Skowhegan Football Breaks Playoff Drought With 35-0 Shutout
The River Hawks held Brunswick to 102 yards and advance to face Cony in the Class B North semifinals next Friday.
By Camila Herrera ·
Skowhegan football ended a long playoff losing streak with a decisive victory over Brunswick on Friday night. The River Hawks defeated the 2-7 Bruins 35-0 at Reginald Clark Memorial Field, securing a spot in the Class B North quarterfinals.
This is the team's first postseason win since capturing the Class B state championship in 2022. Following a period of rebuilding, Skowhegan had never won a playoff game during the 2023 through 2025 seasons. The team's 6-3 record in 2026 stands one win shy of their combined total from the previous three years.
Quarterback Austin Lancaster drove the offense with 228 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He also passed for 194 yards and a score. Lancaster gained 201 yards in the first half alone, including a 47-yard run on third-and-24 that put Skowhegan ahead 7-0. He later threw a 28-yard touchdown pass to Christian Ouellette on fourth-and-6 to make the score 14-0.
The Skowhegan defense limited Brunswick to just 102 total yards. The River Hawks forced three turnovers, including two fumbles and an interception by Matthew Keister. Defensive lineman Asher Ouellette pressured Brunswick quarterback Max Caouette throughout the game, recording a sack in the third quarter.
Coach Brad Cyr credited the team's improved practice habits and physical play. He noted that Lancaster benefited from strong up-front blocking. "It's kind of like getting the monkey off our back here," Cyr said. "My message all week was that we want winning to be normal, and we can't do that unless we get some of these wins in the playoffs."
Lancaster said the team's growth in teamwork was evident in their performance. "I think we just practiced better (this week than we did when we beat Brunswick 19-17 back in Week 4)," said Cael Hamilton, a junior lineman. The River Hawks will play No. 2 Cony at 7 p.m. next Friday in Augusta.
Cony had a bye in the quarterfinals after finishing 7-1. The Rams defeated Skowhegan 42-35 in Week 2 of the regular season. In that matchup, Lancaster passed for 194 yards and rushed for 113 yards. Skowhegan's other touchdowns came from Trent Austin and Blake Kenyon.
