Here’s the problem: The Greyhounds and Ramblers both played so well that it’s impossible to not feel bad for the losing team. I find myself wishing that I could pull the Winthrop/Monmouth players aside and tell them that despite the loss, they achieved greatness. The Ramblers lost some key players to injury and Lisbon continued to gain momentum, but Winthrop/Monmouth kept coming back. And the Ramblers’ tackling is a thing of beauty.

I know the Ramblers lost, and that loss stings now, but I hope that in a handful of years, people will say to the Winthrop/Monmouth players, “Wow. You played in that game?”

OK, now your turn to go on about last Saturday’s game.

Kramlich: You weren’t the only feeling bad about the Ramblers losing. Lisbon coach Dick Mynahan said he also felt bad for the Winthrop/Monmouth players. He said that if the Ramblers had held on, it wouldn’t have been so much his team losing, but the Ramblers winning the game.

One thing I took from the game is that the Winthrop/Monmouth defenders started to try and rip the ball out of the Greyhounds’ hands after watching an early Lisbon fumble fortunately stay with the driving team. Mynahan said the game would potentially come down to turnovers, and credit both his kids for holding onto the ball, and the Ramblers for trying like mad to get it.

It’s crazy to think that the game was only 3-0 at half, and 8-3 entering the fourth quarter. You could argue it was a boring game after 36 minutes, but the final 12 made it an all-time classic.

I can’t imagine Saturday’s state final will top the regional final. Can you?

Horton: No, I don’t think the state final will top the regional final. Not possible. Then again … I didn’t think Edward Little vs. Oxford Hills/Buckfield (round one) would be topped, but it was by last week’s game.

My argument would have been that those first 36 minutes, while low-scoring, were not boring. Both teams’ defenses were dominant in the first half, and every drive added to the anticipation that eventually one team would break through. It also was exciting to think that neither team would break though and that one team’s defense would carry it to the championship game.

There were several MCI coaches and players at Saturday’s game. What do you think their overall takeaway about Lisbon was?

Kramlich: The first thing that likely stands out is the physicality that Lisbon plays with. The Greyhounds like to play power football on offense, and their front seven on defense makes it hard to break through up the middle.

The Huskies also now know what kind of athletes Lisbon has (i.e. Tyler Halls, the Francis brothers, and don’t forget Kurtis Bolton).

I know I would be worried about facing Lisbon if I were an opposing coach, but then again, MCI is making its third straight trip to the state final, so the Huskies probably aren’t scared of anybody.

In any case, Saturday’s state championship should be a dog fight (Do you get it? Greyhounds? Huskies? “Dog fight?” I’ll stop now…).

Horton: I get it, and I like it.

Winthrop/Monmouth’s tackling was so good that I wonder if MCI got the full scope of Lisbon’s athleticism. The Huskies did, I’m sure, take notice of Lisbon’s power run game — and that had to be a bit intimidating.

Final question: Which of the other three championship games will be the most exciting?

This our last Head-to-Head, isn’t it? It has been … interesting.

Kramlich: Head-to-head has been a lot of fun. It’s a little sad that we’re done for the season.

As far as which game should be the most exciting, I’d have to say the Class A state final between Portland and Bonny Eagle has the best chance to impress. It could turn into a defensive struggle, or an offensive display. But I think either way it will be the closest.