Garrett Poussard of Lewiston shoots on goal against Thornton Academy goalie Ean Patry during the second half in Lewiston on Thursday. Patry made the save. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
LEWISTON — For about a quarter and a half, the Golden Trojans could not get the ball past the Steele curtain.
Lewiston goalie Hunter Steele turned back shot after shot by Thornton Academy at Garcelon Field on Thursday.
Finally, the Golden Trojans broke through, and despite Steele’s continued stellar play, the Thornton boys’ lacrosse team toppled Lewiston 15-9.
“We usually are able to score a lot easier than that,” Thornton coach Ryan Hersey said. “I think he frustrated some of our kids, and our message was, ‘You guys are shooters, you got to shoot. Just keep on shooting.’”
Thornton (5-0) has the most Heal points in Class A, but Lewiston took a 4-0 lead with two goals in the first quarter by Gunnar Wade and Jayden Wilson, and two more in the second quarter by Logan Michaud and Wilson.
“They did an excellent job of getting the ball around and really extending our zone out, and then finding those gaps, probably the best job all year that I’ve seen,” Hersey said. “They kept their composure, they weren’t forcing the ball around and making us really have to work at it.”
Thornton’s Wyatt LeBlanc ended the shutout with an unassisted goal with 7:40 left in the second quarter.
Five minutes later, the game was tied, 4-4.
Lewiston’s Brayden Charest put Lewiston back on top with 1:02 left in the first half, but goals by LeBlanc and Thomas Levasseur in the final gave Thornton a 6-5 lead at the break.
“We just wanted to come out of the gates swinging, and I think we knocked them back a little bit, surprised them,” Lewiston coach Ben Fournier said. “Got out to a quick start, it was great. And they, obviously, being the team they are, they didn’t give up, they came clawing back, took the lead.”
Goals by Levasseur and Jack Webb extended the Golden Eagles’ lead to 8-5 before Wade got one back for the Blue Devils off an assist by Sam Payne with 8:33 left.
Thornton closed out the quarter with five straight goals for a 13-6 lead, and added a pair more in the fourth quarter.
“We have about 12 people on offense on our team that can go out there and get goals consistently,” Levasseur said. “That definitely helps, because I don’t think there’s a defense in the state that can cover all six guys and once and do it perfectly.”
Lewiston closed out the game with the final three goals, one each by Wilson, Payne and Michaud.
“I’m happy with the way my team played tonight,” Fournier said. “We didn’t give up. Things got a little rough there in the third quarter, but we didn’t just roll over and let them blow it wide open, we kept plugging away and moving some things around. We kept at it, we kept fighting.”
Wilson led Lewiston (5-3) with three goals and two assists, while Wade had two goals and two assists and Michaud scored twice.
Steele stopped 21 shots.
“Hunter had an incredible game today,” Fournier said. “He definitely stood on his head for us tonight.”
“We can score in really good numbers,” Hersey said, “and that goalie made a ton (of saves). I think at first we might have been hitting him a little bit, but he definitely earned his keep tonight.”
Levasseur scored seven goals in the game, a day after scoring six in a 17-7 win over Scarborough on Wednesday.
“He can finish,” Hersey said. “He’s got a hell of a hard shot, he can change it up.”
Webb and LeBlanc added two goals apiece for Thornton. C.J. Labreck had a team-high three assists.
Brayden Charest of Lewiston shoots on goal against Thornton Academy in Lewiston on Thursday. Charest scored on the play, putting the Blue Devils up 5-4. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Brayden Charest, left, of Lewiston and Cameron Houde of Thornton Academy compete for the ball during the first half in Lewiston on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Garrett Poussard of Lewiston brings the ball up the sideline while being defended by Wyatt LeBlanc of Thornton Academy during the first quarter in Lewiston on Thursday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)
Send questions/comments to the editors.
