Rockland — Football, as the old adage goes, is a game of inches.

The Oceanside football team learned that lesson the hard way on Friday night, Sept. 14 at Wasgatt Field, when hosting Madison/Carrbec in a Pine Tree Conference Class B showdown.

The Mariners trailed by two points late in the game and lined up for the potential tying two-point conversion with less than two minutes to play, but were stopped shy of the goal line and the Bulldogs (2-1) held on for a 22-20 win over the hosts.

Dan Stone rushed for 183 yards on 20 carries and two touchdowns for Oceanside, while quarterback Sam Meklin completed 7-of-12 passes for 110 yards and two interceptions, along with making a one-yard touchdown run. Meklin rushed for 37 yards on 15 carries, while Dan Stone also had a 16-yard reception.

Also contributing the Mariner offense were Garrett Burns (3 carries for 20 yards), Preston Spear (carry for 4 yards), Dan Hendricks (carry for 2 yards), Matt Zable (3 receptions for 46 yards) and Jacob Butman (3 receptions for 20 yards). Spear also had two punt returns for 28 yards, while Butman had one for 26 yards and Tony Baudanza one for 20 yards.

Denny Mooreshead completed 6-of-14 passes for the Bulldogs along with three interceptions, while teammate Dillon Price hauled in two touchdowns and a two-point conversion. Kyle Denchak also had two receptions for 19 yards and cashed in a two-point conversion opportunity for the visitors, while Cody Soucier had 14 carries for 92 yards and one touchdown.

The Bulldogs also got contributions from Paul Dawe (6 carries, 12 yards), Jordan Curtis (3 carries, 6 yards), Rhett McKenney (1 reception, 10 yards) and Austin Kane (1 reception, 7 yards).

After a botched fake punt attempt late in the fourth quarter by Madison, the Mariners moved down the field quickly and cashed in on an 18-yard touchdown by Stone to cut its deficit to 22-20. Oceanside was then stuffed on the two-point conversion try that would have knotted the game.

The hosts forced the visitors to go three-and-out and had a decent chance to win the game, but a long throw by Meklin was picked off in the waning seconds.

Madison/Carrabec coach Scott Franzose called the game "a tale of two halves," as he said his team "wore down" a little bit in the second half.

"We did a great job in the first half shutting them out," he said. "[Oceanside] coach [Woody] Moore has a very much improved team this year and I think they'll be battling for a playoff spot."

The visitors got on the board first in the second quarter when Mooreshead and Price hooked up for a 20-yard score and the two collaborated on the conversion as well to put the visitors ahead 8-0, while Mooreshead found Price again from about 30 yards, to make the score 16-0 at halftime.

Oceanside scored quickly in the third quarter when Stone found the end zone from about 65 yards and Meklin scored on a quarterback sneak, followed by Stone crossing the plane for the two-point conversion, to cut Madison lead to 16-14.

The Bulldogs added a touchdown on a 20-yard run by Soucier in the fourth quarter.

In Eastern Class B, Oceanside (1-2, 91.6333 Crabtree Points) is ninth in the 14-team region. Gardiner (3-0, 162.5000 points) is first. The top eight team squads qualify for the playoffs.

Courier Publications sports staff can be reached by phone at 207-594-4401 or by email at sports@courierpublicationsllc.com.