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ROCKPORT — Evenly matched — in more ways than one.
From possession to shots on target to goals scored in similar manners, the Lewiston and Camden Hills boys soccer teams went blow for blow Thursday. The result was a 1-1 draw between the two premier Class A North teams at Don Palmer Field.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Camden Hills (6-0-2) needed just 69 seconds to take the lead. A Lewiston mistake in the back gifted Connor Middleton possession with space in the right edge of the 18-yard box, and the junior capitalized by firing a shot into the bottom-left corner to give the Windjammers an early 1-0 advantage.
A battle then ensued in the midfield, with neither team producing much in the way of offense. Camden Hills had a chance to double its lead when it was awarded a penalty kick with 30:51 left to play, but Lewiston goalkeeper Will Diamond-Stanic made a diving save to keep the score at 1-0.
“We’ll rue that (missed penalty), but for a midseason test, I thought we played pretty well,” said Camden Hills coach Ryan Hurley. “I think both teams showed a lot of effort, and I’m happy with what we did and the result; we did what we wanted to do.”
With 7:21 left, Lewiston (7-2-1) got the break it needed. Camden Hills’ back line failed to clear the ball, allowing David Francisco to score on an open net from close range to tie the game. That would be the last real scoring chance as the two teams settled for a draw.
“I’m really proud because we let that one in at the beginning, but just held it together and kept fighting,” said Lewiston coach Dan Gish. “I thought we attacked well, and I thought we defended it well. It was a great game, and I thought Camden did a good job, too.”
WHAT IT MEANS
Camden Hills, ranked third in the Varsity Maine boys soccer poll, sees its four-game winning streak against No. 5 Lewiston snapped but stays unbeaten against the Blue Devils since the start of the 2024 season. The Windjammers beat Lewiston 5-3 earlier this season and 2-1 in last year’s regional final.
Although they won’t play one another again in the regular season, the two teams could very well meet in the playoffs. The result kept Lewiston, which defeated Brunswick 3-2 on Tuesday, and Camden Hills in the top-two spots in the Class A North Heal point standings with the Blue Devils in first and the Windjammers in second.
“I’m sure (a rubber match) will probably happen,” Gish said. “We like playing each other. Ryan does a great job with his guys, and you can tell that they’re well-coached. … It’s a great rivalry, it really is.”
STAT LEADERS
• Lewiston: David Francisco (goal), Will Diamond-Stanic (four saves).
• Camden Hills: Connor Middleton (goal), Brody Archer (assist), Oscar Barnes (four saves).
UP NEXT
• Lewiston: at Brunswick (7-2), 6:30 p.m. Oct. 10
• Camden Hills: vs. Greely (6-1), 10 a.m. Saturday