WESTBROOK — Westbrook quarterback Bailey Sawyer said his football team entered Friday night’s game against Marshwood motivated by doubt.

“Everyone predicted that we’d lose,” said Sawyer. “I heard all over Twitter and other websites that Marshwood was predicted to win.”

Westbrook used that as fuel in a 34-7 win over Marshwood. Sawyer led the team with 176 passing yards, including three touchdowns, and a rushing score.

“Bailey made some great throws for us. He had some great reads and he played confidently,” Westbrook Coach Jeff Guerette said. “He certainly adds that run-pass dimension that we’re looking for.”

Sawyer said the Blue Blazes (2-1) posted a negative comment from social media in the locker room in the week leading to the game.

“I looked at it every day before and after practice,” Sawyer said. “That was motivation. I’ve never seen us come together that way.”

Westbrook came out strong, forcing a fumble on Marshwood’s opening drive. Ytbarek Hailegiorgis recovered on the Hawks’ 16.

“We didn’t do a whole lot right, starting with the first play of the game,” Marshwood Coach Alex Rotsko said. “The first half, defensively, we didn’t play badly. Offensively, we didn’t generate anything the entire game.”

But the Blue Blazes couldn’t capitalize and turned the ball over on downs on the Marshwood 7.

Sawyer scored Westbrook’s first points six minutes into the second quarter with a 6-yard scamper following Timyka Adams’ 60-yard run into Marshwood’s red zone.

Nicolas Batchelder created another opportunity for the Blue Blazes with less than a minute left in the first half when he intercepted a batted Cole McDaniel pass. Sawyer and Nemieceo Loureiro connected on a 33-yard pass to put the Blue Blazes at Marshwood’s 18 with 17 seconds left, but Jayke Longarini of Marshwood (1-2) blocked a field-goal attempt as time expired.

“Our defense made plenty of stops for us tonight but our offense couldn’t capitalize in the first half,” Sawyer said.

“I told the guys that we needed to treat it like a 0-0 game.”

Tommy Springer of Marshwood opened the second half with an interception, giving the Hawks the ball on their 29. Hamza Hanifi answered back with an interception three minutes into the third quarter. Sawyer and Hanifi then connected on a 24-yard touchdown pass. Longarini blocked the extra-point kick, holding the Blue Blazes to a 13-0 lead.

On the following drive, Kyle Glidden of Marshwood ran 32 yards to the Westbrook 8, but the Blue Blazes made the stop and quickly marched back down the field.

Loureiro started the drive with a 31-yard run and Hanifi added 32 on a pass from Sawyer. Batchelder caught the 7-yard touchdown pass – his first of two. After a failed 2-point conversion, the Blue Blazes held a 19-0 lead.

Glidden followed Westbrook’s scoring drive with a 39-yard kickoff return. The Hawks got to Westbrook’s 6 before a McDaniel sack and fumble out of bounds resulted in a 15-yard loss.

But Glidden canceled that out on the following play with a 16-yard rush to end the quarter, and he opened the final period with a 5-yard touchdown catch to cut Westbrook’s lead to 19-7.

The Hawks’ failed onside kick then gave Westbrook the ball at the 50. Batchelder eventually scored on the drive with a 16-yard receptionh from Sawyer.

Sawyer and Hanifi connected for the successful 2-point conversion to provide a 27-7 lead.

Loureiro added another touchdown for the Blue Blazes, returning an interception 53 yards.

“Our defense as a unit played great,” Guerette said. “I didn’t really think it was one person. I thought it was everyone working together.”