Undefeated Lewiston High School not only enters postseason play as the top-ranked boys soccer team in Class A North, the Blue Devils also are getting some national love.
The defending Eastern Maine Class A champions (14-0) are ranked 20th in the latest USA Today/NSCAA Super 25 poll, the only Maine team on the list and one of just three New England teams named behind 12th-ranked La Salle Academy of Providence, Rhode Island, and No. 15 Brockton, Massachusetts.
Coach Mike McGraw’s club has outscored its opposition this fall by a combined 100-7 while extending its regular-season winning streak to 39 matches over three seasons. The Blue Devils’ closest calls were a season-opening 4-2 victory over Brewer on Sept. 5 and a 3-1 win over Class A newcomer Camden Hills of Rockport on Oct. 2.
Lewiston is coming off last Saturday’s 5-1 win over second-seeded Hampden Academy, one of four challengers in Class A North with at least 10 victories along with former Class B power Camden Hills, Bangor and Brunswick.
Boys soccer prelims in all divisions will be held Friday and Saturday, with quarterfinals set for next Wednesday.
Class B: Perennial power and defending regional champion Ellsworth (11-2-1) is the top seed despite dropping two of its final three regular-season matches to Hermon and Presque Isle.
Second-seeded Winslow (12-1-1) paces the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference contingent in the division, while Presque Isle (7-4-3) used its 3-1 win at Ellsworth last Saturday as part of a 5-0-2 finish good for the No. 3 seed. Oceanside of Rockland-Thomaston (10-2-2) earned the No. 4 seed and final first-round bye.
Class C: Washington Academy of East Machias is undefeated and rarely scored upon through its 14 regular-season matches. Coach Chris Gardner’s top-ranked Raiders have posted 10 shutouts this fall while outscoring its opposition 87-4.
Second-ranked Fort Kent (12-1-1) may hold out the best hope in the division for Aroostook County fans, with the state finals for Classes C and D boys and girls soccer to be held in Presque Isle for the first time on Nov. 7.
Central of Corinth (13-1) and defending regional champion Orono (6-5-3) are next, having split a pair of one-goal decisions during the regular season. Orono edged Central 2-0 in last year’s Eastern C final.
Class D: Six-time defending Eastern Maine champion Bangor Christian (13-1) is fully back in the mix once again, with coach Aaron Wilcox’s Patriots ranked second between Aroostook County rivals Fort Fairfield (13-0-1) and No. 3 Ashland (9-4-1).
Top-ranked Fort Fairfield, whose lone non-victory was a 2-2 tie at Ashland on Oct. 9, is seeking its first regional crown since winning the 1976 Eastern B title. Ashland won the Eastern D championship most recently in 2007.
Fourth-seeded Shead of Eastport (13-0-1) has been the class of the Downeast Athletic Conference so far this year. The Tigers’ last title came in 1989 when Shead became the first Class D boys soccer state champion.
