That the game ended just 6:19 into the first 15-minute overtime might have come as a surprise, considering that in the first 170 minutes of soccer this season between the teams, each team had produced one goal and seemed destined to play longer.

The eighth-seeded Red Eddies secured the 2-1 win and a trip to top-seeded and undefeated Lewiston on Tuesday for a quarterfinal at 5 p.m., while the No. 9 Eagles finished at 5-8-2.

The winning goal came off the foot of Mohammed Abdraba, who calmly gained control of the bouncing ball in traffic, settled and sent a hard shot inside the left post past the dive of Mt. Ararat goaltender Elliot Bowie.

Through his translator and teammate Abdullah Jashaami, Abdraba said he was glad to score the winning goal for his team.

“It was a crazy goal. I didn’t do this by myself. We played as a team and won as a team today,” Abdraba said.

Mt. Ararat first-year coach Jack Rioux was happy with the way his team competed, especially after a solid second half.

“They never quit until that final whistle,” Rioux said. “We came out very flat in the first half. I don’t know if was young guys being put in this spot who had never been here, or having to come over here and play. We took it to them a lot harder in the second half.”

“It was a hectic game, with everyone playing hard on the ball,” Mt. Ararat midfielder Jimmy Pelletier said. “We started slow, didn’t have much in the first half, but we played the second with a lot of heart. Our passes began to connect.”

Quick strike

Despite the slow start, the Eagles struck first. Evan Thibeault entered the game and quickly made an impact. He corralled the ball in front of EL goaltender Owen Mower’s goal before slipping a shot inside the left post for a 1-0 lead.

It took all of 12 seconds for the Red Eddies to get even. Abdraba sent an innocent shot from 45-yards out toward the Mt. Ararat goal. The ball slipped through the hands of Eagles starting goaltender Gavin Patterson (two saves) and into the net for a 1-1 deadlock with 21:25 remaining until halftime.

EL kept coming, getting good looks from Jarod Norcross-Plourde, Jashaami and Jacob Kyajohnian. Elliot Bowie, who replaced Patterson between the pipes midway through the opening frame, made a solid stop on a header by Jashaami, and watched as Eagles defenseman Eli Timberlake cleared a shot by Kyajohnian.

Mt. Ararat controlled the tempo of the second half, outshooting EL 6-3, and having the better offensive chances, led by Pelletier, Tyler Nadeau, Kyle Brown and Cole Guerin.

Mower made his best save when he stopped Pelletier on a breakaway with 17:14 remaining in regulation.

“I thought Owen played pretty well, especially him having been banged up coming in, something we were worried about,” EL coach Matt Andreasen said. “He played with confidence back there and came off his line well.”

In overtime, Mower came up big when he dove to stop a header by Pelletier on a nice setup from James Hutchinson.

The Red Eddies quickly countered, with Abdraba slipping the winning goal past the dive of Bowie, who had four saves.

“It was a good goal,” Rioux said. “It hurts. But, it was a good goal.”

“Mt. Ararat is tough, organized and they play really tough for Jack,” Andreasen said. “But, when you get into overtime it comes down to which team makes the play first and we were fortunate that it was us.

“We might as well have fun with (the next round),” Andreasen added. “It is Lewiston High School, under the lights, against arguably the best team in the state. This is why you participate in athletics. We will do our best to get ready on Monday and go there Tuesday, play hard and see where that takes us.”

EL outshot the Eagles 13-12, and held a 5-3 edge in corner kicks.

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