By Dave Dyer

Staff Writer

   The 20th annual Lobster Bowl Classic will once again be held at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford on Saturday afternoon. 

The game will feature 88 of the top high school senior football players in the state, as well as 60 cheerleaders coming from schools in Maine Classes A, B and C. The two teams are divided between the Western and Eastern conferences. 

Besides being a football all-star game, the Lobster Bowl is also a charity event. The game is sponsored by the Kora Shriners, with 100 percent of the net proceeds going toward the 22 Shrine Hospitals for children housed in the United States and Canada. 

Two familiar names will be playing on the West roster: Billy Gorham and Brian Woodbury of Scarborough High School

Cheerleader representatives will include Lisa Bryant and Christine Rousselle.

The selection process for players is made by a committee from the Maine Athletics Association. Players are nominated by their high school coach, with a criteria that includes being a high school graduate and entering college in the fall.

Players reported to Hebron Academy last Sunday for a weeklong camp with teammates to prepare for the game. Gorham, a defensive tackle and the team’s biggest player at 6’7” and 345 pounds, said the team has been having double and triple sessions of practice to get ready.

“Sometimes being the biggest isn’t always an advantage,” Gorham said.

Gorham said he was proud that he and Woodbury get the chance to represent their school at the Lobster Bowl.

“I felt like it was a privilige really, because only two came from our school.” Gorham said.

Woodbury, 6’1” 245 pound offensive tackle, was not on the original roster, but was added to the roster two weeks ago as a replacement. Since then he gets to start for the West team at left tackle on Saturday.

“It’s kind of a relief,” Woodbury said. “It’s kind of what you’ve been working for. There’s a lot of good players in the state who aren’t playing [in the Lobster Bowl].”

As a school without a long history in Class A football, Woodbury said he and Gorham have been viewed as trendsetters by playing in the Lobster Bowl game.

“It’s cool because we’ve been told that by parents and their kids know who we are,” Woodbury said. “It’s like we’re role models.” 

The first Lobster Bowl game was played at Dr. Paul Hill Stadium in Saco on July 28, 1990, when the West beat the East by a score of 24-12. In 1991 the game was moved to Alumni Field at the University of Maine at Orono, but has now been a fixture each year at Waterhouse Field for the past 17 years.

Historically, the West has beaten the East 15 times in 19 games. The West team won last year’s contest 24-6, highlighted by a 72-yard touchdown pass from Massabesic quarterback Jeff Elliot to Bonny Eagle wide receiver Ricky Hoyt.

Lewiston High School Athletic Director Jason Fuller said players who once played against each other on the football field become friends during the weeklong camp.

“If things go right, you develop some long lasting friendships,” Fuller said.

Though the game will be their last as high school football players, both Gorham and Woodbury have their futures decided for football. Both players will attend Saint Anselm College next season, as well as play for the school’s football team.

However, for this week all Woodbury is focused on is defeating the East team.

“We all know we can win this game, should win this game and we would feel heartbroken if we lost this game,” he said. “We don’t plan on letting that happen, either.” 

Tickets for the game are $10 for reserved seats and $8 for general admission. The gates at Waterhouse Field will open for fans at 1 p.m., with kickoff scheduled for 4 p.m.

Staff writer Dave Dyer can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 219