**Westbrook Claims First Football Championship with Thrilling B South Title Victory**
The town of Westbrook came out in full support, and Westbrook High’s football team delivered in spectacular fashion. In a thrilling, big-play filled game, the No. 1 Blue Blazes captured the school’s first football championship by winning the B South title. They defeated two-time champion and No. 2 Kennebunk, 34-27, before a standing-room-only crowd of at least 2,000 at Olmstead Field.
“The community came out and they showed out. It’s awesome,” said Dimitri Lubin, one of Westbrook’s many standout players, who had six catches for 80 yards, including an 18-yard touchdown. “We had the chip on our shoulder. We were the underdogs even though we were the one seed.”
After a disappointing 2-6 season that didn’t even see them qualify for the playoffs, Westbrook now advances to its first state championship game next Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland. The Blue Blazes, now 9-1, have come a long way in a single year.
“We talked about it a ton last year going into the offseason and all summer — adversity creates opportunity. We embrace moments like this,” said Westbrook coach Sam Johnson, a 2012 Westbrook graduate who took over as head coach in 2022.
Despite their success, chances are the Blue Blazes will enter the state championship as underdogs once again. The North champion, Cony (10-0), continued to dominate, routing Fryeburg Academy 40-7 in the North final.
“We’re going to have to come back to practice on Monday and just start working again for Cony. We’re going to have to be ready but we have that chip on our shoulder,” Lubin added.
Kennebunk, finishing the season at 8-2, suffered both losses against Westbrook. The Rams were plagued by turnovers in the title game — four in total, including three fumbles and an interception on a hail mary play into the end zone as the first half ended. Westbrook capitalized on each of these turnovers, turning them into points.
The play of the game came with under six minutes remaining and Westbrook leading 27-20, looking to extend their lead to two scores. On a second-and-seven from the Kennebunk 10-yard line, Westbrook running back Cole Tanner fumbled the ball. Kennebunk’s Jaiden Homa seized the opportunity, scooping up the ball and looking primed to return it for a touchdown.
However, Westbrook tight end Owen Taylor came from behind, stripped the ball away, and Adrian Anderson recovered it at the Kennebunk 41-yard line.
“I just ran as fast as I could. I mean I knew we had to get the ball back sometime and if I did it in that moment it would swing the game back in our favor,” Taylor said. “I saw him running and I knew he didn’t see me, so I just came back and stripped it.”
Westbrook then capitalized, chewing up more than three minutes off the clock before quarterback Gio Staples punched in a 2-yard touchdown run to extend the lead to 34-20 with 2:22 remaining.
Kennebunk made one final push, culminating with a Sam Matthews to Homa 8-yard touchdown pass with just 13 seconds left in the game. Tanner sealed the victory for Westbrook by recovering the ensuing onside kick.
“Credit to our kids, they didn’t give up,” Kennebunk coach Keith Noel said. “We had said, have no regrets when you leave the field tonight and they didn’t have regrets. They worked to the very last whistle. Credit to Westbrook. They made more plays than we did.”
Staples played an outstanding game. The three-year starter used his legs repeatedly to buy time and extend plays. He completed 9 of 17 passes for 135 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 77 yards and two more scores.
Westbrook got on the board first with a 25-yard run by Andre Hicks III, set up by Hicks’ recovery of an Austin West fumble. Kennebunk tied the game on a 3-yard run from West (who had 23 carries for 104 yards) with just 1:37 left in the first half.
Westbrook responded quickly, with Staples connecting on a 41-yard pass to Taylor, followed by catches to Lubin for 14 yards and Hicks for seven yards. Staples then capped the 72-yard, 77-second drive with a 3-yard scramble for a touchdown.
“You’ve got to do anything you’ve got to do to keep that ball alive,” Staples said.
The lead seesawed throughout the contest. Kennebunk’s Homa (8 catches for 122 yards) and Matthews connected on a 61-yard touchdown on the second play of the third quarter, cutting the score to 14-13 (the extra point was blocked).
Westbrook responded, overcoming a holding penalty en route to a 65-yard drive finished with a precise pitch from Staples to Tanner for a 7-yard touchdown. On the Rams’ next play, Zachary Fine fumbled at their own 20-yard line, enabling Lubin to score and push the lead to 27-13.
Kennebunk answered with another touchdown from the 1-yard line, closing the gap to 27-20. Westbrook lineman Camillo Jones recovered an onside kick with 11:10 remaining, allowing the Blue Blazes to chew the clock down and set up the dramatic double-fumble play that sealed the victory.
Westbrook’s journey to their first football championship is a testament to their resilience, teamwork, and the unwavering support of their community. The Blue Blazes now set their sights on the state championship, ready to embrace another challenge with the same chip on their shoulder.
https://www.pressherald.com/2025/11/14/westbrook-football-beats-kennebunk-to-win-its-first-regional-title/
