7-on-7 Passing Game Gives Maine High School Athletes A Chance To Play Football

When Noah Lamb was asked about the chance to catch some passes in football competition this fall, the Foxcroft Academy senior couldn’t help but smile. “That’s what I heard. It will be pretty cool,” said Lamb, who is an offensive guard and defensive end for the Ponies. Such opportunities are rare for linemen, but for Lamb and his comrades in Maine’s high school football trenches, it could become reality. Tackle football in the state has been postponed until next spring in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Maine Principals’ Association is offering an all-passing 7-on-7 alternative. The 7-on-7 version removes offensive and defensive line play and eliminates tackling while maximizing physical distancing. There will be no MPA postseason play, but teams may schedule as many as 10 games within their geographic region, which includes each school’s home county and adjacent counties.