Sugar rush, patience push Brunswick girls lacrosse past Cony in quarterfinals
Brunswick Girls Lacrosse Upsets Cony in Class B Quarterfinal
In a game that tested nerves and nerves‑in‑the‑air, the Brunswick Dragons edged the Cony Rams 9‑7 in a Class B quarterfinal at Fuller Field in Augusta on Thursday, June 11, 2026. The 10‑6 Dragons, seeded fifth, earned a place in the semifinals where they will face either the top‑seeded Greely Falcons or the eighth‑seeded Gardiner/Hall‑Dale Cobras.
The matchup was interrupted by a 35‑minute pause after a thunderstorm near Cony High School. State rules require a 30‑minute waiting period after the last audible thunder before play can resume, so the teams were forced to regroup for more than half an hour before the third quarter.
“We had to stay focused,” said Brunswick’s head coach, EmaLeigh Mathy, after the game. “It was a good opportunity for us to bond on the field and keep each other motivated.”
The break didn’t break the team’s momentum. Freshman attacker Emma Michaud led all scorers for Brunswick with three goals. Sophomore midfielder Morgan Barnhorst added two, while junior midfielder Madison Neault and senior midfielder Solveig Ledwick each contributed two and one, respectively. The Dragons’ goalie Bella Bates made a key stop in the first quarter.
Cony, the fourth‑seeded Rams, finished with a 9‑6 season record. Senior attacker Casey Monson scored three goals, and sophomore Rylin Miller added a goal and three assists. Cony’s senior goalie Avery Maxim made nine saves, the most of the game, and was praised by her coach, Grethchen Livingston, for her leadership.
“It was a very exciting game,” Livingston said. “We always battle with Brunswick. Today they had the ball more than we did, which reflected us losing position more than we could handle. We fought to the end.”
The Weather‑Delay Turn‑Around
Brunswick trailed 3‑0 in the first quarter, then mounted a comeback with three straight goals, two of which came from Barnhorst. The game was tied 3‑3 after the first two quarters. The 35‑minute delay, however, gave the Dragons an unexpected advantage. Athletic director Kaili Phillips, who also served as an unofficial assistant, handed the team popsicles to keep their energy up while they waited.
“It was a nice sugar rush, probably kept us going,” Mathy said. “We were playing games, we were talking. We’re just happy to have the opportunity to play.”
The strategy of a possession‑based offense proved effective. In the fourth quarter the score was tied 7‑7 until senior midfielder Solveig Ledwick and Madison Neault each added a goal in the final five minutes to seal the win for the Dragons. “With patience, we make really good things happen,” Neault told reporters after the game.
Looking Ahead
Brunswick’s victory gives the Dragons a spot in the Class B semifinals, where they could face the 12‑2 Greely Falcons or the 8‑7 Gardiner/Hall‑Dale Cobras on Saturday. Cony will move on to a consolation game, where they can still vie for the season’s final ranking.
The win was a testament to Brunswick’s disciplined play and the resilience of its young roster. Despite a mid‑game weather break and a shaky start, the Dragons displayed the skill and teamwork that will serve them well as they advance deeper into the playoffs.
