The Maine Mammoths finished off a strong ending to their 2018 inaugural season in the National Arena League Sunday evening, by knocking off the playoff-bound Jacksonville Sharks 43-36 at the Cross Insurance Arena in Portland. Maine ends their season with a five game winning streak, including winning their last five at home.
In a game that was moved from Saturday to Sunday because of flight cancellations for the Jacksonville team, Maine quarterback Jonathan Bane accounted for five of the six Mammoths touchdowns on the night. Bane threw touchdown passes to Devin Wilson and Edgar Poe Jr., and also rushed for one in the first half. Defensive back Keiron Jones also had a pick six of 46 yards to give the hosts a 27-22 halftime lead.
Bane hit Wilson for another score early in the third quarter to extend the lead to 33-22, and then found offensive lineman DeShawn Byrd for another TD pass early in the fourth. Kicker Renaud Labreque added a field goal to make it 43-29. Down by seven with 44 seconds left in the game after a Bane interception, the Sharks had a chance. However Jones intercepted his second pass of the night off Sharks quarterback Patrick McCain on the next play to sew up the win. Maine finishes at 7-8, after a tough 2-8 start.
Bane did have four turnovers in the win, throwing three interceptions and losing a fumble. Jacksonvilles McCain threw for three scores and ran for another while throwing four interceptions. Fullback Derrick Ross rushed for the other Sharks score, who finish up 10-6 and head into the NAL playoffs.
Maine ends up with four wins over three playoff teams in the last five weeks of the season. The Mammoths defeated playoff bound Columbus twice, Carolina, and Jacksonville on Sunday. They had lost to the Sharks three prior times in the season by an average score of 48-26.
