FARMINGTON — Both teams came into Friday’s game with identical records, but by the time the final snap occurred, there was distinct separation between the Lawrence and Mt. Blue football squads.

The Bulldogs proved a little more seasoned than the Cougars and overcame an early deficit in a 27-6 win. Lawrence scored 27 straight points and dominated play up front. The Bulldogs also forced three interceptions and two fumbles.

“It was a learning night,” said Mt. Blue coach Gary Parlin. “Our kids still need to believe they can beat a team like Lawrence and not hope we can win. Those guys expect to win. I have a ton of respect for them. They play football the right way. They play hard and play clean.”

Blair Blaisdell and Spencer Carey each scored a pair of touchdowns to lead Lawrence (4-0). The Bulldogs controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Lawrence, led by Blaisdell’s 107 yards on 21 carries, finished with 228 rushing yards on 47 carries while the Cougars (3-1) were held to just 82 total yards on the ground on 27 carries.

“All week we worked hard,” said Blaisdell. “People have been saying that our line is no good and that Lawrence has something to prove this year. We worked hard all week. They were bigger than us up front but we were faster and stronger and just put it to them.”

Both teams had started the year undefeated thanks to stellar play by its defense, but when push came to shove Friday night, the Bulldogs had a little more bite. Though the Cougars got up early, it didn’t take long for Lawrence to overpower a lesser experienced team.

“I think Coach (Peter) Franchetti said it best,” said Parlin. “They expect to win. They’re a well-oiled machine in every facet of the game. We were hoping to neutralize them on the special teams, and they kicked the crap out of us. They beat us badly on special teams.”

Mt. Blue had taken the lead on its second possession of the game. The Cougars recovered a fumble at midfield and turned that into points. Quarterback Jordan Whitney finished off the drive with a 33-yard scoring pass to A. J. Larrabee, who made a wonderful grab on the play. He leaped over a defender to haul in the ball for the score with 6:04 left in the first quarter. Whitney finished 9-for-19 for 125 passing yards.

Lawrence was undaunted. Though its next possession went nowhere, the Bulldogs got its running game going late in the quarter. Blaisdell rushed for 49 yards on the drive, and Carey finished it off with an eight-yard scamper around the right side. When Mt. Blue committed a penalty on the point-after, Lawrence went for a two-point conversion and scored on a Carey rush.

“We knew they could pass,” said Blaisdell. “Our secondary has struggled the past couple of games. We worked hard on that all week. We knew that they’d come up with a big play like that, but we knew we need to keep our composure and come right back.”

An interception by Shaun Carroll set up the Bulldogs next score with 45 seconds left in the half. Lawrence drove the ball 57 yards and scored when Blaisdell took a pitch around the right side for the 14-6 lead.

Lawrence then opened the second half with a lengthy and time-consuming drive that made it 20-6 with 5:18 left in the third. Carey rushed around the right side and dove into the end zone from seven yards out.

Mt. Blue, which lost back Izaiha Tracy and lineman Nick Searles to injury, struggled to get offense going after the early scoring drive. The Cougars got the ball moving late in the third and got down to the 1 before Lawrence stuffed them on five straight plays inside the 7, including three from the 1.

“That’s our key, our defense” said Blaisdell. “We work hard on it every week.”

Lawrence completed the scoring after a Blaisdell interception and return to the 7. He took it in from the 2 with 1:11 left.

“If someone would have told us that halfway through the season we’d be 3-1, we’d have taken it after what’s happened the last couple of years,” said Parlin. “I guarantee our kids will comeback. They’ll practice well. Hopefully we’ll learn from this and be better next week. That’s our goal every week.”

[email protected]