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The evolution of the play is just like what Bryce Connor played on the sidecourt with some of his partners a few years ago, while the older children played on a larger stage nearby, Dexter’s Tiger Field. .

Only this time the golden ball was in danger. When the junior quarterback stopped fighting for long enough to pass the ball to teammate Avery Gagnon, Gagnon crossed the goal line late on Saturday afternoon-after the horn sounded to end the game. Four quarters later-the Dexter Tigers are the state champions.

"Senior grades, winning the state [champion] chips, nothing better than this," Gagnon said. His touchdown allowed Dexter to beat Redfield's 34-30 in the 8-man small school final. Marana Cook at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland. "I am on top of the world now."

Dexter (7-2) did not lead until the end of time, but coach Andrew Shorey's club used every second of opportunity to win the first state of the program since winning the C-level championship in 1987 champion.

After trailing 30-28, Dexter gained possession of the ball in a low position near the midfield with about 5 1/2 minutes left, and gradually advanced to the low court under time constraints.

Shorey called for time with 40 seconds left, and assistant coach Brian Salsbury asked the offense to start two offenses from the 15-yard line to save the team's last timeout.

"We got nothing in the first game, and then we should catch the ball correctly and waver," Xiao Lei said. "I hope [Connor] will go out of bounds or throw it away, but he didn't, and then the buzzer rang and he was still fighting.

Connor first moved to his left, where the three receivers were trying to open, but when no one was found and as time passed, he changed direction and climbed back to his right to cross the field.

Connor was able to avoid at least one Marana Cook defender, and then he finally found an open Gagnon, a senior central defender, as the safety valve option in the game.

"He wasn't even in the game, I went back to the other side, he was a qualified receiver, so I hit him and he brought it in," Connor said. "This is crazy."

Gagnon caught the ball near the 5-yard line, then cut to the left into the middle of the field, avoiding several potential tacklers on the way to the end zone.

When Gagnon finally crossed the goal line, it set off a lingering celebration on the artificial turf and continued to parade from the Newport exit of I-95 to the Tiger Field.

"I really just stood there, that's all I did," Gagnon said. "Bryce played this play. He ran back, I [see] him, and he threw the ball directly at me."

Dexter, the No. 3 seed in the North District playoffs, has experienced COVID-19 issues and numerous injuries, and finally entered the first state final since 1989.

Injury issues are an important part of Dexter's entire playoff story, as Gagnon missed two games and senior guard Nathan Scobel defeated Stern 22-6 in the regional final last week- Schenk, his right ankle was absent in a protective boot after the sprint. In the semifinals of the Tigers' 60-32 victory over No. 2 Holden, they scored 307 yards.

The state final was a high-scoring game in the first three quarters. Southern champion Marana Cook (5-4) led twice by 10 points, and last time led by 30-20 in the middle of the third quarter.

Dexter left the Black Bears without a point in the rest of the game, laying the foundation for a dramatic comeback.

"Played better defensively in the second half," Xiao Lei said. "The kids really handled it better, and our middle school also played an important role. [Maranacook] threw at us a few times in the first half, but in the end it boiled down to our steals."

Ernie Clark is a senior sports reporter who has worked for the Bangor Daily News for more than ten years. Four Maine Sports Reporter of the Year Awards selected by the National Sports Commentator and Sports Reporter...More by Ernie Clark