DEXTER- Jack Brewer threw seven touchdown passes and the Orono Red Riots forced six Dexter Tigers turnovers on Saturday afternoon, en route to a 61-22 victory in a small school 8-man semifinal football game played at Dexter Regional High School.
Orono (6-3) started fast and Dexter never was able to recover. After a 49 yard kickoff return by Will Francis to begin the game, the Red Riots scored their first touchdown on a Brewer 22 yard pass to Pierce Walston just 1:06 into the first quarter. Later in the quarter, Will Francis who scored seven touchdowns in a quarterfinal win over Bucksport, reeled in a nine yard TD reception from Brewer. The Tigers first turnover, a fumble by Gage Beaudry, led to a Walston 51 yard scoring catch and it was 18-0 after the first 12 minutes. Dexter scored for the only time in the first half five minutes into the second, when Caleb Schobel picked off Brewer and went 60 yards the other way for six. The two-point conversion run was also good making it 18-8. It took Orono just 1:50 to respond to those points, as Sal Wise caught an eight yard TD pass. The Tigers turned it over on the ensuing kickoff, as starting quarterback Bryce Connor fumbled the return. That led to a three yard TD run by Wise, and it was 31-8 at halftime.
Dexter would cut it to a two score game by taking the third quarter kickoff and driving the field, culminating in a five yard touchdown reception by Blaine Gould from Connor. The two-point conversion pass to Kayden Kimball was also converted to make it 31-16. The visiting Red Riots would put it away from there though, as they scored 1:55 later on a 26 yard strike from Brewer to Kase Walston on a third down and long and also converted the two-points. Brady Maheu intercepted Connor late in the quarter and took it to the endzone that extended the lead to 47-16. Connor scored the final Tigers touchdown on a three yard run with 11:50 left to play, but Brewer threw two more before it was over to Caden Gray and another to Will Francis. Brewer now has back to back games with seven touchdown passes, as he helps his team advance to the regional final to meet Stearns.
Brewer finished 22-43 passing for 388 yards and the seven touchdowns. Brewer was named the Bangor Savings Bank Player of the Game. Pierce Walton had 10 receptions for 170 yards and two touchdowns. Case Walton added five catches for 114 yards, while Will Francis snagged four for 85 yards and two scores. Connor ended up 16-34 passing in the Dexter loss for 206 yards with one touchdown and three interceptions. He also added 17 runs for 69 yards and a score. Will Spratt also had six receptions for 85 yards. The defending state champion Tigers had the longest win streak in the state broken at 11 games, and finish the season at 7-1. Orono and Stearns meet in Millinocket in the regional final next week. The Minutemen rallied from a big third quarter deficit to defeat the Red Riots 34-30 in their regular season meeting.
