A span of 27 seconds was all the Lewiston boys soccer team needed to get the job done on Wednesday as Abudulkarim Abdulle’s two goals within that time span propelled the Blue Devils (16-0-1) to victory over the Brunswick Dragons (12-3-2), sending them to Hampden for a chance at a state title on Saturday.

What will be seen is the winning score put together by the Blue Devils, but what can’t be replicated enough, unless in attendance, is the push the Dragons made in the final 10 minutes of the game to make things interesting.

“We didn’t give up all year and we didn’t give up tonight,” Dragons coach Mark Roma said after the game. “They played their (butts) off, you know, I love those guys.”

The first half was a deadlock with a couple of threats coming from the Blue Devils side. At 20:43, Lewiston had a chance for a shot with a loose ball inside the 18, but Dragons Jesse Arford’s tackle in the box put the ball out of harm’s way. Six minutes later, Brunswick goalkeeper Josh Dorr was able to block a ball that rang off the goal post, which helped pave the path to a 0-0 first-half tie.

Quick strikes

It didn’t take long for the Blue Devils to get going in the second half. With only 3:56 off the clock, Abdulle took a shot from 35-yards out from the left side and buried the ball in the top shelf above Dorr’s head.

Before the fans in attendance had a chance to get comfortable again in their seats, Abdulle knocked in a loose ball that was rattling around in the crease. The goal came less than 30 seconds later after his first tally, and it initially looked like the Blue Devils were walking away easily.

But, the Dragons went back to work. “We knew we couldn’t shut them out, they’re a good team,” Roma said. “Our game plan was to absorb the pressure and then take control in the second half. We did that when they came to our place and it was going to script, and we told them that we needed to absorb that first 10 minutes and then we were going to shift gears and then go to work. They snuck a couple quick ones in and it was tough to recover.”

With 5:49 remaining in the game, the Dragons executed. Pedro Zenklusen crossed a pass from 40-yards out on the right sideline to Keenan Welzel, who was standing on the left side of the 18. Welzel took only two touches, one to settle the ball and the other to rocket it past Blue Devils goalie Austin Wing to make it a 2-1 game.

Just 2:51 later, Brunswick had a chance to tie the game when JD Souza launched a ball into the middle of the crease and playable for Eric Kousky, who drove a heartstopping laser off his head and off the crossbar, forcing a collective gasp from the large crowd.

“The Brunswick kids … I told my players that they’re confident, composed and

Lewiston 2,Brunswick 1

At Don Roux Field, Lewiston High
School
Brunswick — 0 1 — 1
Lewiston — 0 2 — 2
Goals — (L) Abdulkarim Abdulle 2,
(B) Keenan Welzel.
Assists — (B) Pedro Zenklusen.
Shots — Lewiston 17, Brunswick 9.
Saves — (B) Josh Dorr 11, (L)
Austin Wing 6.
Corner kicks — Brunswick 1, Lewiston 1.
Records — Lewiston 16-0-1;
Brunswick 12-3-2.
Note — Lewiston advances to Class
A State Championship on Saturday
against Cheverus, 3 p.m.