Skowhegan football shuts out Brunswick for B North quarterfinal win
Skowhegan’s River Hawks End a Four‑Year Playoff Drought with 35‑0 Win Over Brunswick
Skowhegan, Maine – Friday night, the River Hawks’ defense locked down the Brunswick Dragons, sending the 6‑3 Skowhegan squad to a decisive 35‑0 victory in a Class B North quarterfinal at Reginald Clark Memorial Field. The win marks Skowhegan’s first playoff triumph since capturing the Class B state title in 2022 and positions the team to face the No. 2 seed Cony Rams in the semifinal at 7 p.m. in Augusta next Friday.
A Dominant Performance on Both Sides of the Ball
Quarterback Austin Lancaster carried the offense in a dominant display, rushing for 201 yards in the first half alone. His 47‑yard third‑and‑24 run put Skowhegan ahead 7‑0, and a 28‑yard fourth‑and‑6 touchdown pass to Christian Ouellette extended the lead to 14‑0. By the end of the game, Lancaster had totaled 228 yards on 20 carries and added a rushing touchdown, while also throwing for 194 yards and a second touchdown.
Defensively, Skowhegan held the Dragons to just 102 total yards, forced three turnovers—a pair of fumbles and an interception by Matthew Keister—and repeatedly stifled the run game. “I had great blocking up front, and it was great all around,” Lancaster said. “Our defense is a great group of guys up front. They can play with anyone; size, strength, it doesn’t matter — they’ll get it done.”
Senior defensive end Asher Ouellette was a key catalyst, sacking Brunswick’s quarterback Max Caouette early in the third quarter and consistently disrupting the backfield. Coach Brad Cyr praised Ouellette’s determination. “He’s not a huge defensive end type, but he gets after it. He wants to be physical, and he quite frankly doesn’t want to play anything on offense — he just wants to go at it on defense.” The 29‑year‑old also avoided an injury that had plagued him in previous games, allowing him to play fully for the first time since his last match.
A Turning Point for Skowhegan
“The moment we shut them out, it felt like getting the monkey off our back,” Cyr said after the game. “My message all week was that we want winning to be normal, and we can’t do that unless we get some of these wins in the playoffs. It’s a huge win for the boys and a huge win for the program.” The victory also snapped a long‑standing playoff drought; Skowhegan had not won a playoff game since the 2022 championship.
Junior lineman Cael Hamilton echoed the sentiment from the locker room. “I think we just practiced better this week than we did when we beat Brunswick 19‑17 back in Week 4. I think we’ve grown way more as a team and increased our teamwork so much better.” His remarks highlight a program that has steadily rebuilt after a series of rebuilding years following the 2022 title run.
Looking Ahead
With the win, Skowhegan now advances to face the Rams of Cony, the 7‑1 team that beat the River Hawks 42‑35 in Week 2 of the season and earned a bye to the semifinals. “(It’s going to take) some great defense all around — great offense and great defense,” Lancaster said. “Just don’t let them score, I guess.” The matchup will test Skowhegan’s newfound momentum against a high‑scoring opponent.
Brunswick, finishing the regular season at 2‑7, will be looking for redemption, but the River Hawks’ defensive dominance and offensive efficiency prove that a 35‑0 margin is difficult to overcome in a single game.
Game Summary
- Skowhegan 35, Brunswick 0
- Skowhegan record: 6‑3, third seed
- Brunswick record: 2‑7, sixth seed
- Skowhegan QB Austin Lancaster: 228 yards rushing, 2 TDs, 194 yards passing, 1 TD
- Skowhegan defense: 3 turnovers forced (2 fumbles, 1 interception)
- Skowhegan’s next game: Cony Rams, Saturday at 7 p.m. in Augusta
As the River Hawks celebrate their first playoff win in four years, the community’s hopes are high. “It’s a huge win for the boys and a huge win for the program,” coach Cyr reminded, and the team seems ready to answer the challenge of a top‑seeded opponent in the next round.
