For the second straight year, the Brewer Falcons had to play like they were in the playoffs two weeks before they actually got there.

The flair-for-the-dramatic Falcons had to win their last six games to even have a chance to reach the American Legion Zone 1 tournament for the seventh consecutive season. Brewer, 17-11, finished third after a two-step tiebreaker was used to unscramble a three-way tie for third place.

“Certainly it was nothing planned,” Brewer coach Dave Gonyar said. “The kids now wish they’d gotten it going a little sooner and made a run at one of the top two slots, but this is better than not making it at all.”

The Zone 1 tourney opens Friday and features games at 4 and 8 p.m. each day through Sunday at Mansfield Stadium in Bangor. An “if necessary” championship game could be held Monday at 6 p.m.

Last season, Brewer went 4-5 in its last nine games, but won its final three to snag the fourth and final playoff position.

“I don’t know what it is about us having to turn it on at the end of the season the last two years, but we’ll take it however we have to do it,” said Brewer pitcher Andy Thomas.

The nerve-wracking manner in which Brewer has entered the tourney the last two years gives a false impression of it as a fringe playoff team. In fact, the Falcons are one of only two teams to qualify for the Zone 1 tourney every year since it began in 1993. Orono is the other.

“Right now we’re just happy to be in,” said Gonyar. “We’ve been in playoff mode for two weeks now. We had to. They knew if they lost, they were done. So this shouldn’t be that different for the players from a mental standpoint.”

Motivation shouldn’t be a problem for Brewer either as its first game (4 p.m. Friday) is against defending zone and state runnerup Trenton, the team that staged a miraculous, eight-run rally in the bottom of the ninth to stun Brewer 15-14 in the semifinals last year.

The Acadians were one strike away from losing five times in the inning, but still managed to pull out the stunning victory that haunts the returning Brewer players to this day.

“That wasn’t fun,” said Brewer infielder-DH Nick Raymond. “We don’t ever want to go through anything like that again.”

Even though the Acadians have beaten Brewer twice in three meetings this summer, Trenton coach Charlie Farley Jr., is nervous about his team’s playoff rematch.

“Even though we won 13-8 and 12-10, they outhit us 2-1 in all three games,” said Farley. “I think if we can survive the first three innings, we’ll be in good shape because I know that Brewer will be more than ready to play us.”

Gonyar credits the team’s turnaround to playing in a five-team invitational exhibition tournament in Rhode Island two weeks ago. It gave the Falcons a chance to get closer as a team, try various defensive and lineup combinations, get their pitching rotation set, and – most importantly – shape up the shoddy defensive play which had cost them several games.

The defense was also aided by the return of rookie shortstop Jason Harvey from AAU basketball camps. Harvey’s return allowed alternating shortstops John Beck and Ryan Snell to shift back to their natural positions: third and second base, respectively.

“I think it was confidence more than concentration,” Gonyar said. “They were pressing in the field just like you do at the plate if you’re in a hitting slump. We just needed some confidence.”

BANGOR COMRADES

Coach: Joe Nelson, 3rd year

Regular season record, seeding: 11-7, fourth

Top hitters: 2B Josh Johnson (.447, 16 runs, 9 RBIs), 1B David Utterback (.400, 11 runs, 11 RBIs), SS Jim Shea (.386, 9 runs, 7 RBIs), CF Willy Baird (.358, 11 runs, 11 RBIs), 3B-P Chris Shea (.340, 11 runs, 8 RBIs), OF-P Jeremy Karam .333, 12 runs, 18 RBIs), OF Matt Soucie (.320, 17 runs, 16 RBIs)

Top pitchers: C. Shea (3-2, 2.18 ERA, 25 2/3 innings pitched, 32 strikeouts, 26 walks), Barrett Dionne (3-1, 4.52 ERA, 26 1/3 IP, 16 K, 15 BB), Travis Brooker (1-2, 1 save, 3.75 ERA, 18 2/3 IP, 14 K, 6 BB), Joe Vanidestine (0-1, 2.33 ERA, 15 IP 13 K, 14 BB)

Outlook: Just like every other tourney team, pitching and defense will determine how deep Comrades drive into the playoffs in their second straight appearance. Bangor is solid up the middle, so pitching should be the most important factor.

