Oak Hill and Dirigo haven’t been gridiron rivals, indelibly linked, forever. It just looks that way when the teams get on their collision course, which resumes with a 1:30 kickoff Saturday.

The programs have met nine times since 2009 and twice every year beginning in 2012 thanks to postseason rematches. In the past two even-numbered years, the team that won the regular-season clash lost in the playoffs.

Two-time defending Class D state champion Oak Hill has won four of the past five meetings and holds a slim 5-4 edge since the series was renewed in 2009. That was the year Dirigo stormed to an undefeated season and a state title in Class C.

Dirigo dropped its program for most of the 1990s and struggled out of the gates in its revival before the current run of eight consecutive winning seasons under Doug Gilbert, Dave Crutchfield and now Jim Hersom. And until a slight enrollment dip and statewide reclassification, Oak Hill spent many years struggling in Class B against the likes of Leavitt, Winslow and Gardiner.

That all feels like ancient history now, when Dirigo-Oak Hill encounters are as good as it gets in the Campbell Conference.

Both teams looked the part of title contenders once again with convincing wins in Week 1. Dirigo ran wild in a 56-0 home rout of Telstar, while Oak Hill quarterback Dalton Therrien erupted for 433 all-purpose yards (283 of it through the air) in a 42-14 win at OId Orchard Beach in sweltering Friday afternoon conditions.

Dirigo was expected to be quicker and more diverse after the graduation of do-everything fullback Tyler Frost, and the Cougars didn’t disappoint against Telstar. Riley Robinson, a three-year starter at quarterback, completed touchdown passes to senior Gus Brown and freshman Cam Turner. Brown, Turner, Gavin Arsenault, Mike Casey and Alex Gorham all rushed for scores, and the Cougars averaged nearly 12 yards per carry on the ground.

Therrien’s options in the passing game include Connor Nilsson, Colby Spencer, Darren Bailey and Jonah Martin. And while the departed duo of Kyle Flaherty and Alex Mace is missed in the backfield, Levi Buteau and Cruz Poirier combined for more than 150 yards at OOB.

Defense usually settles the issue when Dirigo and Oak Hill get together, however, as evidenced by most of the final scores in the series: 8-6, 14-6, 13-6, 16-14, 18-12. Linebacker Buteau and nose tackle Garrett Gile of Oak Hill and linebacker Bryce Whittemore of Dirigo are keys there.

Saturday will be Oak Hill’s military appreciation day, coach Stacen Doucette said. Last year’s event, also scheduled to coincide with the Dirigo game, raised almost $1,700 for the Wounded Warrior Project and the Veterans’ Association medical center at Togus.

koakes@sunjournal.com