The Lincoln County Eagles football team defeated the Valley Mustangs from Madawaska 36-20 to win the Maine Independent Football League championships on their home field at Great Salt Bay School in Damariscotta, Saturday.
Lincoln was undefeated in league play this season. Valley jumped out to a 6-0 lead when Jordan Labbe scored on their opening drive.
The Eagles were quick to knot the score on a touchdown from Isaac Charbonneau.
Lincoln’s special teams set up a touchdown early in the second quarter. Dakota Brown blocked a punt, which was recovered by Jacob Robinson. Two plays later Trever Coffin ran it in for a touchdown.
The Mustangs took advantage of four Eagle penalties in the second frame to tie the score 12-12 with 35 seconds to go in the half. Lincoln was called offsides twice, and received two 15 yard penalties, called for a late hit on the quarterback, and roughing the kicker.
With time running out, Charbonneau scored on a 45 yard run to recapture the lead for the Eagles. He then converted a two point conversion to take Lincoln into the half leading 20-12.
The Mustangs held the Eagles on their opening drive in the third quarter. Robinson unleashed a 60 yard punt which pushed the Mustangs back deep in their own territory. Robinson then tackled the Mustangs for a loss on the next play, pinning the visitors back to their own one yard line.
Austin Gordon recovered a fumble on the next play for the third Eagles touchdown of the game. Trever Coffin scored on a two point conversion to give Lincoln a 28-12 lead.
Brown came up with a big defensive hit on Jordan Hodgkin to stop the Mustangs. The play sparked the Eagle defense on the next two Valley drives forcing the visitors to punt.
Lincoln marched down the field to score and take a 36-12 lead. Coffin received a screen pass from Matt Tomasello and ran 15 yards to the midfield. Charbonneau had a 15 yard run, Coffin added an eight yard run off a lateral pass from Tomasello, and Charbonneau took a lateral pass upfield for 17 more yards, before he added another eight yard run to set up the TD. Coffin ran it in for a touchdown with 3:10 to play in the quarter. Gabe Hunt scored the two point conversion.
Lincoln held Valley on their next possession with tackles from Coffin, Robison, Austin Pooler, Edwin Bradbury, and AJ Kaler.
The Eagles took over on downs early in the fourth quarter and drove the ball the length of the field on three runs from Charbonneau, a 12 yard pass reception to Hunt, and pass reception to Bradbury. Mustang Brian Post stripped the Eagles of the ball and Valley recovered to spoil the Eagles’ scoring drive.
Valley moved the ball 90 yards down the field and scored with 2:22 to play on a Post run. The Mustangs onsides kick was caught by Charbonneau. Charbonneau then had a 20 yard run for a first down, and the Eagles took a knee for the win as time expired.
