Pair of early touchdowns

 Help MDI top Ponies in 2015 opener

DOVER-FOXCROFT — Before the Foxcroft Academy offense took to the field in a mutual 2015 Class C North/Big Ten Conference regular season opener on Sept. 4 at Oakes Field, the Ponies faced a 14-0 deficit against the Trojans of Mount Desert Island High School in Bar Harbor. Foxcroft, which featured a number of players in the starting lineup making their first career varsity starts, would limit the visitors to just two more scores in the three ensuing three quarters, but the Ponies only found the endzone once in a 29-6 defeat.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

JUST OUT OF REACH — Junior Evan Chadbourne extends to try to haul in a screen pass from junior quarterback Nick Dyer during the third quarter of Foxcroft’s regular season opener vs. MDI on the evening of Sept. 4. The visiting Trojans left Dover-Foxcroft with a 29-6 victory.

Getting the football to start after Foxcroft deferred, MDI scored on the game’s opening possession behind a 12-yard touchdown pass and follow-up conversion completion. On the ensuing kickoff, the Ponies lost the football on the return and the Trojans made the recovery at the Foxcroft 25-yard line. Four plays later a 1-yard touchdown run gave the away team a 14-0 advantage just over five minutes in.

The MDI defense, facing a team with five skill position players starting on Friday nights for the first time as well as senior Brandon Brock who this season made the move to H-back from the line, limited the Ponies to one first down in the opening half while forcing four punts with three coming in the second quarter. A second quarter Foxcroft fumble at the Pony-20 led to a 20-yard touchdown pass for the Trojans, the second of the game for MDI sophomore quarterback Andrew Phelps as he reached the 200-yard mark through the air.

Foxcroft and MDI combined for eight turnovers in the 2015 opener, as a Trojan fourth quarter interception set up a 1-yard touchdown a minute and a half later with the PAT making the game 29-0.

Later in the final 12-minute session, the Ponies recovered a fumble at the team’s own 37. Senior Zachary Caron got the drive started by gaining 13 yards, and from midfield junior quarterback Nick Dyer scrambled for 11 yards to get the ball into Trojan territory. Dyer, operating behind senior center Connor Holmes to take the shotgun snaps, led Foxcroft with 87 yards on the ground on a team-high 15 carries.

Rushing plays with sophomore Cameron Marsh, junior David Salley and Caron taking turns carrying the ball led to a first down at the MDI-28. On the ensuing first-and-10 Dyer took the snap, tucked the football and ran down the right sideline all the way to the 1-yard line where MDI made the tackle just shy of the goalline.

A loose football was safely covered up at the 5-yard line and on second-and-goal Dyer was again tackled at the MDI-1. Brock then got the carry on third down as he ran off right tackle, spun around the initial contact and crossed into the endzone for the first Pony touchdown of the season.

Next on the schedule for Foxcroft is a trip to Madison to face the Madison/Carrabec Bulldogs (a cooperative team between the two Somerset County high schools) on Friday, Sept. 11 at 7 p.m. Madison/Carrabec bested Oceanside at home, 35-18, in its opener. Foxcroft and the Madison/Carrabec squad have not met in a varsity contest, with the Bulldogs moving to Class C with the switch to four classes in 2013 but the two teams were not on each other’s schedule in 2013 or last season.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

LOOKING TO RUN — After making the reception on a short completion, freshman Hyatt Smith looks for yards after the catch.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

TOUCHDOWN! — Sophomore R.J. Nelson signals that Pony senior Brandon Brock (44) crossed the goalline for a 1-yard touchdown of the fourth quarter of Friday’s contest vs. MDI.

Observer photo/Stuart Hedstrom

KICKING OFF THE SEASON — After winning the cointoss and opting to defer, senior Nate Church kicks off to start the 2015 season as Foxcroft hosted MDI. Starting his run down the field to cover the kick is sophomore Johnny Labree.

FOOTBALL

MDI 29,

Foxcroft 6

MDI 14  8  0  7  – 29

FA  0  0  0  6  – 6

First qtr: MDI – Bickford 12 yds

from Phelps (Good from Phelps);

MDI – Albee 1 yd (kick wide)

Second qtr: MDI – Albee 20 yds from Phelps

(Keene from Phelps)

Fourth qtr: MDI – Bickford 1 yd (Rich kick);

FA – Br. Brock 1 yd (kick wide)

Passing: FA – Dyer 6-of-12 17 yds Int

MDI – Phelps 9-of-17 200 yds 2 TD 2 Int;

Farnsworth 0-of-0.

Receiving: FA – Richard 3, 1 yd; Marsh

1, 9 yds; Brock 1, 6 yds; Hy. Smith 1, 1 yd

MDI – Good 3, 85 yds TD; Albee 2, 41 yds

TD; Bickford 2, 29 yds; Lee 1, 25 yds;

Rich 1, 20 yds.

Rushing: FA – Dyer 15, 87 yds; Br. Brock 6,

25 yds TD; Caron 2, 21 yds; Clawson 8, 7 yds;

Salley 2, 3 yds; Marsh 1, -2 yds; Chadbourne

1, -3 yds

MDI – Albee 14, 59 yds TD; Lee 9, 49 yds;

Bickford 10, 27 yds TD; Kerley 3, 7 yds; Carroll,

1, 3 yds; Phelps 1, -2 yds

Records: F 0-1, M 1-0