BREWER FALCONS

Coach: Dave Gonyar, 10th year

Regular season record, seeding: 11-7, third

Top hitters: 1B-P Craig Harvey (.519, 25 runs, 29 RBIs, 8 HR), 2B Ryan Snell (.480, 24 runs, 7 RBIs), OF Adam Freeman (.436, 9 runs), CF Peter Saunders (.421, 14 runs, 21 RBIs), RF-P Buzz Simpson (.345, 4 HR, 20 runs, 22 RBIs)

Top pitchers: Brad Basso (3-0, 1.68 ERA, 16 2/3 IP, 16 K, 16 BB), Andy Thomas (3-3, 4.09 ERA, 37 2/3 IP, 27 K, 23 BB), Ryan Hatch (2-1, 17 1/3 IP, 15 K, 14 BB), Adam Waite (0-3, 24 1/3 IP, 17 K, 9 BB)

Outlook: Surging Falcons riding six-game win streak into tourney, but are 2-4 against the top two teams. Brewer hitting .371 with a team ERA of 3.87, but defense is key to how far Falcons advance.

ORONO TWINS

Coach: Dave Paul, 10th year

Regular season record, seeding: 14-4, first

Top hitters: 1B-P Jamie Kennedy (.500, 16 runs, 30 RBIs, 7 HR), CF Aaron Civiello (.500, 23 runs, 16 RBIs, 6 HR), 3B-P Darrin Daniels (.412, 23 runs, 25 RBIs, 6 HR), 1B-3B-RF-P Zach Gasaway (.406, 18 runs, 18 RBIs, 5 HR), SS Jason Sirois (.400, 20 runs, 10 RBIs, 15 BB)

Top pitchers: Kennedy (5-0, 4.78 ERA, 41 IP, 42 K, 25 BB), Gasaway (3-1, 3.10 ERA, 20 1/3 IP, 20 K, 8 BB), Jamie Cote (3-2, 6.22 ERA, 27 IP, 21 K, 17 BB), Brad Wheaton (2-0, 1 save, 2.75 ERA, 20 1/3 IP, 20 K, 14 BB), Daniels (1-1, 2 saves, 2.50 ERA, 14 IP, 18 K, 7 BB)

Outlook: With tourney games switching to a nine-inning format, Paul believes pitching becomes even more crucial, and Orono is well-suited in that department with workhorse Kennedy and breakout rookie Gasaway. Twins’ 3-4-5-6 batters consistently punish opposing pitching.

TRENTON ACADIANS

Coach: Charlie Farley, 3rd year

Regular season record, seeding: 12-6, second

Top hitters: 3B-P Toby Cole (.472, 25 runs, 24 RBIs, 2 HR, 7 steals), CF John Lewandowski (.406, 25 runs, 7 RBIs, 10-for-12 SB), 1B Josh Sadlier (.381, 16 runs, 31 RBIs, 6 HR), SS Ben Huber (.365, 15 runs, 10 RBIs), C-OF-P Jamie Cunningham (.363, 8 runs, 16 RBIs), 2B John Reed (.354, 5 runs, 7 RBIs)

Top pitchers: Cole (3-2, 3 saves, 3.64 ERA, 34 1/3 IP, 19 Ks, 5 BB), Mike Cowperthwaite (2-2, 3.22 ERA, 26 2/3 IP, 11 K, 11 BB), Travis Bickford (2-2, 2.31 ERA, 32 2/3 IP, 20 K, 12 BB), Lucas Leathers (3-0, 2.17 ERA, 22 1/3 IP, 7 K, 13 BB), Brendan Packwood (2-0, 2.11 ERA, 20 1/3 IP, 9 K, 10 BB)

Outlook: Young Acadians’ fortunes rest on the shoulders of five veterans. Farley says Cole, Lewandowski, Sadlier, Bickford and Cowperthwaite will have to carry them, especially with starting outfielder Derek Awalt (.375, 21 RBIs) and second baseman Courtney Bunker (.435, 5-5 in steals) away in Europe on a goodwill soccer tour.