OAKLAND, Maine — More than two weeks after the worst mass shooting in Maine’s history, citizens of Lewiston had a reason to regroup and heal.
The Lewiston High School boys high school soccer team won its fourth state title on Saturday, defeating Deering 3-2 in overtime, the Lewiston Sun Journal reported.
In winning the Class A championship, the Blue Devils added a state crown to a program that also won it all in 2015, 2017 and 2018.
Saturday’s title was more meaningful, another step in Lewiston’s effort to recover from a mass shooting on Oct. 25 at a nearby bowling alley and restaurant-bar that claimed the lives of 18 people and injured 13 others.
“We have been saying the past few weeks, ‘Do it for the city,’” Lewiston goalie Payson Goyette told the Sun Journal. “It feels great to win for the city and bring some good to the city.”
Tegra Mbele scored his second goal of the match with 1:02 left in overtime to seal the victory for the Blue Devils (15-2-1). Deering fell to 12-4-2.
“It’s very happy for me to score two goals,” Mbele told the newspaper through teammate and translator Aristarque Meli. “It brings me joy to score in a final like this.”
Lewiston coach Dan Gish was elated by the victory.
“Oh, my God, that was insane,” Gish told the Sun Journal. “It was awesome; it was euphoric.”