Skowhegan came in with the touted passing attack, but it was Marshwood that did the damage through the air early and then kept piling up big plays, winning the Class B football state championship with a 63-20 victory Saturday night at Fitzpatrick Stadium.
Marshwood (12-0) three threw touchdown passes in the first half to build a 35-14 lead and pulled away for its third championship in four years, after winning back-to-back titles in 2014 and 2015.
“We had confidence all around in every aspect of our team,” said Marshwood senior Kyle Glidden. “Our defensive line stepped up and had some huge sacks. Our defensive backs were all over their receivers. It was just a great group effort.”
Skowhegan (7-4) was making its first state final appearance since losing the Class A final in 2008, but the Indians fell behind early and were victimized often by Marshwood’s big-play offense.
Glidden scored the game’s first touchdown on a 24-yard pass from Tommy Springer. Then, after Marshwood recovered a fumble, Glidden uncorked a halfback pass to a wide-open Sam Cartmill, who raced in for a 33-yard score and a 14-0 lead with 4:41 left in the first quarter.
Glidden was an all-around force, rushing for 141 yards and catching four passes for 53 yards. He accounted for all 77 yards on Marshwood’s first scoring drive, with a tackle-breaking 34-yard run, a 19-yard catch and then the touchdown.
“He was our MVP of this game,” Springer said.
After Cartmill’s touchdown, Skowhegan’s Jon Bell returned the kickoff 99 yards, but the Hawks responded with two more touchdowns in quick succession – a 12-yard run by Springer and a 1-yard run by Connor Nickerson, which was set up by Matt Goodwin’s 55-yard run.
Skowhegan cut the deficit to 28-14 with a 9-yard pass from Marcus Christopher (15 of 30, 197 yards) to Cam Barnes, only to have Marshwood answer when Jayke Longarini took a screen pass 41 yards with the help of excellent blocking.
“Getting (ahead) early was big because they hit a couple of big plays,” said Marshwood Coach Alex Rotsko. “Then we made some big plays ourselves and just kind of pulled away.”
Skowhegan showed its dangerous passing game to start the second half when, on third-and-24, Christopher hit Barnes in stride with a slant pass and the receiver went 94 yards for a touchdown to make it 35-20.
The Skowhegan defense then forced a punt, but the Indians couldn’t move the ball on their next possession.
“After stuffing them three-and-out and having some intensity, and then immediately losing all that spark because we went three-and-out definitely hurt,” said Skowhegan Coach Ryan Libby. “We strike back, and then immediately give up another big play.”
Actually, it was three big plays in a span of 2:32 that enabled Marshwood to push the game into running time.
Goodwin, who took over at fullback after a first-quarter ankle injury to Justin Bryant, busted an inside run for a 64-yard score. A starting linebacker, Goodwin was sick during the game but made the most of his three carries, netting 124 rushing yards.
“When I’m running, adrenaline is just pumping, so you don’t really notice,” Goodwin said.
On the Hawks’ next possession, Glidden broke free for a 42-yard score to make it 50-20.
Then, Joe Taran returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown, and the game went to running time.
Marshwood’s defense mostly contained Skowhegan’s passing attack, with the exception of the two long pass plays to Barnes. The Hawks forced two turnovers, and defensive linemen Adam Doyon, Andrew Carter, Drew Gregor and seniors Seth Aumann and Ian Dures sacked Christopher five times.
“We just worked a lot of finesse moves, got the (lineman’s) hands off us real quick and charged right after him,” Dures said. “That was my mindset coming into the game: Come after the quarterback.”
The Hawks’ second-team offense added one more touchdown on an 80-yard pass from Connor Caverly to Trevor Chase.
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