Week 6 Overreactions (with Ethan Snow)

Ethan Snow is back on the mic for WHOU and he's here to overreact to week 6 of Maine's high school football season. We dig deep into OOB's instant classic win over Lake Region (and how late into the season you can get pier fries and play skee-ball). From there we go around the state, including Bonny Eagle's dominance, Falmouth's chances in a loaded B South, the insanity that is Class C, and so much more.

There's a weird video lag on Ethan's feed that I can't find the cause of. Apologies.

This episode of the Maine Basketball Rankings Podcast is brought to you by Vertical Raise — one of the largest fundraising platforms in the country, now proudly helping teams, clubs, and programs across Maine!

With Vertical Raise, your program can raise more money in less time — no selling, no collecting, just results. From new uniforms and better equipment to tournament trips and every fundraising need in between, Vertical Raise has a variety of campaigns to make it happen.

Your Maine reps, Chris Christie and Dave Chase, are both coaches who know what it takes to run a great program — at any sport, club, or grade level — and they understand how important fundraising is to making it happen.

Isn’t it worth ten minutes of your time to learn more? Schedule a call or email us today and see how Vertical Raise can take your fundraising to the next level!
Chris Christie - Maine ChrisC@VerticalRaise.com 207-975-4072
Calendly link: https://calendly.com/chrisc-verticalraise/30min

Dave Chase - Southern Maine DChase@VerticalRaise.com 603-545-2960

Gear (affiliate links)

Green Screen: https://amzn.to/3Iiodki
Lighting: https://amzn.to/4n7cNzc
Microphone: https://amzn.to/47ekYEa
Webcam: https://amzn.to/464U4y0

You can also listen on Apple Podcasts:

Transcript (auto-generated)

Welcome to the Maine Basketball Rankings podcast.I'm your host, basketball data nerd, Lucas McNelly.Today's show is brought to you once again by Vertical Raise. Sports teams need money for helmets and cleats and shooting shirts and balls and bats and maybe someday a shot clock.

0:21

Vertical Raise allows you to raise money in less time.Check the show notes for information on how you can start to elevate your fundraising to new heights with vertical Raise. OK, so if you can believe it, we are through week six of the football season.

0:39

Ethan, Ethan Snow is here today to overreact to all of that and sort of give you a look at the stretch run of the last two weeks of the season, how things might shake out.Before we do that, make sure you subscribe on Facebook or YouTube or wherever to help create more content like this.

1:03

Trying to get to monetization on YouTube.That means 100 subscribers, which is free.It's free to subscribe, much like it's free to vote for dexter@votedexter.com so they can get their new turf field and win $1,000,000 from T-Mobile.But I'm trying to get to YouTube monetization because then it helps me go to more games.

1:23

This weekend I went to three games, which is a lot of driving.First off I went to Greeley and Wells at Greeley because that was the game of the day and if the game of the day makes sense to get to, I try to get to the game of the day because it's the game of the day for a reason.

1:40

Greeley of course is your defending 8 man large champion who is in C Wells is your defending class D champion who's also in CC is a lot this year if you haven't figured that out already.Greeley was clearly the better team in this game.

2:02

I got into this more with Ethan later in the show, but I wanted to show you this clip that I mentioned with him spoiler alert or recording this after I talked to Ethan because you haven't already figured that out.So it's 21 two.

2:18

It's sorry, it's fourteen to seven with a minute left and a half.Greeley is driving.They are down 14 to 7.They should be up 21 to nothing.And Luke Piper goes deep to Benjamin Kyle's and let's go to the clip.

2:50

So that's a pretty good catch.I filming it, thought, well, that's clearly pass interference and OK.And then he pops up with the ball and spikes it and it's like, oh, OK, that ties the game.

3:06

Greeley takes off from there.I think for my money, they're now the favorites in C.They're six and O.They've looked better as the season's gone on.I've seen them twice now and I think they're at the top of a very loaded, very crowded Class C So then Saturday I went to Madonic and York Madonic.

3:27

It was all Madonic.And this one, Jayden Jayden, Jayden Ruiz had five touchdowns for the Panthers.And then I'm getting messages in my DMS from Michael Hathaway.He's like, hey, come, you're gonna come up to this garden or 11 game.This garden love game should be good.And I'm like, do I want to?And I'm looking at the how long this game is taking.

3:44

And I'm like, if I leave right now and I swing by the house and get some warm clothes because temperature is going to drop, obviously I think I can make it to Levitt in time for the game.So I did that.I go up to Levitt.Never been to Levitt for a football game before.

4:01

I went to a basketball game there once and the school like, or something, or maybe the way I approach the school, this could all be me.Like I went in the wrong door because there wasn't like nothing jumped out at me as the obvious like, hey, this is the door you should go in.

4:19

And so then I'm in the bowels of the school and I'm just wandering around and I feel like Spinal Tap when they're like, hello, Cleveland.It took me forever to find the gym.Football feels much easier to find 'cause you got the big lights, the whole thing.So couple things about this game.

4:35

Levitt looks way better than they did early in the year, like at Greeley, and they looked really good at Madomic 2 weeks ago when I saw that game.So they're up 12, nothing, and Gardner is struggling.They can't move the ball and Gardner, of course, is undefeated and then they definitely need a break and then this play happens.

5:14

You might have already seen this on Facebook because I immediately saw this play right in front of me and went, oh, this is going to do well on Facebook.So I put it on Facebook and people have been arguing about it non-stop, but it feels like for the, I don't really look at the comments, but I've looked at some of the comments and it's probably meant 80%.

5:31

That's clearly an incomplete pass and Levitt got the ball to the for the two point conversion as quickly as they possibly could because it was right in front of them and I, you know, we can complete that.

5:49

So anyway, that's like the last thing you need of your gardener in that situation.And they couldn't get any traction and game ended up in running time.I think it was either running time or it was definitely JV minutes and I was not expecting JV minutes in that.So the dream of Rob Kennedy's dream of Gardner and Kony being seven and oh, when they meet in Week 8 has died.

6:13

Tony's held held up there in the bargain that we'll talk about them more.Whether or not Parker Moran is maybe is he the front runner for for Fitzpatrick?Maybe, who knows?You know, I think it's feels pretty wide open.But then the other thing at Levitt, and I'm not saying this to throwing one under the bus or get anyone in trouble.

6:33

I'm mostly saying it to keep myself out of trouble.So if you've never been to a game, if you've never been to a game, if you're not really, you're not a game, you're not really paying attention to.What people like me and Mike Hoffer and Steve Craig and Mike Mandel are doing is we're generally, and I picked this up from from all of them, is you're generally standing on the sideline and going with the ball.

6:55

As the line of scrimmage moves, you move Hoffer's like right on the line of scrimmage.Steve Craig's usually pretty close to the line of scrimmage and I cuz I'm cuz they're trying to get your exact yardage and they got to see where the ball is.And it's, it's, you know, it's hard to do that at an angle.I want the angle cuz I'm shooting video and then getting highlights to use here and use on social and in the newsletter.

7:16

So I kind of want the angle.So I'm 7 or 8 yards off the line of scrimmage usually and I'm trying to get a good angle where I can see the quarterback.And more importantly, I'm definitely trying to not be in the way.So the side judge is who a music because I don't like to be on the side with the chains because it's too many people to see through.

7:34

Some people like to be on the side with the chains.So, so the side judge, they're all different.And so at Madomic, for example, on Saturday, the side judge was usually two or three yards inside the field and he would just, you know, run it back and forth.

7:51

Great.At Gardner, he was sort of on the line.He was sort of standing on the sideline at Greeley.The side judge was off the field by about a foot, which is a little trickier because you're standing right there.

8:07

And so just to give you a sense of how the dynamic works is you're usually talking to the reps a little bit and they'll say, you know, if you're standing in the wrong place for whatever reason.Like sometimes they'll go shoot in the end zone and then they'll be like, oh, make sure you're not under the under the goal posts when they're kicking extra point for something like that.

8:26

You're like, Oh, yeah, obviously, sure.And so he the Greely at the Greely game side judge like, hey, if this is a passing play or the ball's going down field, I'm going to come flying down here.So make sure you're not in the way.Great.

8:42

Absolutely do not want to be in the way.Not there to be in the way.And I don't talk to the I don't talk to the coaches while they're coaching unless they want to come talk to me.And sometimes they do and sometimes they don't.Kind of depends on how the game's going.You know, the Madonna game was 40 to 14.So I'm chatting with Ryan Snell during down times a little bit, a little bit.

9:01

You know, he's like, hey, you going to this Leva game and all like, Oh yeah, Hathaway's talking to me.Maybe so.But I'm very much there to not be in the way.I talked to coaches before the game.I talked some, but mostly after the game because then the job's over in there.Sure.

9:17

So anyway, so this guy comes up to us.It's me and Mike Mandel and Joe Bailey and a couple photographers.We're at like, I want to say we're at the 35 yard line and the ball's probably at the 45 yard line and it's like, hey, you guys can't be here.We're like, what are you talking about?

9:32

We're in media.We can be here.We have press passes, the whole thing.He's like, no, you can't be in the coaches box.We're just from the 25 to the 25.And I'm like, huh, OK, And so we all just sort of moved along because whatever.And we're all talking, you know, like if you that's new, right?

9:48

Like that's and Mendel's like never heard that.I've never heard that.None of us have ever heard that.So we go over to the other side of the field because the ball's gone down there.Then a few minutes later I'm standing probably 5-10 yards because I'm thinking maybe he just means don't be in the the three feet right there, right from the first 3 feet and be.

10:08

And so I'm off a little bit and I'm getting like 35 yard line.The ball's 10 yards away.It's a little tricky to get.It could be whatever.And he's like, hey, I told you, you can't be there.And I'm like, I'm sorry, what?He goes, yeah, it's a rule.I'm like, what rule?

10:24

I've never heard of this rule.And this is a little bit of me not being able to let things go and I maybe have some issues with authority.And I go, is this a Levitt rule?Or is it a, is it an MPA rule?Is it an NFHS rule?What rule is this?And he's explaining to me the coaches box.

10:40

And this is not a coach.This is someone in Levitt gear who I have no idea who he is.And I'm listening to explain the coaches box rule.And I'm like, I, I didn't say this.And I'm like, I don't think you understand the coaches box rule.I'm not sure I fully understand the coaches box rule, but you don't sound like you do.

10:57

So I go, OK, he's like, we'll ask the ref at halftime.OK, So he goes over to the ref at halftime and he's talking to him.He's pointing at me.And I'm like, why?I feel like, you know, like, am I in trouble?Am I going to get ejected from this game for doing nothing?

11:14

And so then the refs go off, he and he says the ref will talk to you after the halftime, after that.OK, so then after the half, the longer half, I go over to talk to the refs and I talked to two of the refs now and they're like, OK, so what's I'm like, what's going on?They're like, we talked about it in our at halftime.And we don't know.

11:30

We don't know the rule.We don't know if there's a rule or not because, you know, I didn't say this, but everyone does.It happens all the time.And it's maybe it's a rule that no one follows.There's plenty of those.And so he's like, you know, we're talking and I'm like, OK.

11:47

And so then it kind of got dropped because they're like, well, we don't know if there's a rule, so we won't do anything.And they're like, we'll bring it up in the rules meeting on Tuesday.And this is the only reason I'm telling the story.If for some reason they discover that there is a rule.And I emailed a ref and he didn't think there was.

