BATH — Midfielder Suab Nur was a difference-maker in the Class A North boys’ soccer regional final at McMann Field on Tuesday.
Bilal Hersi set up Nur for the game’s first goal and opened up space for Nur’s second as the top-seeded Blue Devils took down second-seeded Brunswick, 3-1. Lewiston (15-1-1) will face Falmouth (14-2-1) at Hampden Academy on Saturday. It will be Lewiston’s fourth state title game appearance in five years.
Lewsiton advanced to Tuesday’s game by beating Messalonskee in overtime in the semifinals.
Thirteen minutes into the first half, Hersi received a long pass down the right side. He cut toward the right post before sending a low cross to a waiting Nur, who buried the shot for a 1-0 lead.
“I was very, very excited,” Nur said. “I couldn’t sleep last night because I was thinking about this game. I was focused today, in school and before the game started. When it started, Bilal gave me a nice ball and I scored.”
Lewiston Coach Mike McGraw said Nur adds another level of depth to the Blue Devils’ offense, which is extra important in big games like Tuesday’s regional final.
“He’s a finisher and every team needs a player who can finish, besides Bilal. Bilal, the closer he gets to the 18, the more people that are on him,” McGraw said.
Hersi and Nur hooked up on a few plays in the first half, but Brunswick goalkeeper Andrew Wolverton made save after save to stifle the Blue Devils’ potent attack.
Dragons forward Lane Foushee had a couple of solid chances, but his leg was too strong a couple of times, when his shots went wide or high.
Foushee’s best chance came with six minutes left in the first half when his shot from about 20 yards out forced Lewiston goalkeeper Yahya Heri to dive to his left and push the ball to the side.
The Blue Devils led 1-0 at halftime. Ten minutes into the second half, Hersi lined up from 28 yards out for a free kick from the right side, almost in line with the right goal post.
Hersi bent the ball up and around the Brunswick wall before it bounced on the goal line and past the diving Wolverton for a 2-0 lead.
With 7:20 left in the game, Nur got the ball around 25 yards out and dribbled by a couple of Brunswick defenders before ripping a cross-goal shot into the far-right corner to extend Lewiston’s lead to 3-0.
Brunswick’s Alfonso Miguel scored for the Dragons with 2:25 left in regulation to cut the deficit to 3-1.
A NORTH GIRLS
CAMDEN HILLS 1, BANGOR 0: Kristina Kelly scored in the 76th minute to lift the top-seeded Windjammers (17-0) over the No. 6 Rams (9-6-2) for the Class A North championship at McMann Field in Bath.
Camden Hills advances to the Class A state final against South champion Scarborough on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. at Hampden Academy.
Sun Journal reporter Adam Robinson contributed to this report.
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