DOVER-FOXCROFT- The Lisbon Greyhounds used a very efficient ground attack and a ball control offense Friday night, in slipping past the Foxcroft Academy Ponies 14-13 in a Class D football game played at Oakes Field. The Foxcroft loss ends what was the longest win streak in the state at 13 games.
Lisbon (2-2) got the first possession of the game and drove to the Foxcroft 24 yard line, but a throw by quarterback Jimmy Fitzsimmons fell incomplete on fourth down. It took the Ponies just two plays to take the lead. A 53 yard run by Cameron Chase, followed by a 23 yard touchdown pass from Wyatt Rayfield to Jadon Richard made it 7-0 with 2:20 left in the first quarter. The score would stay the same for the rest of the first half, but the Greyhounds showed they could move the ball with their ground game and ball control by running 35 plays in the first 24 minutes to just seven for the hosts despite not finding the endzone.
With Foxcroft possessing the ball to begin the third quarter, Rayfield was intercepted near midfield that led to the first score for Lisbon. Senior tailback Josh Carter would score on a three yard run on a fourth down, but the two-point conversion run by Carter was no good and the Ponies still led 7-6 headed to the final period. A second lost fumble and third turnover by Rayfield would then allow the visitors to go on top for good. Colby Levasseur found the endzone with a two yard run, and Fitzsimmons called his own number to run in the two-point conversion making it 14-7 Greyhounds with 7:39 left to play. That drive also included a 16 yard scramble run by Fitzsimmons for a first down on a fourth and long. The Ponies responded, with Jackson Smith making three big catches from Rayfield on a drive that culminated in a one yard keeper for a score by Rayfield with 3:45 showing on the clock to cut the deficit to a point. A penalty by Lisbon on the point after try by kicker Kemsley Marsters moved Foxcroft half the distance to the goal line, and they decided to try to take the lead with a two-point try. That try was a pitch to Chase out of the backfield, who lost control of the ball and fumbled in the unsuccessful conversion. The hosts got one more chance when they stopped the Greyhounds on a fourth down play at the FA 42 yard line with 1:52 remaining. Completions by Rayfield to Richard, Marsters, and Lucas Sands set them up in striking distance at the Lisbon 25 yard line. Rayfield though was sacked on a second down and short, and then incomplete passes on third and fourth down would turn it over on downs and allow the guests to run the clock out.
Rayfield finished 8-11 passing for 112 yards, with one touchdown, one interception, and two lost fumbles in the loss. He also added the short TD run late in the game. Chase rushed five times for 78 yards. Smith and Richard both had three receptions for 54 and 47 yards respectively, with Richard catching a touchdown pass. The Ponies fall to 2-1 on the season. Fitzsimmons only attempted two passes in the Greyhounds win, completing one for 18 yards with 29 yards rushing on five attempts. Carter and Levasseur had an identical stat line, both running for 91 yards on 22 carries with a touchdown each. Carter was named the Bangor Savings Bank Player of the Game. Lisbon ran a total of 61 plays to 26 for Foxcroft. Next up the Ponies are on the road next Friday to play John Bapst, while the Greyhounds stay on the road as well with a trip to Waldoboro to battle Medomak Valley.
Lisbon senior running back Josh Carter earned the Bangor Savings Bank Player of the Game on Friday night, as he had 22 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown, in leading the Greyhounds to a 14-13 win over the Foxcroft Academy Ponies at Oakes Field in Dover-Foxcroft
