By Joe Early
Brunswick School Sports Information Director
In its final regular-season contest, Brunswick dropped a hard-fought 16-9 decision at Cheshire Academy on Saturday.
However, despite the setback, the Bruins (7-2) earned their third straight post-season bowl game, facing Milton Academy on Saturday, Nov. 21 at Avon Old Farms. Kickoff is slated for 1 p.m.
The Bruins defense, facing a talented offense averaging nearly 36 points a game, kept the Cats in check, holding Cheshire to nearly 20 below their season average.
The Brunswick defense scored the first points of the game, sacking the Cheshire quarterback for a safety in the first quarter. On a first and 10 from the Cats’ own five-yard line, Senior defensive end McKinley Frantz flushed the Cheshire quarterback to his right, as classmate Pat Adamo barreled in from his defensive tackle position for the two-point sack at 7:46.
Trailing 2-0, Cheshire got on the board later in the first quarter with a 68-yard touchdown pass, but the Cats missed the extra-point kick.
After another Brunswick drive stalled out deep in Cheshire territory, the both teams exchanged a pair of punts in the second quarter, before the Cats made it a 9-2 lead on a 24-yard field goal with 4:46 left in the half.
On the ensuing kick-off, junior returner Cam Kelly broke numerous tackles on a spectacular 79-yard return to the Cats’ eight-yard line. One play later, running back Jaydin Knight ’17 powered his way in for a touchdown. Placekicker Michael Gottlieb ’19 added the extra-point, tying the game at nine apiece, as the teams went into the halftime break.
Midway through the third quarter, Cheshire took the lead on a broken play as their quarterback scrambled until finding an open receiver for a 20-yard touchdown. After the made extra-point kick, the hosts owned a 16-9 lead.
More punts followed for both teams into the final minutes of the fourth quarter. On Cheshire’s final punt attempt deep in their own territory, the play broke down as an attempted pass was intercepted by Kelly on the Cats’ 30-yard line with 3:30 left to play.
With great field position for a game-tying drive, the Bruins were stopped on a fourth-and-one play, turning the ball over with 1:45 left on the clock.
The Brunswick defense forced another Cheshire punt, and the Bruins offense took over on their own 26-yard line with 16 seconds left in the game.
Brunswick’s first play of the drive ended up being the last play of the game. With no time-outs, sophomore quarterback J.D. Sparks, stepping in for starter Nick Blum ’17 earlier in the fourth quarter, scrambled for a short gain. Brunswick could not line up in time for another play.
The Bruins rushed for 116 yards on the day, paced by Jaydin Knight’s 62 yards on the ground on 16 carries, including a touchdown. His twin brother Justin ’17, added 32 rushing yards on a dozen attempts, as classmate Kyle Pryzpek chipped in with 20 yards on six carries.
Defensively, junior linebacker John Fox added a baker’s dozen in tackles, including two for lost yardage, while fellow linebacker Alex Russell made 10 stops, including a pair of sacks.
