Football: Westbrook can’t hold on, falls to Biddeford

The Blazes struck first against visiting Biddeford on Saturday afternoon, Sept. 24, Miece Loureiro powering home a short run TD late in the second quarter. But Westbrook couldn’t hold on as the Tigers methodically clawed back to ultimately secure a 20-7 win.

“It’s not one play, or one person or one call,” said Westbrook head coach Jeff Guerette. “It was a collective, sub-par second half on our part. When you don’t play two good halves against a very good football team, that’s what’s going to happen to you.”

No doubt Westbrook was hungry to take down No. 1 Biddeford – everybody guns extra hard for the top dog – and for the first half of Saturday’s bout, the Blazes outmatched their guests. They forced Biddeford into quick punts on the Tigers’ first two drives, and extended their own second drive into a gritty push that culminated in points.

Even a pair of flags – one for a false start and another for encroachment – early in the Blazes’ series didn’t hobble them, as Loureiro’s running secured them two initial first downs, and a pretty, 25-yard lob from QB Bailey Sawyer to Loureiro secured them another.

Guerette remarked on Louriero’s feet, as well as Westbrook’s overall offensive approach. “Miece is a dynamic football player,” he said, “and we’re just looking to get him the ball. He’s always going to run hard. [But] we want to continue to try to balance, run-pass-wise.”

Sawyer hooked up with Kyle Champange for seven as the drive progressed, then showed off his own skills on the scramble, grabbing eight more. In the midst of it all, David Redmond grabbed a fumble to save a turnover and keep the charge alive. A Sawyer pitch to Loureiro didn’t go as planned, and cost the team 14 yards, but they were not to be denied: Loureiro promptly ran for 21, four, and two to cross the goal line. Champange split the uprights to put the Blazes a step ahead of the Kings in B South.

“We came to play,” said Guerette. “We controlled most of the play in the first half, field position was in our favor; I thought we might punch one more in at the end of the half, but we didn’t. But I was generally pleased.”

Strong defense helped Westbrook keep hold of their lead: They denied Biddeford passage into the end zone on the Tigers’ follow-up possession, forcing a field goal attempt that sailed just wide-left, and corralled them into another punt as the break approached.

When the teams returned for the downhill half, however, the Tigers took control. Powerful, lumbering running by Brady Crepeau carried them to a TD early in the third – though they missed the PAT, leaving Westbrook with the edge still, 7-6.

The teams pushed back and forth for the rest of the third, even swapping turnovers, but neither could strike again. As the fourth unfolded, Biddeford QB Joey Curit sparked a solid drive with a 15-yarder to Austin Dutremble. Crepeau soon tacked on a 40-yard rumble for first and goal at the Blazes’ four, then covered the leftover distance. Curit risked a keeper on the PAT play, and successfully converted for two. 14-7, Tigers.

“We knew they were going to feature the fullback,” said Guerette of Crepeau, and Westbrook’s general strategy for dealing with the Tigers. “And Curit is kind of their other option off of that. I thought, for the most part, we were solid defensively. We limited their long run plays.”

The opponents wrung a real nailbiter out of the remaining minutes. Westbrook got close, oh-so-close, to tying things up: They held Biddeford deep in the Tigers’ own territory and forced a short punt for good field position with about three minutes remaining. They inched on Loureiro’s running to fourth and 15 at the 20 with 1:11 to play.

Sawyer, who’d overthrown several passes – if only by a couple feet each – over the course of the game, then lofted a long, precise strike into Hamza Hanifi’s hands, near the end zone. Alas, Hanifi, already on his way to the turf, couldn’t reel in the grab and Biddeford took over on downs.

The Blazes had one final hope: to prevent the Tigers from making serious headway up the field, and to somehow regain control within striking distance, be it via a forced turnover or a short punt. The first part of their plan worked out. They repeatedly stuffed Crepeau, interspersing time-outs between plays to save the clock. On their fourth down, Biddeford purposefully took a delay of game penalty to burn time. Then, they finally lined up to punt.

When the snap came, the entire Westbrook line naturally converged toward one man, the alleged kicker, Tom Bertrand. Bertrand didn’t kick though; instead, he took advantage of stalwart blocking and swept wide-right. He broke away as time expired and dashed 88 yards up the sideline to tack on six more for the 20-7 final.

Guerette applauded Biddeford’s efforts. “Their adjustments were great…and we made a few too many mistakes to execute. We were behind schedule for most of the half, and I felt like we were playing on the long field for most of the half. Those are things we can work on, and clean up and improve.”

Westbrook slipped to 2-2 on the result. The Blazes kicked off their season with a healthy win, 27-21, at Leavitt; they followed up with a 37-13 road loss to Falmouth, then a 34-7 walloping of Marshwood. The team is currently ninth in B South, a slot back from Morse (also 2-2) and a slot ahead of the Hornets (1-3).

“I think our kids believe we can play with anyone in this league,” said Guerette. “That first half reinforced it. We just want to stick together as a team, improve and try to get better every day and every week.”

Now 4-0, Biddeford maintains the throne in B South. The Tigers knocked off the Hawks, Noble and the Yachtsmen to begin their schedule.

The Blazes host No. 11 Noble (0-4) on Friday the 30th. Biddeford welcomes No. 5 York (2-2) that same night.

Westbrooker Kyle Champagne charges up the left side of the field, throwing out a hand to stiff-arm an incoming Tigers defender, on Saturday afternoon.