OLD ORCHARD BEACH — The Seagulls players flew into Friday night’s game against Oak Hill saying they knew they needed to win after a 36-point loss to Lisbon the week before.

With steady offense and timely defense, the Seagulls downed Oak Hill 22-21, a win sealed by the hands of senior defensive back Tyler Scott.

With 9.7 seconds remaining and Oak Hill on OOB’s 2-yard line, Scott stepped in front of Oak Hill’s intended receiver in the end zone and came up with a season-saving interception that sealed the win.

It was Scott’s second interception of the game, the first coming in the first quarter that he returned 45 yards for a touchdown.

“We knew we needed to win this game,” Scott said. “My heart was pounding so hard before that play. That was the most stressful situation I have been in in my life.”

OOB improved to 3-2, keeping its playoff hopes alive.

Oak Hill started its final drive on its own 22, and drove down to OOB’s 2 in 12 plays, the last a pass interference that set the drama for the game’s final stand.

“They have a good team and that is not the team you want to go against with a 2-minute drill,” OOB coach Dean Plante said. “I am so proud with the way my guys responded. That was a gutsy win.”

OOB saw a 22-7 halftime lead disappear in the second half as Oak Hill scored on its second drive of the third quarter. It was an eight-play set that ended when quarterback Parker Asselin hit Matt Clifford on a 21-yard slant pass, cutting OOB’s lead to 22-13 before converting the 2-point conversion for a 22-15 score with 3:38 to play in the third quarter.

Oak Hill scored on its next drive, this time completing a 4-play, 55-yard set that ended on Asselin’s 12-yard quarterback keeper, cutting the lead to 22-21 with 11:53 to play in the fourth quarter.

Oak Hill went for the lead with a 2-point conversion, but the Seagulls’ Hunter Boutot made the second biggest defensive play of the night when he snuck into the backfield and dropped Asselin at the 2, breaking up the attempt.

“I knew we had to make a play,” Boutot said. “We said coming into this game that this was a must win, and we stepped up at that point.”

Oak Hill (3-2) struck first on its opening drive, marching 66 yards down the field on the legs of Asselin and running back Kyle Flaherty. Both combined for 58 yards, and Flaherty capped the march with a 14-yard power run to the left side for a 6-0 lead with 7:14 to play.

OOB’s first three drives failed, but its defense stood tall forcing two straight punts on Oak Hill.

The Seagulls on their fourth drive, however marched 95 yards down the field helped along by a 17-yard pass from quarterback Brian Roberts to Scott. Roberts followed that play with a screen pass to Joe Gildard that resulted in a 45-yard touchdown, cutting the deficit to 7-6 with 4:10 remaining in the first quarter.

OOB took the lead with 27.7 seconds remaining in the first quarter on Scott’s 48-yard interception return for a 14-7 lead. The Seagulls converted the 2-point try for a 16-7 advantage.

OOB opened the second quarter with its running game as it marched 66 yards down the field on six plays that Roberts capped with a 14-yard TD pass to Scott for a 22-7 lead

Oak Hill didn’t back down in the second half when it converted on its second drive of the third quarter with a seven-play drive that ended with a 21-yard TD pass to Ryan Stevens, cutting the deficit to 22-15 with 3:38 to play in the third.

OOB’s defense stepped up late in the third and early in the fourth quarters with several momentum-killing sacks and forcing back-to-back three and outs.

“That’s a good team we just beat tonight,” Plante said. “That’s a good win for us that we definitely needed after last week.”

OOB plays again next Friday at Dirigo at 7 p.m.

— Sports Editor Al Edwards can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323.