PORTLAND — The real deal indeed.

The Brunswick girls´ lacrosse team repeated as Class A state champion with a 13-9 victory over Kennebunk on Saturday at Fitzpatrick Stadium.

The Dragons took an early lead and controlled the tempo of the game with an overwhelming advantage in possession time, completing a 15-0 season.

"We had a confidence," said senior Cecilia Kjellman. "We possessed the ball more. We slowed it down. We were patient."

Brunswick also beat Kennebunk in last season´s state final but played arguably a less difficult regular-season schedule than the Rams did this year.

Winning on Saturday was important, said Coach Beth Caputi, to help prove her program was no one-hit wonder.

"I feel a little vindicated. We are the real deal," said Caputi.

"Once we got up, it was all about tempo. It´s like the ground game in football. We have the ball, they can´t score."

Brunswick pounced to a 5-1 lead less than seven minutes into the game and led 8-3 at halftime by controlling the tempo. The Dragons got three goals from Leila Mills and one each from Jacquelyn Kelly, Maggie Caputi, Eliza Halmo, Kjellman and Anna Holmblad.

The Rams (12-4) took the lead on a goal by Maggie Lavoie just 1 minute, 25 seconds into the game, but Brunswick rallied to take a 5-1 lead at 18:22.

Kennebunk cut it to 5-3 with a goal by Lavoie at 17:26 and another by Jamie Spang at 13:20.

"When we had the ball we could score. We didn´t have the ball enough," said Rams Coach Annie Barker. "It´s tough to walk away again ... but our time will come."

Spang scored to open the second half and Taylor Crowley made it 8-5 by scoring off a fast break at 21:15.

Brunswick built the lead to 10-5 before pulling ahead 12-6 with 10:46 remaining.

The Rams threatened with three straight goals. Molly Centore scored off a long rush at 9:49, Brooke Worcester scored at 5:36 and Lavoie finished off a rush 20 seconds later to make it 12-9.

But Brunswick´s Mills scored on a wraparound at 3:52 to squelch any momentum.

"We knew they had a history of coming back, so we really wanted to keep the intensity up," said Mills. "We knew at any time they could score."

Brunswick goalie Paige Montgomery, a freshman, earned the game ball from her coach and teammates with eight saves.

The Dragons got five goals from Mills, two each from Kjellman, Halmo and Kelly, and one each by Caputi and Holmblad.

The Rams got three goals from both Spang and Lavoie and one each from Centore, Crowley and Worcester.

Staff Writer Jenn Menendez can be contacted at 791-6426 or at:
jmenendez@pressherald.com