The John Bapst High School boys soccer team earned its third straight Class B North championship on Wednesday evening as Moritz Mueller’s goal with just over 23 minutes remaining gave the Crusaders a hard-fought 3-1 win over Medomak Valley High of Waldoboro at the Hampden Academy field.
Oscar Martinez of John Bapst and Medomak Valley’s Noah Swartz swapped first-half goals.
Mueller broke the tie when he took the ball along the left side just outside the penalty area, took a couple touches toward the middle and sizzled a shot into the far corner.
Martinez sewed up the win with a penalty kick with 1:32 remaining.
John Bapst improved to 16-1 while Medomak Valley wound up 10-3-4.
The Crusaders took a 1-0 lead against the run of play on their first attempt of the game.
Medomak Valley had the game’s first four shot attempts.
Logan Hart took a powerful shot from the right edge of the penalty area and Medomak Valley goalkeeper did a great job getting his fingertips on it.
But the ball dropped straight down and Martinez was right there to nod it home from a yard out.
Swartz equalized off a short corner with 12:54 remaining in the half.
Neva Power received the ball off the short corner on the left side of the field and sent a low diagonal pass across the crowded goalmouth.
It carried to the edge of the six yard box where Swartz poked it into the net.
