The Saint John Wanderers are Maritime Bowl champions once again.

The Wanderers’ first victory over the rival Moncton Mustangs this season couldn’t have come at a better time on Saturday.

Quarterback Jon Golacki threw two touchdown passes and ran for two more in Saint John’s 42-23 win over the Mustangs in the Maritime Bowl league final at Moncton’s Rocky Stone Memorial Field.

The victory avenged the Wanderers’ 43-23 loss to the Mustangs in last year’s championship game, as well as losses in a pair of regular-season meetings this spring.

Saint John had won four consecutive league titles (2013-16) before having the streak snapped by Moncton in last year’s final.

The Wanderers led almost the entire game on Saturday.

Moncton trailed 21-10 at halftime, but came to within four points of the lead when quarterback Dan Comfort tossed a three-yard touchdown pass to Trenton Bannister in the third quarter.

But Saint John had an answer. Tyler Curnew ran for a pair of scores - one from one yard out and another from 15 yards - before the end of the third quarter to extend the Wanderers’ lead to 35-17.

Then in the fourth quarter, Golacki hooked up with Nick Bynkoski for a 21-yard touchdown pass to push the visitors in front 42-17.

By the time Chris Brown caught a 19-yard TD pass from Comfort later in the fourth, it was too little, too late for the Mustangs.

Saint John led 7-3 after the first quarter, with Ben George kicking a 31-yard field goal for the Mustangs and Golacki connecting with Brayden McNamee on a 13-yard touchdown pass for the Wanderers.

Golacki ran for a two-yard score early in the second quarter to give Saint John a 14-3 lead, only to see Moncton counter with Comfort’s 18-yard TD pass to Leslie Greene to cut the deficit to 14-10. The Wanderers took a 21-10 lead into the break on a four-yard touchdown run by Golacki.

The loss is the only blemish on the Mustangs’ season. They finished in first place in the regular season at 5-0 while the Wanderers were second at 4-2.

Golacki - selected the league’s most outstanding player earlier in the week - was chosen the game’s most valuable player. Curnew was the offensive MVP while Wanderers linebacker Danny Oliver earned defensive MVP honours.