SKOWHEGAN — After beating its first four opponents by an average of nearly 42 points per game, Brunswick won by only 23 points Friday night.
The margin was a mirage.
When the Dragons’ starters were on the field against Skowhegan’s first team, Brunswick couldn’t be stopped.
Ahead by 37 points at halftime, Brunswick rolled to a 65-42 win. The victory improved Brunswick – the two-time defending Class B North champion – to 5-0 and sets up a showdown with Brewer next week.
Skowhegan is now 3-2 after starting the season with three consecutive victories.
The Dragons were dominant right from the first drive. Brunswick reached the end zone on four of its first 12 plays. When Ben Palizay scored on a 6-yard run, Brunswick led 27-7 with 3:32 left in the first quarter.
The Dragons continued to roll in the second quarter. Palizay caught a 45-yard pass from Christian Jensen to push the lead to 43-14 with 5:34 left in the half. Hunter Garrett’s 28-yard run gave the Dragons a 51-14 halftime lead.
Garrett, Palizay and Jesse Devereaux each had more than 100 yards of offense in the first half. Devereaux finished with a 171 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Garrett added 174 yards rushing and three scores. Palizay also scored three touchdowns, gaining 139 yards (94 rushing, 45 receiving).
Under running time, Skowhegan opened the second half with a 10-play scoring drive, culminating with Tyler Scott’s 34-yard catch from Garrett McSweeney. After that, both teams removed their starters, but when the Indians scored on a 76-yard catch by Darrione Brown from Marcus Christopher on the first play of the fourth quarter and added a 43-yard Christopher to Kobe Houghton touchdown pass 12 seconds later, Brunswick’s lead was down to 51-36, and the Dragons put their starters back into the game.
A pair of Devereaux touchdown runs, 18 and 23 yards, quickly reestablished Brunswick’s control.
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