct. 6th.
The winner of Ellsworth versus Bucksport will face the winner of No. 6 Mattanawcook/Lincoln at No. 3 Stearns/Schenck next week, in the second round of the playoffs.
