LEWISTON — Tegra Mbele sent Lewiston back to the Class A North final.

The senior’s two first-half goals were enough for the Blue Devils to defeat Brunswick 2-0 in a Class A North semifinal game at Don Roux Field.

“It’s good to get this win,” Mbele said through translator and teammate Femando Bengue. “We still are working on some things for the next game.”

Second-seeded Lewiston (13-2-1), the defending Class A champion, will face top-seeded Camden Hills (14-1-1) in the regional final Tuesday at Messalonskee High School in Oakland. Lewiston’s only two defeats this season came to Camden Hills.

“They’re a good team, they’re well coached, but it was a good test because the games just keep getting harder from this point,” Lewiston coach Dan Gish said of Brunswick. “So our kids, I’m really proud of them and the way they handled themselves.”

After the third-seededDragons (12-4) pressured the Blue Devils in the early part of the first half, the game changed in the middle portion. A solid defensive play by Brunswick in the 14th minute stopped a cross near the 6-yard box and kept the game scoreless.

Brunswick coach Mark Roma liked how his club started.

“We did and then we just had a couple of lapses,” he said. “Good teams exploit opportunities and they’re a very good team. We gave them opportunities and I tip my hat. They took advantage of them and scored two goals.”

Mbele broke through when Dan Dimandya crossed the ball to Mbele, who redirected it into the net in the 17th minute.

“The first goal, he (Mbele) said is something that we always work in practice, getting the balls out wide and putting it in the box,” Bengue said. “He’s used to it.”

The Blue Devils continued the momentum three minutes later when Mechi Mbele found his Tegra, his brother, near the 6-yard box. Tegra’s shot went underneath the crossbar to give the hosts a 2-0 lead.

“He (Mechi) said his brother was open when he had the ball,” Bengue said. “So, he crossed it to him and he knew his brother was going to finish.”

Lewiston had a couple scoring chances afterward, but the ball went wide of the net or hit the crossbar.

Brunswick keeper Edgar Meardon grabs a shot before Lewiston’s Tegra Mbele can get control of it during Saturday’s game in Lewiston. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

Brunswick had a scoring opportunity in the eighth minute of the second half when Jacob Samuel’s 25-yard boot just went over the net.

Lewiston defenders, meanwhile kept Brunswick’s shots from going near Blue Devils keepere Will Diamond-Stanic (one save).

“We selectively press, we try not to give them a lot of time, but we also try and keep our defensive shape, so to speak, take away those passing lanes and those opportunities,” Gish said. “So, our kids shifted well together. We team-defended well, I thought so from top to bottom. That’s all you can ask for.”

Lewiston appeared to get a third goal when Bengue headed the ball into the net off a corner, but the Blue Devils were called for a push, which negated the goal.

Bengue had another opportunity in the 17th minute when he was fouled in the 18-yard box and was awarded a penalty kick. But Brunswick keeper Edgar Meardon (11 saves) made the save to keep the game 2-0.

“The keeper guessed correctly,” Gish said. “I think there was a push possibly (on the corner kick). You know, I thought it was, it looked good from our (view) point, but we’re 60 yards away. So, we thought that one looked good, but the official had a better view than we did.”

A shot attempt from Brunswick’s Asher Foushee went wide midway through the second half.

Meardon made several saves down the stretch in the second half to keep Brunswick in the match.

“Edgar has just gotten better and better every game,” Roma said. “I’m so happy he’s a junior, he’ll be back next year. You can see the confidence grow in him as the season went on, we’ll be back.”