FAIRFIELD — The Lawrence football team is getting healthy.
And on Friday night, it showed.
Led by Parker Higgins, who ran for 225 yards on 15 carries and scored four touchdowns, the Bulldogs beat Messalonskee 42-7 in a Class B North quarterfinal at Keyes Field.
“It felt good,” Higgins said. “We had a good game plan coming in, and it was good having everyone back. We had a good week of practice and we were firing on all cylinders.”
No. 3 Lawrence (5-3) will play at No. 2 Cony next week after the Rams beat Brewer 41-6 on Friday night. No. 6 Messalonskee finishes at 3-6.
The game was a far cry from the 42-38 victory the Bulldogs had over the Eagles last week, though several players made returns for Lawrence, including starting quarterback Andrew Trombley, who ran for 48 yards on 10 carries with two touchdowns.
“We practiced all week on what we knew (Messalonskee) was going to do,” Trombley said. We came out, all of us, ready for it.”
Lawrence hit early and often on offense. The Bulldogs scored on the first drive of the game, taking just three plays to cover 59 yards before Trombley scored on a 16-yard run. The extra point by Ethan Timmons gave Lawrence a 7-0 lead.
The Bulldogs struck again on their next possession, covering 57 yards on seven plays, capped by a 2-yard run by Higgins that made it 14-0.
Lawrence running back Parker Higgins (32) rushes for a first down and more against Messalonskee during a Class B North quarterfinal football game Friday in Fairfield. Michael G. Seamans/Morning Sentinel
struck again in the second quarter, dashing down the sideline for a 42-yard touchdown run, giving the Bulldogs a 21-0 halftime lead.
Lawrence’s defense was just as impressive as it’s offense, forcing two turnovers out of Messalonskee early in the second half, and keeping the Eagles to 168 total yards. Higgins would score two more touchdowns — on runs of 40 and 27 yards — while Trombley scored on a 1-yard run to seal the game for Lawrence.
“Other than a few big plays, I don’t think they were ready for our defense at all,” Trombley said. “I was so ecstatic with how our defense played today, every single one of them.”
“(Messalonskee) has an explosive offense,” Higgins said. “Any time you can hold them to (seven) points, that’s always good.”
The Eagles scored a late touchdown on a 10-yard pass from quarterback Brady Doucette to running back Simon Bessey. The score was set up by a 54-yard run by Giovanni Caccamo, who led the Eagles with 92 rushing yards on 11 carries.
“(Lawrence coach) John Hersom and that team over there, they do a wonderful job,” Messalonskee head coach Walter Polky said. “They exploit your weaknesses. You can’t beat yourself with these guys. That’s why Lawrence is Lawrence.”
Next week will be a rematch for Lawrence, who fell 28-14 to Cony on Oct. 16.
“We’ve gone through some adversity this year, and I think, right now, things are coming together so well,” Trombley said. “It’s perfect timing. It’s perfect timing.”
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