BRUNSWICK

Snapping the ball is what starts every offensive play in football, whether playing Pop Warner as a youth or in the National Football League.

The Brunswick High School football team found this typical routine endeavor a challenge in the rain on Friday night, and the resulting 11 fumbles, four of which were lost, cost the Dragons in a 34-7 Homecoming Pine Tree Conference defeat at the hands of Cony.

Both teams finished the night 4-1, but the Rams are the team riding high right now, with four consecutive wins since a season-opening loss to Messalonskee, while Brunswick will look to regroup before heading to Oakland to face those 5-0 Eagles this upcoming Friday night.

“It certainly thinned the playbook a little bit, and I didn’t feel that we could do a lot of ball exchanges,” said Cooper of his team’s nine fumbled snaps that kept his offense grounded most of the rainy night. “We tried to keep it simple, and I really don’t know how many turnovers we had. I felt if we could have hung onto the ball, we could have moved the ball fairly easily on those guys.”

Six turnovers, including an interception return by John Bennett for a 14-point Cony lead at the half (21-7), slowed Brunswick, while the passing of Rams quarterback Ben Lucas made the Dragons pay for those mistakes.

“They played well offensively and defensively, and my hats off to Cony,” said Cooper. “Once Cony got a head of steam, they kept it up and played with a lot of enthusiasm and motivation, while we were stuck in the mud. I am disappointed that we made so many mistakes, keeping us from competing the way that we wanted to.”

“Our defense really came to play tonight, and them turning the ball over and us playing well was the difference,” said Cony coach Robby Vachon, whose Rams will host Skowhegan this upcoming Friday.

Good start for hosts

Cony defensive tackle Josh Woodward jumped on the first Brunswick fumbled snap on the Dragons’ opening drive.

But, Brunswick’s defense came through, as Cony quarterback Ben Lucas was pressured by Logan Tupper, with his wobbly pass intercepted by Jared Jensen, who sprinted 31 yards for a touchdown and quick 7-0 Brunswick lead.

“It was a good read, and I didn’t get the pass out quick enough,” said Lucas of the interception.

Cony’s Chandler Shostak returned the ensuing kickoff 39 yards to the B-41. Nine plays later, running back Brandon St. Michel drove into the endzone on a 6-yard run to tie the game after a quarter.

After two fumbles in the opening frame, Brunswick again put the ball on the ground. Cony linebacker Nick Benner recovered, and Lucas made the Dragons pay, hooking with Quarterback Jason Carter’s pass was intercepted by John Bennett, who weaved his way to paydirt on a 59-yard return and a 21-7 Rams lead at the half.

“Our defense stuck with it all night,” said Lucas. “Their only points were on me, and I can live with that.”

After four first-half turnovers, Brunswick lost the ball again, with Cony’s Jacob Ashby recovering. Lucas finished the ensuring drive with a 33-yard TD strike to Jon Saban for a 28-7 advantage.

Brunswick standout running back Jensen, who rushed 28 times for 176 yards, left the game after a hard hit in the fourth quarter by Shostak, with his fumble the sixth and final turnover for the Dragons.

Cony put the game away, with Lucas dumping a screen pass to St. Michel, who broke three tackles on his way to a 65-yard catch and run to complete the 34-7 Rams win.

“Our line did a good job, and we put in a couple quick plays, screens, and it seemed to work,” said Lucas. “We knew we could pass on them after watching the film of the Edward Little game last week.”

Now the challenge turns to how well the Dragons can rebound from their first loss, with a challenging slate of games remaining.

“It’s the one thing that I’m confident in, knowing that we won’t stay down and will find a way to turn this negative into a positive,” said Cooper.

Lucas was 14-of-23 in the air for 209 yards and three touchdowns. St. Michel added 77 yards on the ground. Defensively, Reid Shostak had nine tackles and an interception, with Bennett and Charlie Hallak chipping in eight stops each.

For Brunswick, Lucas McCue added 82 yards rushing on 13 carries as the Dragons finished with 267 yards on 55 carries. McCue and Jacob Duffy each had five tackles to lead the defense.

Cony 34, Brunswick 7

At Brunswick High School
Cony—71476—34
Brunswick—7000—0

First quarter
B — Jared Jensen 31 interception return (Adam
Casey kick), 5:36.
C — Brandon St. Michel 6 run (Zach Lachance
kick), 2:04.
Second quarter
C — Tayler Carrier 49 pass from Ben Lucas (Zach
Lachance kick), 8:09.
C — John Bennett 59 interception return (Zach
Lachance kick), 4:23.
Third quarter
C — Jon Saban 33 pass from Ben Lucas (Zach
Lachance kick), 4:12.
Fourth quarter
C — Brandon St. Michel 65 pass from Ben Lucas
(kick failed), 5:50.
Records — Cony 4-1, Brunswick 4-1.
Next for the Dragons — This upcoming Friday at
Messalonskee (5-0), 7 p.m.