This time it was Brunswick’s turn.

The Dragons’ senior-dominated boys’ lacrosse team got the rematch it wanted – and the desired result. Brunswick beat South Portland 13-9 Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium to win the Class A state championship and finish with a 16-0 record.

“Beginning of the season, we wrote it down: We want to be in this game playing the same team because we knew (South Portland) would be here and we wanted to win,” said Matt Brooks, one of Brunswick’s four captains. “The record speaks for itself.”

South Portland (13-2) won last year’s title game, 10-8.

Brooks, one of 16 seniors on the Dragons’ roster, scored all four of his goals in the second half after South Portland had scored two early third-quarter goals to tie the game, 6-6.

Cam Glover, one of Coach Don Glover’s two sons on the team, scored five goals for Brunswick. T.J. Sullivan scored three first-half goals.

“So excited to bring the title back to Brunswick and that’s what we do it for,” Cam Glover said.

Brunswick last won the state title in 2007. That team was also undefeated.

Glover’s goals showcased ball-control, quick feet and shot-making abilities honed in backyard battles with his younger brother, Christian.

His third goal in the first half gave Brunswick a 5-2 lead. With multiple spin moves, Glover was able to fake South Portland defender Nicholas Mezzanotte to the ground and then beat goalie T-Moe Hellier with his shot.

A frustrated Mezzanotte slammed his stick to the ground twice, drawing an unsportsmanlike penalty. When he threw his stick on the sidelines, Mezzanotte was issued a second unsportsmanlike penalty and automatically ejected.

Red Riots defenseman Brian Elsemore was injured in the third quarter with Brunswick clinging to a 7-6 lead, further depleting South Portland’s defense.

“We lost Nick, that hurt us in the middle of the field, and then when Brian went down in close defense I was down to a freshman and a sophomore, and a sophomore who had never really played long pole before, so it made a big difference,” said South Portland Coach Tom Fiorini.

Brooks took advantage of the inexperience when he curled around goal and took a quick shot for an 8-6 lead with 28.4 seconds left in the third quarter.

South Portland faceoff specialist Lucas Michaud won the ensuing draw (Michaud edged Brunswick’s Ian Schlosser, 12-11, on faceoffs) and Christian Glover, a sophomore long-stick midfielder, began harassing him.

Glover forced a turnover, won the ground-ball battle and then heard his coaches yelling, “green.”

“Green means go,” Christian Glover said. “Just go straight to the net, not much time left. I got a little push at the end so I just whipped it in” for a goal with 0.8 seconds left in the third, giving the Dragons a 9-6 lead.

Older brother Cam made it 10-6 early in the fourth before South Portland’s Chris Mitchell scored his third of the game – and South Portland’s third man-advantage goal – with 7:52 left.

“I thought with it 10-7 we could still make a run,” Fiorini said. “We had plenty of time and I know our kids can put the ball in the cage. We just didn’t shoot well today.”

Brunswick goalie Mitchell Smith made nine saves. Kam Andrews and Andrew Whipple each scored two goals for South Portland, with Jack Fiorini adding a goal and two assists.

Brooks, Cam Glover and Brooks again scored to offset one by Whipple, building a 13-8 lead. Andrews scored in the final minute for South Portland.

“The focus element with 16 seniors out of a roster of 30 is tricky, but this is an exceptional group of young men,” Don Glover said. “They really have aspired to make the most of the program and their team.”

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