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PORTLAND—Deering’s football team had nothing to play for when it made its mile-and-a-half trek to Boulos Stadium to take on rival Cheverus Saturday afternoon.

Nothing to play for in regards to its place in the standings, but there was still plenty at stake for the resurgent Rams.

Deering wanted to close the regular season with a victory, hoped to carry momentum into its upcoming bye and had an opportunity to get one of its star players, bruising junior running back Joey Foley, a landmark achievement.

Mission accomplished.

After a sluggish start, the Rams went in front to stay midway through the first period when senior quarterback Tavian Lauture connected with junior Santino Cavallaro on a 29-yard touchdown catch and run.

Foley then scored on a 9-yard run in the second period, a quarter which saw him eclipse the 1,000-yard mark for the season, as Deering took a 14-0 lead to the half.

The Rams ended all doubt in the third period, as Foley scored on a 19-yard scamper, then junior Jordan DiBiase bulled in from the 2.

Foley, on his final carry of a most productive afternoon, scored on a 12-yard burst early in the fourth quarter, and Deering went on to a 35-0 victory.

Foley led the way with 221 yards and three touchdowns on 22 carries, as he passed not only the 1,000-, but the 1,100-yard plateau in the process and the Rams finished the regular season 7-1, their best mark nearly a generation, while dropping the Stags to 2-6.

“We didn’t want to go into our week off without our best effort,” said Deering coach Brendan Scully. “We’ve been firing on all cylinders and we did that again today, which is a good sign.”

Can’t stop him

For many, many years, Cheverus and Deering squared off in the regular season finale. That tradition ended in 2014.

In fact, the teams hadn’t met at all since the end of the 2019 season, a 31-6 Cheverus victory at home.

The Rams had been nearly perfect this fall, starting with victories at Marshwood (35-6), at home over Biddeford (56-7) and reigning Class C champion Leavitt (35-6) and at Massabesic (21-14). After a humbling 41-0 setback at top-ranked, undefeated Kennebunk, Deering bounced back to defeat visiting Westbrook (35-13) and Gorham (42-6).

The Stags, meanwhile, have had to overcome injury and after season opening losses at a Falmouth squad that proved to be better than anyone could have imagined (14-0) and at home against another top contender, Massabesic (28-14), Cheverus knocked off host Westbrook (18-14) and visiting Biddeford (34-6). The Stags were then beaten by visiting Gorham (34-27), host Kennebunk (42-10) and host Marshwood (41-13).

Saturday, on an overcast, breezy afternoon, the Stags hoped to spring the upset, but instead, Deering beat Cheverus for the first time since Oct. 25, 2008 (40-6), snapping a 10-game skid in the series.

The Stags won the opening coin toss and deferred possession to the second half and it nearly paid off handsomely in the game’s first minute.

Deering got a 27-yard kickoff return from senior Justin Jamal to its 44, but on the first play from scrimmage, Lauture was sacked by senior Brady Mitchell, fumbled and senior Liam Backman recovered for Cheverus at the Rams’ 32.

After Deering continued its inauspicious beginning by jumping offsides, giving the Stags five free yards, Cheverus had a golden opportunity to strike, as senior Matt Baker took the snap, faked a handoff, then threw toward junior Peter Jones, who was wide open behind the defense, but the throw fell short.

“That one play kind of set the tone,” lamented Stags’ first-year coach Skip Capone. “We had guys wide open, but that’s high school football. It is what it is.”

Baker then lost a yard and while senior Jack Fenton picked up four, that set up fourth-and-2 and a bad snap resulted in a loss of yardage and the Rams got the ball back on downs at their 30.

Six plays later, Deering went in front to stay.

Thanks in large part to Foley.

After rushing for seven yards, Foley took off for 12 more and a first down at the 49. After Foley ran for six more yards, Lauture kept the ball for seven, then gained nine more to the Cheverus 29. On the next snap, the Rams went to the air and Lauture hit a wide open Cavallaro over the middle on a slant and Cavallaro beat the defense to the end zone for the game’s first touchdown with 6:15 to go in the opening stanza. Lauture added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

After a fair catch on the ensuing kickoff, the Stags started at their 36 embarked on a promising drive which chewed up the rest of the frame, but the drive ultimately came up empty.

