Who’s going streaking? A look at Maine high school football storylines ahead of Week 3
Maine High‑School Football: Streaks, Sensory Rooms, and State‑Wide Travels
In a Week 2 slate that left fans on the edge of their seats, the state’s longest winning streak in high‑school football—21 games—was snapped when Leavitt defeated Greely. The victory not only ended the run but also shifted the longest streak to 12 games, a record that was broken the following day when Freeport beat Winthrop, Monmouth, and Hall‑Dale in a single game.
The break in dominance has opened the door for a new set of contenders. Thornton Academy now leads with an 11‑game streak, while Stearns follows with six wins. Both teams are eyeing fresh opportunities to extend their runs as the regular season turns toward its climax.
Class C and the Road Ahead
Hermon’s schedule looks primed for a 6‑0 start. The Hawks will face Gardiner and Leavitt in Week 6, setting up a showdown that could see a team finish the season at 7‑0. Lawrence, meanwhile, has already dispatched Fryeburg Academy and is poised to take on Skowhegan and Cony next week. The Bulldogs, the most experienced squad in B North, could be a dark horse in the standings.
In the eight‑man division, Old Town and Old Orchard Beach are set to clash, while Maranacook will take on Old Orchard Beach in Week 7. Stearns, returning most of last year’s small‑school championship roster, appears favored to win each of its remaining regular‑season games.
Autism Awareness Week Makes a National Impact
Week 2 has also been marked by a heart‑warming community initiative. Autism Awareness Week—now in its tenth year—has become a staple of the high‑school football calendar in Maine. The program, conceived by Cony coach B.L. Lippert, who has a son with autism, has seen 64 of the state’s 78 teams wear red shirts emblazoned with “ACCEPT, UNDERSTAND, LOVE” on their jerseys.
At Cony, the initiative is taking on new dimensions. Senior Josh Lajoie, a building‑construction student at the Capital Area Technical Center, is leading a project to construct a sensory room on Fuller Field. The 34‑by‑16‑foot structure will be built from the ground up, with funding already secured for wood, windows, and roofing. “I think it’s something that’s going to define us at Cony more than wins and losses,” Lippert told reporters. “The messaging about being inclusive—and building this building—has lasting impacts. It makes me a little emotional thinking about how it’s grown.”
The team has begun a fundraising drive for the interior furnishings and equipment needed for the sensory room, aiming for a spring completion.
Record‑Breaking Travel Distances
The season has also produced some of the longest road trips in state‑wide football history. Washington Academy’s upcoming game against Traip Academy in Kittery will mark a 534‑mile round trip—about eight hours and twenty‑two minutes of travel—from East Machias. It is the second cross‑state trip this year for the easternmost high‑school team in America, following a 448‑mile round trip to Telstar on August 22.
“Playing the southernmost team in Maine is interesting,” Washington coach Jon Solomon said. “I’ve joked to parents that if they get to Kittery, they can hit up all the outlets when they’re down there. It’ll be a good day.”
Other long hauls this season include Houlton traveling 488 miles to face Gray‑New Gloucester in Week 4 and 512 miles to play Cape Elizabeth in Week 8. Sacopee Valley is set to travel 450 miles to Stearns in Week 8. In the 11‑man division, Mountain Valley’s trip to Mattanawcook Academy was the longest by time (five hours, 46 minutes), while York’s game at Brewer was the longest by distance (350 miles).
Looking Ahead
With the season now well into its third week, the state is poised for more excitement. Teams that have survived the early chaos of Week 2 are looking to capitalize on the shortened streak landscape, while the community‑centered efforts of schools like Cony underscore the power of sport to bring people together. As travel distances grow longer and new streaks form, the rest of the season promises to deliver even more drama—and perhaps a few more record‑breaking moments.
