BANGOR – Second-seeded Bangor grabbed the momentum during the opening seconds of the game and never relinquished it as it rolled to a 42-14 win against third-seed Brunswick in an Eastern Class A football semifinal Friday night at Cameron Stadium.

Cody Chapman returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown to give the Rams a lead they would never relinquish.

“Cody Chapman is one of the best players in the league,” Bangor Coach Mark Hackett said. “He takes us on his back, and he carries us a lot of times.”

It was the first of three touchdowns for Chapman.

Bangor’s lopsided win was surprising. In their season opener on Sept. 2, the Rams (8-2) needed the help of six turnovers to eke out a 21-20 win against the Dragons at Brunswick.

“I really believe it’s the seniors and the growth of the team,” Hackett said, explaining why his squad was able to win so decisively. “This group of seniors is just special, and they weren’t going to be denied.”

It wasn’t the start Brunswick had planned on.

“You can’t give up a touchdown on the first play of the game.” Brunswick Coach Dan Cooper said.

“The credit goes to Bangor. They played a fantastic game. They just out-everythinged us. They played better. They outcoached us. They made the plays.”

Bangor which will play No. 1 Lawrence for the regional title, increased its lead to 14-0 just five minutes into the game when Mark Farnham threw 27 yards over the middle to tight end Ellis Throckmorton for a touchdown.

Two minutes later, Brunswick’s Jarod Jensen went 68 yards up the middle for a touchdown. But the Dragons (7-3) didn’t threaten again until late in the fourth quarter.

Less than a minute into the second quarter, Zeb Tuell ran 68 yards for a touchdown to put the Rams ahead 20-7.

“We made some critical mistakes early in the game, and they capitalized,” Cooper said. “They kept their foot on the gas.”

Chapman went 5 yards up the middle for a touchdown with less than three minutes left in the first half, capping a six-play, 41-yard drive following a short punt.

The Rams added two touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game out of reach.

On Bangor’s first possession in the second half, Chapman capped a nine-play, 57-yard march with a 6-yard run.

With less than two minutes left in the third quarter, Farnham threw a short pass at midfield that Tuell turned into a 50-yard scoring play.

Tuell led all rushers with 143 yards on 19 carries. Farnham completed all five of his passes for 103 yards.

Brunswick’s Dylan Walton ran 11 yards for a touchdown with less than four minutes left to complete the scoring.

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at: pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH