LEWISTON – While Lewiston and Mt. Ararat both lost several players to graduation, both schools were expected to reload well for this boys’ soccer season and challenge in the KVAC.

On Tuesday, at least one of them played like it, but both came out ahead.

Mohamed Mohamed scored an early goal for the Blue Devils and Adam Gadbois scored on a penalty kick halfway through the second half to knot the score as Lewiston and Mt. Ararat played to a 1-1 tie at Don Roux Field.

“We are capable of playing well,” said Lewiston coach Mike McGraw. “We played a lot differently tonight than we did in our first game, and I hope that we are not going to fall into the pattern where we play well and then stink the following game.”

Lewiston dominated the game in the corners and down low, forcing eight corner kicks to the Eagles’ one, and kept the ball on the Mt. Ararat end the majority of the time.

“They were beating us to the ball all over the place,” said Mt. Ararat coach Rick Renaud. “They outworked us, and that’s why we couldn’t get anything going. He’s got some talented players over on that sideline.”

Despite being outworked for much of the game, it was Mt. Ararat (1-0-1) that held the upper hand for most of the overtime periods, putting pressure square on the shoulders of Lewiston’s freshman keeper Keenan White.

“It was nerve-wracking,” said White. “Really nerve-wracking.”

Three times, Eagles midfielder Kyle Leduc got within six yards of White, and twice White stopped him cold. The third time, with just 2:30 left in the second overtime, Leduc hit the crossbar from the penalty line.

“He held his own out there,” said McGraw. “He showed some great composure, and he might have even had the penalty kick, but he doesn’t have that 6-foot frame, at least not yet.”

The penalty kick arose when Lewiston’s Tony Travaglini slipped on defense. After recovering, Travaglini tried to play the ball as a Mt. Ararat attacker drove inside the box, and slipped into his feet.

Mohamed had earlier given the Blue Devils (0-1-1) a 1-0 lead with a tremendous individual effort that sent him in clear behind the defense on the left side. Seeing the goalie leaning to the left, Mohamed switched feet and, while leaning right, used his right foot to slip the ball past the goalie’s left side on the ground.

“I saw him move left,” said Mohamed. “I saw the opening and I had to use my right foot.”

Lewiston will next face Skowhegan on Thursday.