SOUTH BERWICK — Two-time defending Class B football champion Marshwood High knew it was struggling after a Week 3 loss at Westbrook.
Saturday the No. 4 Hawks (6-3) showed they have learned some lessons and are again a contender in the topsy-turvy South region. Displaying multiple playmakers on both sides of the ball and a more active defensive front, Marshwood beat No. 5 Westbrook, 33-20.
“I think we’re rolling right now,” said Marshwood quarterback Cole McDaniel, who ran for two touchdowns and completed 6 of 8 passes for 76 yards. “We’ve got three wins in a row. And everyone is doing their job.”
Since that 34-7 loss at Westbrook, Marshwood is 5-1, losing only to No. 1 Kennebunk, 27-22. Marshwood will be at Kennebunk (9-0) at 7 p.m. Friday for a regional semifinal game.
“We played all seven teams that made the playoffs and we lost to three of them,” said Marshwood Coach Alex Rotsko. “Today we had the opportunity to play one of the teams again. Next week we get another opportunity and if you’re not excited about that you probably shouldn’t be playing football.”
Marshwood took advantage of critical mistakes by Westbrook early in both halves. The Blue Blazes responded in the first half but could not overcome the third-quarter breakdowns.
On the third play of the second half, Kyle Glidden intercepted Westbrook quarterback Bailey Sawyer and returned it 38 yards to the Blue Blazes 11. Westbrook’s next possession ended with a bad snap and the Hawks taking over at the Westbrook 20.
Both times Marshwood needed four plays to cash in with McDaniel scoring on sneaks behind 340-pound center Seth Aumann to gain a 26-14 lead with 5:49 left in the third quarter.
“You just can’t give a good team like Marshwood extra possessions,” said Westbrook Coach Jeff Guerette. “They’ve improved quite a bit as the season has gone on.”
Marshwood pushed its lead to 33-14 on Jayke Longarini’s 5-yard run. Longarini also scored on a 23-yard fumble return and cinched the win with a late interception.
“The difference between Week 1 and now is the intensity we’re playing at,” Longarini said.
Sawyer got one score back on a 21-yard scramble but the Hawks’ defense forced eight straight incompletions, then got sacks from Matt Cooper and Drew Gregor.
“Our defensive line in the beginning of the season … we were trash, OK,” Gregor said. “We started to get things rolling and it just keeps coming.”
In the first 3:35 of the game Marshwood scored on a 38-yard halfback option pass from Glidden to Sam Cartmill and Longarini’s fumble return.
A 20-yard run by Miece Loureiro (28 carries, 143 yards) got Westbrook going and Sawyer finished the drive with a 4-yard run.
Westbrook got the ball back when Brandon Grover caused a Glidden fumble and David Redmond recovered to stop a promising Hawks’ drive. Several good runs by Loureiro led to a 6-yard touchdown pass from Sawyer to Kyle Champagne and a 14-13 Westbrook lead.
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