The Boothbay Region High School Seahawks showed they have a good defense in the Sept. 3 season opener at Sherman Field. But the Traip Academy Rangers of Kittery showed they have an even better one. Traip earned a 6-0 victory in the Class D South football season opener for both teams.

Traip scored the game’s only touchdown on running back Evan Pledger’s five yard run on the second play of the fourth quarter. The Rangers held the upper hand throughout the contest with superior yardage and field position. Boothbay Region coach Bryan Dionne said his defense held the opposition to one score due to “outstanding tackling.”

“I think we tackled well. Both teams played well and you saw some really good defense out there. It came down to one play. They made theirs. And we didn’t,” Dionne said.

Despite Boothbay Region’s offensive struggles, the Seahawks had one last golden opportunity late in the fourth quarter. With 3:53 remaining, Traip’s punter muffed the snap, and the Boothbay defense took over on downs on the Traip 30.

At 3:03, the Seahawks converted a third-and-16 when quarterback Duncan Drapeau connected with wide receiver Jacob Leonard on a 18-yard pass. On first down, running back Dima Gosselin rushed for two yards. The next two plays were incomplete passes. With 2:19 remaining, Traip called time out to set their defense for a fourth-and-eight play from the 16 yard-line.

Dionne told his offense this was the opportunity they’d been looking for the whole game.

“I reminded them they have one play left and to get it done,” he said.

Drapeau threw to Leonard down the right sideline, but the pass fell incomplete in the end zone.

Boothbay Region (0-1) travels to Maranacook at 7 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11.