Brunswick Defense Dominates Greely, Dragons Win Season Opener Easily

Brunswick used pressure defense and a deep rotation to rout Greely 75 36 in the season opening game on December 4 in Brunswick. The Dragons forced 24 steals, led by senior guard Brendan Shaw with seven thefts and junior Logan Gray with five, and produced three double figure scorers in a balanced offensive attack.

Junior forward Rylan Ley and senior guard Logan Gray each finished with 14 points, and junior forward Owen McGrath added 11. Shaw contributed eight points, four rebounds and two blocks. Greely was paced by juniors Rocky Axelsen with 11 points and Joaquin Mendoza with seven.

Gray set the tone immediately, taking a steal on Greely’s opening possession and finishing on the other end with a one handed slam as Brunswick exploded on an 11 0 run. The Rangers did not make a field goal until 3 minutes 58 seconds remained in the first quarter, and Brunswick led 27 7 after one, 42 19 at halftime, and 59 29 entering the fourth. The margin swelled to 44 points through multiple stretches in which the Dragons scored at least 10 points while holding Greely scoreless.

“We really wanted to pressure them,” Gray said. “I mean, that’s mainly what we’re best at, our defense. We’re really excited about that this year.” Coach Ben Clark pointed to personnel and a deliberate shift in style as reasons for the new emphasis on pressing. “We didn’t press a lot last year,” Brunswick coach Ben Clark said. “(This year,) I could see us playing that style, just with our quickness and our athleticism and our length. I think we have a chance to be pretty good playing like that. But, you know, we’ll see. Like when we’re playing some of these A North guards, can we turn them over like that? I don’t know.”

The game also highlighted Brunswick’s depth, with seven other players contributing to the scoring and Ley noting the impact of a full bench. “It’s truly amazing, the fact that we can go 10 deep and have 10 contributors,” Ley said. That depth will be tested as the season progresses, particularly under the statewide reclassification that eliminated Class AA. Both Brunswick and Greely reached the Class A South playoffs last season, but the new alignment places Brunswick in A North and Greely in B South, changing prospective opponents and travel patterns for the regular season.

For Sagadahoc County fans, Thursday’s performance provides an early signal the Dragons can translate athleticism into turnovers and transition offense, a strategy that could influence playoff seeding and local attendance as the team navigates a reclassified landscape.