GARDINER — Offensive fire radiated off the gridiron once again as the Mount Desert Island Trojan football team battled the Gardiner Area High School Tigers at Hoch Field Saturday in an Eastern Maine Class B quarterfinal.

Unfortunately, most of that fire was created by the Tigers.

Despite some breakaway plays and long scoring runs — MDI’s Chase Bickford and Jayson Burke both ran for over 60 yards to complete touchdowns — the Trojans ended up on the wrong side of a 43-22 score, wrapping up their post-season tournament play with a record of 4-5.

“I am really proud of our kids,” said MDI head coach Mark Shields after the game. “Before we came out here tonight, we decided to play football as a family. There is no way we could lose if we played that way, and it’s what we did. Our kids played with tremendous heart.”

Seven minutes into the first quarter, Gardiner landed its first shot on MDI with a touchdown by running back Alonzo Connor and an extra point kick through the uprights.

(Connor holds a school record of 346 offensive yards gained in a single-game during a Sept. 24 performance against the Trojans.)

MDI countered with Bickford’s 74-yard run into the end zone for six points. But the extra-point kick was wide and MDI trailed by a point.

Gardiner put eight more points on the board — a 73-yard drive that led to a touchdown and a two-point conversion – before Burke reeled off a 60-yard touchdown followed by a two-point conversion pass by Duncan Smith to Donny Hanson to give the Trojans eight more.

But before the end of the half, Tigers added another touchdown to lead 22-14 heading into the break.

As the game wore into its second half, MDI parents paced the bleachers. They folded their arms and scowled against a sea of leaping, enthusiastic Tiger fans.

“Turn it on, MDI!” one parent shouted, as the third quarter led to three consecutive touchdowns by Gardner. “There’s no next week!”

But the strong Tiger defense successfully limited MDI to only one more touchdown in the last moments of the fourth quarter on an eight-yard pass from Smith to Hanson. A successful two-point conversion pass left the final score at 43-22.

Bickford finished with 194 yards on 17 carries and a touchdown. Burke had nine runs for 87 yards and a touchdown. Smith completed three of six passes, one for a touchdown. And Hanson made three catches for 24 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion.

For more sports news, pick up a copy of the Mount Desert Islander.