Ponies break through in second half to win at Hermon
HERMON — For the entire first half of a Friday, Oct. 4 game on the turf neither visiting Class D North Foxcroft Academy nor host Class C North Hermon High School could find the endzone. The Ponies would break the scoreless stalemate with a third quarter touchdown to get the offense going in a 17-0 victory, improving the team to 5-0 with its first shutout of the year and first since week 6 of 2023 almost exactly one year prior (62-0 at Maine Central Institute of Pittsfield on Oct. 6, 2023).
The Foxcroft defense forced a 3-and-out to start the second half, one of five punts for the Hawks (3-2) in nine possessions. Taking over at the team’s own 34-yard line, the Ponies moved the football to the Hermon-25 in four plays including a 30-yard completion from junior quarterback Griffin Caruso to classmate Lucas Sands.
On first down, junior Finn Holmes took the handoff and he ran up the middle through a hole in the line. Bouncing off some would-be tacklers, Holmes ran right all the way to the endzone for the evening’s first points at the 7:33-mark. A PAT by junior Aiden Harvey put Foxcroft ahead 7-0.
MAN OPEN DOWN THE FIELD — Junior quarterback Griffin Caruso spies classmate Lucas Sands open down the field for a 30-yard completion to the opposition’s 25-yard line during the third quarter of an Oct. 4 game at Hermon. The drive culminated in a 25-yard touchdown run by junior Finn Holmes, the first six points in the Ponies’ 17-0 victory to improve to 5-0.
The team’s traded possessions over the rest of the quarter and Hermon punted again early in the fourth with the Pony offense taking over inside Hawks territory at the 47.
Four plays later an apparent touchdown run by Harvey out of the wildcat was called back due to a holding penalty. Two plays later an 8-yard completion from Harvey to Sands — he caught four passes for a game-high 70 receiving yards – set Foxcroft up on a 4th-and-5 at the 8-yard line.
Instead of going for it, the Pony field goal unit came on. With Caruso fielding the snap in the middle of the field at the 15-yard line, he held as Harvey booted the football through the up-rights for a 2-possession, 10-0 lead with 4:59 remaining on the clock.
ON HIS WAY TO THE ENDZONE — Pony junior Finn Holmes runs around a block by classmate Lucas Sands for a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter at Hermon on Oct. 4. The play broke a span of over 35 minutes of scoreless play as the Ponies would add a field goal and touchdown in the fourth quarter.
Needing to score twice in a short amount of time, the Hawks took to the air with a quick first down on a 23-yard completion to the Hermon-41. On first down Hermon sophomore quarterback Ethan Curtis’ throw toward the right sideline was intercepted by Pony sophomore linebacker Thomas Day at the Foxcroft 44-yard line.
Foxcroft would convert the turnover into seven more points. The team kept the ball in Harvey’s hands as three rushes advanced the offense to the Hermon-7. On 1st-and-goal Harvey got the football again as he ran left, and was able to fall across the goal line while being tackled for the touchdown. A timeout before the PAT attempt helped him catch his breath as Harvey’s kick made the score 17-0.
Harvey would account for 11 of his team’s points. He also rushed for a contest-best 69 yards in seven carries, while also catching a 4-yard pass and throwing an 8-yard completion.
LENDING A HAND — Senior Silas Topolski is helped off the turf by sophomore Aiden Sickler after Topolski made a 25-yard catch on his back at the Hermon-13 in the fourth quarter. The reception helped extend a drive culminating in a 25-yard field goal by junior Aiden Harvey, giving the Ponies a 10-0 lead with under 5:00 to go.
Senior Silas Topolski sealed the victory by coming up with an interception inside Pony territory which he returned to the Foxcroft-30. An ensuing 11-yard rush by Harvey enabled the offense to line up in victory formation and take a knee to run out the clock. Topolski also caught the football four other times, tying Sands with a game-high four receptions with his resulting in 37 yards.
The 17 points are the fewest for Foxcroft since a 14-13 loss to Lisbon High School on Sept. 23, 2022, which was the last regular season defeat for the program and only one in the three and half years since tackle football returned after no such season was played in 2020.
Hermon’s previous four games, in which the team went 3-1, were all decided by six points or fewer.
KEEPING HIS BALANCE — Pony junior Landon Smith rushes for a 9-yard gain in the fourth quarter at Hermon with senior Silas Topolski right behind and senior Jaxson Zimmerman (58) and sophomore Steven Li (64) looking on.
The Ponies are set to play next when the team hosts Class C North Nokomis Regional HIgh School (2-3) at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 11.
FOOTBALL
Foxcroft 17, Hermon 0
FOX 0 0 7 10 – 17
HER 0 0 0 0 – 0
Third: F – Holmes 25 yds (Harvey kick)
Fourth: F – Harvey 25-yd FG; F – Harvey 7 yds (Harvey kick)
Passing: H – Curtis 3-of-14 64 yds 2 Int; M. Hopkins 1-of-2 10 yds; F – Caruso 9-of-13 Int; Harvey 1-of-1 8 yds
Receiving: H – Coulter 2, 39 yds; Hamm 1, 15 yds; M. Hopkins 1, 10 yds; F – Sands 4, 70 yds; Topolski 4, 37 yds; Sickler 1, 5 yds; Harvey 1, 4 yds
Rushing: H – S. Hopkins 5, 48 yds; M. Hopkins 13, 38 yds; Dunton 1, 11 yds; Coulter 4, 10 yds; Curtis 2, 9 yds; Largay 2, 3 yds; Yeo 2, 3 yds; Hamm 1, -1 yd; F – Harvey 7, 69 yds TD; Holmes 8, 38 yds TD; Smith 9, 27 yds;
Records: H – 3-2; F 5-0
BREAKING THE PLANE — Junior Aiden Harvey is brought down by Hermon sophomore Dylan Yeo but Harvey was able to cross the goal line for a 7-yard touchdown. Harvey would also kick a pair of PATs and a field goal for 11 of the 17 Foxcroft points.