12:03

But in case they decide in this rules meeting that there is a rule and nobody can stand in the coach's box anymore, it's not my fault.It didn't do anything.I was just standing completely out of the way in the coach's box.Mike Mandel is my witness.

12:21

And yeah, I don't know the Raphi e-mail.Just like this would be you.This would come up because of you.And I'm like, I didn't do anything.But sure, that's very on brand.So anyway, that's the story of of how I got in trouble with people at a football game, just standing there doing literally nothing, just shooting video of a game.

12:45

And yeah, Levitt looks really good.Levitt looks really good.Greeley looks really good.Wells looks pretty good.Wells looks pretty good, just not as good as Greeley did this past weekend.And then I just also wanted to say a bunch of people came up to me this weekend to say how much they like the podcast, how much they like the newsletter, whatever, whatever, whatever.

13:07

Somebody actually asked me for a sticker.I'm carrying stickers.If you want a sticker.I got stickers.I'll hand them out.They're usually in my pocket.If not in my pocket, they're in my bag.But thanks to everyone who came and said nice things.And maybe it's just because I got a sweatshirt now that has the main basketball rankings logo on it.

13:24

OK, so that's at.Let's go to my conversation with Ethan, my guest today.You know him from whou dot live broadcast.I know him as the guy I can stare at all tourney week from across the Expo.

13:41

Ethan Snow is here.Hello, Lucas, it's great, great to see you again.It's it's been a while, but.It has been a while, always.Always excited to catch out.Yeah, you've been out in the wilderness on a vision quest or something, and now you're back in the booth doing games, and yeah, it's good to have you back.

14:00

Yeah, it's great to be back as I've sold a lot of other people.You know, sometimes you got to, you know, sometimes you just have to take a step back from your life a little bit.And, you know, when things come up, then, you know, some people are more capable of doing it than others.And I saw an opportunity to do that, and I did.

14:16

And I'm glad.I'm happy with the results, and I'm even more happy to be back into this life and, you know, getting a chance to do what I love again.And that's what I'm most excited about.And it's probably healthier than just getting blackout drunk.Very much so.I can't.

14:32

I've never, I've never done that before, but I can.I can.I have a pretty good idea.It's definitely a whole lot, whole lot better than the fact, yes.I bet you've seen it done before.Oh yes, I have.Plenty of times.All right, so you're here.

14:48

We're going to overreact to week is this week 6, week 6?I think it's week six.Time is a flat circle.I don't know what's going on anymore.I was telling you before we got on.I've done almost no prep other than just living life and going to three games this weekend.

15:04

And apparently I, I covered it in the intro, pissing off the officials or somebody.And so as as I do, you know, so anyway, just to say that if there's changes, it's not my fault.I swear I have witnesses.

15:24

I emailed the Rep and he's like, what did you do?I'm like, I didn't do anything.Anyway.I should have told you that story before because the audience has already gotten that story and now you're just like, what are you talking about?And.I can only imagine.You can only imagine, so you'll have to watch the episode to find out for sure.

15:39

I will.This gives me an extra incentive to go back and watch this.This is great.There you go.There you go.All right, so let's start with eight man small because you covered what looked to be the game of the day or maybe the game of the year.Yeah, most definitely in in unexpected fashion, too.

15:58

So for my first high school game, back in the booth, I traveled down to go see my good friends down to Old Orchard Beach.So first and foremost, I love, love the people in Old Orchard Beach.Dean Plant, Jason Webber, that whole the whole staff down there at Old Orchard Beach class acts love going down there covering those guys and they love it as well.

16:20

For those who don't know, Dean Plants, the head coach of the football program is also the AD down there.And one of the I've always tell other people like your stereotypical guy who's been there for 30 plus years, seen it all, done it all.Great dude.I mean fantastic, fantastic guy.

16:38

And I always loved going down there.And so I couldn't have asked for a better day, could have asked for better weather to make the trip down and call that game against Lake Region.It was a cross cross division match up.Lake Region's eight man S large Old Orchard, obviously the small side, but man, what a game from the I mean, from the onset, from the Old Orchard of the ball 1st.

17:04

And they did what I'm used to seeing.I'm now I've come now covered Old Orchard Beach football and the regular season for the for three seasons now.And you know, there's just been more of the same they this year.I mean this year's a little bit different in the sense that they're younger.

17:19

They're they're not as a veteran of a squad as they've been in the past couple of years.They're younger, but they still got some veteran pieces and one of those.Games have seemed a little closer.Yes, little bit closer and they haven't quite been as dominant now if you'll.They're only winning 40 to nothing instead of 80 to nothing, Yeah. 40 to nothing instead of 60 to nothing.

17:40

But this weekend, I mean, early on, the one top veteran that they still have is Wes Glant.He's a senior this year.He's got he's one of those guys that it's just he's a he's a pure athlete.You know, you did you haven't you get him to do anything, he's gonna do it well.

17:58

And this week, geez, he had I don't have his exact yardage totals, but I can't tell you he scored seven touchdowns.He.Was was that the one I saw on face?I saw on Instagram somebody had 7 touchdowns and I was.Like that was, that was them.That was the man right there.

18:14

And so he's just so fun to watch.I'm so glad I've gotten a chance to cover him the past past three seasons now.Now I'm on the gridiron because he's so fun to watch and he's got a younger brother who's a freshman who's just as good as he is, and he's a freshman.

18:30

That's what the that's what the rest of that class wanted to hear.Yeah, not exactly what the rest of the class wanted to hear, but you know they.It's always fun to talk to a coach when they realize that there's another one coming and they're like, oh, come on.Yeah, even though his name's Cooper, he's he does a lot more this year.

18:50

He's done a lot more on the defensive side of the ball.He's involved in their offensive scheme some, at least from the one game that I saw.But defensively, he's been a bigger piece for the Gulls this year.But back to the game itself.You know, they Old Orchard marched down the field quickly scored and then Lake Region surprisingly marched down the field and scored and then Old Orchard went down, scored again.

19:15

And it looked like, I want to keep saying, Miranda, the jerseys are similar, but Lake Region marched down and this was probably, this was a pivotal point in the game was we're talking, we're talking 4 minutes ago in the first quarter.We're talking about the game could be decided right here.

19:31

Me and my buddy, my buddy Reese, who by the way, was his very first eight man football experience.And that was the game he got to do.He was the guy who called the game with me.So, well, I told him after the fact I was like, well, you got possibly one of the best games of the season.That's your very first eight man game.

19:46

So congratulations.Yeah.Maybe not a accurate reflection of what you're going to get going forward.Right, right.But a good way to get introduced to that side of the foot, that side of football.But excuse me, we're 4th down, and I think it was fourth down 7.

20:03

Miranda Cook and Miranda Cook, Lake Region.Sorry, folks.Lake Region is in.Exactly.Yeah.Just give you an idea how much, how long it been out of it.But Lake Region, 4th down to 7.They're in the Old Orchard red zone looking to tie the game again.And Old Orchard comes up with a stop.

20:21

And I'm talking about inches.They're Lake Region starting quarterback.He was, he's a senior.He was the coach's son.Meehan's his last name.Takes off, runs, dives for the dives for the line to gain.We think, we think we're broadcasting for him.

20:37

He's got it.The official measurement has him about 6 inches short.So Old Orchard stopped it right there.And of course, they go down to marks.They marks down the field and score again.And just like that is A2 possession game before the first quarters even done.And you think like, and I'm thinking to myself, this is probably where Old Orchard is going to do Old Orchard, what I'm used to seeing them do this.

21:00

Is the script you've seen from Old Orchard Beach?Right.Exactly.I've seen this umpteen million Times Now, but Miranda Cook went down, scored again, So now you're in that buck.Now you kind of see where I'm going with this.Where, you know, each team is scoring on just about every single possession.

21:19

Now, Old Orchard's opened up that buffer.Where, you know Lake Preacher scores again.It's still A1 possession game.So Old Orchard went down, of course, went down, scored again, two possession game again.They actually got to stop and then they went out.

21:35

Old Orchard.Old Orchard did on defense, they got to stop and then went ahead 3 possessions and twice in the ball game Old Orchard was up by three possessions.So maybe the final score wasn't exactly indicative of how the the actual game was.

21:52

But I'll tell you what Lake All props to Lake Region because they never showed any signs of quitting in that game.Is that maybe more of a backdoor cover?Yeah, yeah and like they, you know, get you get down 3 possessions, maybe some teams are like well we tried boys, but no Lake Region never gave up.

22:11

They went down, scored, got to to A2 possession game.Then they got to stop late in the late in the second quarter and then they went down and scored again and they were going to get the second-half kickoff.So they went down score.

22:28

They went down scored with about 27 seconds left one possession game.And so Old Orchard kneels it down to get it to halftime on the on the opening kickoff in the second-half, it was a weird, weird kind of kick.

22:44

It was Old Orchard low line drive kick kind of in a no man's land.The guy who ended up receiving the kick kind of hesitated a little bit thinking it was going to go out of bounds it.Didn't.He picked it up late, Old Orchard got there, he fumble it, Old Orchard recovers the fumble on the opening kickoff and that kind of then you go back to that pattern of, well, Old Orchard was then set up at the Lake Region 27 play, 2 plays there in the end zone.

23:11

That's a layup for them, yeah.Yeah, Bridge just about.So it was more, it was more or less the same throughout the the second-half, which really dragged on.I mean, I think I want to say the second-half was probably almost 90 minutes in itself.

23:27

Well, let me ask you this, did it actually drag on or you just used to the Old Orchard Beach games being in running time in the second quarter?That's probably a big part of it it.Felt like they just stopping the clock.What is going on?Stopping the clock at Old Orchard Beach in the second-half.

23:45

What is this?What are we doing?But the there's a there was a drive late that kind of gave Lake reach of a chance that gave this is what gave Lake reach of the chance.Old Orchard trying to kill time in the fourth quarter.

24:02

This is a 2 possession game at this point.We're in the we're getting late in the 4th 2 possession game.Old Orchards driving W Gallant, who I just talked about a little while ago, breaks free for this run that would have in essence set them up to put the game away.

24:17

He got inside the five yard line first down run doing what he's been doing all game long.And then I don't know if you heard about this, but there was, and this is part a little bit in part to Old Orchard's youth.

24:33

They have a still have a lot of they have a lot of sophomores.They have a lot of freshmen that get a lot of minutes.There was after that play was over, there was some extracurricular activity between a couple other from, you know, from some lineman and a little bit of that.It resulted in 2 Old Orchard Beach ejections on a pair of unsports for like conduct penalties.

24:55

Now one of them, one of them was one of their wide receivers who's a sophomore.He picked up an unsportsmanlike in the first half and that was his second.So he was gone then and then they had a senior lineman who now Reese and I didn't see, didn't see exactly what happened.

25:10

We were looking at the replay from that run.This all happened while we're looking at the replay.Flags keep flying in and all this and that.What if Old Orchard's lot, from what Coach Plant explained to me after the game, is that somebody from Lake Region started it and, and it was the guy from Old Orchard who in in response who got flagged for it.

25:30

And unfortunately, you know, it's, it's usually always the second guy who gets caught and which is unfortunate about the way it is most of the time.So he got disqualified.So there's 215 yard penalties.So instead of it being 1st and goal at the five yard line, all of a sudden is 1st and goal all the way.

