High School Boys Soccer Team Wins State Title Just Weeks After Mass Shooting

Less than a month after a horrific mass shooting, the Lewiston Blue Devils boy's soccer team won a state title in what was an emotional and hard-fought game with implications larger than the score.

With a minute left in overtime, the Blue Devils' Tegra Mbele scored his second goal of the game to help Lewiston win the Class A Maine state championship.

The victory comes just 17 days after a mass shooting in the Maine town that killed 18 people and left another 13 wounded that eventually led to a multi-state manhunt for the shooter that lasted more than a week.

'DO IT FOR THE CITY'

Normally a high school soccer game wouldn't mean that much to anyone besides the players and school, but Lewiston goalie Payson Goyette said that the team understood the impact that any sort of good for the town and community would have.

“We have been saying the past few weeks, 'Do it for the city...' It feels great to win for the city and bring some good to the city," Goyette told the SunJournal.

The Lewiston Blue Devils soccer team did it not only for themselves, but for their school, community and the families of those affected by what was the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history.

"We just wanted to give back to the city with all they have gone through. It brings me great joy, and to everyone who made it happen," Mbele said after scoring the game-winning goal.

The shooter, who was identified as Robert Card was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after driving to a bowling alley and a local bar and shooting randomly at people.

Congratulations to the Lewiston soccer team for not only a state championship but also helping a community through the power of sport and resilience.