PORTLAND — In a week or two, the committee that awards the Fitzpatrick Trophy will send out a sheet of paper with the names of 10 or 12 or 99 semifinalists. Jordan Whitney’s name had better be on it.

A month from now, those good folks will issue another statement with the names of three finalists for the award emblematic of Maine’s outstanding senior football player. It’ll be a travesty if he isn’t touted there, too.

Some Sunday afternoon during the NFL playoffs in January, they’ll gather for a luncheon in this fair city and somebody will ask for the envelope, please.

I trust you see where this is going.

For the second straight year, a quarterback named Jordan who led his team to the Class B championship game should be declared the best at his craft.

Last year it was Hersom. This year it was Whitney.

This Jordan went one better, actually, leading Mt. Blue to a 44-42 victory over Marshwood that none of us will forget until we die.

“I’m just so happy,” Whitney said as he made contact with a half-dozen reporters and cameramen through red-tinted eyes. “These are happy tears.”

The elation is mutual throughout Mt. Blue’s extended community, one that has produced its share of sensational quarterbacks.

You may remember Dustin Ireland, the first signal-caller to officially brandish Coach Gary Parlin’s “Cougar Gun” in 1995. Ireland guided that predecessor of the spread offense to the Fitzy and ultimately took his show all the way to Air Force Academy as a receiver.

Others put up huge numbers and directed the Cougars to countless wins. Nothing resembling the 2,500 total passing and rushing yards and 29 passing touchdowns Whitney weaved this autumn, though. Or his dozen victories.

By the nature of what he asks his quarterbacks to do, Parlin is closer to them than most coaches. Whitney stands out in his mind, too.

“I had a little quiet time with him before the game. I told him how much I’m proud of him,” Parlin said. “We put it all on his shoulders. He’s just a great athlete. I’m going to miss him as a player and as a person. We’re not buddies with kids, but he’s going to take a piece of my heart when he graduates.”

Whitney is not a fiery leader in the manner of teammates Zak Kendall or Chad Luker. He’s the calm in the midst of every storm.

If the Fitzy is to be considered a lifetime achievement award, let’s weigh Whitney’s three years as a starting quarterback and his seven playoff wins, a run that started as a sophomore in Class A.

His basketball season that school year was cut short by a torn ACL. It’s a knee injury that has sidetracked so many careers, often sidelining professionals for a year.

Whitney underwent surgery in January. He was running by April. He was directing 7-on-7 drills in July. And he was a nightmare for opposing defenses from August through Veterans’ Day.

Speed and elusiveness take longer to come back from such a catastrophic ailment. Whitney didn’t reemerge as a deadly runner until this season, particularly in the playoffs. His feet were even more valuable than his arm in playoff wins over Mt. Desert Island, Gardiner, Waterville and now Marshwood.

He did it all with what could have felt like the weight of Franklin County on his shoulders. Both his junior and senior teams were expected to win, usually big.

“Ever since we got to this game it’s all been pressure,” Whitney said. “The community is like, ‘Go get ’em, boys.’ You know how it all goes.”

Yes, and we know how awards go.

They’re subjective. When you’re pitting players who never cross paths against one another in an imaginary court of opinion, visual evidence is often more valuable than statistics.

Class A players sometimes get the benefit of the doubt, too. But there is a prerequisite for Class B and C players bringing a special team to this special stage getting recognized.

Think Nick Tymoczko of Bucksport in 2004. Think Hersom in 2011.

It’s time for Whitney to join that list.

In addition to that permanent place in Parlin’s heart, he deserves a similar spot in Maine gridiron history.

Kalle Oakes is a staff columnist. His email is koakes@sunjournal,com.