25:48

And this was at the IT was from the spot of the foul which occurred back, you know, the 10.So all the sudden is 1st and goal from the 35.It's not.A lot of plays in the book for that one.No, there is not.So Old Orchard ended up punting it.

26:04

They didn't do it.They didn't try to do anything fancy.They ended up punting at Lake Region and Five Four.How often does Old Orchard Beach punt?That might be the first time I've ever seen that team punt the football in person.I.Was gonna say.They yeah, usually old.

26:21

Orchard.Did they have a punter?Oh.Man who punted for them.It might have been.It might have been one of their wide receivers that ended up doing.It they're just like, who?Who here can kick the ball?Like walking up down the sideline?Anybody here can kick the ball.No, Maybe.But so anyway, Lake Region 4 plays, marks down the field scored and now Old Orchard didn't convert on a couple of touchdowns because they always go for two, so they.

26:48

Don't even have a punter, how are they going to have a kicker?Exactly.So they always go for two.They didn't convert on a couple of scores earlier in the second-half.So Lake Region's scoring, they got the two pointer which made it, then made it a six point ball game.

27:04

So all Lake Region needed to do was try to recover an onside kick, which they had done earlier in the fourth quarter.They recovered.They recovered an onside kick, got the ball back marks down the field and scored.They almost got it this time.They didn't in all order.

27:20

Old Orchard had to do was just get a get, pick up a first down and steal the game.But it was I think Andrew Hart from mainehighschoolfootball.com messaged me after the I sent him the final score.He messaged me that 100 and 14114 combined points ties.

27:38

I think it's like ties fourth most all time.Oh wow, in eight man history for points scored he pretty and that ties.I think it was Matanakuk and Holton that scored 114 combined points in the game that went to overtime and this they.

27:54

They say who had the most.Who He didn't tell me who had the most, he just told me that they had tied 4th all time and.Get it together, Andrew.Come on.I'm sure if I messaged him right now he would get back to me and tell me.He would probably get back to you before we got to Class B, I bet.

28:13

Yeah.So 60 to 54 I saw that score came come across and by come across one of the Old Orchard Beach coaches sent it to me and I was like Oh my goodness, I went to the wrong game.Because I've been thinking about going to that because that did look like the best game on the schedule.

28:32

And for a couple reasons, 2 reasons I didn't go.One, I get very, very tired by the end of the week.So I was like, I slept in a little bit.And then also I knew I was going to be talking to you today.And I'm like, well, there's no point in going to the same game as the that Ethan's going to be covering because Ethan's going to be on the podcast.

28:52

And so, you know, well, what's the point of that?We did.I did have a question come up earlier this year about Old Orchard Beach.And I was, I thought Ethan would know this.But you were on your vision quest up in Alaska or, you know, it was in Siberia, building a cave in the woods.

29:12

I don't know, whatever you're doing, sending up smoke signals.And the question was how late is the arcade open in the year?Does it go year round?And how late into the year are the pier their pier fries?

29:28

And like how much of Old Orchard Beach shuts down and when?Man, that is an excellent question.I'm not I'm not 100% sure on that.I know on my on my drive through Old Orchard on my drive through Old Orchard, it did look like it was pretty pretty well buttoned up for the winter.

29:47

I know it was a little actually temperature actually wasn't too bad, but I don't know about you but it.Was a beautiful day.Beautiful, beautiful day on Saturday I know some people it's still a little bit chilly to be going get some Pierre fries so I.I mean, is it ever too cold for Pierre fries?

30:03

I mean, for me it's never too cold for ice cream, so I don't think it's ever too cold for Pierre fries all.Right, we'll have to check with the Old Orchard Beach coaches because I'm sure they know how late in the year we can get Pierre fries 'cause that's always my running joke during basketball season.

30:18

It's like, oh, you're playing Old Orchard Beach pure fries.You beat, you win there.You pier fries for the whole team as opposed to ice cream.You know, maybe some fried dough, maybe some rides, you know, maybe some skee ball.It's a good time.Yeah, absolutely.All right, so let's look at 8 man South.

30:39

So in the South, Old Orchard Beach is now 6 and O, and then Telstar and Sakapi Valley are three and two and three and three.Now Telstar.Yeah, that's the team to put up 86 on Mountain View, right?I'm remembering that.Correctly, that is correct.Do you want to fire off any hot takes?

30:55

About 86 to nothing.I mean, you're an expert at watching 86 to nothing.Games.I mean, I've seen, I mean, the amount of times I've seen Old Orchard Beach put up, you know, 60 between anywhere in the high 60's, the low 80s.I mean, I've seen they've put up anywhere between that and the last three years that I've covered them.

31:13

And there gets to a point as a there gets to a point when you're a program as dominant as Old Orchard or, or you're going up against a much, you know, an opponent that's not even near the level that you are.There's only so much that you can do until to until it just becomes downright, I think disrespectful for both teams.

31:36

I mean, if you go out there and just kneel it down for for half, you know, the entirety of the second-half, I mean, that's not that's not, you know, in a way to me, I don't think that's very respectful to your opponent.That's not really respectful to yourselves.

31:52

It's not really, I mean, you know, it's not really respectful for anybody if you're just going out there and just kneeling the ball down.I mean, if you're.And it's.And for a program like Mountain View, from what I've heard is it's a struggling program right now.Unfortunately, it's the way it is.They barely even had enough to field that fan team at the varsity level.

32:10

And when you're a program in so when you're going up against something like that, I mean, you're you, all you can do at that point as a coach is to get your, get all the guys who are super young don't have, you know, we're trying to get more experience, throw them in there and just play that and just play their game plan.

32:30

And if you and if you run, if, if unfortunately, if the run, if the score gets run up because of that, in doing that, the score gets the score runs up.And you know, unfortunately it's just the way it is.Like I said, I think to me, it's just downright disrespectful to all involved.

32:48

If all you do is just kneel the ball down for run A, you know, run out for a majority of 1/2.Or if you play half speed or something.Right.Or half speed or yeah, something like to that which helps nobody.And thinking about it, I think maybe in football it's a little more dangerous to do that than it would be in basketball.

33:07

Because in basketball you can sort of pass the ball five times and you can do all this other stuff, but you know, the team that's losing 86 to nothing is still going to try to hit you pretty.Hard.Oh yeah, absolutely.And if you're not, you know, playing hard, then bad things can happen there.

33:23

Right.And I know from experience that if you're on a, you know, these are these are kids, these are high school, these are high school kids.And I know from experience that, you know, as a high school, as a high school boy, you're not, you don't make all the smartest decisions in the world.

33:38

And especially in the especially, you know, on the football field.If you're on a, if you're on, unfortunately have to be on the.If you're on the receiving end of a game like that, you're going to be frustrated and you might do some things that you might regret later on.

33:55

I will have you know, and my parents will vouch for this, that I never, ever, ever did anything wrong when I was a teenage boy.Never.And I'm sure you didn't either.Absolutely not.Just don't ask this one kid from John Babs.

34:11

I was nose felt one day.I, I, he don't ask, don't ask him.You know, he I don't think he was feeling too hot after that one single day.But that's not here.That's neither here nor there.All right, so let's say we we can write off Mountain View here and I'm looking at the Crabtrees on Andrew's site, which is an essential site.

34:35

I it looks like it's down to Boothbay and trape for that last playoff spot and Booth trapes played an extra game.Do you want that playoff spot?Man?If the if the arcade's going to be closed and there's, you know, no fried dough and you can't play skee ball after the game, do you want to drive down to Old Orchard Beach to get waxed?

35:04

I think it's certainly a, I think it's certainly a tough decision to say.I mean like I believe, I believe it was Old Orchard and Booth Bay in the semi final a year ago.One versus 4 semi final.Yeah, last year they played.Yeah, they played last year.

35:19

Yeah, they played last year in the in the in that game and unfortunately it didn't go in an unfortunate for Booth Bay.It didn't go their way.I think they went down there and that was about what they expected.And then trait kind of the same deal.I mean, I'm looking at and they haven't they have yet to play Old Orchard.

35:36

They play Old Orchard on Saturday, Saturday afternoon, Old Orchard makes the trip down to Kittery.But I would I would expect more of the same because it.Reminds me of it.Reminds me of basketball season.We had a 8-9 playing game to get.

35:55

Not even a prelim, it was just a tiebreaker game.No it wasn't A9.I forget what it was.Anyway, it was the winner.Got a pre, got a rogue prelim and I think it was I want to say it was Ashland and Van Buren and the winner got a 5 hour one way trip to Jonesport Beals to and to get smoked.

36:16

And I'm just imagining being the parent of like the kid who's like the 8th man and being like kid I love you but hope you lose cause a Tuesday evening 10 hour round trip to Jonesport Beals does not sound fun.

36:35

No, especially on a especially on a school night.No thank you, I thought.I thought making a trip up to Guilford on a school night was bad from Blue Hill, let alone a trip from Ashland to Ashland to Jonesport Beals and back at on a school night.No, No, no, no, no, no.Yeah, I I think you get, you take the next day off.

36:53

I think you call in sick.Yeah, with that one.All right, so let's head over to the north.Stearns is five and one, Orno's four, and Orno and Dexter are four and two.Stearns lost to Old Orchard Beach in a game that was close at the half earlier this year.

37:08

I think it was 1816 at the half before Old Orchard Beach pulled away.And then you've got Dexter.Dexter has a big game this week.I Who are they playing?But it's this T-Mobile thing.Have you heard about this?You've heard obviously about the T.Mobile.Yeah, that's a really cool deal for first of all, that's a really cool deal for Dexter.

37:27

I mean, to be able to represent not only they're representing that themselves, but they're representing the whole state of Maine as well.And, you know, just as much as I do, anything, anything like that happened in the state of Maine is just the coolest thing in the world.So it's awesome.So happy for Dexter.I voted numerous times for him and no matter how it works out, they should be very proud of themselves for being in in the national spot like like this because they that's one of the coolest things you're going to see all year.

37:55

Yeah, so I had Dexter's AD on the podcast and he was telling me that this week they're having T-Mobile is like hosting a game and they're like painting the magenta numbers on the field and there's going to be all sorts of stuff that's against Holton on Saturday.

38:11

So that looks like it could be a very, very cool event.I'm strongly leaning towards driving up for that because I mean, it sounds like it's going to be bananas.Yeah, I actually saw the there's actually photos up somewhere shared by somebody on some social media.

38:28

I think Easter.I think I.Think it was Mark yesterday was Mark has shared it, but they got the number, they got the the the yard markers for the numbers all they're all magentted out already and they got some other things all set ready to go to which I don't know for doing that.I mean, I don't know.I guess the grass.

38:43

I guess the grass isn't growing very much this time of year anyway, But for me to they do to do that on a Monday for a Saturday game.I think it's my opinion is a little bit early, but then again what do I know.Depends.On the rain, really depends on the weather.Forecast.That's all that's true.

38:59

Of course it has been super dry this fall.So, but anyway, not Anyway, not the point it's looked.It looked really, really good.You're like, I don't know about this scheduling of the painting of the grass.

39:15

This is I have questions.This is T-Mobile.This is where I asked my this is.These are where the important questions come from.We got to know about the pure fries.We got to know about the schedule of the grass painting of the field up in Dexter.Really important stuff.

