CUMBERLAND — Jackson Williams and his Greely boys’ lacrosse teammates waited nearly 11 months to avenge last year’s agonizing Class B state final loss to Brunswick.

Saturday afternoon at Glenn A. Hutchins Field, Williams and the Rangers did exactly that.

Williams scored twice, added three assists, and most importantly won 16 of 18 faceoffs to help Greely control possession in an 11-8 victory over the previously undefeated Dragons.

Schuyler Wetmore’s third-quarter goal put the Rangers ahead to stay, and goals from Andrew Lawrence, Williams and Wetmore slammed the door as Greely improved to 6-2.

“This is huge,” said Williams. “We’ve thought about this game since last year. That wasn’t a good day for us.”

Unlike last year’s two meetings, which were both overtime shootouts, this one started slowly. An early goal from Greely’s Ethan Fraser was countered by one from Brunswick’s Tyler Nadeau to make it 1-1 after one quarter.

Both offenses got untracked in the second quarter, as Will Schumacher and Williams scored for a 3-1 Greely lead before goals from Nolan Lyne, Nate Girardin and Aiden Glover gave the Dragons (6-1) their first advantage. Fraser tied it at 4-4, and after Girardin scored for the second time, a man-up tally from Elias Leggat-Barr pulled the Rangers even at halftime.

After winning 10 of 12 faceoffs in the first half, Williams won all six of his opportunities in the second half, helping tilt momentum Greely’s way.

“Possession is huge,” said Williams. “I like knowing I have an impact on the game. After every goal, I have an influence on whether the momentum goes in our direction or theirs.”

Lawrence put Greely up early in the third quarter, but Jacob Belanger scored to tie the game for the fifth and final time.

With 6:50 left in the third, Wetmore finished a feed from Schumacher for a man-up goal that gave the Rangers the lead for good.

Fraser added a goal, but Lyne scored after a pretty spin move to pull Brunswick within 8-7 heading for the fourth quarter.

Williams set up a goal by Lawrence, then scored on a rebound before Wetmore’s unassisted goal made it 11-7.

Jack McDiarmid scored late for the Dragons, but Greely, thanks in part to nine saves from Sawyer Gagnon, held on for the victory.

“We’re concentrating on improving every game,” said Greely Coach Mike Storey. “It’s a good win over a good team that is well-coached and well-organized.”

Brunswick got three assists from Glover and 10 saves from Connor Pendergast.

“We like the transition game and we got into trouble with not getting the ball out quickly enough,” said Brunswick Coach Don Glover. “(Greely) countered us really well. I’m proud of my guys for being gritty and digging in. This will put a little fire in our belly.”

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