By Dave Dyer

Staff Writer

A summer football tradition will pit East against West Saturday for the 20th annual Lobster Bowl Classic at Waterhouse Field in Biddeford.

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. 

Beside 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 net proceeds going toward the 22 Shrine hospitals for children in the United States and Canada. 

Two familiar names will play on the West roster: Matt Weiss of Cape Elizabeth High School and Matt Hebert of South Portland High School.

Cheerleader representatives will include Adrienne Legere and Katie Thayer from South Portland High School.

The selection process for players is made by a committee from the Maine Athletics Association. Players are nominated by their high school coach, and criteria to play includes being a recent high school graduate who will enter college in the fall.

Players reported to Hebron Academy last Sunday for a week-long camp with teammates to prepare for the game. Weiss, who played linebacker for the Capers last season, said the team has been having double and triple sessions of practice to get ready.

“It’s pretty tough,” Weiss said. “We have full pads tomorrow, I’m going to be pretty sore.”

Weiss said the West team has been using practices to learn their playbook, which is different from the kind of plays ran at Cape Elizabeth.

 “We have to start over and relearn. It’s pretty important. We have a lot to put in,” he said.

Hebert, a 5-foot, 11-inch, 245-pound defensive lineman, said he used to go to Lobster Bowl games growing up. He said he was happy to be among many former Red Riot players who have played in the game in past years.

“I’m pretty excited and I hope to make the most of it,” Hebert said.

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 in Biddeford for the past 17 years.

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 week-long camp.

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

Weiss said he is going to try to enjoy the game as much as he can, as he will not play football in college.

“This is probably going to be my last football game ever,” Weiss said. “It’s definitely going to be something that I’m going to miss. It’s a great sport. I’ll see how it hits me.”

Weiss said he’ll be excited to represent Cape Elizabeth during the game.

“It’s important to represent my town and family and team,” he said.

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