39:34

Really important.OK, so.Looking here.Dexter's Warren 2 along with Orno.Did you lose that?I got you.I was looking to see who was they were playing.Looks like Holton's the Holton Co office.Yeah, they have Holton.Coming to town.So that's gonna be should be a very cool game for trying to count, count in the schools.

39:51

Holton, Hodgdon Southern Estate grant, Holton Christian.So however many, however many students from each of those schools are represented on that team.Should be a very fun event for them as well.It's a road, you know, it's a road team.Even as a road team going into somebody else's event like that, that's still gonna be super cool.

40:10

So that'll be that'll be a fun experience for them.Yeah, I imagine it's really cool like anytime there's one of those pink out games, you know, for basketball, I bet it's probably a lot of fun to be the other team, you know?So anyway, so we had Dexter 4I mean, that'll be a big game for Dexter for seating, and I would think they're in pretty good shape for a playoff spot.

40:35

But if Washington Academy gets hot here down the stretch, yeah.I'm looking to, and one of the things I will say about this new MPA site, Lucas and I were talking, but for those at home, him and I were talking before we, you know, before we really got into the stuff here.

40:51

But I haven't gotten the chance to really check out the new website yet.But what I do like is that right on the main standings page, you can see who you the wins, the losses and who they got remaining without even having to go to any other page.So that's that's nice.And I'm looking at the schedules here.I mean, you can also do that on my site.

41:08

So we'll just mention, just mention that.But yeah, there's a chance here for a lot of movement.You know, WA they've got Orno and Madeloska left and if they can get a win, if they can get a if they can get a win over Orno, I mean that's that good chance that'll punch their ticket into that final spot.

41:27

But you got bucks borders hanging right in there.Dexter, who's in a really good spot with Holton and spruce mountain coming up and spruce mountain sets a four O 1 right now and in the South eight man large division.So that's a lot of you know, a lot of teams, you know, a couple of opponents that have decent amount of wins to their names.

41:47

So just one win in the last two games for Dexter, for Bucksport, Washington Academy, you know, that's you're talking three teams fighting for two spots and then you throw in Orono with WA and Bucksport as well.Could be a lot of movement between those four teams for those final three spots in final two weeks.

42:07

It'll be very interesting.Yeah, I can't.I can't really judge Crabtrees in my head yet.I haven't quite gotten the hang of that, but I feel like Washington Academy could play their way in or do they need help?

42:24

Four teams for like 4 teams for or five teams for four spots is tricky because there's any any number of combinations of things that could happen here.But I think Stearns is is a.Lot, yeah, Stearns, I I think Stearns is feeling really, really good about their chances to get that one seed.

42:42

I mean, they're one loss to an Old Orchard Beach team that's undefeated.I mean, that's a, and of course the Crabtree is your winning percentage and has everything to do with your winning percentage and your opponent's winning percentage.Well, Stearns has got a decent winning percentage right now.

42:58

And then you look at their, I mean, an old, they're getting, I mean, they're getting carried a lot by Old Orchard 6 and out.And then you, I'm looking at the rest of them here.Or no.Four wins.Fox Sports three wins and Dexter's 4 four wins.So I mean just those right there that's you got to be feeling really good about your chances at that point.

43:18

Yeah, so let's move to 8 man large and a school that probably wishes we were using heel points this week in grain of Gloucester, GNG knocked off Camden, who was previously unbeaten 16 to 6, which is one of those scores that went threw up a woe.

43:37

And then I got a bunch of text messages after after I probably tweeted about the whoa element of it because So what I'm told here, and I've heard it from enough people that I'm pretty sure this is what happened is the Camden was at 5 and O pretty much locked up the one seed and went, you know, we're a little banged up.

44:00

We were the one seed last year.We were really banged up.We didn't have a quarterback, our starting quarterback.We're going to go pretty deep into the bench here and Grandy Gloucester was able to benefit from that, but that would have been a huge heel point win for them, sitting at 2:00 and 3:00 at the time and in 5th place, and now they're still sitting in 5th place at 3:00 and 3:00, but it's a lot closer.

44:24

Yeah, hey, I mean it's one of those is all goes back to that class of saying you play, you play who you I mean, you play the opponent that you got right.I mean, it doesn't matter if you're playing the, you know, the second stringers or not.I mean, you're going to take him and you get a win, you get a win and that's a huge help for them.

44:39

And right right now, they're in a almost a neck and neck battle with Lake Region for that last playoff spot.And I'm looking at Lake Region's remaining schedule.Oh, look at that.Those two teams play each other this week.That's like going to be a huge game.Beautiful, beautiful.

44:57

So that might sort of.Very well, good.You have both teams, 3:00 and 3:00, Lake Region.Lake Region, obviously they're desperate for a win at this point.They got off to a really good start, 3 and O and then they ran into some.They run in the three straight quality.That's a.

45:13

That's a rough state.Quality opponents.You have Yarmouth, who's been on the up and up, they're five and one Mount Ararat, Mount Ararat, who lost in the state title game last year, and they're right back in the mix, 5:00 and 1:00 and then everybody.And nearly beat a full strength candidate.Yeah, and nearly beat a full straight candidate team.

45:30

So that's, you know, that's a really, really greater Gloucester is going to be playing with a lot of confidence going into that game with Lake Region.And then Lake Region obviously they're desperate for a win, three straight losses.So that's going to be going to be a very, very interesting contest.

45:47

Let me check real quick is that in and that that's up in Naples at Lake Region.So Lake Region on Friday night.So that's going to be a think.So we'll see if Naples is going to be rocking Friday night, hopefully.Lake Region at.G&G, am I reading this wrong?

46:04

I see what's going on maybe what's going on here?OK, I'm looking.And then OK.I'm looking at this on the NBA site and of course they got the little house next to the home team, but I don't know it's because of the length of stuff because it's the house is kind of in a.

46:23

Oh yeah, if it's a, if it's a long.That's a little lucky.So actually, it might be at Gray, but regardless, it is at Gray.OK, so Gray's going to be rocking Friday night.Then over in large man, Camden is five and one.

46:43

MDI and Holton are both three and three.Holton's going to Dexter this week.And then do we think Waterville's done or can they get Ellsworth get by Ellsworth for the honor of.Man, I'm looking at I'm looking at the remaining schedule for each team only has one game left, according to oh, excuse me, Waterl's got two games left.

47:03

Ellsworth has one left, so.Waterloo has Yarmouth and GNG and.Elmer's got Elmers.Mount Ararat.Am I missing something here?On my heels?

47:20

Yeah, I I'm missing something.I have an incorrect somewhere here.OK, Waterville's own 6.I have Ellsworth at 2:00 and 4:00 and with only one game left.

47:35

OK, note to self check Ellsworth.This is why.This is how I find mistakes because you're not going to believe this, but I'm not often looking at Ellsworth schedule.Just, you know, at work in between things.

47:51

I'm like, oh, I wonder who Ellsworth got left.Now I find it or someone says to me, hey, our schedule's wrong.And I'm like, who are you?And they're like Ellsworth and I go look.And I go, Oh yeah, that's that's what's wrong.But going back to it, I believe right now, the way it stands, I think Ellsworth's Ellsworth is going to be feeling really good about getting that, getting that final spot.

48:10

I mean, I look at Waterville's remaining schedule, unless Yarmouth or GNG, but probably not GNG.But if Yarmouth decides they're in a similar spot to what Camden is, you know, they're sitting in five and one feel like we're in a good spot right now.If we're if we're a little banged up, maybe we'll arrest some guys.

48:27

Maybe Waterville could catch a break there.But I mean, that's a it's a tough it's a tough schedule coming up for Waterville and I.They're going to have to win one of those last two games if they want to, if they're I think if they're going to have a chance to get that forward again, like you, I'm not my my knowledge base when it comes to trying to fully grasp the Crabtree standings is not quite there, but when it comes.

48:50

But yeah, when you're winning, you're, I know the higher your winning percentage is, the better chance you got.I know, I know, right?Pretty quite the concepts.Hey, if you win, that's good.It's always good to win.I'm sure there's a scenario like in heel points where it benefits you to lose.

49:09

So Elsewhere does only play seven games.That's strange.They have a buy this week.I wonder why they're, I think Andrew, I think something that Andrew has said was that because of the because of the number of eight man teams, it sorted out that some were going to get a buy and some wouldn't or something along those lines.

49:30

So.OK, that makes sense.All right.So let's I think that's good on eight, man, let's move over.You want to go up or down in class.You want to go A to D or.DA let's start AI.

49:46

Don't mind starting an AI feel like A from what I've seen out of Class A seems to be.As far as the teams at the top, it seems to be pretty straightforward, but a little bit further down it could get a little bit more wonky.Yeah, so Portland's still in first place in the north, and I could not have less confidence in a team that's in first place right now.

50:12

They got absolutely.Where's the score?They got destroyed by Thornton Academy.Like I drove all the way down there and it was over before I got there.And I got there early.And then they, I thought they would have trouble with Bonnie Eagle.

50:28

And Bonnie Eagle beat him 34 to 7.And based solely on that, it's really hard for me to think that they're going to repeat and now I'm going to have Portland people mad at me.But unless they've got some injuries that I don't know about because they did not seem to be in the same class as Thornton Academy watching them.

50:48

Live, yeah.I mean and that just that kind of comes with, you know, having a really successful senior glass the year before, right.I mean, sometimes that could take a lot to they could take it when you graduate as much talent as they did last year, it could take a year or two to build that.

51:04

And they lost their coach.And Sean Green, Sean Green stepped down as well.So that could be a whole, you know, that could be lead to a lot of change.And yeah, they're sitting at the top of the standings right now.We know Portland historically has always been a really, really good football school.

51:21

But as you mentioned, you know, four and two, will they be the ones, Will they be the one seed in the A N?Possibly depends on how the rest of the schedule goes.But you know, you look at it's just one of the, it's one of those, it's one of those deals where we've seen it a lot in the lower classes in recent years, right, Where you have one team, one team in one region that's, you know, top of the region feeling good, really good.

51:47

And then you go to the, then you go to the other side of the state and you see the top team there.And it's just such a difference and you know well.That was the Class C.Thing for years, Class C until they went to the full.I know we'll get to it.We'll get to C here in a little bit.But oh, we're getting in a little bit.

52:04

But yeah, we saw it in C, We saw it in Class C for years and even we saw it in Class C for years.And even in D, we've sometimes have seen it as well.And, you know, and Class A, of course, Class A was the one was the one statewide class for a while.

52:19

And then some teams were, you know, some teams were, were in different spots and all that.But that also also just got to give big props to.I know we'll get to the South side in a second.But yeah, hats off to Thornton too for keeping that program as successful as they have.Yeah, so Portland finishes with they have Lewis, they're at Lewis and they're at Exeter, and I never know what to expect from a New Hampshire game.

52:45

And then they've got South Portland.The one team that looks interesting to me, just looking around, poking around in a N here, is Oxford Hills nearly beat Coney already lost to Portland early in the season, but they're finishing with Deering, Wyndham and Bangor.

53:06

And that's if they're going to move, make a move, that's a schedule of words.Not impossible.You know, right now they're sitting in 3rd.You could talk me into them running the table there because I just don't know what to expect from Bangor either.