After a fumbled handoff, sophomore Igor Bitencourt scooped up the ball, then ran for 18 yards to the right, into Rams’ territory. Baker then picked up six yards and after a bad snap resulted in a two-yard loss, Deering gave five yards back by jumping offsides, then on third-and-1, Baker got the yard for a first down at the 36. Foley dropped Bitencourt for a one-yard loss, then Bitencourt got four back before junior Evan Metivier gained 10 yards on third-and-7 for a first down at the 23. Baker gained two yards, Bitencourt picked up four, then Fenton ran for two on the final play of the quarter.

Cheverus faced fourth-and-2 at the Deering 15 when the second period commenced and as the Stags were calling timeout, a flag was thrown and ultimately, the call of a false start stood and the Stags lost five critical yards, much to the chagrin of their coaches. Senior Devin Kelly then got the ball on a sweep right, but freshman Nathan Foley tripped him up at the 16 and the Rams got the ball back.

Deering then raced down the field in six plays to double its advantage.

After Joey Foley ran for six yards on first down, he got the ball again and burst free, racing for 43 yards before Kelly tackled him to save the touchdown. A facemask penalty on the tackle added five yards and the Rams were set up at Cheverus’ 30. After Lauture kept the ball for 14 yards, Foley ran for seven and after sophomore Isaac Horler held Foley to no gain, Foley tried again on third-and-3 from the 9 and ran up the middle and despite being tripped up by the ankle, he fell across the goal line for the touchdown. Lauture added the PAT to make it 14-0 with 8:49 left in the half.

The Stags hoped to march again when they took over at their 20 after a touchback, but after Bitencourt was held to no gain, Baker was dropped for a two-yard loss and Bitencourt only picked up one on third-and-12, necessitating a punt.

Deering got the ball at its 42 and hoped to produce another score, but this time, the Rams would be denied.

But not before Foley had runs of 17- and 21-yards, breaking tackles on both occasions, going over the 1,000 mark for the season in the process.

“It means everything to me,” Foley said. “That was my goal all year. I have to thank my linemen. Everything worked. We were able to get a lot of yards. I get a lot of pleasure from breaking tackles and running over guys.”

“Joey was very good,” Scully said. “We were missing the guy (junior Zeke Dewever) who splits carries with him today, so it was kind of Joey’s show a little bit and he certainly got the job done.”

On first-and-10 from the Cheverus 20, Foley picked up two yards, but a holding penalty cost the Rams and set up second-and-17 where Foley gained just three yards. Then on third-and-14, Metivier dropped Lauture for a three-yard loss. On fourth-and-17, Lauture hit Jamal for 13 yards, but the Stags got the ball back on downs at their 13.

Cheverus couldn’t capitalize, as after Bitencourt ran for three yards, then six, he was held to no gain on third-and-1, forcing a punt. Kelly’s punt then ran out the clock on the first half, which ended 14-0 in favor of the Rams, who had a 186-58 advantage in total yardage.

Deering wore the Stags down in the second half as it found the end zone three more times.

The Stags got the first possession of the second half, starting at their 20, but couldn’t move the chains, as senior Christian Kanana dropped Bitencourt for a one-yard loss, junior Vinny Cavallaro held Bitencourt to no gain, then Metivier only gained six yards on third-and-11, necessitating a punt.

After a 18-yard return from Jamal, the Rams started at their 49 and needed just three plays to hit paydirt and extend the lead.

Lauture fumbled the snap, but picked it up and gained nine yards and a personal foul penalty was tacked on, moving the ball to Cheverus’ 31. After Foley had a 12-yard burst, he finished it off with a 19-yard TD scamper, which saw him run up the middle, then race left and find the end zone with 8:24 to go in the quarter. Lauture added the extra point for a 21-0 advantage.

The Stags started at their 20 again and again went three-and-out, as Metivier gained three yards, Bitencourt did the same and on third-and-4, Jamal dropped Fenton for a two-yard loss.

After a short punt, Deering took over at Cheverus’ 33 and five plays later, struck again.

Lauture took off for six yards on first down and would have gained a lot more, but an inadvertent whistle blew the play dead. Foley then ran 21 yards to set up first-and-goal at the 6. After Foley gained two yards, senior Dash Newhall did the same and on third-and-goal, DiBiase got the call and he scored from the 2 with 2:35 on the clock. Lauture’s PAT made the score 28-0.

