HAMPDEN — The Cheverus Stags appear to have been a team of destiny.
Playing out of the No. 7 seed in Western Class A, the Stags completed a perfect run through the playoffs Saturday with a 2-1 win over previously unbeaten Lewiston to earn a Class A state title, their first since 2001.
Lewiston finishes the season at 16-1-1.
Jake Tomkinson was the star for the Stags. The goalkeeper turned aside many dangerous Lewiston shots in both halves of play to preserve the Cheverus win.
The Blue Devils had the better of the chances in the opening half, but it was Cheverus that buried one.
Abdi Shariff nearly got the Blue Devils on the board just past the midway point of the first when he tipped a ball past the Cheverus keeper but rang the ball off the iron.
The Devils dominated the shots in the opening 20 minutes, managing 10 to the Stags’ two.
But Cheverus struck first, with less than five minutes to play in the first half, on its third shots of the game. Andrei Vile netted the Stags’ goal in the 36th minute as he booted the ball past Lewiston ’keeper Austin Wing.
Lewiston finished the first half with a 13-3 edge in shots, but couldn’t solve Tomkinson.
Cheverus doubled its lead early in the second half on a Brady Levesque tally in the ninth minute.
The Devils had a chance to get back within a goal moments later, but Tomkinson made a diving stop on a Lewiston penalty kick off the foot of Shariff.
Abdulkarim Abdulle did finally break through for Lewiston with about 25 minutes to play to draw the Eastern Class A champs within a goal at 2-1.
The Devils pressed hard the rest of the way, but Tomkinson and the Stags’ defense held firm.