53:26

And I don't know, maybe that's the is that a sleeping giant or a dark horse or whatever you want to use in a N sitting three and three and they are in 3rd in the Crabtrees.

53:43

And I never know if I'm supposed to be looking at the Crabtree weekly or the Crabtree Classic.And I know they just converge by the end of the season.They're just going to converge.And I'm never, I mean, I know the difference between them and I know how they're calculated and all that.I just never know which one I should.Trust does.

54:00

That make sense?Yeah, I I don't, I haven't made a decision on which one I like more.Yeah, me.Andrew's just like tearing his hair out.Listen.Listen.For what hair he's got left.What hair he's got left, he's just ripping it out in chunks.

54:19

But.I'll, I'll Andrew, if you want, but I'll love here, boss.We love the work that you do.But now Arthur Hills, I mean, I'm looking, I'm looking at the their remaining schedule as well.And I think there's definitely a realistic, A realistic chance that they realist, realistically they can get the 2.

54:37

And depending on how, depending on how Portland's, you know, how Portland's rate of the schedule goes.Bob, you said they mentioned they have Exeter coming up.I saw it was, yeah, that Portland.Yeah, I saw when Exeter came to Fitzpatrick Stadium last fall, Portland, of course, that was when obviously Portland was the, we all know how good Portland was last year.

54:59

They, they hung around with extra for a while, but Exeter eventually pulled away.Now we know we're kind of where Portland's at this year.I imagine Exeter's historically has always been one of the top teams in their division in New Hampshire.So you know it, you know it.You know, obviously they play the games on turf.

55:16

You don't play them on paper, but you know, get like Exeter's chances in that one.And then you throw in Lewiston and South Portland.So just looking right, they should be Lewiston.South Portland could go, South Portland could probably go either way.

55:31

You never know when with a rivalry there.I believe that game is believe.That game is at Fitzpatrick Stadium.It's on the believe that's on the north side of the bridge this year.But you know.It is, yes.It's at Fitzy.But so there you go right there.

55:49

So it's going to be very I'd say Oxford Hills is in the best spot to definitely get the two, possibly get the one, but they got to make sure that they take care of business on their end to Deering.That could be a Deering big game.Wyndham, that should be a win for them.

56:06

And then that last game of the regular season on Halloween night against Bangor.That could very.That could very well.That could very well be for the.That could very well be for the number two seed could be for the one seed as well.I think, I think all right.

56:26

So let's move over to the South.I'm just going to say off the top that the model was high on Bonnie Eagle really fast.So much so that I was like, whoa, what's this then?And is it overreacting to something?

56:43

And I don't think it is overreacting to anything.It had them number 1-2 weeks ago, 3 weeks ago, maybe before Thornton Academy beat Portland.And they are still number one in the in the power rankings and they've increased their lead.So I just want to say that if Bonnie Eagle is for real, then the model is on early.

57:05

And can I just tell you the can I do a, a slight model brag?And just of how, because football's tricky because there's so few games, right?And so let me see if I can find this.I've been having, I have a running total going on my computer here, so I can find it.

57:21

OK, so week 1 it got games correct at 64%, week 269%, week 358%.OK, not great.Then it seems to have figured it out.Week 479%, week 587%, week 682%.

57:38

So I think it's dialed in.I think it's gotten a couple games wrong.It got, you know, it got the GNG Camden game wrong.What are you going to do?Some stuff like that, But it's, I think, you know, I'm, I'm buying stock on Bonnie Eagle and I'm very much looking forward to Bonnie Eagle Thornton Academy.

58:00

That is, Yep, next Friday night, 24th.Yeah, that's goody.OK, I think that might be game of the day you.Know and I've been fortunate enough to see see Bonnie Eagle a few times in person the past couple of years working with Rob Kennedy and J Richmond.

58:20

They've gone out they've made a couple trips to Bonnie Eagle the past few falls to cover a game or two down there.And so Bonnie Bonnie Eagles been 1 is that is.Is that on their schedule?This year, game on.WHO dot live next Friday night?Look at that WHO dot live.

58:37

Get your subscription now.Still only $10 a month, by the way.It's definitely worth the price, but I mean, so I've, I've been fortunate to see kind of what Bonnie Eagles look like over the past couple of years.And they've always my my interpretation of of the Scots has always been they're just they're like they're this close, this close to being to taking that next step in the beating and, you know, being on the level of Thornton Academy.

59:06

I think last year they lost to Noble in the in the semi finals, but but they've been they've been right there with they've been just a step behind Thornton.Obviously they haven't played each other yet.We're going to see just about where they are with Thornton Academy here next next Friday night.

59:22

But I think if there if there's any year where Bonnie Eagles going to return to the top dog in a South, this will be that year.But it's all going to depend on how that game next Friday goes.I mean, they've only given up 27 points.That's and like, let's not sleep on Noble here.

59:41

Noble lost the Fitzpatrick winner and Mr. Basketball winner and is five and one.So I mean, I don't know what sort of I don't even know who the coach is.I don't know what sort of coaching job they're doing there, but they're doing something right because you leave a, you lose a talent like Jamir Rose and you're 5:00 and 1:00.

1:00:02

I don't care what you're.Saying they only lost them.I'm looking at the scores here.They only lost the Bonnie Eagle 18 to nothing.Yeah, they got shut out, but you only gave up eighteen points to a Bonnie Eagle team that's been that's looked really good offensively.So that's not that is that and for if we're going to if we're going to bring this up, but like, you know, if I'm talking thinking about quality, quality losses, like where the College Football Playoff committee here.

1:00:25

But if we're talking quality losses, I'd certainly call that a quality loss, especially with the way Bonnie Eagles defense has been this year.And then you lose you lose your Fitzpatrick winter at quarterback and you're still five and one.That's your only loss 18 and nothing.That's nothing to be ashamed of, ashamed about.

1:00:42

And then they went ahead and beat Marshwood and then they just beat Sanford the other night.So, you know, for Noble, that's going to be, you know, that's they're going to be feeling really good about their chances.They certainly for me would be a sleeper in a S where right now shaping up to be the Thornton and Bonnie Eagle show.

1:00:58

Don't sleep on Noble.Yeah, so a noble let's, you know, whoever let's say noble stays 3.You know, even like just looking at how close the Crabtrees are, you really want the one seed there because there's the classic thing of you want to be the one so you can get the four and you don't want to have to be in the 2 three-game and then beat the one to get to the state game.

1:01:28

You want to you want the slightly easier semi final game.And so for that semi final, South Portland, Scarborough, Massabesic are just clustered right there.Their Crabtrees are within.What is that 17 of each other, the three of them?

1:01:45

Yeah, that's about right.Yeah, so they're right there.So any that's three teams playing for one spot.And I guess Sanford's still alive there.So that's four teams playing for one spot.

1:02:01

Yeah, most certainly not.You know, I think any any of those last four, any of those last four teams in the in a S could certainly put it together.I mean, even Sanford is right now 7th place apparently sits what I'm looking at just about 16 behind South Portland.

1:02:18

That's an easy deficit to make up.They have Thornton Academy this week.They got Marshwood and they got Massa BC to to end out the season.So for Sanford, no, not out of the question about possibly sneaking in and getting that four seed, but with massive basic, I look at what massive BC got left.

1:02:34

They got Bonnie Eagle, they got Bonnie Eagle South Portland Sanford Scarborough's got South Portland Noble, Bonnie Eagle.That's a tough, that's a tough end of the season in South Portland, Scarborough.So massive.BC has the 5th hard hardest schedule in the state remaining.

1:02:50

Scarborough has the hardest.Yeah.Good luck, guys.Sanford has the 10th hardest.Who else am I looking for?South Portland.South Portland's probably going to be up a little bit more.South Portland has the 25th hardest.

1:03:08

So if we're going just on that, I feel like maybe South Portland's got the edge.Yes, Crab.Because it's going to the getting your own wins or, you know, for the Crabtree, that, yeah, half of the Crabtree.Yeah, it was Scarborough, Massa, BC, Portland in that order to wrap up the season.

1:03:25

That's South Portland is currently sitting in the four, by the way.Big win, big defensive win for them over Deering the other night.That was a big game for them.It was a low.That was a game.That was Rob and Jared's game of the week for this week.And they look, they scored when they needed to.

1:03:43

It wasn't always pretty, but they got the scores when they needed to and they scored late, pretty late.Because it was scoreless at the.It was, oh, it wasn't scoreless in the half.It was 2 nothing at the half, 2, nothing at the half.One of the team, somebody got a safety ache.Yeah, bring in the closer to.

1:04:00

Bring in the closer.And then Deering drove down, scored, and then South Portland scored and I think they scored again to put that away.So it was a, you know, it was Yep, 6, Yep, 16 to 7. 7.It was a defensive battle for sure, but a big win for South Portland, one that they needed.

1:04:16

And right now they're currently sitting in that final playoff spot in a South.So it's going to be, I would definitely say they're in the best.They if any of those teams were to control, was in the best spot, they controlled their own destiny.Is that it?It would definitely be South Portland with one, they're already there and two, they got the easiest schedule out of the remaining four teams in a South.

1:04:41

OK, so let's move over to B.I have a quick programming note or a note from AB assistant coach that I got during the Levitt Gardner game.Let the algorithm know we are so, so banged up.

1:04:59

So I, I love it when coaches just send me stuff like that.Like I love when coaches are looking at the rankings and they're like, either they're mad about how low they are or my favorite is when.

1:05:16

They're way too high, man.Way too.High we're not this good or when they're they're like, here's the reason why we are struggling for this.And I feel like it's safe to share that because so, so banged up is it's football.

1:05:33

You're people get banged up.It's it is what it is.You can only play with the guys who can get on the field.So Falmouth lost this week to Marshwood, 33 to 28.They've had a bunch of close games like their losses are.

1:05:49

I don't think there's a bad loss in there.You know, they're not dominating like last year because they're so, so banged up.They're 3:00 and 3:00.They have a loss. 14 to 10 to Kennebunk, 28 to 21° at Greeley and then Marshwood 33 to 28.

1:06:08

So and then their wins have been pretty dominant.The what?This win week two win against Westbrook is looking a lot better than it did then 26 to 7, Gorham 41 to 17 and then Biddeford 38.Nothing.So let me ask you this Ethan, assuming Falmouth gets less banged up, can they repeat?

1:06:30

And well, I guess they wouldn't be repeating in BS.Can they win B?South, I think it's.Definitely.It's definitely a really good possibility.And the biggest thing is going to be can they get healthy in time?That's the that's the big question for that.

1:06:47

Can they get healthy in time?And I'm looking at the you just you just went down there.All three of their losses all have been by 1 score and all have been to really good opponents.And two of those and two of them are in their Division, One of them Class C but and one of them a one of the top teams in Class C right now will get there.

1:07:10

But I definitely, oh, we'll.Get to We'll definitely get to Greeley.Falmouth isn't.Falmouth shouldn't be stressing too much.I mean, I look at the what they got left Freiburg and they finished off the season with Shevris, who sits right above them, and Shevris and you, those two teams last year, it was a low scoring game.

1:07:29

It was a very low scoring game between Falmouth and Shepherds.So it's going to be it'll be an interesting end of the end of the final stretch for Falmouth.But if they can get themselves healthy, I'd say they're I'd say they get just as good of a chance as Kennebunk and just as good of a chance as Westbrook or Marsh Water.

