A FESTIVE DAY AT FITZY :
Thornton Academy Football Caps a Historic Season by Winning the 2021 Class A State Championship
ATHLETCIS
In the opening minutes of the Class A state championship game at Fitzpatrick Stadium in Portland on November 21 , Thornton Academy middle linebacker Mason Paulin could not believe his eyes . The Oxford Hills offense was methodically moving the ball towards midfield on its first possession when Vikings quarterback Eli Soehren set up for a pass . Pressured by a relentless Thornton Academy defense led by edge rusher Cody Ruff , Soehren attempted to throw the ball away . However , his errant pass found its way into the arms of the waiting Paulin and resulted in an immediate opportunity for the Golden Trojans .
“ I was just hanging in my zone ,... and [ the ball ] ended in my hands . I was frozen for a little more than a split second ” noted the all-state Thornton senior in describing his surprise ... and excitement ... in collecting the first interception of his high school career . Taking off for the end zone , Paulin rambled 50 yards for what would be the opening score and the signature play of the contest . “ There was nothing in my way ,” he added . “ It was just me and how fast I could run .”
Paulin ’ s “ pick six ” set the tone for the remainder of the day for the Golden Trojans . By the time that the final horn had sounded , Thornton Academy had earned an impressive 42-27 decision over an excellent Vikings team , a program that had provided Thornton Academy with its most difficult challenge of the regular season ( a 31-23 win at South Paris in October ). The victory resulted in the fifth Class A state championship ( and second undefeated season ) since 2012 for Thornton Academy football under the leadership of Head Coach Kevin Kezal .
The Gold Ball game also punctuated an undefeated 11-0 season for a Golden Trojan football program that has won 33 of its last 34 contests dating back to 2018 . In the process , Thornton outscored its opponents by a collective margin of 479-134 in 2021 and tallied 40 or more points in seven of its 11 matchups . The championship game victory was the 164 th in the 22-year career of Coach Kezal , who is the winningest coach in a Thornton Academy football program that dates to 1893 .
6 Photos courtesy of Jeff Christenbury