Brunswick faced Williston Northampton on Saturday afternoon in Easthampton, Mass., in a game to decide the New England Class A regular season champion and for a bid to the top Class A New England Bowl game. The Bruins fought hard, but ultimately fell short, 29-25, to the Wildcats. 

Williston built a commanding 16-3 lead in the first quarter and a half of play. However, the Bruins cut that lead to 16-10 by the time the teams went back to their respective locker rooms for halftime. 

The Wildcats punched in another touchdown to start the third quarter and built their lead to 22-10. Brunswick answered and converted on the two-point try to make it 22-18. The Bruins' defense came up with a huge stop on fourth down in the red zone resulting in a recovered fumble with the clock expiring on the third quarter. 

Brunswick converted on that fumble recovery and took its first lead of the game on the following play – 25-22 Brunswick with basically a full quarter to go. The teams went back and forth, both bending but not breaking, until Williston found late game success and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 44 seconds remaining. The Bruins were unable to convert on a well managed last ditch effort as a Wildcat defensive back swatted the ball out of a Brunswick receiver’s hands in the end zone on fourth down with 0:00 showing on the game clock. 

The Bruins, though, earned a bid to a NEPSAC Bowl Game and will travel to Milton Academy (7-2) next Saturday at 1 p.m. to face the Mustangs.