SACO — Eric Christensen had big shoes to fill.

Christensen, a junior on the Thornton Academy football team, stepped into the starting quarterback role for the 2011 season. It’s a spot that has seen his predecessors, Josh Woodward and Steve Trask, become focal points of the Golden Trojans offense and two of the best players around. Both Trask and Woodward received post-season accolades, as each was a semifinalist for the Fitzpatrick Trophy in their senior seasons.

In a role that presents pressure for anyone else who steps in, Christensen has handled the transition smoothly. The Trojans (9-1) are the No. 2 seed in the Western Class A playoffs, and will travel to Portland on Saturday to play against defending state champion Cheverus (10-0) in the regional final.

“It was something I wanted to do, and something I wanted to step into,” Christensen said. “It wasn’t that bad. I wanted to be the next in line.”

Christensen has been a key player for the Trojans ”“ but in a different way. His role hearkens to that of a point guard in basketball. He distributes the ball to the play-makers for the points. With Thornton’s red-zone offense, Christensen can hand the ball off to fullback Nick Kenney, one of his best friends since childhood who grew up as his neighbor in Old Orchard Beach. If he’s passing, he can dish the ball off to tight end Dakota Tarbox, with whom Christensen has built up a rapport thanks to work in the offseason at various passing camps. He can get the ball to the Trojans’ ultimate play-maker, running back/wide receiver-hybrid Andrew Libby, who leads the team in touchdowns.

“When we’re running the ball, I’m just trying to see who’s outside the tackle, because that’s my read key, and I just read him for the rest of the way,” Christensen said. “If we’re passing, we’re trying to see if they’re playing man (coverage) or zone, whatever they’re doing.”

He can even handle the ball himself on a run, but unlike other option quarterbacks, Christensen is more likely to bowl you over than speed by or pull a highlight-reel spin move.

“I don’t really run around people,” Christensen said.

The process has worked. Christensen scored 13 touchdowns this season, an almost perfect split of seven scores passing and six touchdowns running.

Though he is regarded as the quarterback of an option offense, Christensen’s passing skills are more refined than most Maine high school quarterbacks. Earlier in the season, in a Sept. 9 game against South Portland, Christensen looked for Libby on a wheel route, a play where Libby is looking for a deep pass from Christensen. But noticing that he was covered well by a Red Riots defender, Christensen changed the pass up by throwing toward the sideline, aiming for Libby’s back shoulder. Libby made the grab and tapped both feet inbounds for a first down.

It wasn’t an errant throw, but planned. The back shoulder pass is a normal audible in the National Football League, and even most Division I schools, but it’s extremely rare for a high school quarterback in Maine to make such a throw, as it takes significant arm strength to make the pass, requiring the ball to be thrown on a line.

But Christensen, staying humble, gave most of the credit on the play to his receiver.

“If I throw it to Andrew, I know he’s going to adjust to it,” Christensen said. “He’s a good player.”

This Saturday, Christensen and his teammates will face the toughest opponent that they have played all year in the Stags, the No. 1 seed. It’s the first time Thornton has played in the Western Class A championship game since 2008, when the Trojans lost 20-0 to soon-to-be state champion Bonny Eagle. Trask was knocked out of that game with an injury.

Cheverus has one of the stingiest defenses in the state, allowing just 61 points all season, an average of six points per game.

But Christensen said as long as the Trojans can keep ball control throughout the game offensively, they will have a chance to knock off the defending champs.

“We’ve got to go in and play mistake-free football, because we can’t beat ourselves,” Christensen said. “We can’t do that against (Cheverus), because they’re undefeated.”

— Contact Staff Writer Dave Dyer at 282-1535, Ext. 318 or follow him on Twitter @Dave_Dyer.