GARDINER — There was nothing to envy about the Messalonskee football team’s position as the Eagles prepared for this game during the week.

Injuries and sicknesses ravaged Messalonskee, which was razor-thin at running back and down two key starters on defense. On the other side of the ball, the Eagles had no idea whether the Gardiner Tigers would be rolling with Brayden Elliott or Asher Nagy at quarterback in this Class B North quarterfinal.

How did Messalonskee respond? By putting forth one of its best performances of the season, a 27-6 victory over Gardiner that marked the program’s first playoff victory since 2016. The win sent the Eagles to next week’s Northern Maine semifinals against top-ranked Falmouth (8-0).

“It’s super exciting for the kids and the program,” said Messalonskee head coach Blair Doucette. “We really feel like we’re building something here, so getting that first playoff win (in eight years), this is that next step. It was all about ‘next man up,’ and the kids had the heart and executed the game plan.”

Messalonskee quarterback Tatum Doucette had a strong game, completing 14 of 20 passes for 229 yards and three touchdowns and running for 71 yards and a score. Malachi Cusano had seven catches for 103 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles, and Drake Brunelle added four catches for 91 yards and a touchdown.

Fifth-ranked Messalonskee (4-5) stalled in the red zone on its opening drive but followed it with a defensive stand as Gardiner drove toward the red zone. The Eagles then went 71 yards on nine plays with Doucette bulldozing his way into the end zone on a 10-yard run with 4:01 to go in the first quarter.

Messalonskee then forced a punt again, but its next drive would stall despite the Eagles converting a third-and-26. Yet the visitors forced No. 4 Gardiner (4-5) into a three-and-out, and with 1:15 left in the half, Doucette found Cusano for a 5-yard touchdown pass that sent Messalonskee into the break up 14-0.

“I have everyone around me; my whole team is behind me, and I’m behind everyone,” Tatum Doucette said. “I knew that, no matter who’s where, we could win this football game. … I knew I had to stay calm and make the big play.”

After a stop to begin the second half, Messalonskee went on a 12-play, 60-yard drive that culminated with a 22-yard touchdown pass from Doucette to Brunelle late in the third quarter. Gardiner then got the score it needed, a 27-yard touchdown screen pass from Elliott to Kyle Doody on the first play of the fourth.

Messalonskee, though, answered almost immediately as Doucette found Quinn Charles for a 39-yard touchdown pass with 9:35 left to play. The Eagles then stopped the Tigers twice inside the 5-yard line in the final five minutes to mark their second victory over Gardiner this season (Week 4, 13-6).

“It just seemed like when we needed a big play, we couldn’t get one,” said Gardiner head coach Pat Munzing. “We just couldn’t find that consistency, but kudos to them. I thought Doucette was great; he was on target, he was quick on the release, and when we had things covered, he was able to make a play with his feet.”

The key for Messalonskee’s offense, Blair Doucette said, was to keep Doody from being a game-wrecker on defense. The Eagles did so by double- and even triple-teaming Gardiner’s standout edge rusher, who did register a sack but by and large was kept at bay by Messalonskee’s offensive line.

Messalonskee’s rushing attack was without starting running back Landon Rancourt and third-stringer Jeremiah McKenzie, while Hayden Pierce (17 carries, 39 yards) was limited after being hospitalized with pneumonia during the week. Defensively, the Eagles were without Ethan Miller and leading tackler Dawson Dingus.

“We had so many people sick; I think all of our coaches were even sick at some point,” Blair Doucette said. “We just worked through it, and the credit goes to the kids. They had the spirit of wanting to pick up our program and the community and get this win, and they battled their way through it.”

Messalonskee outgained Gardiner 336-236 in the victory, limiting Elliott to 7 of 17 for 104 yards and interception through the air. Much of the Eagles’ yardage came from disadvantageous positions as they converted on third-and-26, third-and-15, fourth-and-8, third-and-13, third-and-12 and third-and-9.

“That’s usually where we find success on the defensive end, getting teams into those third-and-longs and winning that battle,” Munzing said. “They threw some different formation sets that we hadn’t seen, so that was great scheming on their part. They made those plays when they had to.”