Gorham 50

Deering 35

Last year, Gorham and Deering squared off in a “Battle of the Rams” in the Western Maine Class A championship game, with Gorham narrowly squeaking out a 9-7 win.

Undoubtedly, Deering came into last Friday’s rematch of the two undefeated teams with revenge on their minds. However, the result was the same, just not as close. Gorham won the game by a wide margin, running its record to 3-0 on the season while Deering drops to 2-1.

Gorham tailback Justin Villacci rushed for 207 yards and scored an astounding five touchdowns, leading Gorham to a 50-35 win over Deering, on Deering’s home field. Carson Walker scored two touchdowns for Gorham while rushing for 61 yards, and Duncan Allen pitched in with an even 100 yards on the ground.

On the other side of the ball, Jack Heary paced the Deering offense with four touchdowns and 205 total yards.

“This was a great test for us,” said Gorham head coach Dave Kilborn. “I don’t think either one of us stopped each other. They’re going to get hungrier and hopefully we can do the same. Hopefully we aren’t satisfied with this.”

“Deering’s a great team, and I guarantee you we will see them again,” said Villacci. “This isn’t the football they are going to play. I can guarantee the score will probably not be (50-35) next time. They’re a great football team, they’re well respected around the state, and I think we are too.”

Gorham opened the game in control of the football, and Villacci scored his first of five touchdowns only two minutes into the game on a 37-yard rush. Deering stopped the two point conversion, making the score 6-0.

Deering’s first possession was a quick three-and-out, with two incomplete passes from quarterback Regan Flaherty. Gorham capitalized on their fourth play of the drive when Carson Walker sprinted 35 yards to the end zone for his first touchdown of the game. The two point conversion made the score 14-0 in seemingly the blink of an eye.

“It’s too early in the season to have a ‘statement’ game. It’s much too early to do that,” said Kilborn. “Both (Gorham and Deering), we just want to get better as the season goes on. We just want to play better football.”

When Deering got the ball back on the kickoff, tailback Jack Heary took off on a 37-yard touchdown rush, his first of three in the game. The extra point made the score 14-7.

“I would love to put him in Gorham,” said Kilborn of Heary. “He’s very elusive, and it’s almost like watching Walter Payton out there running.”

Gorham ended the first quarter with their third touchdown of the game on a 4-yard Villacci rush, his second. With the two-point conversion, the score was 22-7 after one quarter.

“It’s whatever’s going, and whatever works,” said Villacci. “We’re predominately a running team, but if we’re running the ball and it isn’t there, it isn’t working, we’ve got to set a spark somewhere else. We’re just trying to start a spark somewhere.”

Deering started out in the second quarter with possession of the football, and would have had another three-and-out, yet Tim Conley executed a fantastic fake punt, gaining 25 yards and a first down. On the next play, Heary sprinted 35 yards for his second touchdown, bringing the score to 22-13.

Gorham took control of the clock during the second quarter. After Heary’s second TD run, Gorham executed a 10 play, clock-killing drive, using a balanced running attack of Villacci and Duncan Allen, culminating in Carson Walker’s second touchdown run. Gorham forced another three-and-out from Deering, and again executed a long clock-killing drive, this time nine plays, finishing with Villacci’s third touchdown.

During each drive, a total of 19 plays, there were only four times when the rusher gained less than three yards. This can be credited to Gorham’s strong offensive line.

“They played huge tonight, they came up huge,” said Kilborn. “They are the reason our offense did what it did. For Justin, Duncan, and Carson to have great games, that’s where it lies. It’s up to the O-line.”

Deering brought the score to 36-21 on a touchdown pass from Regan Flaherty to Ernie Salamone, closing out the first half. Deering opened the second half receiving the kick off, and marched 55 yards down the field, setting up Jack Heary’s third touchdown, a 15-yard run that made the score 36-27.

Villacci’s fourth touchdown came at the end of the third quarter. Gorham blocked a Deering punt to get possession back, setting themselves up deep in Deering territory. Villacci scored on a 1-yard rush, and after a two-point conversion, the score put Gorham up, 44-27. His fifth came on a 42-yard rush on Gorham’s first possession of the fourth quarter, finishing off his impressive night and making the score 50-27.

Jack Heary scored his fourth touchdown on the final play of the game, finalizing the scores at 50-35.

Deering’s next game will be against Portland on Sept. 20 at Fitzpatrick Stadium, while Gorham will take on Cheverus at home on Friday, Sept.21, in a game that Gorham has their eyes on.

“They’ve been up and down, and we look forward for them coming to our place,” said Kilborn. “We’ll be playing against some Gorham boys that play for Cheverus. We’re looking forward to that.”

The Gorham front line came up big on third down, forcing Deering to punt in Friday night action in Portland.

