A 90-plus yard kickoff return to open the second half helped Bonny Eagle defeat Massabesic, 38-12, at home.

Bonny Eagle (1-0) knocked off the Mustangs (0-1) twice last season – once in the season opener and again in the Western Maine final – en route to its second straight state title.

Friday’s game started close. Massabesic scored with 1:07 remaining in the first half, a 35-yard run by Jeff Elliot, pulling them within two points, 14-12.

The Scots answered – with 24 unanswered points.

The first coming when Massabesic was whistled for a defensive pass interference with no time remaining in the first half, setting up a 33-yard field goal by Bonny Eagle’s Nate Doehler, who was also 5-for-5 on extra points.

“Getting those three points was big,” said Bonny Eagle coach Kevin Cooper.

What happened to open the second half was even bigger.

Scott Proudman fielded the kickoff over his head and running backwards, but returned it for a touchdown, shedding all Massabesic defenders before he reached the 50-yard line.

“Phenomenal,” said Cooper. “I think he (caught the kickoff) inside the 10. He didn’t make a great play on the ball, but man what a run.”

Proudman would add another touchdown, a seven-yard run, in the second half.

Coming out of halftime, the Mustangs had hoped to swing the momentum in their favor.

“I thought we came out at the half looking to gain some field position with a good kickoff and some good coverage,” Massabesic coach John Morin said. “We had a good kick.”

Morin said he could see the life drop from his team after Proudman’s return.

“You’ve got to react to it,” he said.” You’ve got to respond to it; you’ve got to shake it off, and you’ve got to move on. If you don’t it multiplies.”

Which is exactly what happened.

Massabesic went three-and-out on its next four possessions, gaining a total of 14 yards in the third quarter as Bonny Eagle extended its lead to 31-12.

“We did not block a soul in the first two series,” said Morin. “We thought we found a couple of things in the first half that we were going to be able to come back to and they stuffed us.”

Morin said the Scots’ defense wasn’t any different, adding it was the same defense they faced twice last season and worked against all preseason.

The Mustangs offense had been effective in the first half, taking the opening kickoff and moving 74 yards in five plays, including a 52-yard run by R.J. Kuni. The final play of the drive, a pitch to senior Nick Cessario, went for eight yards and a touchdown and gave Massabesic its first and only lead, 6-0.

“They hurt us in the first half with their trip set,” Cooper said.” We hadn’t practice much against that.”

The Mustangs offense, which gained over 200 yards in the first half, couldn’t carry its success into the second.

“We didn’t make a lot of adjustments,” Cooper said. “We just tried to get our kids settled down and able to play those different formations.”

Bonny Eagle’s Stan Watts and Ryan Walker each had one-yard rushing touchdowns in the first half while Jake Durgin rushed for a one-yard score in the second.

Bonny Eagles faces Cheverus (0-1) on the road next week. Massabesic will hope to bounce back against Scarborough (0-1) at home.