ROCKPORT – Friday afternoon under a bright hot sun, the Camden Hills Windjammers hosted Medomak Valley in a Class D preseason scrimmage at Don Palmer Field.

After playing to a 0-0 tie at the end of the first half, the Panthers came back strong in the second half to take a 22-8 win over the Windjammers.

The first half of the game was all defense from both teams as neither offense could get it going long enough to drive for a touchdown. 

“I definitely liked how we came out in the second half with a little more fire,” said Medomak Valley head coach Ryan Snell. “I think we were back on our heels a little bit to start. We moved the ball well in the first half just missed a couple opportunities to finish drives. The challenge to the kids at halftime was to finish those drives, and they were able to do that in the third quarter.”  

The Medomak Valley football team is a varsity sport for the first time. They have started the season with 46 players on their roster while Camden Hills, who began as a club team in 2007, has a roster of 27 names on it. 

“We knew this Medomak team would be formidable as it is made up of the core players from it’s first years of football,” said Camden Hills coach Thad Chilton. “Although they are new to Varsity football they are experienced, large in numbers, and large in physical stature. Coach Snell should be proud of his team.”

In the meantime, the Windjammers may have lost the game. However, Coach Thad Chilton had to have witnessed some good things today, especially in the first half.

“What I am most proud of is the high level of conditioning and the new level of sportsmanship that this team has exhibited in a short amount of time,” said Chilton. “Compared to last season at this time the team has what it takes to play four quarters if called upon to do so, and they have the character to do so without losing their composure. We credit our conditioning coaches Jack Hauprich and Chris Chacon with getting the team in top-notch physical shape. We’re excited to begin regular season play in the Little Ten Conference.”

As for Medomak, the first year varsity coach Ryan Snell has to be happy with his defense allowing just eight points. And for the offense, who picked it up in the second half to score 22 points, for the win. 

“I was pleased with how our second and third groups performed toward the end of the third quarter and the whole fourth quarter,” said Snell. “They were able to get some valuable reps at the high school level. We need to maintain that level of intensity from the third quarter going into next Saturday's game against Bucksport if we are expecting to compete with a program of that caliber.”

Camden Hills, coming off an 0-8 season last year, will open up at Mount View of Thorndike, who went 2-6 last year. Both games are Saturday, Sept. 5, with 1 p.m. start times for both as well.

“We are a young team with more than half of our team made up of ninth and tenth graders,” said Chilton. “We hung in there toe-to-toe with them throughout the first half with a scoreless tie. Our kids did a great job of executing our newly installed defense. Our offense is new to most of our starters as well, yet they we managed to move the sticks and score. With more experience in the system, their play execution will improve, and we expect the wins will come.”

Ron Hawkes can be reached at sports@penbaypilot.com