First there was Jared Turcotte. Then came Wesley Myers.
And now?
“We have two guys who ran the football,” Lewiston coach Bill County said. “We like what we see in (Andrew) Pulk and Jeff (Keene).”
The Lewiston High School football team is again contending in the top-heavy Pine Tree Conference Eastern A with the likes of Brunswick, Messalonskee, Bangor and Lawrence.
The Blue Devils (6-2) earned the No. 5 seed in the Pine Tree Conference Class A playoffs and will play at No. 4 Messalonskee (5-3) on Friday night.
Lewiston over the last six years has enjoyed one of the most dominant backfields in the state, thanks to Turcotte and Myers.
Turcotte won the 2006 Fitzpatrick Trophy, which is given annually to the state’s top senior. He finished his career with an incredible 4,562 career yards. A state champion in the long jump, Turcotte is the starting fullback for the University of Maine Black Bears.
Myers, meanwhile, rushed for 1,269 yards last season and was a two-time PTC A first team all conference player.
But both players have moved on, which presented the Blue Devils with some linemen-sized questions this season.
“I saw Jared my freshman year and, obviously, saw Wesley my last few years,” said Pulk. “So, I’ve learned from the best. When you see guys like that, you just want to step up when it’s your time.”
It’s his time now, and he’s making the most of it. Pulk is well on his way to a 1,000 yard season is among the toughest running backs in a conference in which Lawrence’s Christian Powers and Bangor’s Lonnie Hackett receive most of the attention.
Pulk is listed at 6 feet, 2 inches and makes a habit of taking on hungry linebackers
I’m definitely more of a power runner who likes to go up the middle,” Pulk said.
County said the tailbacks are a perfect complement to a well-balanced run attack. “Andrew is definitely the power back,” he said. “He’s a tough, tough runner.”
The Blue Devils, who have stayed in the Coaches Aid top 10 poll this season, once again relied on a run game to stay in the hunt.
However, County acknowledged earlier in the season that the team would throw the ball a bit more than compared to past seasons.
“Over the last six years I have had the premier tailback,” he said. “We’ve been very blessed. But we have a good quarterback in Ronnie Turner.”
The plan changed in recent weeks after Turner got injured, leaving the Blue Devils without a proven quarterback.
No problem, they said, because with Pulk in the backfield Lewiston would remain a threat.
“This year is a little bit different,” County said. “We’ve wanted to see what Pulk can do. Maybe by the end of the year I’ll be talking about him like I do Turcotte and Myers.”
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