The Stags began their next drive at their 30 and after Bitencourt was dropped for a three-yard loss by sophomore Gdilson Lukoki, he gained eight and on the final play of the quarter, Metivier ran for two yards, setting up fourth-and-3.

The final stanza then began with freshman Will Baker throwing incomplete, giving the Rams the ball on downs at the Cheverus 37. This time, Deering needed seven plays to score its final touchdown.

Foley did much of the work, running for 13 yards for a first down at the 24, then gaining five yards, two yards and two more to set up fourth-and-1 at the 15. Lauture then pushed the pile forward on a sneak for a first down and after an incomplete pass, Foley got the ball for the last time, burst free up the middle and scored a 12-yard touchdown with 6:52 remaining. Lauture added the extra point and that induced the 35-point, mercy rule running clock.

The Stags’ then threatened to score against the Rams’ second-string defense, but they ultimately fell just short.

Fenton broke free on first down and raced down the left sideline all the way to the end zone, but a holding penalty behind the play denied an 80-yard TD. As a result, the ball was brought back to the Deering 49. After Will Baker threw incomplete, Fenton ran for 11 yards and a first down at the 38, then Bitencourt picked up eight. Baker threw incomplete on the next snap, but defensive pass interference was ruled, putting the ball at the 15. Metivier ran for seven yards, then Fenton raced for five more, but he was stripped of the ball before going into the end zone and Cal Day scooped up the loose ball for the Rams and brought it all the way back to midfield.

One knee later, the final horn sounded and Deering was able to celebrate its 35-0 victory.

“It felt really good,” Foley said. “I feel like we needed this win going into the bye week.”

“(Cheverus is) extremely well coached,” Scully said. “I’ve watched them on film and they had me nervous because they can do some things that can catch you sleeping. We were well prepared and the kids did a nice job.

“That’s pretty cool (to be 7-1). We’re excited about it. One of the things we’re figuring out is how to be that 7-1 team. How you act and how you have to work every day. We’re still learning and I think we can still get better. Knock on wood, we’ve avoided major injuries. We’re healthy going into the postseason and that’s a nice thing.”

Foley was unquestionably the star, gaining 221 yards and scoring three touchdowns on 22 attempts.

“Foley’s a really good back,” Capone said. “We probably could have tackled a little better, but I’m not going to take anything away from Mr. Foley. He runs hard.”

Lauture was 2-of-3 passing for 42 yards and a touchdown. He also ran six times and gained 36 yards.

Cavallaro had the 29-yard TD reception.

Jamal caught one pass for 13 yards.

The Rams gained 332 yards, overcame their first play of the game fumble and only committed four penalties for 34 yards.

Cheverus mustered 152 yards of offense, with 77 of them coming on the final drive. The Stags had one turnover and were flagged three times for 69 yards.

Bitencourt ran 18 times for 68 yards.

Fenton gained 51 yards on six attempts.

Metivier picked up 28 yards on five carries.

“We hung in there for a half,” said Capone. “We had opportunities in the red zone, but we couldn’t score. (Deering’s) a really good football team. They’re physical.”

Playoffs

Cheverus will be the No. 5 seed in Class B South and will go to No. 4 Marshwood (4-4) for the quarterfinals Friday night.

The Stags just lost, 41-13, at the Hawks Oct. 18. The teams split two prior playoff encounters with the most recent coming in 1992.

“I hate to lose, but we’re in the playoffs,” said Capone. “It’s a great group of kids and I love our coaching staff. The kids are so positive. I know we’ll have a great week of practice. We know it will be hard. It will be us against the world. Stranger things have happened.”

Deering is in the No. 2 spot in Class B South and as a result, gets a bye into the semifinals. On Nov. 8, the Rams will play a home playoff game for the first time since 2015.

“We have to just lock in and give 100 percent all the time in practice,” Foley said. “We want to win. I think we have what it takes to make a run. We have the talent and the coaching.”

“I think we just to start fast and be ready to go,” said Scully. “When we start quick, we usually end up playing well. If we start slower, we struggle.”

Sports Editor Michael Hoffer can be reached at mhoffer@theforecaster.net.