Biddeford captains Carter Edgerton and Marty Martel will lead the Tigers into a Class B South quarterfinal game at Greely tonight, but the senior standouts are also hoping to set the program up for success in the future.
“I think it’s a goal that every captain should have — to not only leave behind a mark with the team we currently have but for future teams,” said Edgerton, the Tigers’ starting quarterback.
The way Edgerton and Martel can accomplish that is by working with the program’s younger players — which this season includes 12 underclassmen who have worked their way into starting roles.

“We didn’t have a senior-based team like we’ve had in the past. Carter and I are really the only ones in our group that we started out with that made it all the way and finished it out, but these younger kids, I’ll take them to war any day. We might not have the best record, but this group of kids is one that I’m going to remember for the rest of my life,” said Martel, the team’s starting center.
While some teams can be difficult to keep together, especially during an up-and-down campaign, Edgerton has enjoyed working with the younger Tigers.
“I love playing with this team. It’s very easy to be a leader on this team because so many kids just have respect for each other and they want to do their absolute best for their teammates. It’s a very fun team to play with,” Edgerton said.
A strong sophomore class — led by current starters Ashton Crowell, Aidan Donovan, Scott Kelly, Jack Smith and Alex McAlevey — will likely lead the Tigers over the next two years.
“They are a very good group. A lot of them know what it takes to be in the weight room,” said Edgerton, who pointed to brothers Aidan and Liam Donovan as guys with strong work ethics. “Aidan and Liam Donovan gave up almost their entire summer to just lifting. They cared about the team a lot and they cared about what they were going to do in the future.”
The sophomores have definitely taken advantage of having guys like Edgerton and Martel around.
“They are great leaders. They show up to play and their energy just gives everyone else the energy they need to win,” said Kelly.
Aidan Donovan echoed that sentiment.
“Those guys don’t quit. That’s what a team is about. We need to keep going. We need to be mentally tough, mentally focused and those guys are always in the weight room and studying plays. They are just great role models,” Donovan said.
The moments when the Biddeford captains were really able to get through to the younger Tigers were after some tough losses this year.
“We just go to work next week and you can’t really do anything about the past. Football is a short memory game. You’ve got to keep on going and you can’t dwell on the past. It’s just not how it works,” said Martel on his message to his teammates after a tough loss.

The younger Tigers bought into that message.
“They really just said keep our heads up and that we’re a young team and we’ll keep on progressing as we go on through the season,” said Crowell.
“It’s learning points. You learn more from a loss than you do a win, so they are teaching us to be better and getting us ready. They are sacrificing their senior year for us,” added Aidan Donovan.
The Biddeford sophomores believe they will be ready to step into that leadership role whenever they are asked by head coach Brian Curit.
“I think we’ll be able to fill those shoes,” said Crowell.
The Tigers enter the 2018 playoffs with a 4-4 record and while they will be the favorite in tonight’s matchup — Biddeford beat Greely 36-6 earlier this year — they will be considered a long shot to bring home a Gold Ball.
“I would love to go another game. Obviously the goal is to go as many games as possible … I don’t want it to end yet,” said Edgerton on his goals for the postseason.
Biddeford’s sophomore standouts would certainly love to give Edgerton and Martel a playoff win.
“It would be incredible. I want those guys to go as far as they possibly can and I’m going to do as much as I can to get them there,” said Aidan Donovan.
No matter what happens in this year’s Class B playoffs, Edgerton and Martel are confident the Biddeford program will be in good hands with the younger Tigers.
“I’ve told them all if they keep working at it, don’t get a bad attitude and they have a good mentality, I think they’re going to bring (a Gold Ball) back for us if we don’t get one this year,” Martel said.
And even after Edgerton and Martel graduate from Biddeford High, the two standouts will still be there for their coaches and younger teammates.
“When I’m gone it doesn’t mean I don’t care about the program anymore. I will do whatever I can to help out the program in the future,” said Martel. “If coach Curit needs anything, if any of these kids need anything, I’ll be there. Just because I’m not here doesn’t mean I don’t care about Biddeford. This is my hometown. This is where I plan to stay when I’m older.”
— Sports Editor Pat McDonald can be reached at pmcdonald@journaltribune.com or at 780-9017. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.