Massabesic football’s defense stymies Noble
WATERBORO — Massabesic High’s football team made a statement Friday night, and it didn’t require a single offensive explosion.
The Mustangs relied on a suffocating defense and a grinding ground game to knock off previously high-scoring Noble, 14-7, in a Class A South showdown that clarified the playoff picture for both sides.
Massabesic (4-1) entered the weekend having allowed just 14 points in its previous two outings. Against a Noble squad that had torched Marshwood for 51 points and 381 rushing yards a week earlier, the Mustangs held the Knights to 28 yards on the ground and 147 total yards. Quarterback Mark LaPointe was sacked four times, and a potential tying field goal was blocked.
“It just starts with Day 1 in practice,” said inside linebacker Nolan Pomerleau. “If we’re physical on offense, it’s going to translate to defense. Me and Dustin (Maley) are awesome backers, but it’s the people up front that help us get so many tackles. And our secondary does its job. It’s 11 men trusting in each other.”
The victory vaults Massabesic into a tie for third place in the region alongside South Portland (3-2), with the two set to meet next Friday in a game that will likely decide a playoff berth. Defending champion Thornton Academy (4-0) and Bonny Eagle (5-0) continue to set the pace at the top.
Noble (2-3) saw its brief offensive resurgence halted abruptly. The Knights will host Thornton next week for Homecoming.
“We move forward,” Noble coach Keenon Blindow said. “We continue to work on what we do well, and we come out at Homecoming next week versus TA and give it our best shot and try to get a win and get back on the right track.”
The game turned on a handful of pivotal sequences. Noble’s best chance to strike first came early in the second quarter when a drive reached the Massabesic 5-yard line. But the Mustangs’ front seven pushed the Knights backward: Maley stuffed Tristan Miniutti in the backfield, Nolan Pomerleau chased down LaPointe for a loss on a sweep, and Gavin Pomerleau — Nolan’s twin — dropped LaPointe for a sack. A 29-yard field goal by Tyler Gray was wiped out by an illegal block penalty, and Gray’s second attempt from 39 yards sailed wide.
Massabesic’s offense, which had sputtered for much of the first half, caught a break late in the second quarter. A shanked punt glanced off a Noble player, and Nolan Pomerleau recovered near midfield. Fullback Alex Harriman immediately found rhythm, ripping off four consecutive carries for 31 yards. Facing third-and-11, quarterback Ayden Kirk — who split time with Cooper Smith — lofted a high pass toward the sideline. Gavin Jipson out-leaped his defender for the catch, maintained his footing, and raced untouched for a 25-yard touchdown with 28 seconds remaining in the half. The extra point failed, leaving it 6-0.
The Mustangs struck again on the opening possession of the third quarter. On a toss sweep to the right, Maley found a seam, cut upfield, and sprinted 75 yards untouched for a touchdown. Kirk then hit Hunter Cormier on a 2-point conversion pass to make it 14-0.
Noble’s defense, bolstered by the return of inside linebackers Carter Ouellette and Caiden Barnes from injury, kept the Knights within striking distance. Defensive end Jacob Provencher lived in the Massabesic backfield much of the night.
The Knights finally cracked the scoreboard with 10:53 to play. LaPointe, who finished 13 of 18 for 119 yards, stepped up in a collapsing pocket and found Bryson McCormack streaking across the middle for a 27-yard touchdown. The deficit was seven.
Massabesic chewed more than seven minutes off the clock on the ensuing drive, methodically moving the chains behind Harriman (21 carries, 113 yards), but a fumble near the goal line squandered a chance to put the game away.
Noble took over at its own 20 with 2:58 remaining. LaPointe completed three quick passes to reach midfield, but the Mustangs’ pass rush ended the threat. Nolan Pomerleau and defensive end George Wehrman recorded back-to-back sacks, pushing the Knights back to a fourth-and-27. LaPointe scrambled on the final play but was dragged down a yard short by Harriman, sealing the win.
“The mental toughness is definitely on our team,” Maley said. “We love to hit and we love to be physical, and I feel like that’s where we beat a lot of teams.”
Maley finished with 77 yards on six carries, the 75-yard score accounting for the bulk of his production. Kirk completed his only pass attempt for the Jipson touchdown but threw an interception; Smith was 2 for 2 for 13 yards.
For Noble, Miniutti managed 19 yards on eight carries. McCormack led all receivers with five catches for 61 yards and the touchdown. LaPointe was sacked four times and lost 12 yards rushing.
Massabesic’s schedule doesn’t ease up — a trip to South Portland looms — but Friday’s performance offered proof that the Mustangs’ identity is forged in the trenches, on both sides of the ball.
