LEWISTON — Eric Soucy knows how life can change in an instant.

The senior goaltender for the Lewiston boys’ soccer team learned that the hard way last fall.

Anxiously awaiting the the postseason on a potent and favored Blue Devils team, the unexpected took over for Soucy and his team at this time last year.

“I went to bed the night before after a team dinner,” said Soucy. “I felt a little stomach pain. I didn’t think anything of it. Then I barely slept all night. When I woke up, I knew something was wrong.”

On the morning of Lewiston’s Eastern Class A quarterfinal, their starting goaltender went to the hospital and discovered he had appendicitis.

“It happened so fast, I didn’t have time to think about it,” said Soucy.

He missed that game and was in the hospital when the Blue Devils beat Mt. Blue, 3-2.

“Not being at the first one was tough,” he said. “There was no way to know how we were doing or whether we were winning or not.”

Soucy was at his team’s semifinal game a few days later. He wasn’t able to dress for that match with Hampden, but he knew he’d likely be able to play if Lewiston reached the regional final.

He watched his Blue Devils build a 2-0 lead early in the second half only to have Hampden score twice in the final 1:08 to cap a stunning comeback.

“If we had won that (semifinal), I was cleared to play the following game,” said Soucy. “So I was all excited when we were up 2-1 with a minute to go in the game. Then it all fell apart.”

He hasn’t thought that much about missing last season since but is ready for this fall’s tourney to begin.

“I want to make up for what I lost last year,” said Soucy. “It was a tough loss, a heartbreaker.”

His Blue Devils (11-1-2)  are the No. 2 seed in Eastern A. They’ll play a quarterfinal Wednesday.

There’s even a chance Lewiston could draw third-ranked Hampden in a rematch in the semifinals. The Broncos tied Lewiston 0-0 during the regular season.

“I think he wants this very bad,” said Lewiston coach Mike McGraw. “He’s done a great job. He missed last year. He doesn’t want to leave until the last whistle of the last game. I think that’s true for all of our kids.”

Lewiston’s potent offense has scored 53 goals and has helped take the pressure off the defense and Soucy in net. That doesn’t mean that Soucy hasn’t been active in the Blue Devils’ success.

“He’s going to keep himself in the game at all times,” said McGraw. “He knows all he has to do is make the save he’s supposed to make and take chances away when he can. He’s got a good group of guys in front of him.”

Lewiston has allowed just eight goals and posted eight shutouts. That included a stellar defensive effort in a 1-0 win over Brunswick in the regular-season finale.

Soucy is a leader and reliable presence behind that defense. His absence last fall showed how vital he was to the cause.

Even if Soucy isn’t required to make a bundle of saves, he’s a driving force and leads the Lewiston effort in thwarting the opposition and sending the ball the other way.

“I’m talking a lot more,” said Soucy. “Me and Doud (Idow), our sweeper, have been playing together for three years now. We know how to play with each other and our communication is better. He has a loud voice. So he can communicate well with the rest of the field.”

Soucy backstopped the Blue Devils to consecutive KVAC championship wins the last two seasons, but Lewiston didn’t reach the conference title matchup this year.

That has forced Soucy and his team to wait a little longer for the next chapter of the season.

“I’d like to skip ahead … and let’s go,” said Soucy.

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