A three-score deficit was too much to claw back from for Oxford Hills, which suffered its second straight defeat with a loss to Portsmouth/Oyster River in an interstate football game at Gouin Athletic Complex in Paris.

The Vikings (3-2) fell behind 20-0 in the second quarter before breaking onto the scoreboard on a Brady Truman 15-yard touchdown pass to Brayden Murch to close out the first-half scoring.

The pair connected again from 20 yards out in the fourth quarter, and Brady Delamater’s second extra point of the game drew Oxford Hills within six points.

The Vikings had a chance to tie the game in the closing minutes but a Truman pass to Murch in the end zone on fourth down went incomplete.

The ClipperCats (5-0) opened the scoring on an Aidan Thomas 14-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Brooks Connors ran in from 61 yards in the second quarter, and the extra point made it 14-0. Thomas later threw a 52-yard touchdown pass to Emmanuel Poe.

Truman was 15 of 35 for 184 yards passing, and Hunter Tardiff was the top runner for the Vikings with 72 yards on 12 carries. Murch had four catches for 94 yards. Defensively for Oxford Hills, Nick Binette had an interception, Eli Laverdiere recorded a sack, and Murch and Jackson Stack recovered fumbles.

Thomas was 9 of 13 for 144 yards passing, and added 25 yards rushing on nine carries. Connors ran for 97 yards on 11 carries.