BIDDEFORD—The Cheverus Stags have dominated the Class A football landscape for the past two years and two of the Stags’ biggest stars, recently graduated seniors Spencer Cooke and Cam Olson, played a huge role in the West’s 48-24 victory over the East in Saturday’s 23rd annual Maine Shrine Lobster Bowl Classic at Waterhouse Field.
Cooke was named the Most Outstanding Player for the West after rushing 13 times for 113 yards and a touchdown and recovering a fumble.
Olson had a couple highlight reel runs for positive yardage after being trapped in the backfield when the game was in the balance and wound up throwing a TD pass and running for another. He gained 72 yards on the ground and threw for 169.
The East was in control early, grabbing an 8-0 lead on a TD pass from Fitzpatrick Trophy winner Jordan Hersom of Leavitt to Messalonskee’s Sam Dexter and a two-point conversion run. The West answered with 8:49 to go in the first period when Olson bulled his way in from 7-yards out on a scramble. The two-point conversion failed.
With 13:25 to play in the first half, the East stretched its lead to 16-6 on a 1-yard TD run by Lewiston’s Jeff Turcotte and a two-point conversion pass, but the rest of the game would belong to the West.
By halftime, the West had a 26-16 advantage thanks to a 2-yard TD run by Scarborough’s Scott Theriault (and an Olson two-point conversion run), a 26-yard TD pass from Wells’ Paul McDonough to Marshwood’s Troy Pappas and A 50-yard TD pass from McDonough to Bonny Eagle’s Matt Burnell.
The West made it 32-16 with 12:34 to play in quarter number three as Olson found Bonny Eagle’s Cam Cooper from 9-yards out.
The East snapped the West’s 26-0 run when Brewer’s Anthony Jackson scored on a 9-yard run and Turcotte added the two-point conversion run with seconds remaining in the third.
The West put it away in the fourth.
A 1-yard TD run from McDonough three minutes into the final stanza, followed by a two-point conversion pass, pushed the lead to 40-24.
With 3:12 to play, Cooke got in on the fun, racing in from 35-yards and a two-point conversion run capped the scoring fest.
The West was also represented by Deering lineman Alex Stilphen and Portland lineman Nate Porter.
The West now holds a 17-6 lead all-time in the series.
Players, coaches and cheerleaders combined to raise a record $73,000.
Sun Journal staff writer Randy Whitehouse contributed to this story.
Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net. Follow him on Twitter: @foresports.
Sidebar Elements
Cheverus’ Cam Olson lofts a short pass to Spencer Cooke during Saturday’s Lobster Bowl. Both Stags players played key roles in the West’s 48-24 victory.
Deering’s Alex Stilphen was active on the line in the West’s victory.
Nate Porter represented the Portland Bulldogs.
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