For most of the recent graduating senior high school football players, Saturday was their final game. The team from the East was the strongest of the two squads on the field, exploding in the second half to score 34 points en route to an impressive 40-14 win over the West in the 29th annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic at Thornton Academy in Saco. The East has now won four of the past six meetings.
The East got 100 plus yard efforts from both tailbacks Austin Pelletier of Messalonskee and Garrett Poussard from Lewiston, both scoring a touchdown each and Pelletier taking the East MVP game honors. The quarterbacks also impressed as Braden Ballard of Lawrence had a pair of TD passes, and Grant Hartley of Edward Little also had one. The lone score of the first half was a Ballard 56 yard TD toss to Jordan Roddy from Cony in the second quarter to give the East a 6-0 lead at the break. The East then scored on the very first play from scrimmage in the second half on an 84 yard pass from Ballard to Jon Bell from Skowhegan, then made it 20-0 when Pelletier busted free for a 42 yard TD run. Falmouth quarterback Jack Bryant, who was named the West MVP, accounted for both West scores with a short TD run, and a 51 yard TD pass to Sean Whalen of Madison.
Hearts were heavy before the game as moment of silence honored Matt Simpson, a student from Dexter Regional High School, who lost his battle with cancer Friday night. Tyler Beem, Simpsons classmate and friend and a linebacker on the East squad, raised $12,322 for the Shriners the most ever by a player.
Other awards handed out before the game went to Jack Webbs and Beem for the team advisor awards. Fundraiser leader awards went to Bailey Wilson-Cheerleader, Justin Vigue from the West, and Beem from East ($12,322, new Lobster Bowl fundraiser record). Varsity Maine also named their yearly awards.
