FARMINGTON — A year ago, Brewer lost to Mt. Blue on a last second play. Friday night, the Witches kept that loss in mind, turning in a stellar defensive second half to grab a crucial 20-13 Pine Tree Conference Class B win at Caldwell Field.

Mt. Blue was playing without head coach Jim Aylward, who earlier in the day left school to go to the hospital after suffering chest pains. According to Mt. Blue school officials, Aylward, who teaches at Mountain Valley in Rumford, went to the Rumford hospital where he was undergoing tests.

Trailing 20-13 at halftime, Mt. Blue (1-1) put together two strong drives in the fourth quarter that came to a sudden halt when the Witches (2-0) made an interception in the end zone and recovered a fumble on the 23 yard line.

“We played hard, but Brewer is a very good team,” Mt. Blue assistant coach Craig Collins said. “They played great defense, especially in the second half.”

Mt. Blue used a 13-play, 61-yard drive to push the ball to the Brewer five to open the fourth quarter. Cougar quarterback Ryan Pratt rolled left and fired the ball into the end zone, where the Witches’ Danny Davis picked off the pass.

After running one play, Brewer fumbled, returning the ball to Mt. Blue at the 28 with 5:47 left in the game. Five plays later, Mt. Blue handed the ball back to Brewer when Ray Wood fell on a Cougar fumble at the 20.

“We really worked hard in the second half,” Brewer defensive end Austin Lufkin said. “We got a little frustrated at times, but kept making the plays.”

Lufkin, along with teammates Wood, Dylan Severance, Cam Green and Davis were cited by Brewer coach Nick Arthers for their quality play on the defensive side of the ball.

“All season we are going to be looking to our defense,” Arthers said. “We have a good group of linebackers that really stopped Mt. Blue in the second half.”

Three plays into the game, Severance gave the Witches a 6-0 lead when he intercepted Mt. Blue quarterback Ryan Pratt, returning the ball 45 yards for the early touchdown.

Mt. Blue countered on it’s next play when Pratt lofted a pass down the left sideline, where Nate Pratt-Holt made a sensational catch near midfield and outran Brewer to the end zone for an 80-yard strike. Christian Whitney booted the point after for a 7-6 advantage.

A critical Mt. Blue fumble on their own five-early in the second quarter set the stage for Brewer to take the lead. On the third play in the series, Wood pounded the ball over from the one. Quarterback Logan Rogerson connected with Erick Seekins on a point after pass to take a 14-7 lead at 8:58.

Mt. Blue narrowed the lead to 14-13 when Pratt-Holt scored on a 58 yard completion at 7:58.

One minute later, Rogerson slipped three tacklers at the line of scrimmage, racing 60 yards for what proved to be the winning touchdown.