TURNER — This fall’s first football encounter between Leavitt and Wells came down to two streaky offenses, two opportunistic defenses, one intentionally allowing the other to score, and the other team fighting furiously not to let the other return the favor.

Leavitt held on for a 26-19 road victory Oct. 17, the biggest speed bump in a nine-game winning streak that gave the No. 1 Hornets (9-1) the right to host the No. 3 Warriors (8-2) at 12:30 p.m. Saturday.

The Hornets rallied from deficits of 13-0 and 19-6 to take the lead on a Billy Bedard touchdown and two-point rush in the third quarter.

Levi Craig appeared to seal it when Wells allowed him to trot into the end zone with just over a minute to go. But Wells knocked down the two-point conversion pass and drove inside the Leavitt 5-yard line before Bedard batted away Nate Booth’s fourth-and-goal attempt.

“That was probably the first time we really walked into a pretty hostile territory. Since we had Cape and Yarmouth at home, we really hadn’t played in a road game like that. We hadn’t played an opponent like them for four weeks, so the speed of the game was a lot faster than what we had seen for a month,” Leavitt coach Mike Hathaway said. “It took us some time to figure things out. Once we did it was a pretty even game, and we just made a few more plays than they did at the end.”

Each offense flaunts one of the most prolific players in the state.

Leavitt junior Craig has thrown 33 touchdowns and rushed for seven in his first season as a starter. Wells senior halfback Chris Carney has rushed for more than 1,900 yards and 28 scores.

Fullback Mike Curtis provides the perfect complement in the middle of the Warriors’ Wing-T. Carney’s east-to-west quickness gave the Hornets fits in the first meeting before halftime adjustments kept him in check.

“Any time you have two running backs who both can go crazy that presents some issues,” Hathaway said. “They’re certainly not going to be an easy team to stop. Anybody who thinks it’s a simple four plays, there’s a bit more to it than that. The formations they give you, the counter plays they have, they’ll do some things throughout the game that present problems.”

The Hornets have torched defenses all year with tall, athletic receivers Max Green (48 catches, 969 yards, 11 TDs), Gabe Seeley (36-703-12) and Mitchel Davis (31-501-8).

Wells was one of the few teams successful at keeping Craig’s completion percentage down. The Warriors also held powerful Spruce Mountain scoreless in the second half, recovering three fumbles in a 14-13 regional semifinal win.

“There were a couple of times they had the ball right at the (goal line), and we were able to get it done and stuff them,” Wells coach Tim Roche said. “It was great defensive play.”

Roche knows that Libby Field, where Leavitt has won five regional championship games since 1995, gives the Hornets a tremendous advantage. He hopes the Warriors avert the stumble out of the gate that slowed Leavitt in its previous visit to Wells.

“I think it’s a long trip down, homecoming, you’re looking around and it’s 13-0. Things went our way for a while and then things went their way for a while,” he said.