Barstow's 26-yard field goal with 13 seconds left sends Kennebunk to regional final

KENNEBUNK — Jonah Barstow had not attempted a kick all season, but his number was called Monday night with the season on the line for the Kennebunk High School football team.

The top-seeded Rams trailed No. 4 Westbrook, 22-20 with 17.9 seconds left in a Class B South semifinal, and faced a fourth down at the Westbrook 9-yard line.

There was a lot of air under the ball as it traveled through the brisk cold, but when the ball landed, Kennebunk had a 23-22 lead with 13 seconds left. The sideline was ecstatic, and the crowded stands could be heard from miles away.

Westbrook had one last opportunity but didn't get past the 20 as Kennebunk pulled out a playoff thriller, 23-22.

"That was my first field goal ever," Barstow said. "I had some boys with me praying to God, just hoping that (was good); that wasn't me kicking that field goal, someone just took over."

The attempt was initially from 31 yards out, but Westbrook jumped offside, which moved Kennebunk five yards closer. But, either way, a 50-yard make over the summer "with some wind" reassured Barstow he had the leg from 26 yards out.

"It's kind of what we had to do, step up and make a play," Kennebunk head coach Keith Noel said on the field goal attempt. "Credit to Westbrook, they came ready to play. We got in good position to get that field goal at the end. Luckily we got to make that play."

Kennebunk quarterback Gray Compton was "praying" Barstow made the kick.

"In my head, I am just thinking 'please make this, please make this," Compton said. "I know he's a great kicker and I have full confidence when he kicks that he can make it. I just knew he had to do his thing. I almost thought it wasn't going to make it, but it did."

Up next: Class B South regional final

Kennebunk (8-1) will host No. 2 Massabesic (5-4) in the regional final on Saturday. Game time is scheduled for 1 p.m. Massabesic advanced with a 14-7 win on Monday over No. 3 Marshwood.

More: Marshwood football musters little offense in season-ending loss at No. 2 Massabesic

The Rams beat Massabesic 38-6 in the regular season, but they know it won't be an easy game.

"I think we need to keep pushing and keep working hard," Compton said. "We need to keep our foot on the gas the whole game and keep pushing all the way through."

"Going to regionals, I'm ready," Barstow said.

Noel said that any game you get in November is fun.

"We want to keep on getting as many games as we can," Noel said.

Inside Kennebunk's game-winning drive

Westbrook took a 22-20 lead on a 40-yard touchdown pass from Giovanni Staples to Dimitri Lubin with 10:24 left in the game. Lubin then intercepted Compton at the Westbrook 3 on the ensuing drive.

The Kennebunk defense stood tall and forced Westbrook to punt from its own 14 with just over 2 minutes left. The punt went just 20 yards and Kennebunk took over at the Westbrook 34 with 1:54 to play.

Barstow started the drive with a 10-yard run. Kennebunk then faced a second-and-15 with 42 seconds left after a Compton spike on first down and subsequent false start.

Compton then threw to Jaiden Homa for 5 yards, who then lateraled to Brady Stone who got to the 13. Compton threw an incomplete pass to Homa in the end zone on third down, setting up Barstow's heroics on fourth.

Compton said the team knew it had to push the ball down the field and score on the final drive.

"We knew we had to go put points on the board, or our season was over," he said. "We just came together, we used everything we had left in the tank, and everybody did their job at the end. We ended up with a nice field goal to finish it off."

Barstow runs for 130 yards, touchdown in first half

Barstow also played a huge role in helping the Rams build a 20-8 halftime lead, rushing for 130 yards. He scored on a 40-yard touchdown where he hit a spin move a couple yards after the line of scrimmage, and was down the right sideline giving Kennebunk a 14-0 lead.

"I got the ball and there was a dude in my face, reflexes kicked in and I hit a little spin move," said Barstow, who finished the game with 173 yards on 23 carries. "And then, I saw some room, saw some grass. And then another guy came in, I threw a little stiff arm and it just worked out. I was a little surprised when it happened."

Rams score 20 of 23 points in first half

Stone opened the game with a 1-yard run, putting the Rams on the board. Barstow's 2-point conversion gave Kennebunk an 8-0 lead.

"It hyped us up a little bit," Stone said of his score. "It's a team effort, without my line, I couldn't be doing that."

Stone ran for 22 yards on three carries and his touchdown.

Compton later connected with Austin West for a 1-yard score, and the 2-point attempt failed.

No scoring on first two drives of game

The Rams were stopped on downs on their opening drive, and then they returned the favor.

Westbrook went on a 13-play drive, but on fourth-and-goal from the 3, Staples' pass to Lubin was incomplete in the end zone, giving the ball back to the Rams. Kennebunk then went on a 15-play, 97-yard scoring drive to follow.

"Luckily, we made a stop there," Noel said.

This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: Barstow, Kennebunk football beats Westbrook in Class B South semifinal