EAST MACHIAS, Maine — A stellar rushing attack, led by junior tailback Seth Holston, catapulted Houlton to a 36-14 victory over Washington Academy Friday.
Holston amassed 282 all-purpose yards, including opening the game with an 87-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, as Houlton (1-1) secured its first win on the season. Holston rambled for 196 yards on 23 carries with three additional touchdowns for the Shires.
“Seth was outstanding rushing for us,” coach Brian Reynolds said. “The [offensive] line did a great job opening up holes for him leading our ground attack.”
Senior quarterback Jared Fox completed 2-of-5 passes for 74 yards and a touchdown, while adding 68 yards rushing. The Shiretowners broke open the game in the second half, scoring 15 unanswered points.
“I thought it was a much more consistent effort from what we put out there in Dexter,” coach Reynolds said. “We got back to our power game on offense and played much better on defense with Jacob and Nick also leading the team in tackles.”
Senior wideout Nick Botting hauled in a 44-yard touchdown from Fox and also had 32-yard reception on the night. Zack Hagan kicked the first regular season extra point and first field goal in the football program’s modern era. He finished with three extra points on the night.
“Our special teams play was definitely a bright spot with the return and kicking games leading the way,” coach Reynolds said. “It definitely shows that our program is growing and maturing as we move into our third year of varsity football play in the LTC [Little Ten Conference].”
For the Raiders, Jaden Talbot rushed for two touchdowns.
The Shire defense did a nice job limiting WA to under 200 yards of total offense and forcing seven turnovers with five interceptions. Junior Dan McNally and Jared Fox each had two picks, while Noah Reynolds added one. Damon Reynolds and Botting each forced one fumble on defense.
Houlton 14 7 6 9 — 36
WA 8 6 0 0 — 14
