FALMOUTH — Jack Bryant set the tone from the start, throwing for three touchdown passes and 268 yards in the first half alone Friday night as Falmouth built a big lead and coasted to a 31-0 victory against Morse in a Class B South football game.
Bryant passed 44 yards to Austin Wheeler for a score on the Yachtsmen’s second series. Connor Aube then intercepted for Falmouth (6-0), and Bryant and the offense were back in business.
Bryant passed to George Gilbert for a 33-yard touchdown to make it 14-0.
This was the most passes Bryant, a sophomore, has thrown in a game, but it wasn’t by design at first.
“Morse played a little different defense and we thought we could throw a little more,” said Bryant. “I think we have the best receivers in the league. They make it tough for defenses.”
Bryant kept airing it out in the first half, finishing 14 of 28. A 22-yard run by Aube late in the first quarter made it 21-0.
Early in the second quarter, Bryant passed to Nick Wissemann for a 16-yard touchdown.
With time running out in the first half, Bryant’s passing brought his team downfield.
He passed to Aube for a 22-yard gain. A 40-yard completion to Gilbert put the ball on the Morse 4 with 9.8 seconds left.
Bryant attempted a pass to the corner of the end zone on first down that fell incomplete before Jack Walker kicked a 23-yard field goal to make it 31-0 at the half.
In the second half, Morse (2-4) sacked Bryant several times. With a comfortable lead, Falmouth looked to run the ball and take some time off the clock.
Bryant finished 16 of 31 for 306 yards passing.
“The hightlight of the night was Jack Bryant,” said Falmouth Coach John Fitzsimmons. “Every week he gains a little more confidence. He’s not playing like a first-year varsity quarterback. He took some hits tonight but came back each time.
“Morse was committed to stopping the run. Once we saw that we knew that the pass would be open. We didn’t play at the level I had hoped for at the start. It was Senior Night and that’s always tough. We got better after the start and I was pleased with our defensive effort. Morse really didn’t do anything against us.”
The victory sets up Falmouth for next Friday night’s game at Marshwood, the defending Class B state champion.
The Hawks (4-1) play at Kennebunk (5-0) on Saturday after their game was postponed Friday night.
Both Bryant and Fitzsimmons said Falmouth will have to play better next week. Going into this one, they didn’t feel the team was looking ahead.
“I thought we were very focused on Morse all week. Marshwood is a really good team,” said Bryant. “It will be a challenge.”
Fitzsimmons said the sacks were the result of “trying some different things out and Morse sending a lot of people.”
Falmouth got to the Morse 5 early in the third quarter but Bryant was dropped for a 7-yard loss and the Yachtsmen ran out of downs. Early in the fourth, they drove to the 7 but another sack ended the threat.
Falmouth’s defensive line shut down the Shipbuilders’ running game and pressured quarterback Connor Upham. Morse had its best chance to score at the start when it took over at the Falmouth 24. Upham was dropped for a 7-yard loss and a pass on fourth down gained only 1 yard.
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