1:07:48

Any of those top four teams right now, they've got just as good of a chance as any of them.They can get healthy.And Westbrook had one of the surprise wins of the season, not of the week, rather.Not that they won because they're 5:00 and 1:00 and it's never a huge surprise when a five and one team wins.

1:08:06

But they shut out Kennebunk.I think it was 20 to nothing.And that was what game was I at, whatever game I was at when that happened, that was the one where people were showing each other their phones and going, what's happening here?

1:08:24

Because Kennebunk had had been undefeated, had been really cruising along.But what I heard was that there was Westbrook got a couple short fields and then Kennebunk had trouble getting going and playing catch up.So for whatever that's worth.

1:08:42

But yeah, Kennebunk 5 and 1, Westbrook 5 and 1, Marshwood and Shevers both four and two, Falmouth three and three.And I think we can write off Biddeford and Quorum.We can start getting ready for basketball season, so, but that is, well, actually one of those teams is going to have to play a playoff game.

1:09:00

Is it tops?Is so is it top 6?One of Biddeford and Gorham it's top 6 so there's two buys so but I don't think it would probably be hard for Falmouth to get the buy.

1:09:17

Let's assume Kennebunk and Westbrook get the buys, although Marsh Marshwit's pretty close.So then it's a question of what side of the bracket do you want to be on and all that.But yeah, that's somebody's going to be a sacrificial lamb at six.

1:09:33

So you if you're not going to get the buy, you definitely want to get to 3 here if you can get to 3 because it's a much easier.First round game, I would much rather get what will be most likely A2 win team at the 60 because good for Gore and play each other this week.

1:09:49

So that's most that's going to be a two win team at the six seed, most likely A2A2 win team at the six seed.I'd rather as a three seed.I would much rather get that at home, whereas I got to play A and then and then if I was, if I was, and I guess in that case it'll be Westbrook.

1:10:07

I would much rather that would be the West.The match up I would rather get is whoever win that 6 Three most likely would be the three.No disrespect to anybody of course, but but also I think I think the right now Shepherds, Falmouth and then the winner would go to winner would go to Kennebunk.

1:10:23

That might be like the gauntlet side of the bracket right now, as if obviously the playoffs would start to waste a lot of time left.But to me that'd be like the gauntlet side of the bracket.Kennebunk.Kennebunk who beat it took overtime to beat Shepherds a few weeks back.And then you throw in Falmouth, who as we just talked about, if they could get healthy at the right time, I'd say they're just as, yeah, you're not going to want them if they're healthy.

1:10:46

Team peeking at the right, peeking at the right time, right at the start of the postseason, these S very well could shape up to be anybody.Could anybody in that top four or five could step up and win that region?Yeah, yeah, You could talk me to any into anyone in the top five winning that whole thing.

1:11:05

If it's all and it might just be about matchups, it might be about who's healthy, you know, and it's football.It's, you know, we've, I think forget it sometimes that you get a you get a penalty in the wrong spot, the ball bounces the wrong way, 7 points, you know, 14 points swing.

1:11:24

It's not like basketball where you have, you know, two or three bad plays don't doom you.All right, so let's look at being North Coney has been incredible.I there's no other way to put it.And I would just, I, you know, I feel bad for Rob Kennedy because he was very high on this idea of Coney and Gardner being 7 and O and playing in, I think we were calling it the Rob Kennedy Bowl in the final week of the season, but Gardner lost to Levitt.

1:11:55

And so the dream of the Rob Kennedy Bowl is no more.But Coney has been incredible.Parker Moran's making a case.I think he's making a case for the Fitzpatrick.I, I don't think that's an outlandish statement.I think I don't.

1:12:13

So I kind of came into the season thinking it was going to be Cordell Jones, because if you win Gatorade player of the year as a junior, you're almost definitely going to win.I think Fitzpatrick, Mr. Basketball, whatever it is, you're the overwhelming favorite.But I think he's I, I think that's up for debate now.

1:12:31

I think it's it's an open, it's an open contest.No, he's making, Yeah, he's making a case for sure.And I've obviously I've I'm just recently getting back to the game this season.So I haven't seen, I haven't seen AI don't I haven't seen enough talent to really like name off.

1:12:48

Like I'm just based on the people that I know what I've seen.If I would have picked 3 finalists right now, it would be Cordell Jones on Parker Moran.And I'll throw in Wescillant too, just because of the amount of times that I've seen him, you know, over the years.And then obviously 7 touchdown performance this past weekend.

1:13:03

That's that's nothing to scoff at.And obviously we know that eight man player, eight man players are good enough to get that kind of recognition.We saw Riley Provencher being finalists last year.So like that's, but that's just me and nobody, nobody came after me.

1:13:19

That's just based on players I've seen in the past, players I've seen in the past and what I've seen just recently.And again, that was my first football game this year.So I've been out of the loop a little bit guys, so.We're going to put your e-mail address up on the screen.

1:13:36

Your phone number I I think Connor Ayub is probably.I don't even know if he's a senior.Do I have a program here?I don't, but he's had a big year.Trey Walker from Falmouth.

1:13:51

I think you've got to have some if they can finish strong.The quarterback for Greeley's been really good.I mean, there's a, there's a lot of options, yeah.But I think it's an open debate and I, I would have trouble imagining Parker Martin not being a finalist if the vote was today.

1:14:10

I also don't know when the vote is.It might have, it might have already voted cause like with Mr. Basketball, where they vote ridiculously early and, and we miss out think, you know, obvious candidates like the kid from Falmouth whose name has escaped me.

1:14:31

Yeah, OK.So Coney is sitting at six and O Freiburg's four and two, Mesos 3 and 3, Lawrence's three and three.They just, I think they just had a big win, Lawrence.Freiburg.They beat Freiburg over somebody?Yep, Freiburg.

1:14:48

And it was a huge shootout too. 4735 That's a high scoring game in Freiburg, mind you.That is a high scoring game.And then we've got Skowhegan, Mount Blue and Brunswick all at 1:00 and 5:00.

1:15:04

So I mean two of those teams are getting in, two of Skowhegan and Mount Blue.So the path, like you mentioned earlier, the path in the north is way easier than the path in the South.The South is like a murderer's row and the North, you know, if you're Coney and you get you're going to get the winner of the 4-5 of Lawrence and whoever of those one in five teams, let's say, gets out of there.

1:15:34

And then you've got the winner of Freiburg and Meso.That's that's a lot more favorable than if you're Kennebunk and you've got to get the winner of Chevre's Falmouth and then the winner of Westbrook.Yeah, it most certainly is a lot more yeah.

1:15:52

You mentioned the path, the path for either of those top four teams is going to be easier.You're going to have Meselonski who'll get scout Heegan.They just beat him.They beat him this early this season already in the off Lawrence who the schedule right now they have they've also they beat mountain blue as well this year.

1:16:13

So so it's going to be the BN is going to be decided most likely in most likely in those and once the semi final, once the semi finals are set, you're going to have a really good idea of I mean, we already know Kony is Kony has put it together big time this season to coach BL Lippert and crew have really put it together this year.

1:16:38

We knew they were right on the door stay.They've been right on the doorstep recently and they've taken that step this year and they've looked really, really good.Freiburg, defending champions and C, they lost.They had a lot of senior talent last year that they graduated, so it's obviously taking a little bit of a step back.

1:16:54

They're in a new, not only in a new class, but they're in a new region as well.Freiburg being in the north region is still a little, it's taking me aback a little bit.Just don't.Usually Freiburg and N don't go together, but that's not here nor there.But and then they'll throw in Meselowski, Lawrence.

1:17:12

So Tony Meso and Lawrence obviously there's a long standing history between those three programs are all geographically close to each other.They always.And so you know, there's a rivalry between all three of them, Lawrence and Tony especially, and those two play.Those two have a game coming out pretty soon.

1:17:28

Yeah, this week, this week, this Friday night, 17th is when they play.So.What, what's crazy about Class BN is there's only two teams with a positive scoring differential, and that's Coney and Lawrence freiburg's -2 Mesos negative.

1:17:48

Jeez, that's 64.Wow.As a that three and three, they're they've scored 135, they've allowed 199 and then the bottom three teams are all obviously.Negative differentials let's see the yeah, 47 to County, 48 to Chevrus and 30 and 37 to Freiburg.

1:18:10

Yeah, that will most certainly do it.Yeah, that would Yeah, that's that explains why they're scored.That's that explains that score differential, but.So let me ask you this should be go region free and do the one class thing.

1:18:29

Man I think I think it's not AI honestly.Should everyone do it?Pro like, no regions.I know I don't think it would ever happen across the state just because there's a lot of schools that really like being in regions.But I think it would be really, really good for the sport of football to go to a statewide, go to statewide divisions at All in all classes.

1:18:54

And you really let the best of the best rise to the top when the when the time comes.It's not like these.Teams are traveled.No, no, you can throw the travel.Everybody's traveling a lot.The travel argument hasn't been relevant for four or five years now.

1:19:13

Ever such teams stopped really scheduling in their region or conference or whatever it is, you know, and you're seeing it in other sports now too.Help George Stevens.And not to go off on a tangent, but George Stevens Academy played 4K twice in soccer this year.

1:19:28

Just to give you an idea of throw, just to give you an idea of how like the, how the travel, you could throw the travel argument out the window.So like if anybody brings up travel like it's, it's irrelevant at this point in my opinion.Travel's trickier for soccer because the games are at like 4:00 in the afternoon or 5:00 in the afternoon and not 7:00 at night.

1:19:52

And so you're, if you're going to do that during the week, you know, then you you're out of school way more than if you would be for basketball.And I know they usually do it on the weekends, the long trips, but you know what I mean?OK, so let's go to C Which one single region?

1:20:12

10 teams get in, 13 teams in the region.I'm just going to write off Oceanside and Hamden right now.They're both O and 6:00.They have both given up way more points than they have scored.

1:20:29

I don't know that any of them.They've had a competitive game yet.I don't think they have.Not really, and not, well, they Oceanside game, Nokoma's game and Oak Hill actually, so maybe they're starting to figure it out the last two games.

1:20:53

So this week I saw three Class C games, pure Class C games, no crossover stuff.And I at in some ways I have a better sense of the region and other ways I do not.

1:21:09

And I'm more confused than I was at the beginning of it.So let's start with Greeley.I think people are sleeping on like, I don't know, I'm not, I'd never played football.I didn't coach football.I've watched a lot of football.I think going 6 and O in Class C against a pretty hard schedule in your first year of going from 8:00 man to 11.

1:21:33

Man certainly is impressive.I mean, it's like, and again, I'm not, I'm not a coach.I didn't play, I didn't do that transition.But going from a game of eight minute football.And mind you, for people who don't know, really didn't have a football program a couple of years ago, they had to Co-op with Falmouth if they wanted to play football.

1:21:52

You went to Greeley, you want to play football, you Co-op with Falmouth.So the fact that the fact that they've gone from no program whatsoever to state champion and eight man and now you're state champion caliber and class C11 man in the in the handful of years.

1:22:09

Hats off to the folks in hats off to the folks in Cumberland, because that's that's a great story to see.And I was I was fortunate to be able to broadcast the Greeley's both the eight man games last year, the eight man State Games last year.Just seeing Greeley and just seeing how really handled themselves prepared and all that before that game I was and they're roster sized too.

