BRUNSWICK — The football team that hadn’t punted all season was forced to do so on its opening drive Friday night in the Class B North championship game.

In fact, Brunswick’s high-powered offense struggled throughout the game, but Dragons managed to get the job done, edging Brewer 14-12 for their third straight regional title.

The top-seeded Dragons (10-0) will play Kennebunk for the state championship next Friday night at the University of Maine. No. 2 Brewer ended its season 8-2 – with both losses against Brunswick.

“Their defense was good, they were really fast and physical,” Brunswick Coach Dan Cooper said. “They outplayed us for a good portion of the game, so I’m pretty proud we came out on top.”

The Witches held Brunswick to two touchdowns by Hunter Garrett. The Dragons were averaging 52 points and beat Brewer 42-12 in the regular season.

Ray Wood scored both touchdowns for Brewer.

“We hung with them,” Brewer Coach Nick Arthers said. “A couple things here and there go our way, and this is a different story.”

The Dragons punted for the first time this season with 9:47 left in the first quarter, setting up the Witches in great field position at the Brunswick 28. But the Dragons caught a break when Brewer fumbled the ball away at the 3.

Brunswick again failed to move the ball, however, and a fake punt backfired, leaving Brewer just five yards away from Brunswick’s end zone.

This time, Wood finished the job with a 2-yard plunge to put the Witches up 6-0. It was another season-first for the Dragons, who hadn’t trailed all season.

“I was not panicking,” Cooper said. “I knew we had a lot of game left and that the kids would eventually come around.”

Garrett didn’t need much time to answer, breaking free for an 80-yard run on Brunswick’s next possession. Again the 2-point conversion failed, leaving the score tied at 6-6.

Brewer threatened early in the second quarter, but an Aaron Carlton interception at the Brunswick 7 ended the drive.

“At first, we faced a lot of adversity,” Garrett said. “At halftime, we just went over our blocking assignments and really came together.”

With 7:04 left in the third quarter, Garrett capped a 69-yard drive with a 36-yard touchdown run. Quarterback Christian Jensen scored the 2-point conversion for a 14-6 lead.

In the fourth quarter, Brewer marched 61 yards, ending with Wood’s 14-yard touchdown run with 6:23 remaining, but the 2-point conversion attempt was unsuccessful.

“He’s an unbelievable athlete, tremendous kid overall,” Arthers said of Wood, a senior. “He showed his heart tonight, ran the ball hard. Brunswick had a couple big hits on him, and he kept getting up and wanting the ball.”

The Dragons looked poised to put the game away following Ben Palizay’s 57-yard kickoff return, but Brewer stopped them on downs at the 5 with 2:49 left. Time ran out, though, before the Witches could drive for a winning score.

“It means a lot, we’ve got a gifted program,” Cooper said of Brunswick’s third straight regional title. “We’re all working toward the same thing.”