WINTHROP – It didn’t seem to matter if it was Cody Cobb or Carter Rivers carrying the ball, nothing was going to stop the Winthrop football team’s running attack Friday night.

The duo, both senior running backs, combined for 345 rushing yards and five touchdowns to lead the No. 2 Ramblers to a 36-6 victory over No. 3 Dirigo in a Class D South semifinal game at Charlie’s Field. Winthrop (8-1) will face defending Class D champion Wells, which beat Oak Hill 55-14 on Friday night, in the regional final.

“We couldn’t be happier, we’ve all worked so hard this year,” Cobb said. “It means a lot to a lot of us.”

“It’s crazy,” Rivers added. “We’re going to move forward and get what we can.”

Cobb rushed for 172 yards on 16 carries and scored four touchdowns. Rivers ran for 173 yards on 17 carries, plus a touchdown. Winthrop had 370 yards of offense, all on the ground.

“We were trying to put the ball in the air, but we didn’t have to,” Winthrop head coach Joel Stoneton said. “We were having a better game on the field, so we kept it up, especially on a (windy) night like this.”

Dirigo (7-2) was led by sophomore quarterback Hudson Lufkin, who completed 15 of 31 passes for 190 yards, throwing a touchdown pass and three interceptions. He was also the Cougars’ leading rusher, totaling 50 yards on 19 carries.

Winthrop scored the first points of the game in the first quarter when junior Brock Dewar blocked a Dirigo punt through the end zone for a safety and a 2-0 lead. The Ramblers extended the lead to 9-0 in the second quarter on a 2-yard touchdown run by Cobb.

Dirigo responded two possessions later, when Lufkin connected with wide receiver Lucas Rice on a post pattern to cut Winthrop’s lead to 9-6.

Winthrop managed to score two touchdowns in the final minute of the first half. Rivers started it when he ran for a 34-yard score to push the Ramblers’ lead to 16-6. On its next possession, Dirigo attempted a hook-and-ladder play, when a receiver makes a lateral pass to a teammate after a catch to continue the play. Lufkin connected with receiver Trevor Crosby, but Crosby’s lateral missed running back Owen Smith, and Winthrop’s defense took advantage of the loose ball. On the next play, Cobb took the handoff on a fast break and ran 25 yards for a score, giving the Ramblers a 22-6 halftime lead.

“I couldn’t ask for a better (offensive) line,” Cobb said. “They work hard, day in and day out, and I couldn’t ask for anything more from them.”

“Every play starts with (the line),” Rivers said. “Without them, we would be nothing. We would get maybe 2 yards per carry. “It would be horrible.”

Cobb scored his final two touchdowns in the second half, a 16-yard run on Winthrop’s first drive of the second half and a 23-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

Winthrop’s defense limited Dirigo to 63 rushing yards and forced four turnovers. Junior defensive back Ben Porter had two interceptions for Winthrop, while sophomore Ross Fichthorn added an interception. Lufkin, pressed all night, did his best to keep plays alive with his feet and strong arm.

“Dirigo is tough, they threw the ball to us well,” Stoneton said. “They had their opportunities, but we toughened up and made some plays when we needed to.

“I can tell you I’m not looking forward to seeing Lufkin next year, it’s just going to get better and better,” Stoneton continued. “He’s just a phenomenal athlete.”

In his final game, senior Nathaniel Wainwright had 95 yards on five receptions for Dirigo.

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