Lobster Bowl raises more than $317,000 for Shriners Children’s hospitals

By Larry Mahoney, Bangor Daily News Staff

LEWISTON — It was one of the most dramatic Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic football games of all time and there were two winners.

The West seniors rallied for a 28-26 victory over the East at Don Roux Field in Lewiston on Saturday, July 18 in the 36th annual classic, but the big winners were the Shriners Children’s hospitals in Boston and Springfield. The players and cheerleaders from the two teams raised a record-shattering $317,385 for the two hospitals.

That exceeded the previous high by more than $90,000.

According to Lobster Bowl officials, Medomak Valley of Waldoboro’s Logan Vigue raised a record $26,592, and he was followed closely by Bucksport’s Dawson Sukeforth, who brought in $24,483.50 as of Saturday. Those totals exceeded the previous high by more than $10,000.

The top fund-raiser among the cheerleaders was Lily Alley of Ellsworth with $10,175.

The game featured four lead changes in the fourth quarter, and it was the sixth game in the series decided by two points or less and 13th decided by one score or less.

The West has now won five of the last six contests and improved its record to 24-11.

There wasn’t a game in 2020 due to COVID-19, and the following year’s game was a seven-versus-seven flag football game.

The West won it Saturday on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Bonny Eagle of Buxton’s Colin Moran to South Portland’s Kai Turner on a fourth-and-five call with 1:27 remaining.

The East had taken a 26-22 lead with 5:15 left when Bangor’s Kyle Johnson capped a 10-play, 65-yard drive with a six-yard TD run.

Falmouth’s Tres Walker had tossed an 82-yard TD pass to South Portland’s Alex Horton to give the West the lead prior to the Johnson TD.

Messalonskee of Oakland’s Tatum Doucette had opened the fourth-quarter scoring with a seven-yard touchdown run for the East to give the East a 20-16 lead. It was his second of the game.

The West had taken a 16-13 lead into halftime and nobody scored in the third period.

Moran had started the scoring with a one-yard run but the East responded with a four-yard run by Doucette and a 10-yard run by Skowhegan’s Ayden Mulcahy to make it 13-8.

But Moran answered with a 31-yard pass to Turner with 38 seconds in the half.

Moran was chosen the West’s Most Valuable Player after accounting for 212 yards and three touchdowns as he threw for 136 yards and two TDs and rushed for 76 more and a TD.

Doucette was the East’s MVP with 108 rushing yards and two touchdowns.

Among the defensive standouts were Oak Hill of Sabattus defensive back P.J. Smith from the West and East linebackers Morgan Judkins from Brewer and Foxcroft Academy of Dover-Foxcroft’s Finn Holmes.

Holmes was joined on the East team by fellow Ponies Aiden Bryant and Lucas Sands with Foxcroft head coach Danny White serving on the coaching staff. 

Dexter Regional High School’s Bryce Cooper played for the East. Abagail Trafton of Dexter was on the East cheer squad.