BRUNSWICK

After playing in the State Class A Championship the last three years, winners of two, the Brunswick High School boys lacrosse team has its sights set on competing for the Class B title this year.

Saturday was a good start for the second-seeded Dragons, downing their crosstown “Battle of the Bridge” rival and seventh-seeded Mt. Ararat, 20-4, in quarterfinal action.

“We knew going into postseason that you never know with competitiveness, the battle, especially with the cross-river rivalry we have,” Brunswick coach Don Glover said. “We needed to start off executing really well and play with intensity early and we did that, I’m really proud of them.”

Brunswick is slated to host third-seeded Yarmouth in the B semifinals on Wednesday, with faceoff slated for 7 p.m.

The Dragons indeed started off with execution and intensity early. Just 35 ticks into the game, Aiden Glover found Jack McDiarmid for the first goal of the game, garnering a loud cheer from the Brunswick bench and setting the tone for the contest.

Just five seconds later, the Dragons won the faceoff as Max Gramins grabbed the ball, hitting Aiden Glover in stride as the junior found the back of the net for another score.

“It was super important,” senior Henry Doherty said of the fast start. “Coach told us before the game ‘hope is the most dangerous thing an underdog can have,’ so we just had to squash them early and keep our foot on the gas.”

The Dragons (10-3) continued to press the Eagles, controlling the faceoffs and time of possession. Following a Nate Girardin goal to put Brunswick ahead 5-0 with 8:36 to play in the opening quarter, Mt. Ararat won the ensuing faceoff and gained possession of the ball for the first time.

After Gramins’ second tally of the quarter, followed by an Aiden Glover score, Mt. Ararat registered its first goal, an unassisted score by Owen Kelly. Andrew Eno scored again for the hosts with a minute left in the frame to give the Dragons a 7-1 lead after 12 minutes.

Brunswick outshot Mt. Ararat (7-7), 14-3, and held the advantage in faceoffs, 6-2.

“We had to come out swinging and take it out early,” Brunswick goalie Connor Pendergast said. “We really locked up the house and played good ‘D’ as well as offense.”

The Eagles, 9-3 winners of a preliminary match against Cony on Wednesday, were unable to find their rhythm. Brunswick, which downed the Eagles, 16-3, in the regular season finale, continued operating like a well-oiled machine. Working the lanes, making passes and cuts like the coaching staff has designed for them.

“They did exactly the scripted things we asked them to do,” the Brunswick coach said. “And it is postseason, you don’t play well, you go home.”

Brunswick outshot the visitors, 12-2, in the second quarter, tacking on seven more goals while keeping Mt. Ararat off the scoreboard. Aiden Glover added three more goals and McDiarmid chipped in a pair in the quarter.

“We made adjustments, but we didn’t have any answers,” Mt. Ararat coach Matt Haskell said. “He’s got bigger horses and more of them.”

Brunswick added five goals in the third quarter, using five different scorers to push its lead to 19-1.

Mt. Ararat registered three goals in the fourth quarter, getting a pair of Connor Brown goals, sandwiched around a Zach Caouette tally. Brunswick’s Andrew Eno capped the scoring, his third of the game with three minutes remaining.

Aiden Glover finished with five goals and two assists. McDiarmid had four goals, while Gramins and Nadeau each added two goals. Gramins also dished out four assists in the win. Doherty finished with a goal and three assists.

Pendergast made four first-half saves, while Trey Curtis made one in the second half.

Mt. Ararat received two goals from Brown, while Caouette and Kelly had the other two. Alex Bryant added an assist. Daniel Jackson turned away nine shots for the Eagles.

“We’re losing some seniors, but we have a good core back,” Haskell said. “We had a good season with a great bunch of guys, we just ran into a wall today.”

Although Yarmouth and Brunswick did not meet during the regular season this year, coach Glover and the Dragons are familiar with Wednesday’s foe.

“They’re a very good team, very athletic,” Glover said of the Clippers, 17-10 winners over No. 6 York on Friday. “We’ve seen them a few times. We did not cross paths this year, but they are very athletic with exceptional athletes. They are playing well and should have a lot of confidence. Wednesday night will be a good game, it should be interesting.”