It seems the Boothbay Region High School football team saved its best play for the end of the season. The Seahawks struggled to start the season losing their first four contests. But Boothbay Region turned its season around winning two of its last three games as the Seahawks enter this weekend’s Southern Maine Class D playoffs.

In the regular season finale, Boothbay Region (2-5) upset Winthrop/Monmouth (4-3) who entered the game as the No. 2 in the Crabtree standings. Boothbay Region defeated Winthrop/Monmouth 8-6 on Oct. 23 in Winthrop. The victory propelled Boothbay Region from eighth to sixth in the standings.

The first half ended in a scoreless tie which led the Seahawks believing they had a chance to knock off one of the league’s top teams.

“We had a pretty fired up bunch at halftime,” said Coach Bryan Dionne. “Our kids played hard, made some adjustments and read their keys. It was a very big win for us.”

Boothbay Region broke the tie in the third quarter on fullback Carter Babcock’s inside run. The Seahawks converted the two-point try using a model huddle. The formation is similar to the unconventional punt formation used by the Indianapolis Colts a week earlier. The Seahawks lined up with most of their players lined up far off the ball near the sideline.

The unconventional formation worked and Boothbay Region led 8-0.

“We’ve practiced this play for a long time and we’re really good at it,” said Dionne. “If a team isn’t coached to stop it then we are going to give us some easy points.”

Dionne’s strategy worked as Winthrop/Monmouth scored later in the third quarter.  The Ramblers’ two-point conversion failed leaving the Boothbay Region with a two-point lead.

In the fourth quarter, Boothbay Region drove the ball inside the Winthrop/Monmouth 10-yard line in the game’s final minute, but to run the clock out.

Boothbay Region’s victory places them tied for sixth in the Crabtree standings with Old Orchard Beach. The two teams didn’t play in the regular season. The Seahawks won the tie-breaker earning them sixth place. The Seahawks will travel to Lisbon at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 31 to face the No. 3 Greyhounds (5-2).

Lisbon defeated Boothbay Region 19-0 in week three of the regular season. Dionne said Lisbon’s high ranking is well-deserved.

“They’re fast. They have some big boys on the offensive line. Lisbon is well-coached and they have a great quarterback and defense. They are a complete team,” he said.

Winthrop/Monmouth’s loss dropped them to fourth in the Crabtree standings.