BREWER, Maine — The Falmouth Navigators stopped the Brewer Witches in the red zone three times Friday night on their way to a 30-7 win.
The Navigators were playing with their backup quarterback, Finn Caxton-Smith, who finished with 178 total yards and three touchdowns, including two rushing and a passing score.
Brewer took the opening drive 67 yards down the field on nine plays and capped it off with a 21-yard touchdown run from Cameron Hughes. The touchdown was off a run up the middle on fourth down and a yard to go, but Hughes broke through the line and scampered in untouched for the score. The extra point was good, and Brewer had a 7-0 lead.
Falmouth answered back just three plays into its first drive when Caxton-Smith found Lucas Dilworth for a 48-yard touchdown pass over the top for a score. The extra point missed left, however, and the Witches were able to hold on to their lead, 7-6.
Brewer turned the ball over on downs after a 13-play drive and three plays into Falmouth’s undying drive, sophomore Indi Backman ran for a 73-yard touchdown to give the Navigators a 12-7 lead.
Dilworrh would later miss a field goal attempt, but Falmouth’s Giovanni Guerrero intercepted a Brewer pass from Ryder Goodwin in the end zone with 20 seconds remaining in the first half to keep its lead.
It was the first of three stops Falmouth would make on Brewer.
“It was the difference in the game,” Brewer coach Scott Flagg said. “We had opportunities in the red zone and couldn’t capitalize. Leaving points on the board, they’re a good team so it makes it tough to come back from it.”
After Caxton-Smith found Miles Gay for a 47 yard pass that got the Naviigators to the three-yard line, Caxton-Smith ran it up the middle on the next play for a touchdown that put Falmouth up 18-7 with 11:52 left in the fourth.
On Brewer’s next drive, Falmouth’s defensive lineman Will Gale made an interception at the line of scrimmage and ran it 23 yards down the field for a score that increased Falmouth’s lead to 24-7.
Falmouth’s last touchdown would come from Caxton-Smith again, this time a five-yard run.
“I liked how our guys fought,” Flagg said. “We had a lot of guys filling in in different positions and offensive line depth is hard to make at this level. We just need to turn the page and get ready for next week’s game.”
Falmouth (4-2) will take on Brunswick at home next week, while Brewer (1-5) will hold senior night next Friday against Messalonskee.
Brewer quarterback Ryder Goodwin accounted for 102 total yards on Friday night.