March 6, 2026, marked the first round of the state playoffs between the Brunswick Railroaders boys basketball team and the Cambridge-South Dorchester boys basketball team. The Railroaders won their region for the first time in 13 years; beating Boonsboro 55-51 to take home the Class 1A West regional title. Cambridge-South Dorchester, the defending state champions, were determined to defend their title.
To start the crowd was electric and brought a great atmosphere. Cambridge-South Dorchester started off hot and took a quick lead. You could definitely tell that Cambridge-South Dorchester had been there before. At the end of the first Cambridge-South Dorchester was winning 17-4, dominating Brunswick.
However, Brunswick wasn’t ready to give up. Freshman, Jaivyn Moody started to heat up as the game went on, sinking three three-pointers to help keep Brunswick in the game. Junior Mark Yongbi and Senior Brady Renn were dominant on the boards together, totaling 2o rebounds.
Cambridge-South Dorchester kept the lead going into halftime and didn’t let off the gas. Renn tried to keep his team in it, scoring 12 points and grabbing 9 rebounds. Moody stepped up to the occasion and had 18 points leading the Roaders in scoring. Yongbi also had a strong performance with 15 points, proving to be a vital player in Brunswick’s success this year.
“The first half of the season was an emotional roller-coaster. But after our second time playing Boonsboro, Coach trusted me more and I got over the hump which allowed my confidence to bloom and I started to be more comfortable in bigger spots,” Yongbi said.
Despite their efforts, Cambridge-South Dorchester maintained their intensity and ended Brunswick’s season with a final score of 66-52. For seniors Aaron Birney, Andrew Jones, Kai Mansell, Brady Renn, and Tyrone Lee this was their last high school basketball game. The Brunswick community wishes its seniors the best as they continue their lives outside Brunswick.
Now, Brunswick is in a “next man up” mentality. Head Coach Larry Brown is going to need juniors Mark Yongbi and Nicholas Martinis to step up and lead the way for the Roaders next year.
“It feels like a new beginning, all of the countless hours spent alone just me and my basketball are finally being put to the test. The hourglass is coming to an end and its my time to step up. I am going to leave it all out there on the floor for my teammates, my coaches, and everyone coming out looking forward to seeing some Brunswick basketball,” Martinis said.