Knights cruise against Mustangs in ‘Pink’ game

‘ Senior’ game next up before playoffs
The crowd was large, the pregame music loud. It was another autumn Saturday game at Bob Ruth Field for football fans in the Shiretown.
This was a special game dedicated to the Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation.     The Knights organization donated the game raffle proceeds to the cause. Prior to game time Knights players made the pledge walk and collected over $200. Players wore the familiar pink ribbon decal on their helmets. Some accessorized with pink t-necks, socks, shoelaces and gloves, the football versions.
Veterans Aaron Eastman and Don DeVoe were in street clothes resting up for the playoffs and watching the game from the sidelines. The Knights (6-1) still had plenty of weapons in their arsenal as their teammates tamed the Madawaska Mustangs (2-3) 43-15.
The Knights didn’t miss a beat. It was business as usual.
Halfback Bill Livezey got the Knights going with a 27-yard run to the end zone. The Knights appeared rusty from a day off  from practice and the Mustangs tied the game on their drive.
That was as close as it would get as the Knights reeled off six more unanswered touchdowns before Madawaska would score again. Quarterback Quinn Harris tallied the next two Knight touchdowns. Livezey added three more — two by land and one by air from Harris.
Livezey carried 11 times for 117 yards. Harris and Jake Drew carried for 33 and 27 yards respectively.
Harris passed to an athletic Caleb Mc Gary for the final Knight touchdown, punctuating it with a tackle eligible extra point to Josh Bragan.
On defense, the Knights bottled up the Mustangs allowing only 61 yards on 57 plays. Tackle credits went to JJ Jones with six-plus; Harris, Dan Toby and Sam St. John all had six.  Drew had five-plus tackles and Bragan had four. Drew recorded an interception, while Harris and Toby recovered one fumble a piece. Toby added a monster sack for a 12-yard loss on the Mustang quarterback and Josh Carmichael had a blocked punt along with his four-plus tackles.
With the game in hand, head coach Brian Reynolds freely substituted his younger players giving them much needed varsity experience.
“We took a calculated risk and canceled our Thursday practice,” said Reynolds. “We hoped it would allow for a needed rest for the team. It seemed to pay off.”
Coach Andy Hay said, “This was a great time to get the rookies in. Brian did well with that. It was good to get Dave Donahue in. We are always looking to improve the future of the program.”
Commenting during the game, spectator and Houlton High baseball coach Jamie Hunt said he saw “a well-disciplined and well-coached team. I didn’t realize how big football had become. The Knights look really good.”
Coach John Smith praised the aggressive defensive line play saying he “was pleased and impressed. Hopefully we will be 100 percent in time for the playoffs.”
Reynolds concluded by saying that the game was a “total team effort.”
The Knights end their regular season at home against Milo.  The “Senior” game, a tradition, pays tribute to graduating players and their parents in an anticipated emotional pregame ceremony. The public is welcome to share and enjoy the game. Admission is free and concessions, entertainment with ‘Tim the Tuneman’ and Knight field announcer Steve Martin will be there.
The playoffs begin in two weeks at home when the Knights will attempt to ‘three-peat’ as Aroostook Football League champions.
Junior Knights lay on a
‘Sack o’ Woe’
The Houlton Junior Knights (3-2) got contributions from all members of the team as they utilized a stifling defense and dominating offense to down the Ashland Huskies (0-4) 65-6 on Saturday at Bob Ruth Field in Houlton.
Head Coach Bill Alderson said his “defense was aggressive” and “the counter trey was working well on offense.”
The Junior Knights put up big numbers on offense as well as defense.
On offense, Quarterback Jared Fox spread 325 yards of rushing around. Josh Upton had four touchdowns and 113 yards over land. Jimmy Buzzell had a touchdown. Ares Rattray, last week’s hero scored twice with 47 yards. Jacob Conrad tallied for two touchdowns and with 76 yards of hard earned carries.
On the defensive side the team recorded nine sacks of the Ashland quarterback, limiting Ashland to a single tally. Upton made 13 tackles and had three sacks. Buzzell made six tackles with a sack. A.J. Morley posted four tackles and a sack. Gary Tucker had four tackles and a sack. Parker Brewer, Joe Dobbins and Kaelin Williams each had one sack a piece. Tyler Smith and Sam Geary were everywhere showing their defensive prowess. Josh Suitter knocked down a pass. Kyle Turner intercepted an Ashland pass and returned it 20 yards.
Coach Matt McAfee said, “We have been working hard with the players and they have answered the call.  I really enjoy working with this team.”
The Junior Knights travel to Millinocket to take on the Little Giants next Saturday.  In two weeks, the Junor Knights are scheduled to play a team from Bar Harbor in an 11-man format.
Game statistics are courtesy of Cassie McAfee of the Junior Knights.