RUMFORD — There’s an upper echelon in the Campbell Conference, and Spruce Mountain certainly proved that it belongs there following a dominating performance Friday night.

Peter Theriault threw three touchdown passes and ran across the grain for another score as the Phoenix remained unbeaten with a 46-12 win over Mountain Valley at Chet Bulger Field.

Spruce Mountain (3-0) dominated from the start by forcing the Falcons to three and out on their first two possessions. On the Phoenix first drive, Theriault optioned left, but kept the ball and ran through the secondary and ran 34-yards for a TD.

“Once we established the run, it opened up the passing,” said Theriault, who completed 7 of 9 passes for 97 yards in the first half. “Our line did an excellent job of blocking all night.” 

The senior signal caller threw passes to Deonte Ring and Dalton Webster for first downs before connecting with Matt Vigue for a 14-0 lead in the first quarter.

‘”We changed our blocking,” said Spruce Mountain coach Walter Polky, regarding the drive off the line of scrimmage. ”Mountain Valley plays a 44 defense, so we wanted to get out on them and then spread the field. We were able to hit some seams.'”

It was Vigue who scored four TDs in a 45-8 win over Mountain Valley last fall.

The teams traded turnovers. There was a Theriault interception and on the next play and the Falcons Ian Brennick (concussion) recovered a fumble.

Mountain Valley (1-2) tried opening things up as QB Ian Austin connected with Kyle Farrar and Brandon Gill for 34-yards. A middle screen to Joshua Mason covered 20-yards deep in to Phoenix territory. On the next play, Farrar ran in for a five-yard TD.

It was Farrar who rushed for 253 yards and scored five touchdowns in a 39-6 a triumph against Lake Region last week. Spruce Mountain had seen the film and deployed blitzing linebackers to prevent Farrar from using his speed to get outside. The strategy worked because the Falcons gained nine-rushing yards in the first half.

“That’s a good team,” Mountain Valley coach Steve LaPointe said, ”Theriault runs the option well and Spruce has plenty of experience. But I’m proud of my boys and their effort. They never stopped playing and battled right up to the end.'”

Spruce Mountain proceeded to score four TDs, beginning with a 70-yard kickoff return by Ring who sprinted by a bunch of arm tackles by Mountain Valley.

“There are a few things that we need to sure-up,” LaPointe said. ”There are still games coming up on the schedule that we can win. One thing you can bet is that the ids are going to show up and work just as hard.”

Theriault threw to Ring for TDs of 35 and 12 yards. The Falcons tried passing, but the ball bounced off a receiver and into the arms of the Phoenix Andrew Darling. Theriault scored a 1-yard run on the final play of the first half.

“Our offense was on,” said Polky, whose team plays Cape Elizabeth next week. “But there were some things that did not go so well. Our penalties (nine-65 yards) hurt us and we put the ball on the ground a lot.”

The Phoenix opened the second half with a 12-play drive, taking 6:33, with Dillon Webster (73 yards, 16 carries) running for a 9-yard TD.

“Coach just told us to pound it right at them,” Theriault said. “Our community told us that we hadn’t won up here in over 20-years. So, yes we came in to this game with a chip on our shoulders and wanted to prove some thing.”

The Falcons’ Logan Willhoite recovered a fumble in the fourth quarter and Nick Newman broke away for a 41-yard TD.