Ponies win home opener vs. Oceanside
DOVER-FOXCROFT — Four trips to the endzone would be more than enough for Foxcroft Academy to defeat Oceanside High School of Rockland 28-12 in the Ponies’ 2026 home opener in a Class C matchup on Sept. 11.
The Foxcroft defense played a big role in the victory by stopping the Mariners three times on fourth down, aside from forcing a punt on another possession, for turnovers on downs in addition to coming up with two other turnovers when the opposition let the football get away. The Ponies improved to 1-1 a week after falling 24-0 at Hermon High School. Oceanside is also now 1-1.
The Mariners opted to receive the ball to start the game. Oceanside got just inside the redzone but suffered a 9-yard loss on a 3rd-and-10 when Pony junior Jaedon Haack dropped freshman Dylan Fales for a 9-yard loss.
Junior linebacker Miles Luellen knocked down the ensuing pass by Oceanside sophomore Everett Tolman to allow Foxcroft to take over at the team’s own 28-yard line.
9-YARD LOSS — Foxcroft Academy junior Jaedon Haack drops Oceanside freshman Dylan Fales for a loss of nine yards during the opening quarter of the Sept. 11 game, with Pony seniors Steven Li (64) and Colby Simmons closing in. Foxcroft won its home opener 28-12.
The Pony defense forced a punt on the next Oceanside possession and got the football a yard inside Mariner territory.
On first down, senior quarterback Evan Seavey threw a screen pass to his right to junior Preston Hutchinson. Hutchinson ran down the sideline before cutting back and not being stopped until he got to the 1-yard line. A flag was flown but the officiating crew opted to pick it up as the 48-yard gain stood.
Sophomore Owen White got the carry and he plunged through a hole in the left side of the line for the first Foxcroft points of the season. A Luellen PAT made the game 7-0.
Late in the quarter the defense came up with another fourth down stop on a tackle shy of the sticks to take over at the Oceanside-34.
FROM MIDFIELD TO THE GOALLINE — Junior Preston Hutchinson runs away from Oceanside defenders, from left, junior Wyatt Banow, senior Nokutenda and junior Ryan Maynard with Foxcroft senior Aiden Sickler ready to throw a block, for a gain of 48 yards to the Mariner 1-yard line. A play later sophomore Owen White got the ball in for the first of four Pony touchdowns.
Five plays later senior Thomas Day ran off right tackle for the touchdown. He led his team with 97 rushing yards on 12 carries.
An encroachment penalty moved the football up a yard on the PAT attempt and the Ponies took advantage by converting for two as White caught a jump pass from Seavey to go ahead 15-0.
While the Mariners did score in the second quarter and came up with two of the team’s own fourth down stops, Foxcroft followed with a tackle for a loss of four yards on a 4th-and-2 to prevent the opposition from getting any closer than 15-6 in the first half.
Seavey scored on a 14-yard run to cap off the first possession of the second half to put the Ponies up 21-6.
REDZONE RECEPTION — Pony sophomore Owen White picks up three yards on a catch during the first play of the second quarter. Two plays later senior Thomas Day ran the ball in from two yards out and White caught the ensuing 2-point conversion pass for a 15-0 lead.
Oceanside followed with a drive to the Foxcroft-10 but got backed up to the 14-yard line for a 4th-and-goal. Day hit Mariner senior Keegan Simms as soon as he touched the football to force the incompletion (had the receiver made the catch Day and nearby defenders were in a very good position to bring him down well shy of the goalline).
The offense drove from the Pony-14 to the Oceanside-5 in eight plays. On a 3rd-and-goal Seavey hit White on a slant in from the left for the touchdown — his second of the evening. He and Hutchinson tied with a game-high four receptions; White had 42 receiving yards, Hutchinson 39.
A Luellen PAT made the score 28-6 with less than 12 minutes to go.
Oceanside got into the redzone but a first down throw from the 13-yard line was intercepted by White.
FORCING THE INCOMPLETION — Senior Colby Simmons knocks the football out of Oceanside junior Mikey Damon-O’Hara’s grasp to set up a 4th-and-3 late in the opening quarter. Foxcroft won 28-12 to improve to 1-1.
Foxcroft will be in action next with its 2026 Homecoming game at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 18 vs. Gardiner Area High School (2-0).
FOOTBALL
Foxcroft 28, Oceanside 12
OCS 0 6 0 6 – 12
FOX 7 8 6 7 – 28
First: F – White 1 yd (Luellen kick)
Second: F – Day 2 yds (White from Seavey); O – Damon-O’Hara 42 yds from Tolman (rush fail)
Third: F – Seavey 14 yds (kick wide)
Fourth: F– White 5 yds from Seavey (Luellen kick); O – Downer 2 yds (rush fail)
Passing: O – Tolman 7-of-17 120 yds TD Int; F – Seavey 10-of-16 91 yds TD Int
Receiving: O – Damon-O’Hara 3, 100 yds TD; Simms 3, 8 yds; C. Downer 1, 12 yds; F – Hutchinson 4, 42 yds; White 4, 39 yds TD; Day 1, 6 yds; Sickler 1, 4 yds
Rushing: O – C. Downer 8, 106 yds TD; Banow 18, 55 yds; Tolman 3, 9 yds; Simms 1, 5 yds; Damon-O’Hara 1, 4 yds; Fales 1, -9 yds; F – Day 12, 97 yds TD; Seavey 6, 42 yds TD; White 8, 30 yds TD; Sickler 1, 15 yds; Hutchinson 3, 7 yds
Records: O 1-1, F 1-1