1:22:34

I'm just like this team.This team could be successful in 11 man football and I'm so glad to see that they made that jump this season.And lo and behold, not only are they a successful program, they're they're state championship favorite classy this year.

1:22:52

I mean that's they have to be the favorite and I don't.Think they have seen?Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I don't think we've seen a team that was in the eight man won a state title in eight man and then immediately the following year be still be a state championship contender.

1:23:10

I don't know if I don't I off the top of my head, I can't remember.I don't believe so.There's only been a few.There's only, I mean, there's been a few more programs now, but every single program that I could think of, I think there's only been one that's actually won a state title and gone back to 11 man that was Shepherds.

1:23:29

But there's been other programs that jumped back to 11 man football and are still trying, are still getting figured, things figured out.Really, they didn't need a transition period.There they are.Here they are getting it.You know, they figured it out.There's more.The field is bigger, there's more players on the field.

1:23:46

This time around, you got to put more.You have to put more emphasis in your lineman and your offensive and defensive lines than you do in eight man football.There's so many things that you have to do as a program to make that adjustment.And Greeley has got it to a tee.Here they are sitting undefeated against Levitt, who's had.

1:24:05

Yeah, Levitt, who everybody know how knows how good Levitt has been in the past few years.Falmouth, the reigning B champions, Foxcroft, who dominated class DN for years and Wells, the two time defending Class D state champions.So that's not a that's a very tough schedule.

1:24:23

And look at what they got left-handed.They got handed in Oceanside left.So Greeley really good chance for Greeley to finish their first year back in 11 man unbeaten.That's that's incredible.So I went to the wells game and they dominated the first half and because of 1 bad interception in on their own 8 yard line which is not the place you want to throw an interception.

1:24:54

They're down 14 to 7 to Wells with like a minute left and 1/2, and I'm sitting there or standing there on the sideline going, they should be up 21 to nothing in this game.And that's the sort of game where you think, OK, this might be the end because you need to catch breaks, you know, in a football game.

1:25:13

So then they throw a deep ball to the quarterback's name.I think it's Luke Piper.I don't know.I'm going to screw that up.He's looked really good in both games I've seen them play.So apologies for getting your name potentially wrong.

1:25:29

So he throws a deep ball to Benjamin Kyles.This one, I know Kyles gets absolutely mauled on the play, like the easiest pass interference call you will ever make in your life.And he caught the damn ball.Like I'm filming it on my iPhone and I'm like, well, that's an easy call.

1:25:50

And then he pops up and he's got the ball and he spikes it and the ref throws up his arms for the touchdown.I was like, Oh my God, he caught that.Wow.And that was, I mean, they just rolled from there and they just and they ended up winning something like 35 to 14.

1:26:10

And you know, no, not to anything bad about Wells, but they were clearly the better team on Friday.Night and like you mentioned, sometimes it just takes one, it just takes one single break, one single play, one single moment to really change the whole momentum of a game.

1:26:28

And that just so happened to be it for Greeley and just to I pulled up my chart from last year's state game and I you are correct, Luke, Luke Piper, you didn't get that.You did get that correct.I typed it enough you'd think I would have figured it out by now.

1:26:45

Although I've started doing this thing, this is very inside baseball because this started because I kept spelling Jayden Ruiz wrong because there's 2 is in Jayden Ruiz, it's 2 double is.And you know, if you're typing real fast, you miss that sort of thing and you don't want to spell a kid's name wrong.

1:27:01

So I started doing the text replacement thing on my phone where I just put in an abbreviation for a kid, so like Luke Piper's LP, and then it just pulls out his whole name.You know, TA is Thornton Academy, and I can't believe it took me this long to figure that out, but it's been very helpful.

1:27:23

I just load up the quarterback each game, you know, and cause most of the time it's you're gonna be typing in and because otherwise you're fumbling for this roster and unless you're Michael Hoffer and you've got it memorized and it's the whole thing.So anyway, so the other game I saw and the picture behind me is from Levitt.

1:27:44

I went to Levitt.Gardner and Levitt dominated that game.Like just absolutely dominated.You know, I wrote in the newsletter, they were down, they were up 12, nothing on Gardner.And it's one of those games where you're like, Gardner definitely needs a break.

1:28:00

And they got the absolute opposite of a break in one of the worst calls I've seen all year of an obvious incomplete pass that turns into a fumble and A and a fumble recovery for six.And then it's 20 to nothing.And that kind of took the air out of Gardner's sales, I think a little bit and Levitt just ran away with it.

1:28:20

But you know, let the Levitt I've seen, gosh, I've seen them two weeks in a row now.No, I've seen, I saw them at Madomic and I saw them two weeks ago and I saw them home against Gardner.

1:28:36

And then I saw them Greeley early in the year.And the team I saw against Gardner is considerably better than the team I saw against Greeley.But also the Greeley team I saw was considerably better than the team I saw against Leavitt, which is just evidence that they have good coaches.

1:28:54

I guess that whole rant, but let's not sleep.On Herman not I mean.Herman's given up 44 points.I'm looking at Herman's schedule as well.And no, they got wins over Foxcroft and Wells.So your who were your two finalists in Class D the past two years?

1:29:11

And then throw in yeah.How'd you start with Fox?To start.With the Wells to start the season, I mean, that's just the you couldn't have, you can't ask for a tougher way to start the year.And in their first two games, they beat Foxcroft by 20 and the game against Wells was closer 22 to 16.

1:29:29

But I mean, that's a you come out you you start off the season 2.And oh, after wins against those two programs who were just dominated Class D for the past several years, and you knew Herman, I mean, you do after last year, Herman wasn't just going to go away, but they still be unbeaten with two games left.

1:29:47

That's a that's just going to show you how well, not only has Herman built a really good program and a very short, because Herman's football program hasn't been around that long either.They've built it to the top and they're still staying at the top.And again that just gives huge shout out to the folks that are I mean both at the youth level and through the all different levels all the way to that varsity level for maintaining really good positive program up there.

1:30:17

I think it was the Bangor Daily News had an article on.There was.It was it the BDN?I think it was OK.Yeah.So then you got so in the so you got Greeley at six and O Herman at six and O Gardner at 5:00 and 1:00.

1:30:33

Not going to go undefeated for Rob Kennedy, sadly.Then you've got Levitt, which the four seed that nobody wants to play at to it at four and two.Nikomis is 4 and 2.They're in 5th.

1:30:49

That's kind of a surprise.And how are they there?Their point differential isn't very good.See, they beat York, they beat Brewer, they beat Oceanside, they beat Old Town.That's kind of a soft schedule.

1:31:05

So that means they're going to finish with Herman and Madomic.So that's a not a funny.Especially with Herman that the way that they've been rolling recently.So it's going to be tough way to tough way to end the year for Nakomis.

1:31:21

I mean, again, like I said earlier, you play these games on turf.There's a reason why you play them on the field.You don't base them off the stats on the paper in front of you.But it's going to be Nakomis is going to have to come out and they're going to have to play their best football for eight straight quarters if you don't have to say.

1:31:39

Are they going to have to?They're going to have to win I believe one of those games to hang on to a buy.Does the top 6 get a buy?They did.They have to win them both.I think if they win them both it's a lot.No, they don't have to win them both.I think you got to take you got definitely have to take one of two, one of two, one of your last two if you want to hold on to that five at least that number 5 spot and see could you send top 6?

1:32:03

Is it top six get a buy So does every top 6.So what is it?Is it just the top ten?Make it top ten.OK, All right, perfect.Top ten make it.Yeah.So then you've got sitting in 7th is Foxcroft.

1:32:19

They've got Gardner and Brewer left.So Gardner will be tough.Brewer has lost started 2 and O and they've lost four straight.So the wheels are kind of jeez, Brewer hasn't scored in three weeks.

1:32:38

Yeah, OK, that's not great.And then you've got Madomic threatening at 8th.Madomic just blew out York.You know my completely non biased opinion of madomic Valley sports of all kind.

1:33:00

The case I'll make for Madomic is they are not.Nobody's at full strength, but they've got Jayden Ruiz back and he seems to be at full strength now.He had five touchdowns against York.He had that hand injury where he had multiple stitches kind of and the stitches came out right before the Nokomis game.

1:33:21

And you know, it's, it's getting back in a groove.It's you got to get back in game shape, all that stuff.I, I just mentioned the stitches.I have first hand experience with the stitches.I got stitches in this.Finger.Right here, I don't know if you can see it.

1:33:38

It's all it's all gnarly.It's, you know, I broke a plate trying to do the dishes and needed like 7 stitches and in the middle of basketball season to like right after a Red Claws game we saw Taco Fall play.That was fun, but I needed like 7 or 8 stitches.

1:33:55

And so I got this big thing on my hand and I can't.It's like trying to use the iPad to do games and, and like I couldn't run for 2-3 weeks.I think it was because when you run, it's pulling at the stitches, just the movement of swinging your arms.

1:34:11

And so I'm imagining if I were an actual athlete and not just someone who runs five KS every so often, that it would be pretty hard to stay in any sort of game shape with that sort of an injury.And it would be a thing you wouldn't think of until someone says, how are you going to run with a bunch of stitches in your hand?

1:34:30

And you go, oh, yeah, OK, that would that would be difficult.So what I'm just saying is that I wouldn't bet against Madomic.Who did they finish with, Oceanside and Nokomis.I would not be surprised at all if they ran the table and finished five and three.

1:34:48

And does 5 and three get you to the six seed?If you're beating Nokomis, you'd have to vault Foxcroft.So you would need Foxcroft to lose to Gardner probably.Yeah, you'd you'd need Foxcroft to lose 1 of their last two and it would most likely be to Gardner.

1:35:08

They finished with Brewer and which we just mentioned Brewers had a hard time finding the end zone the past three weeks.So I think yeah.And you'd have to vault well and.You'd have to vault wells too I guess.York and Old Town left, so it's going to be the Adamic, yeah.

1:35:26

That'd be tricky to.Get they might be they'd have to get a lot of help to get the six they would need not as much help to get to that seven seed.And then you would get a, you would get arguably a little bit of a better match up in that 710, whether 710 rather than the 8-9, which would be right now would be Old Town based on the stuff that I'm looking at.

1:35:49

And it would put you on and it would put them on Herman's side of the bracket, their old rival who they have played in the playoffs, I think the last four years.Well, it's funny because when I had Ryan Snell on the on the podcast, he was, he was talking about how it was kind of kind of a bummer that they didn't have Herman on their schedule this year.

1:36:09

And you know, maybe they play him in the playoffs, but I don't think he was.Hoping the the first the first round.In that scenario, yeah, I think he was hoping for maybe a like a regional final or something like that.But you know, you you play the games when they come up.

1:36:28

Is there any boy?Yeah, Wells is good.Wells is 3 and three.And I think they've been close games.Yeah.They lost to Herman by 6.They lost to Gardner by two.I was at that game.That was a really good game.

1:36:44

And then Greeley, they lost to Greeley 35 to 14.So I think Wells is probably a top 6IN that region or that class.I think if I had to hot take it, I'd say Nokomis falls out of the top six and then either then Wells replaces them and then it's a question of Foxcroft and madomic for the six seed.

1:37:11

If I had to, if I was a betting man, which you know, I, I would never bet on anything.Yeah, I think that's definitely it's definitely a that that would definitely be a certainly a Safeway to go Just based on who which of these teams in the middle of the pack here have left, I would say, but Dominic Madomic and Wells have the best chances to move up a spot or two.

