LEWISTON — Shawn Rousseau looked up at the banner with a wide grin on his face.

At the end of the Androscoggin Bank Colisee, the banner listing the state championship for Lewiston High School hangs from the rafters. Rousseau gazed at that banner Saturday evening and saw the years 1992 and 1993 among the storied history of Lewiston hockey.

“Those were my years,” said Rousseau, the Thornton Academy coach.

Rousseau was part of those two state title teams during his sophomore and junior seasons at Lewiston. He’s carried with him the fond memories of those seasons, and that’s partially why his smile was beaming with delight Saturday.

Rousseau had just watched his Trojans win the Class A state title in overtime over Lewiston. He was thrilled about how far his team had come this season and the accomplishment of a state title. He also knew the impact such an achievement would have on the team around him.

“The quote on the wall in the locker room says, ‘Win together today. Walk together forever,'” said Rousseau. “These boys’ have made history. This is the first Thornton Academy team to win a championship.”

Rousseau was even taken right back to his state championship teams from two decades ago. One of his teammates, Eric Desjardins, sent him a text message the morning of the game to wish him luck.

“I texted him back saying that it reminds me of sitting next to him in the locker room back in the early 1990s,” said Rousseau, who is in just his second season coaching the Trojans.

As the Trojans picked up momentum late in the season and then stunned top-ranked Biddeford in the regional final, setting up the state showdown with Lewiston, Rousseau couldn’t help but hope for a similar result for his team. He knew how hard they had worked and that a state crown would be a wonderful reward for their efforts.

“I think this is as good a high school team I know, and it has nothing to do with hockey,” said Rousseau. “The way these boys competed with unselfishness and a willingness to play a role, I’ve been inspired by what I’ve seen out of these boys.”

During this week, Rousseau used his own experiences in the state championship to keep his players focused and attentive to the detail of Saturday’s game.

“It’s not difficult to get high school boys to get intense at a time like this,” said Rousseau. “The key to success is blending intensity and poise. It really comes down to execution. What we were trying to do was be very thoughtful and deliberate in our preparation. We were asking a lot from these kids and they delivered.”

Saturday, the Trojans earned the thrills of a  state championship win and the trophy that comes with it. Rousseau knows how much more there is to come from the experience.

“Anyone involved in sports, you live for these moments,” said Rousseau. “These two weeks have been two of the most fun weeks I’ve had in coaching.

“The greatest thing about coaching is feeling the joy and happiness worth of 25 guys. This is the reason why people get involved in teaching and coaching. These are the moments you don’t forget.”

kmills@sunjournal.com