BANGOR – Early opportunism on offense and late survival instincts on defense have elevated the Bangor High girls soccer team to a height never before seen in the program’s history – Eastern Maine Class A champions.

The No. 3 Rams jumped out to a 3-0 lead Saturday, then held off a furious Brunswick rally to outlast the defending state champions 3-2 in the regional final.

Bangor (15-2) plays Western Maine champion Gorham next Saturday in the state championship match at a site to be determined. No. 5 Brunswick finished 15-3.

For many of the Bangor players, it was a second chance at a first championship. The Rams reached the 2003 EM final before falling to Mount Ararat of Topsham, but on this day the result was much more rewarding for the new champs.

“It’s definitely different,” said senior striker Serena Dubois, “and it’s funny knowing how much more I want it now than I wanted it then.”

Dubois played a major role in making it happen with two goals after teammate Erin MacDermott had given the Rams a 1-0 lead by scoring off the rebound of an Amy Hackett shot 4:03 into the contest.

“The ball landed right at my feet, and my first instinct was to shoot right off because no one was on me,” said Hackett. “I was able to put it over the goalie’s head and she hit it up and it went off the post and Erin was on a dead-on sprint for the rebound.”

Dubois made it 2-0 with 3:19 left in the half, winning the race to the rebound of another Hackett shot that was headed away by a defender and then scoring into the upper left corner of the goal.

Dubois scored again 3:17 into the second half, one-timing a header by Jessie Roberts off a corner kick past Brunswick goalie Lindsay Hammond for her fifth goal in three playoff games.

“All season long our scorers have been able to take advantage of whatever opportunities they have in a game, and I think today we saw that with Erin and Serena in particular on her runs,” said Bangor coach Larry Smith. “Serena’s really come on strong in the last few games, but the whole team led by the seniors has done a fantastic job.”

It was a three-goal deficit Brunswick threatened but couldn’t surmount.

“[Dubois] is very quick, and she has great body strength that helps her hold defenders off,” Brunswick coach Martyn Davison said. “She’s very good, and I think she was the difference.”

Brunswick did turn up the attack and scored twice in an 8:21 span. Megan Clement tipped in a crossing pass from Aimee Tetu with 29:58 left, then scored again with 21:37 to play by one-timing a cross from Jessica Timmreck just inside the near post.

The Dragons continued to apply pressure for the next few minutes, but gradually Bangor regrouped and cleared the ball enough to slow Brunswick’s momentum.

“The second half, I don’t even know how to explain it,” said Bangor senior goalie Ilyse Angst. “We scored quick and I think then we started to settle back, and as soon as they scored, we started to panic. Then they scored again, and we panicked again, but we finally settled down and realized we were going to be OK. There were 20 minutes left and we had a one-goal lead, and we were going to be OK as long as we played our game.”

Brunswick finished with a 15-9 edge in shots on goal. Angst made 13 saves and Hammond stopped six shots.

“It’s an incredible feeling right now,” said Angst, also the starting goalie for Bangor in the 2003 regional final. “To be a senior and win this game … I was here as a sophomore and we were on the other end of it, so I know exactly how they’re feeling.

“Being on this side is so much better.”