The Thornton Academy Golden Trojans football team will have a chance at something rare when they play Cheverus on Saturday: To avenge two stinging losses.

For the past two seasons, Thornton has been one of the best teams in Class A football, but Cheverus has been just a little bit better.

After all, the Stags haven’t lost in three seasons and have rolled to back-to-back Class A state titles.

Along the way, Thornton has valiantly tried to dethrone the Stags, but to no avail.

The Trojans traveled to Cheverus last season in the Western Maine Class A title game, and for one half had the lead. Unfortunately for Thornton Academy, Cheverus capitalized on a few of the Trojans’ mistakes ”“ which it always does ”“ and marched its way into the Class A title game where it routed Eastern Maine champ Lewiston.

This season, both teams rolled into the Week 6 regular-season meeting at 6-0. The game was played in Saco, and Thornton had a chance to redeem itself.

The Golden Trojans tied the game at 7-7 in the first half, but once again Cheverus took advantage of a few TA miscues and ran away with a 28-14 win. It was Thornton’s only loss of the season. Cheverus finished the regular season undefeated.

Thornton will get another crack at the Stags when the two teams play in the Western Maine Class A title game Saturday. It will once again be at Cheverus High School in Portland ”“ and once again, the Golden Trojans will be the underdog.

Thornton, however, has set itself up for an upset win. It played a close game against Kennebunk in the Western Maine Class A quarterfinals on Oct. 27 and won by a touchdown. It’s good for teams to have playoff games where they need to sweat out a win. It allows them to learn that they can thrive and win while performing under pressure.

In the Western Maine semifinal game against Scarborough last Saturday, Thornton easily won. Again, a week after coming off a close loss, winning a lopsided game helps a team build confidence.

Yes, Thornton will enter Saturday’s game as underdogs, but that doesn’t mean the football world should hand Cheverus its third-straight WM Class A title.

The football world is always filled with upsets ”“ just ask the New England Patriots. In 2007, the Pats went 18-0 entering the Super Bowl where they played the New York Giants, a team they beat during the regular season. That didn’t matter come Super Bowl Sunday, as New York walked away champions.

In college football that same year, Louisiana-Monroe marched into perennial power Alabama’s house for a regular-season game. Prognosticators picked Alabama to win easily, but Louisiana-Monroe had other plans as it upset the Crimson Tide, 21-14.

Unlike other sports where playoffs are usually a best-of series, football is one game. Anything can happen during that contest, such as a star player injuring himself or a key turnover occurring at the right moment.

Thornton will have its hands full on Saturday, but don’t bet against it.

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Today’s editorial was written by Sports Editor Al Edwards on behalf of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.