OAKLAND — Messalonskee is known as one of the best running teams in the state, but Friday the Eagles biggest play was through the air.

Facing third down and 12 from their own 42 and trailing Brewer by four points midway through the fourth quarter, Messalonskee quarterback Deklan Thurston fired a pass just as he was about to get hit to a wide-open Tyler Lewis for the 58-yard go-ahead touchdown.

The Eagles clinched the 36-33 victory with Austin Pelletier’s interception at the Brewer 39 with just over two minutes to play. Messalonskee improved 4-2, while Brewer fell to 2-4.

Ahead 29-20 at the half. Messalonskee ceded momentum to the Witches in the third quarter. Brewer took the opening drive of he second half 74 yards, scoring on Bryant Kiley’s 31-yard run. After a Messalonskee turnover, Brewer went 40 yards in 10 plays, taking a 33-29 lead on Kiley’s 7-yard touchdown run with 3:31 left in the third. The Witches converted three third downs of at least nine yards in the drive.

Pelletier ran for 208 of his game-high 256 yards in the first half, and his 32-yard touchdown run with 7:11 left in the second quarter gave the Eagles a 29-12 lead. Kiley scores on a 2-yard run, and added the 2-point conversion to pull the Witches within nine points at the half.

Andrew Kiley ran for 86 yards and had seven catches for 70 yards for Brewer. Alden Balboni ran for 105 yards for Messalonskee. Pelletier had two interceptions, and Gabe Bessey recovered a pair of fumbles for the Eagles.


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