Gorham 50

Deering 35

Last year, Gorham and Deering squared off in a “Battle of the Rams” in the Western Maine Class A championship game, with Gorham narrowly squeaking out a 9-7 win.

Undoubtedly, Deering came into last Friday’s rematch of the two undefeated teams with revenge on their minds. However, the result was the same, just not as close. Gorham won the game by a wide margin, running its record to 3-0 on the season while Deering drops to 2-1.

Gorham tailback Justin Villacci rushed for 207 yards and scored an astounding five touchdowns, leading Gorham to a 50-35 win over Deering, on Deering’s home field. Carson Walker scored two touchdowns for Gorham while rushing for 61 yards, and Duncan Allen pitched in with an even 100 yards on the ground.

On the other side of the ball, Jack Heary paced the Deering offense with four touchdowns and 205 total yards.

“This was a great test for us,” said Gorham head coach Dave Kilborn. “I don’t think either one of us stopped each other. They’re going to get hungrier and hopefully we can do the same. Hopefully we aren’t satisfied with this.”

“Deering’s a great team, and I guarantee you we will see them again,” said Villacci. “This isn’t the football they are going to play. I can guarantee the score will probably not be (50-35) next time. They’re a great football team, they’re well respected around the state, and I think we are too.”

Gorham opened the game in control of the football, and Villacci scored his first of five touchdowns only two minutes into the game on a 37-yard rush. Deering stopped the two point conversion, making the score 6-0.

Deering’s first possession was a quick three-and-out, with two incomplete passes from quarterback Regan Flaherty. Gorham capitalized on their fourth play of the drive when Carson Walker sprinted 35 yards to the end zone for his first touchdown of the game. The two point conversion made the score 14-0 in seemingly the blink of an eye.

“It’s too early in the season to have a ‘statement’ game. It’s much too early to do that,” said Kilborn. “Both (Gorham and Deering), we just want to get better as the season goes on. We just want to play better football.”

When Deering got the ball back on the kickoff, tailback Jack Heary took off on a 37-yard touchdown rush, his first of three in the game. The extra point made the score 14-7.

“I would love to put him in Gorham,” said Kilborn of Heary. “He’s very elusive, and it’s almost like watching Walter Payton out there running.”

Gorham ended the first quarter with their third touchdown of the game on a 4-yard Villacci rush, his second. With the two-point conversion, the score was 22-7 after one quarter.

“It’s whatever’s going, and whatever works,” said Villacci. “We’re predominately a running team, but if we’re running the ball and it isn’t there, it isn’t working, we’ve got to set a spark somewhere else. We’re just trying to start a spark somewhere.”

Deering started out in the second quarter with possession of the football, and would have had another three-and-out, yet Tim Conley executed a fantastic fake punt, gaining 25 yards and a first down. On the next play, Heary sprinted 35 yards for his second touchdown, bringing the score to 22-13.

Gorham took control of the clock during the second quarter. After Heary’s second TD run, Gorham executed a 10 play, clock-killing drive, using a balanced running attack of Villacci and Duncan Allen, culminating in Carson Walker’s second touchdown run. Gorham forced another three-and-out from Deering, and again executed a long clock-killing drive, this time nine plays, finishing with Villacci’s third touchdown.

During each drive, a total of 19 plays, there were only four times when the rusher gained less than three yards. This can be credited to Gorham’s strong offensive line.

“They played huge tonight, they came up huge,” said Kilborn. “They are the reason our offense did what it did. For Justin, Duncan, and Carson to have great games, that’s where it lies. It’s up to the O-line.”

Deering brought the score to 36-21 on a touchdown pass from Regan Flaherty to Ernie Salamone, closing out the first half. Deering opened the second half receiving the kick off, and marched 55 yards down the field, setting up Jack Heary’s third touchdown, a 15-yard run that made the score 36-27.

Villacci’s fourth touchdown came at the end of the third quarter. Gorham blocked a Deering punt to get possession back, setting themselves up deep in Deering territory. Villacci scored on a 1-yard rush, and after a two-point conversion, the score put Gorham up, 44-27. His fifth came on a 42-yard rush on Gorham’s first possession of the fourth quarter, finishing off his impressive night and making the score 50-27.

Jack Heary scored his fourth touchdown on the final play of the game, finalizing the scores at 50-35.

Deering’s next game will be against Portland on Sept. 20 at Fitzpatrick Stadium, while Gorham will take on Cheverus at home on Friday, Sept.21, in a game that Gorham has their eyes on.

“They’ve been up and down, and we look forward for them coming to our place,” said Kilborn. “We’ll be playing against some Gorham boys that play for Cheverus. We’re looking forward to that.”

The Gorham front line came up big on third down, forcing Deering to punt in Friday night action in Portland.