AUBURN — Any late-arriving spectators Friday afternoon missed, well, pretty much everything at the Central Maine Community College lacrosse field.

Most of the important stuff, anyway.

Lewiston’s first five shots on goal found their final resting place in the net, the first three before Edward Little even enjoyed a full-fledged possession. The Red Eddies soon found their footing, but the damage was already done in what wound up a 9-0 Blue Devils victory in a KVAC boys’ season-opener.

Brandon Tiner, Chris Rancourt and Shawn O’Connell each connected in a 40-second span. Tiner’s goal piggybacked a steal by Eric Michaud after the opening face-off. Rancourt and O’Connell wasted no time after Lewiston won the next two meetings at midfield.

“That’s a big part of lacrosse, once you win that face-off and get possession,” Tiner said. “The first five minutes, you’ve just got to attack. Once you show them that you’re here to play the first five minutes, you’re all over them.”

Lewiston looked every bit the reigning Eastern Class A champion, tallying three additional goals before the end of the opening period.

Tiner finished with four goals and O’Connell chalked up three for the Devils. Rancourt and Tanner Hubbard each added a goal. Matt Melanson facilitated the flourish with five assists.

“We had a really tough (preseason) schedule this year, so I think my guys were just excited after being on the wrong end a few times,” Lewiston coach Bill Bodwell said. “We’ve got some smart lacrosse players and they learned a lot last year. Edward Little has a great coaching staff and it showed. They got better as the game went on.”

Lewiston challenged itself against prep programs Hebron and Gould and Class B champion Yarmouth prior to the first one that counted.

“The tougher competition really helped us attack against a team like this and get the offense going,” O‘Connell said. “We learned how to keep the ball on our sticks and just make smart plays.”

Defense — led by Michaud, Steven Patrie, Caleb and Gabe Johnson and Ethan Melvin — was dynamite.

Junior goaltender Tom Lepage did his share with five saves, but Lewiston’s tenacity with checks and ground ball scoops stifled most EL possessions prematurely.

Shutouts are rare in varsity lacrosse. Lewiston hadn’t logged one since its opening game in 2009. The Devils surrendered a single goal in four games a year ago.

“We kind of thought our defense would be pretty strong this year. It’s still a work in progress, but they played really well today,” Bodwell said. “Coach (Tim) Roy does an excellent job with our defense, and they’re usually pretty well prepared. We’re lucky to have a guy with his experience. The guys enjoy working with him. We’re getting it. We just have to communicate a little bit better back there.”

For its part, EL shut out Lewiston in the third period and went two other stretches of more than eight minutes without allowing a goal after the early outburst.

Travis Landry’s speed, Bryan Uwaechia and Demeron Lauze’s intensity on the defensive end and Matt Berube’s toughness in goal should serve the Eddies well against most KVAC foes.

“It started off by just kind of settling down. It’s a learning process. Our guys are learning the game on the fly,” EL coach Steve Cobb said. “Nothing’s a layup for us. If we show up to play, we’re a pretty good team. If we don’t spot them five goals right off the bat because we can’t throw and catch, then we can kind of compete.”

Berube made 11 saves for EL. The Devils limited the Eddies to nine shots on goal while unleashing 25.

“Defense did a great job covering their man, getting the ball off the stick, keeping it in their weak hand, riding it out and getting the clears,” O’Connell said.

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