Brunswick’s Maxwell Hamilton, top, and Lewiston’s Igor Domingues collide while going for a header during the first half of a Class A North semifinal soccer match last Friday in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
BRUNSWICK — It’s been more than a decade since both Brunswick soccer teams played in a state championship game. Now, the boys and girls are on the cusp of doing just that when they play in their respective Class A North title games Wednesday at Messalonskee High School in Oakland.
The third-seeded Brunswick girls (14-2-0) will face No 1 Bangor (16-0-0) at 4 p.m. The fifth-seeded Brunswick boys (13-3-1) will play No. 2 Camden Hills (12-3-2) at 6:30 p.m.
Brunswick last sent both its soccer teams to state finals in 2009 — with the girls beating Thornton Academy 3-1 and the boys falling 2-1 to Scarborough.
“I think the community embraces the sport,” said Brunswick boys soccer head coach Mark Roma, whose program last won a Gold Ball in 1999. “As long as you have a community like that, you’ll always be competitive.”
Both Brunswick teams took different paths to get to the A North finals.
Brunswick’s David Nzuzi passes to a teammate as Lewiston’s Levy-prince Likibi, left, and David Omasombo, right, defend during the first half of a Class A North semifinal soccer match last Friday in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal
The girls grinded through the regular season and dropped just two games (one to Bangor and one to Camden Hills) to earn the No. 3 seed in the regional playoffs. They beat No. 6 Mt. Blue in the quarterfinals before edging No. 2 Camden Hills 2-1 in the semifinals. Now, they’ll have another opportunity to avenge their other regular season defeat — Bangor stunned the Dragons 3-2 with a goal in the final 90 seconds on Sept. 21.
“I think if anything it makes us work harder,” said Brunswick forward Mia Klimash of how the regular-season game with Bangor unfolded. “We felt like we played well that game, but we know we could have beat them (Bangor).”
Added senior forward Molly Taub: “We have a lot of individual talent that has meshed together. We work so well together as a team and have chemistry from all our years playing together.”
The Dragons have eight seniors on this years’ team, many of whom have been playing together since youth travel leagues.
“Guts, determination, team spirit, effort, we have all of that,” said Brusnwick coach Martyn Davison at Monday’s practice.
The Brunswick girls soccer team practices on Monday night on the turf at Freeport High School ahead of its Class A North title game against Bangor on Wednesday at Messalonskee High School. Eli Canfield/The Times Record
The Brunswick boys, meanwhile, team won seven straight games to open the season before they dropped three of their final seven games to fall to fifth in Class A North Heal points. The Dragons dominated No. 12 Mt. Blue before beating No. 4 Bangor on the road in the quarterfinals. Then, came the stunner — a 3-2 victory over perennial power and top-seeded Lewiston in the regional semifinals.
“Confidence is key for any soccer team, and that’s something we gained with that win,” said Brunswick senior defensemen Tommy Labbe. “It’s the perfect time for us to be coming together as a unit and for us to get healthy. Friday’s win showed us we can compete at that level even though we had some doubts about how our season went and losing some guys to injury. Those doubts are gone.”
Added Roma: “There’s a core of these guys who trust and thrive off each other. That came out on Friday (vs. Lewiston), it’s really fun to watch for me as a coach.”
The Class A North boys final will not feature Lewiston or the first time since 2016, when Camden Hills topped Bangor.
The Windjammers defeated the Dragons twice this fall.
“It’s one thing to believe that you can, but it’s another thing to execute and get the result you’re looking for,” said Roma. “It was wonderful to get over the hump against Lewiston, now we have to do it again against a team that got the better of us in the regular season.”
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