BIDDEFORD — It has been 21 years since Biddeford High last won a football state championship, a drought in some communities, an eternity in the city known as Tigertown.

Football is as ingrained into the fabric of this community as its Franco-American roots. And for years, those who clung to the championship memories refused to admit a change was needed.

Biddeford senior guard Ben Plante, right, said the Tigers have worked hard in the preseason to get ready for their first season in Class B after a storied history in Class A. Biddeford was once a powerhouse, but has not won Photos by Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer

Biddeford's Jeremy Lugiano covers a receiver while running plays with the defense Saturday.

Brian Curit, center, is in his second stint as the Tigers’ head coach and led Biddeford to its last state title in 1994.

But with Biddeford’s enrollment continuing to drop – from 934 in 2006 to 775 for this enrollment period – the Tigers are no longer able to contend against the largest football-playing schools in the state. And this fall, they won’t have to.

After the latest Maine Principals’ Association shuffle, Biddeford will now play in Class B South. Even those with deep roots in the program believe it was time for the move.

“I think it’s the right thing,” said Don Wilson, who coached on the late Mike Landry’s staff and was the school’s athletic director for over two decades. “It’s all about the student-athletes, that’s what it’s about, making this a safe environment for them.”

Wilson also noted that this wasn’t the first time Biddeford dropped to a lower classification. The Tigers actually played in Class C from 1959-61, then a year in Class B. Since 1963, they were a Class A program and became one of the state’s best under Landry, who led Biddeford to six state championships. Brian Curit, in the second year of his second tour as Biddeford’s head coach, led the Tigers to their last Class A state title in 1994.

Curit knows there are those who do not – and will not – understand the decision to stay in Class B, where the Tigers were classified by enrollment, rather than move up to Class A. In addition to moving down a class, Biddeford also lost a rivalry with Thornton Academy in Saco that dated back to 1893 and encompassed about 100 of the most memorable games you’ll ever see.

But, he said, the expectations have not changed.

The goal, he said, “is a state championship. That’s our only goal every year.”

Curit loves this year’s version of the Tigers. Yes, they’re not overly big but they’re athletic and fast. And, he said, “They’re incredibly intelligent football-wise. They’re very focused.”

They’re certainly smart enough to know that simply moving down a class doesn’t mean a Gold Ball will come easy.

“I know most people didn’t like the thought of us going to Class B because we have so much history in Class A,” said Jeremy Lugiano, a senior running back. “But it makes so much sense because of numbers.

“And Class B has a lot of good players, a lot of good teams. But I feel we match up well with them.”

Added Curit, “I know what we’re going into: quality coaches, good players, good programs.”

The Tigers are certainly preparing for a tough task. “We had a lot of commitment to the weight room in the preseason,” said Ben Plante, a senior guard and defensive end. “Everybody has been working really hard. Nobody’s slacking and we’re ready to go.”

The Tigers are actually one of the larger schools in Class B South this year, where enrollments range from Noble’s 842 to Morse’s 586.

They’ll be reunited with former Class A schools Noble, Gorham, Marshwood, Westbrook and Kennebunk, while picking up strong teams such as York and Leavitt.

The younger players on the team may be more familiar with the Class B teams – Biddeford played Kennebunk, York and Greely at the middle school level last year. This, said Wilson, is where the Tigers belong. He noted that last year’s seventh grade team had only 17 players, the eighth grade team only 19.

“I wouldn’t feel this way, as strongly as I do, if I hadn’t been with the program from the 1970s to the present,” said Wilson. “But it’s 2015 and I’ve seen the numbers go down.”

Bob Couture played under Landry and graduated from Biddeford in 1989. His son, Ian, is a sophomore wide receiver for this year’s team.

“To tell you the truth, I think the move is good,” he said. “Numbers-wise, our starters could compete against the Class A schools, but if we got injuries, that’s when the difference was the greatest.”

Curit said the same thing: “I will take my 11 and play anyone. It’s when we get injuries that it hurts us. We’re going to play a sophomore who might not be ready to play in a varsity contest. Now I think we’re playing teams that have similar things they have to do (to replace injured players).”

Losing Thornton Academy as a rival hurts, no question. As Plante said, “That game meant a lot. When we played, it didn’t feel as though we were just playing football, it was as if we were playing for our city. It’s a lot of tradition and a lot of honor. It’s hard not to imagine playing in it, especially as a senior.”

There had been talk last spring that maybe the schools could meet in an exhibition game, possible even on Thanksgiving like Portland and Deering.

But that won’t happen. Because there is no need for cross-over scheduling between Class A and B, the schools are locked into their schedules. And because Thanksgiving comes after the football state championships and in the middle of winter’s preseason practices, there wasn’t an overwhelming desire to play the game then.

Gary Stevens, the athletic director at Thornton Academy, noted that this isn’t the first time the schools don’t play. The teams didn’t play from 1955-1962, and skipped several years before then.

Walton, who played at Biddeford, knows that his school gave up a lot, including rivalries with the Portland schools. But that didn’t figure into the reasoning for the move.

“Not that everybody wanted to do it,” he said, “but it was the right thing to do.”