ROCKPORT — The Camden Hills varsity football team was back in action Friday, Oct. 11 after an unexpected bye week Oct. 4 as a result of Dirigo cancelling the remainder of its season. 

In the under-the-lights showdown against Lake Region (3-3), the host Windjammers (2-4) were defeated in a hard-fought contest 28-20. 

Camden Hills took an early 8-0 lead on a six yard run by sophomore Hunter Norton and a two-point conversion.

The visiting Lakers quickly responded with a five yard touchdown run of its own.

With the clock winding down towards the end of the half, the Lakers threw a bomb on a flag route to the right corner of the end zone. What appeared to be an interception by the ‘Jammers actually landed into the hands of the Lakers receiver for a 37 yard touchdown completion and sent the hosts into halftime trailing 14-8.

"The touchdown at the end of the first [quarter] certainly was a punch to the gut [...] a fluke play that I am sure if you tried to replicate you would be hard pressed to get the same result,” said Camden Hills head coach Jeremy Marks. 

There have been a few bright spots in this Class D season for the football Windjammers, but the light shone brightest for most of the fourth quarter when the Windjammers, down 26-8 after three quarters, displayed their offensive firepower and defensive gusto to cut the lead to 26-20 on a Norton 55 yard off-tackle gallop and an Aedan Kehoe to Ben Craft 27 yard touchdown pass. 

With rain spritzing and the wind funneling through Don Palmer Field, the wet conditions contributed to foiling the 'Jammers comeback bid.

An intentional grounding call with Kehoe backed into his own end zone put two more points on the board for the Lakers to make the score 28-20. 

Still, Camden Hills got the ball back yet again but as the snap skidded past Kehoe, Lake Region recovered the ball and would run out the clock by taking a series of knees on the final series.

Following the game, Marks praised his team’s ability to play really good football and pointed to the team’s fourth quarter play as a prime example. 

“I look forward to using that game experience as a teaching tool this week and hope it helps us in these last two very tough games,” said Marks. “Jammer football is about believing that we can accomplish great things together. When we pick each other up, play hard for one another despite the odds and face adversity with the strength our bond anything is possible on the field, or in the game of life.”

Co-captain Kehoe completed five of eight passes for 63 yards and Norton added 77 yards rushing on 17 carries and the 2 touchdowns. while senior co-captain linebacker Brady Hedstrom lead the defense (10 solo tackles and 5 assists) along with junior defensive end Will Thorn (7 solo tackles, 4 assists).

The team will be on the road against Lisbon/St. Dominic (3-3) on Saturday, Oct. 19 before returning home for the season finale against Freeport (4-1) on Saturday, Oct. 26.

Reach the sports department at: sports@penbaypilot.com.