1:37:36

The comas is Nick Thomas is going to need they're going to be playing their best football in the final two weeks if they want to maintain that a top six spot and not have to play a prelim game start.So if this just for for fun, so on the site I also calculate heels for football.

1:38:01

So the heels for football for Class C goes Greeley, Herman Gardner 11 at 4, Wells is 5.When we do it by heel points, Nokomis is 6, then Foxcroft is 7 and Madomic is 8 and then Old Town and York are 9 and 10.

1:38:17

So it's a little different when you look at the heels and I think.Yeah, it definitely does reflect it.Of course, when you I mean schedule, I mean schedule plays an important part, no matter which formula you use with Crabtree or the heel points.But in but both, both bring out a different, you know, different aspect to your scheduling.

1:38:37

Like with the heels, the more games you the more good teams should be.The you know, the more good teams should be, the better your heel point ranking.Whereas with the Crabtree, doesn't really matter who you beat.It's it, right?You got to beat somebody that gets your winning percentage off and that's all that match when it goes to the Crabtree standings.

1:39:00

This is all it's struck me is very much my version of Bill Simmons, trying to talk him into Jayson Tatum coming back after the All Star break.It's like it's like, well, which I've also been doing, you know, going what if they could get the sixth seed and Tatum could come back and be full strength for the playoffs?

1:39:21

That's not nothing in a in a week Eastern Conference, right?Is that a thing?And I think it is a thing, but this is the main high school football version of that.All right, let's move on to D We'll finish up with D because this is already an hour and a half long, not counting the introduction I already recorded and then I have not yet recorded.

1:39:45

All right, D OK.What do we got here?Over in the South, we got Winthrop at six and O, we got Diergo, Oak Hill, Freeport, all at 4:00 and 2:00.Then Poland, 3 and 3.Morse is 2 and four.How many get in?Six, get in.I think that's your 6.

1:40:01

Because Lisbon.Is 1 and five, and Mountain Valley is only 6.After the reclassification this past year, so for any of the remaining teams that are still in Class D, they got to be saying thank goodness that we do not.In the South, we don't have to deal with Wells and in the North we don't have to deal with Fox Craft because they they're all, they've all got to be thrilled about that.

1:40:22

And I think.They've got.Especially looking at DS right now, of course.Winthrop, the Winthrop, Montmouth, Halldale.Yeah, 32 points allowed. 32 points allowed.They've been.Right, they've been the bridesmaid in DS of the past several years now. 2 Wells and to be able now they're now them as a program, they got to be thinking, man, this is our year that we're going to be able to take that next step and we're going to get a we are in a really good spot to go play for a gold ball in November.

1:40:52

But with, but you look at the, of course, you look at the rest of Class D, you know, that puts, that puts a lot of pressure on him at the same time because you have all these other teams here like deer ago, they were an 8 man not long ago.Oak Hill, it's been a little while.

1:41:09

Freeport has been had an up and down history as of recently.And then Poland, yeah, an up and down year for Freeport as well.And up and down.Year they beat Mountain Valley, they beat madomic Lisbon, Miranda Cook and then losses to Winslow and Oak Hill.So it's and then you look at Morse, they were an 8 man not too terribly long ago and then Poland.

1:41:29

So it's you get a lot of teams there that are kind of, you know, kind of in a unfamiliar position.So to say with the with the with the way DS has re stacked itself.So you're going to see, I think come playoff time, come playoff time, this could be very interesting.

1:41:49

And I do go back to your main point.The top six we got right now is probably what we're going to get here in a few weeks.So it's going to be, you know, Morris goes to Oak Hill pole and goes to Freeport and then Diego winter up probably be but that would be your bias right now.

1:42:05

Obviously there could be a lot of change you could throw.Obviously you throw 2-3 and four right now under a blanket for that two seed for the, for the for the two seed in the first round by.So that's going to get really no, you do not.And you really don't want the four seed.

1:42:26

Yeah.You really want to be the two.I think you really want to be the 2 here.Yeah.All right, let's move to D We'll wrap DN.We'll wrap this up.Baps is 6 and O, they blew out Winslow earlier this year, who's 5 and 1.Madison's five and one.

1:42:42

MC is 2 and four.Miranda Cook AKA not Lake Region is 1 and 5.Don't worry, we'll use an AI and every time you say Miranda Cook we'll just this replace it with a lake region.Matt Nachook, 2 and four and.

1:42:58

Belfast is getting ready.Indeed, they are in season.But they they have a promising basketball team in the head, so that's just a bad for them.John Babs kind of in the similar spot that Winthrop has been in.They've been the bridesmaid to Foxcroft the past several years.

1:43:14

And now they have really taken the step up to give them chances to give themselves a chance to really shine and take that next step and go play for a goal ball in November.And you know, I'm looking at the rest of the schedule right here.They blew out Winslow.They get they beat the Madison Kerabak Valley Co-op.

1:43:34

So I'm looking at this right now and obviously on paper it looks like John Mapp's reaching to win.But obviously you got to factor in injuries, other teams peaking at the right time.So it's John Mapp's may be the favorite right now, but that just puts more pressure on them as the season begins to wind down.

1:43:53

That could leaves plenty of room for Miranda, Cook, Matt and O'COOK or MCI to really step in and kind of be that spoiler.And for Winslow and Madison, it's going to be a neck and neck battle for that number two seed, because right now you throw them two under a blanket for #2.

1:44:16

And this is a little similar to B South in or BN in that only three of the seven teams have a positive scoring differential in Baps, Winslow and Madison.And MCI is sitting in the four seed and they're -133.

1:44:35

Let's see, yeah.Yeah, and they'll get a home prelim, a home quarter final and if if it shakes, I you know, I mean they're not passing Madison.So somebody who's got a very. -1 just looking at their scores right now, Yeah, 5460, 5963, yeah, yeah, that'll certainly do it.

1:45:00

They have given up 285 points on the year.So if your offense is struggling, go to MCI, go hang out with Stax, play some video games and.Go score some.Points go.Score some points.All right.

1:45:18

Do you want to make a?Do you want to make a prediction on class D?Because it looks like it.Looks like you can see the state.It looks like it's going to be Baps and winter up.And I think just looking at there's only I haven't seen either team in person yet this year, but I just looking at this, just look at the schedule and I'm just looking real quick at what batch has scored for points.

1:45:43

OK, Batch has scored a lot of points this year and I'm looking to see that we go back to DS real quick just to see what what's been putting up for points and they've So what the. 205.Versus 32 obviously right now on on paper, I think it would be it would be certainly be a pretty I think that'd be a very entertaining state championship game.

1:46:08

And I think I would lean to war.And this might just might be recently bias or exposure bias, whatever you want to call it.I'd probably lean towards winter up just on the fact that it seemed, you know, the South, the pattern in Maine has been the South teams have always had the better programs.

1:46:25

And that's no disrespect to the northern programs whatsoever.It's just that's the pattern it's been.And I'm so I'm just I'm just, I guess, used to just leaning towards the South team.So I think it would be winter up.It would be close, but I think winter up would get it.Winthrop is higher in the power rankings if that helps you any.

1:46:48

They're. 16th and BAPS is 21st, so they're pretty close.Yeah.They're like, what is that, like 3 1/2 points apart in the Dirigo number?So that probably the pick would depend on who's at home, probably close enough for that.

1:47:15

All right, well, this has been very long, but very helpful, very informative.Ethan, where I have one more question for you.OK, So before I have one more question for you, but I just completely spaced out.

1:47:33

All right, So for asking my question, where can people find you?What game are you doing this week?For I am going back down to old Orange Beach Friday night.I'm doing Stockman Valley and Old Orchard girls soccer under the lights Friday night on WHOU dot live and Saturday still not confirmed, but I'm really sure I'm confident it's going to happen.

1:47:52

Amy's spent Amy and everybody at Chevre's has been just as good for us.We'll have Shevrus and Westbrook from Deering Memorial Field Saturday afternoon at 1:15.They've, I don't know if you've heard, but Shevrus has been playing their home games at Deering because Bullo Stadium is getting turf turf down.

1:48:11

So it should be should be fun, should be really spice up the Shevrus, the Shevrus, the Shevrus facilities down there.Not that they needed it.It's always already a beautiful facility, but it's going to be a lot better for those athletes in the near future.

1:48:27

So looking forward to this weekend and yeah, ready, ready to get back into it full time all.Right.And so final question, while you were on your vision quest, did you come up with anything revolutionary that the MPA should change?

1:48:49

MPA needs, I would say, I don't know if this would be, I don't know if this is revolutionary, but there needs to be.I would say come tournament time, this is probably never happened, but tournament time instead of tournaments by class, we take the top 64 teams in the state using your rankings and we do and we do.

1:49:11

And we do a super tournament, boys and girls.We do a, we do a big super tournament.We see them based on your formula.First two first two rounds are at the higher seed, then we do, then we do the and then sweet 1616 in Bangor Elite 8IN Portland Final Four and Championship and Augusta and Augusta.

1:49:36

You wouldn't spread them out.OK.I love it.I love it.That's a great idea.From your lips to Mike Burnham's ears.Hey, thank you.Thanks for doing this.

1:49:53

And just one, one quick thing for everybody listening out there.Take care of your mental health because ultimately that's the most important, that's most should be the most important thing on the minds for everybody, whether you're a parent, you're a fan, you're an athlete.I guess if you're a parent, especially, you know, make sure, you know, keep it.

1:50:12

Just keep an eye on the mental healthier of your athletes, your children, your students, because that's super and your and yourself because that and yourself without without goods, maintenance of your mental health, nothing else matters.So take care.

1:50:29

Take care of yourselves mentally, people.That's all.That's that's how I wrap.That's how we wrap this up.Preach.All right, I'm ending the recording.

1:50:45

OK, that's the show.Thanks again to Ethan Snow for for joining me.Always fun to talk to him.Yes, mental health.Very important mental health.I have had mental health issues myself.They're not fun.Not to be trifled with.Take care of your stuff.I'm not going to change the background or anything, but Quick Movie Corner, Diane Keaton died this weekend.

1:51:05

I found this out today.I missed it because I was at AI, was at a football game and I completely didn't hear about it.Diane Keaton was awesome.If you kids, if you don't know Diane Keaton, she was the best, one of the great actresses in the history of film.

1:51:22

I know it's very unpopular to watch Woody Allen movies, but the early Woody Allen movies she did are amazing and she's amazing in them.She's of course a critical part of Godfather and The Godfather Part 2, which are two classics, and everything she's in is amazing.

1:51:37

And everything I've heard about her from people is that she was an absolute delight in real life.So rest in peace to one of the greats.Go watch Annie Hall.Annie Hall is stunning, and you might separate the art from the artist, but it's such a good movie.

1:51:56

It's just so good.Yeah.All right, that's going to do it.This has been a production of Maine basketballrankings.com, your source for the most comprehensive coverage of Maine high school basketball from Ashland to York and everywhere in between.This podcast is available wherever you listen to podcasts and a bunch of places you don't.

1:52:14

If you enjoy this, please leave a nice review because it really does help out with algorithms.Tell your friends, tell your enemies, tell your rivals.Thanks for listening.Oh, and votedexter.com Vote early, vote often.