MDI Trojans Down Mountain Valley Falcons 36-26 [PHOTOS]

The MDI Trojans Football Team beat the Mountain Valley Falcons 36-26 at Alumni Field in Bar Harbor on Friday night, September 1st in the opening game of the 2023 season.

MDI won the coin toss and elected to defer, choosing to kickoff and to receive the ball in the 2nd Half.

The Trojans kicked off and forced Mountain Valley to punt. MDI took over at their own 30 yard line and promptly marched down the field to score. Spencer Laurendeau rand in from 2 yards out for the touchdown. The drive took 3:05. The 2-point conversion was no good, and MDI led 6-0.

Mountain Valley returned the ball to their 19 yard line, and promptly scored, as Kaden Paaso broke off a 57 yard touchdown run. The drive took just 58 seconds. The 2 point conversion was good, and the Falcons led 8-6.

On the next possession, MDI turned the ball over on a fumble, and the Falcons took over on their own 41 yard line. MDI's defense held forcing a punt.

MDI took over at their own 26 yard line, but the Falcons' defense stymied the Trojan's running attack forcing MDI to punt.

Mountain Valley took over on their own 14 yard line and scored seconds into the 2nd Quarter. Jyrrmal Yates ran in from 15 yards. The 2-point conversion was no good, and Mountain Valley led 14-6 with 11:53 left in the 1st Half.

MDI was forced to punt, but Jarron Biekert recovered the Falcons' punt returner's fumble and MDI took over on the Mountain Valley 15 yard line with 10:23 left in the 1st Half.

Spencer Laurendeau ran in from 15 yards out, in a drive that took just 45 seconds. MDI was unable to convert the 2-point conversion and Mountain Valley led 14-12.

After MDI forced Mountain Valley to punt, the Trojans took over on the Falcon's 32 yard line. Laurendeau punched it in from 1 yard out for his 3rd rushing touchdown. The 2-point conversion was good, and MDI led 20-14.

Kaden Paaso then fielded the kickoff and ran it back 80 yards, to tie the score at 20-20 when the 2-point conversion failed.

MDI then scored with 1:12 left in the 1st Half, as Spencer Laurendeau tossed a 9-yard pass to Cal Hodgdon. The 2-point conversion was good, and MDI led 28-20 at the end of the 1st Half.

The Trojans would score on their 1st possession in the 3rd Quarter, as Laurendeau scored his 4th touchdown, on a 2 yard run. The 2-point conversion was good and MDI was up 36-20.

Mountain Valley wasn't finished. They scored on a 6-yard run by Jyrrmal Yates, his 2nd of the game. But MDI's defense stopped the 2-point conversion.

A special shout-out to MDI's special team who were able to convert a 4th down on a fake punt, when Laurendeau found Biekert open for a 46 yard pass completion.

MDI is 1-0 and will host Gray-New Gloucester on Friday, September 8th at 6 p.m. That game will be broadcast on WDEA Internet Radio, on our free downloadable APP and on any Alexa enabled device

Mountain Valley, 0-1 will host Lake Region on Friday, September 8th at 7 p.m.

Stats

MDI Rushing

• Spencer Laurendeau 21 carries 116 yards
• Jacob Shields 19 carries 112 yards
• Cal Hodgdon 1 carry 3 yards

MDI Passing

• Spencer Laurendeau 6-13  134 yards and 1 Touchdown

MDI Receiving

• Jarren Biekert 3 receptions 89 yards
• Cal Hodgdon 3 receptions 45 yards

Mountain Valley Rushing

• Kaden Paaso 19 carries 163 yards
• Lucas Libby 9 carries 80 yards
• Jyrrmal Yates 9 carries 18 yards
• Bradley Sirois 2 carries 5 yards

Mountain Valley Receiving

• Julian Byam 1 reception 27 yards.

Thanks to Walter Churchill for the photos!

We would like to post High School Soccer, Golf, Field Hockey, Volleyball and Football Scores. If coaches or managers can email the golf results and soccer scores including goal scorers and goalkeepers to chris.popper@townsquaremedia.com we will write stories on the WDEA website for Downeast Maine schools and on the 92.9 The Ticket website for all Maine High Schools.

We will also be starting our 92.9 The Ticket High School Athlete of the Week beginning on September 1st. September 1-3 you can nominate someone for the Week 1 High School Athlete of the Week for performances August 28- September 2. We will then post the nominees on Tuesday, September 5th, and you'll be able to vote September 5th-7th. We will then announce the winner on Friday, September 8th. Nominees should be mailed to chris.popper@townsquaremedia.com with the student's name, school and why you think they should be Athlete of the Week.

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