Noah Carpenter guides West over East in 2024 Lobster Bowl

By Sam Canfield, Bangor Daily News Staff

LEWISTON — Lewiston High School’s Don Roux Field was packed full on Saturday afternoon, July 20 for the annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl, an East-West All-Star football game recognizing more than 130 of the best players and cheerleaders from the Class of 2024.

The East roster included Foxcroft Academy’s Gage Beaudry, Hunter McSorley, and Wyatt Rayfield of Beau Talbot, a Piscataquis Community High School student who played at neighboring Dexter Regional High School. McKenzie Trafton of Dexter was on the East cheer team and Penquis Valley High School’s Layla Chai was on the West cheer squad.

In addition to raising $206,000 for Shriners Hospitals for Children, the athletes treated the hundreds of fans in attendance to a high-scoring spectacle, as the West improved its all-time record to 22-11 with a 49-18 victory.

Having lost to the East 29-23 last year, the West made its mark Saturday by scoring three touchdowns in just 96 seconds, spanning the second and third quarters.

Leavitt quarterback and two-time Maine Gatorade Player of the Year Noah Carpenter (five total TDs, one interception) kickstarted the West’s offensive outburst with a 31-yard bomb to Westbrook’s Aiden Taylor, followed by a two-yard keeper to make it 21-12 with 18 seconds remaining before halftime.

On the East’s ensuing possession, Sanford linebacker Jordan Bissonnette snagged his first of two interceptions and rumbled to the 17-yard line, with five seconds to go. But rather than going for a field goal, Carpenter linked up with Leavitt teammate Will Keach (32 receiving yards, 16 rushing) on a surprise hook-and-ladder play, to suddenly make it 29-12 after a successful two-point conversion. 

“It feels amazing, knowing the cause that this is for, and to get close to such a great group of guys,” Carpenter said of the victory. “We knew we had it in us, and that everyone had to play their square. When the opportunity [arose] we took advantage of it.”

Coming out of the locker room, Carpenter got back to work with a 32-yard toss to Kennebunk’s Jonah Barstow (77 receiving yards, 40 rushing yards, one TD), and Deering’s Miles Hibbard ran it in from 28 yards out to make it 37-12 just 44 seconds into the half.

Carpenter — a future University of Maine Black Bear and two-time Class C state champion — was named the West’s MVP with his five-score (three passing, two rushing) performance, tallying 186 yards in the air, 90 yards on the ground and tacking on two successful two-point conversions plus three PATs.

“Noah’s a great leader and made a bunch of big plays for an already talented team aside him,” East head coach Dan O’Connell of John Bapst said. “Football’s a game of momentum, and the air came out of the balloon a little bit. Now we flip the page and go root for him up at UMaine.”

Leading the way for the East was MVP Tafari Corson-James of Lewiston and Foxcroft Academy quarterback Rayfield.

In the second quarter, Rayfield threw a 12-yard touchdown to teammate Beaudry and later a 29-yard bomb to MDI’s Spencer Laurendeau, making it a 14-12 ballgame after starting out down 14-0.

“It was awesome. So much emotion came to me, being able to share that [touchdown] with my childhood best friend,” Rayfield (134 all-purpose yards) said. “I’m so thankful for the opportunity. Win or lose it was for a great cause.”

Running back Corson-James ran hard all game, finishing with 39 all-purpose yards and punching in a five-yard touchdown in the third quarter to make it 37-18.

“This is my hometown. My city,” Corson-James said. “Scoring my last touchdown on my home field — it feels amazing. It’s a blessing, for real.”

Also playing for the East was Bangor quarterback Jack Schuck, Brewer lineman Colby Largay, Hampden Academy defensive back Brycen Scales, Hermon lineman Kayden Patten, John Bapst tight end Logun McMahon, Old Town lineman Logan LaBelle, and Orono linemen Cooper Sawyer and Ashton Duran.

Duran raised the most money (approximately $7,000) of any football player, and Schuck won the East’s training camp leadership award.

“I’ve known [some of] those kids since they were young, and they’re like family to me,” O’Connell said. “The result didn’t go the way we wanted, but they never gave up. Being able to coach all those kids is an opportunity that I’ll always cherish.”