Every team has a friendly rival – if they don’t, they should get one – and some even have multiple. Top squads jostle with each other year in and year out for the best playoff seeds, or face off in consecutive championships. But the grudge games that stick, that evolve into traditions, are usually between neighbors, and many of those yearly matchups are scheduled, just to build the fervor, for the end of the regular season.

Take Portland and South Portland, who annually go nose-to-nose in the Battle of the Bridge and who met yet again on Saturday afternoon. The Riots hosted, giving them homefield advantage – but the Bulldogs built a narrow win, 10-6, on a short Nick Archambault run TD combined with a successful Johnny Williams PAT kick.

“Very tight game,” South Portland head coach Steve Stinson said. “Two very good football teams, meeting together; that’s about what you’d expect.”

South Portland climbed onto the scoreboard first. QB Nick Mezzanotte connected with constant threat Hayden Owen for roughly a 24-yard pass TD. The Riots’ PAT kick missed, however: a slip that looked like it might prove crucial when the attacking Bulldogs later pushed to South Portland’s one, Archambault carried the ball across to tie, and Williams split the uprights to snag a one-point lead, 7-6.

Stinson described the South Portland TD simply: “It was just a screen to Hayden. We were trying to get the ball into our best player’s hands, and he was able to make a play.”

The score hung there through the break and into the third, when both teams opened with abortive series ending in punts. The Riots’ second possession of the half crawled to fourth-and-three at the Portland 39, where South Portland initially seemed ready to punt again, but then lined up looking like they might just go for it. As the play clock ticked to zero, though, and no hike came, the team’s jig was up: They’d set up hoping to trick the Bulldogs into a motion penalty, which would’ve grabbed five easy yards and a gimme first-down, but Portland had clearly been savvy to the ruse.

So the Riots punted, and set up to defend – which they did, impressively. Though the Bulldogs fought, on the talented running of Joe Esposito, all the way to third-and-two at South Portland’s 17, they got no further: the Riots’ Dylan Rottkov leveled Portland runner George Chaison-Lapine in the backfield for an eight-yard loss and fourth down.

“That was crucial,” Stinson said of the defensive stand. “We knew they had a field goal kicker, but that kept it at a one-score game. So we had plenty of time left on the clock. Yeah, defense played well today: they gave up a field goal, and a one-yard drive all day, against a Portland team that put up 55 last week and has done well all year.”

Still, the Bulldogs didn’t actually need to go any further. It would’ve been nice, sure, but with Williams on special teams – with Williams ready and able to kick a 34-yard field goal, which he did for 10-6 – and time winding away, well, the additional three points eventually proved to be insurance.

With just two minutes remaining, South Portland took possession once again, but Portland’s defense met the challenge, thwarting Owen’s last run – on fourth and two, near midfield – to take over on downs. From there, the Bulldogs needed only to kneel the time away.

“We strung a lot of good drives together,” Stinson said, “just didn’t cash in. Portland’s way too good not to take advantage of those situations.”

“And penalties hurt us today,” he said. “Especially two inside 10-yard line. When we had the ball offensively, we got pushed out of the red zone twice.”

The homefield loss drops South Portland to 5-3, and bumps Portland to 5-3. Both teams are third in their division: the Riots in A West and the Bulldogs in A East. Next up: the postseason.

“I feel pretty good,” Stinson said of the end of the regular season and the transition to playoffs. “I was just telling the kids, everything we do is to qualify for the tournament, and November. We’re really embracing the fact that everyone’s 0-0 now. It’s going to be a fun tournament.”

The Riots will host six-seed Biddeford (3-5) on Friday, the 31st – Halloween. Similarly, Portland will host Deering (4-4) that night.

South Portland standout Hayden Owen carries the ball, and a few defenders, during the Riots’ Battle of the Bridge with visiting Portland Saturday.The Riots’ Jaren Muller shakes off Bulldogs like a mailman.The Riots’ Hayden Owen pulls in a pass from QB Nick Mezzanotte for a gain of eight. Jacob Knop of Portland arrives on the scene for the tackle.South Portland’s Matthew Stearns charges upfield with the ball; Portlander Domenic Fagone approaches for the head-on tackle.QB Nick Mezzanotte calls for the snap from center Jordin Jackson.

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