BRUNSWICK

When you’re the defending state champions, most of your opponents come into the game with a little extra motivation, ready to take on the “champs” from last year.

And that’s exactly it, last year. This is not last year’s team.

The Brunswick High School football team came into Friday night looking for its first victory of the season, but Skowhegan spoiled Homecoming by running away with a 48-29 win in Class B South action.

Skowhegan quarterback Marcus Christopher threw for 431 yards while tossing for seven touchdowns. While he did stretch the field at times, the junior benefited from a lot of short completions and screens to his talented wide receivers, most notably the trio of Sean Savage, Jon Bell and Cameron Barnes.

“We saw them in the summer and their athletes are really skilled, fast and tough,” said Brunswick coach Dan Cooper.

Brunswick’s defense made some noise immediately. After a quick three-and-out, the Indians fumbled on their second play, turning the ball over on their own 13-yard line.

However, the Dragons moved backwards and after a pair of penalties, including an unsportsmanlike conduct flag, they faced a fourth-and-17 where they promptly turned the ball over on downs when quarterback Nate Girardin was sacked by Jamal Dourant.

“We had our chances you know. Right at the start of the game they coughed it up in the redzone and we start with a 15-yard unsportsmanlike penalty,” said Cooper. “We seem to do that, make mistakes. Whether it’s penalties, guys missing their blocks or forgetting their assignments. We just consistently do that.”

Soon after, Skowhegan wasted no time putting points on the scoreboard when Christopher connected with Barnes for the first of three receiving touchdowns on a 49-yard strike. Bell kicked the point after for a 7-0 Skowhegan lead.

Following another Christopherto Barnes touchdown, Brunswick answered with a quick 67-yard drive highlighted by an Owen Richardson 22-yard run and a 10- yard touchdown scamper by Dalton Dickey. The point after failed and Brunswick trailed 14-6 with eight minutes remaining in the second quarter.

The Dragon defense stopped the Indians on the following drive with key tackles by Nick Munn (five tackles) and Sam Dorval (six tackles), along with a Trevor McKenzie sack to turn the ball over on downs.

The home team responded with another touchdown, again behind the legs of tailbacks Dickey (11 rushes, 130 yards) and Richardson (17-205). The latter scored and successfully pushed across the 2-point conversion to tie the score at 14-14 with just over a two minutes remaining in the half.

“Offensively we’re getting to a point I think where we showed a little more ability to attack the field. Our tailbacks, Richardson, Dickey, and (Jack) Harvey ran great tonight,” added Cooper.

More scoring

With 1:09 left in the half, Christopher found Savage (five receptions, 111 yards) as the duo connected for a 50-yard touchdown. The Indians retook the lead, 20-14.

“Really proud of the kid. It’s really the second week in a row that he’s comfortable with the group of receivers he’s got,” added Skowhegan coach Ryan Libby.

Not to be outdone, Brunswick needed just two plays on its next possession and quickly tied the score behind Richardson’s 62-yard run that started up the middle and quickly burst to the outside along the right sideline. Aiden Glover’s kick gave the Dragons their first lead of the night, 21-20.

Bailey Pelletier secured the lead at the break by sacking Christopher as time expired.

“We knew we had our chances and going into the half we felt pretty good, but too many mistakes hurt us,” said Cooper.

The lead was short-lived when Skowhegan opened the second half with a five-play drive, scoring on a short slant to Barnes (6-97). A 2- point conversion by the senior gave Skowhegan a 28-21 lead.

Each team traded punts before the Dragons evened the score on an electric 53-yard run by Dickey. The senior back also rushed in the conversion to give Brunswick the lead once again, 29-28.

“I expected them to fight hard. Coming in winless, which is out of the norm for them, we knew they would fight,” said Libby. “We weren’t surprised they didn’t roll over early.”

It was another short-lived lead as Skowhegan answered just 51 seconds later when Bell caught a Christopher pass in stride and outran his defenders down the sidelines for a 71-yard score, giving the Indians a 36-29 lead following the 2- point conversion.

“Same thing on defense, guys make mistakes and it hurt us. But again, they (Skowhegan) are quick. We couldn’t afford to make mistakes, but we did that all night long,” added Cooper.

After another Skowhegan score, the Indians squibb-kicked the kickoff that the Brunswick receiving team failed to handle. The Indians recovered the ball with seconds remaining in the third quarter.

A pair of Christopher to Bell (8- 154, three TDs) passes, including a 1-yard touchdown, opened the fourth quarter to put the visitors up 48-29.

Richardson and the Dragon offense put together another productive drive downfield, but stalled out at the 8-yard line when the Skowhegan’s defense put the clamps down.

Brunswick turned the ball over on downs on its next possession and never got the ball back as Skowhegan ran out the clock.

“Some of the personnel changes and the injuries we’ve had has allowed us to make some changes and we’ve seen play get better at those positions,” said Cooper. “I know it’s tough to see, but we’re getting better.”

Skowhegan 48,
Brunswick 29

Friday at Brunswick
Skowhegan 7 13 22 6 — 48
Brunswick 021 80—29
First quarter
Sk — Cameron Barnes 49 pass from Marcus
Christopher (Jon Bell kick).
Second quarter
Sk — Cameron Barnes 4 pass from Marcus
Christopher (Jon Bell kick).
B — Dalton Dickey 10 run (kick failed).
B — Owen Richardson 3 run (Owen Richardson run).
Sk — Sean Savage 50 pass from Marcus
Christopher (kick failed).
B — Owen Richardson 62 run (Aidan Glover
kick).
Third quarter
Sk — Cameron Barnes 2 pass from Marcus
Christopher (Cameron Barnes run)
B — Dalton Dickey 53 run (Dalton Dickey run).
Sk — Jon Bell 71 pass from Marcus Christopher (Nick Fennel run).
Sk — Cameron Barnes 8 pass from Marcus
Christopher (kick failed).
Fourth quarter
Sk — Jon Bell 1 pass from Marcus Christopher (run failed).
Records — Skowhegan 2-2, Brunswick 0-4
Up next for Brunswick — Thursday at Kennebunk, 6 p.m.