OLD TOWN, Maine — The Old Town High School Coyotes used big plays on both sides of the ball to remain undefeated Friday night.
The Coyotes scored three touchdowns of 76 yards or more and posted a 41-19 victory over the youthful Foxcroft Academy Ponies during Homecoming Weekend at Victory Field.
Old Town is 4-0 while Foxcroft fell to 1-3.
Senior Andre Miller was the catalyst as he returned an interception 95 yards for a touchdown, ran 76 yards for another and set up two more TDs with a 50-yard kickoff return and a 36-yard pass to Pascal Cyr off a reverse.
Cyr scored the pivotal touchdown in the third quarter when he returned a blocked field goal attempt 85 yards for a TD that gave the Coyotes a 20-6 lead.
“We base our whole offense on trying to make big plays,” said Miller, whose game-opening 50-yard kickoff return set up T.J. Crawford’s 3-yard TD run.
Later in the quarter, he stepped in front of a Pony receiver, intercepted sophomore Nick Clawson’s pass and rambled 95 yards to make it 12-0.
“I jumped the route when [Clawson] lofted it up in the air and I took it to the house,” said Miller.
Clawson has taken over the quarterback job from standout Hunter Smith, who suffered a season-ending injury during an exhibition game.
Clawson answered by tossing a 5-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Brock.
Old Town took a 12-7 lead into halftime.
The score was misleading as the Ponies moved the ball effectively between the 20-yard lines. Foxcroft penetrated the OT 20-yard line on eight occasions and scored three times. But the Ponies also surrendered two TDs and the Coyotes made a number of clutch plays to stall the other drives.
“They only stopped us [from driving the ball down the field] once,” said FA coach Danny White. “I was pleased about that. But you can’t turn the ball over against a team that can score 40 points. You aren’t going to eliminate all of your mistakes but we’ve got to eliminate some.”
The turning point occurred in the third quarter when the Ponies, trailing 12-7, marched down to the OT 7 before Jason Emery and Ethan Stoddard tackled Clawson for a 5-yard loss on third down.
But Crawford blocked Nate Church’s field goal attempt and the alert Cyr grabbed the ball and raced 85 yards with it.
“It almost went out of bounds but I picked it up and took off with it,” said Cyr. “I forgot you could pick it up and return it. I just did it anyways.”
Miller extended the lead by bursting 76 yards on an option pitch from quarterback Jake Jarvis.
Clawson tossed a 15-yard TD pass to Hyatt Smith to make it 28-13, but Crawford ran 42 yards for a touchdown after the 36-yard pass from Miller to the wide-open Cyr, who tripped after catching the ball.
Clawson ran 14 yards for a TD with 6:20 left as the resilient Ponies kept battling.
But Miller’s 1-yard plunge sewed it up.
Crawford ran for 95 yards on 11 carries and Miller had 80 on three. Jarvis completed 11 of 17 passes for 121 yards. Cyr had five catches for 66 yards.
Hard-running senior halfback Zach Caron rushed for 75 yards on 18 carries for the Ponies, and Brandon Brock gained 51 yards on six carries and caught four passes for 49 yards.
Clawson completed nine of 18 passes for 160 yards. Smith had three receptions for 68 yards.