LEWISTON — Soccer is a game of teamwork. It’s a harmony of skills and strategy. It builds trust and respect among its ranks. It blends personalities and individuals to achieve a common goal. It is a game, but it is also a community in motion.

“One Team: The Story of the Lewiston High School Blue Devils” is a film about an amazing soccer team, one of the best the state of Maine has ever seen. The Blue Devils’ story is one of teamwork, a blending of cultures and rising above all obstacles. Its impact is still being felt in the community and statewide.

The film by Lewiston native Ian Clough made its first showing Friday night in Lewiston as part of the Emerge Film Festival. A sold-out crowd, including the team and coaches, watched intently as “One Team” took them on a journey not only through the Class A soccer tournament of 2015 but also through Lewiston’s immigrant history. It is a sports movie at its core but one with greater meaning in its heart.

The film made you laugh but also brought you to tears. The crowd was on the edge of its seat with every shot on goal. It was heartbreaking to see a photo of a dejected Mike Wong and Hassan “Speedy” Mohamed after the 2014 state championship loss. You felt the determination of Abdi Shariff and his team to return to that state game and win it all. You heard Coach Mike McGraw promise that they’d do just that. An excited cheer from the audience followed highlights of the state championship victory. It was an outcome that everyone knew was coming but one worth experiencing and celebrating all over again.

The nearly 80-minute film is not unlike “The Rivals” by Maine filmmaker Kirk Wolfinger. That film depicted the developing rivalry between the Rumford area’s Mountain Valley and Cape Elizabeth high school football teams, two very different towns and programs.

Both documentaries show how many of life’s lessons are played out amid the wins and losses of sports. 

“One Team” follows the 2015 Lewiston boys’ soccer team through the final four games of the season, three regional tournament games and the climactic state championship game. That plot is interspersed with the history of Lewiston’s immigrant population, past and present. With a team built around former immigrants from a variety of countries, the soccer team was a testimony to teamwork and unity. It was an example that the school and community has followed.

One of the stars of the film is Lewiston’s beloved soccer coach, Mike McGraw. Like watching a Blue Devils soccer game, the sound of McGraw’s voice is prevalent. Between his coaching and his enthusiasm, his words are like a soundtrack to the story. He’s entertaining and inspiring, sometimes at the same time. The players listen intently and are fueled by his words. He pushes them but lifts them up as well.

In one scene he’s caught at practice with his shirt on backwards. Maulid Abdow notices, prompting hearty laughs from the team. In another moment, he says that he didn’t need a state championship — but he sure wanted one.

McGraw is an obvious driving force behind the team, but he’s also a respected and beloved figure, not only to the players but to the community. The bond he has with his players, many of whom refer to him as a father figure, is the heart and soul of the film and the team’s success. One of the best scenes comes after winning the state title: McGraw has an emotional hug with assistant coach Dan Gish. As McGraw heads out onto the field, Abdulkarim Abdulle leads a charge of players who rush to hug their coach. They’re as happy for him as he is for them.

But there are other stars in this story. The players themselves are featured nicely, between amazing soccer highlights and one-on-one interviews. You get to know these players and learn their stories. Many escaped unimaginable hardship in war-torn countries and found a new life in Lewiston. Knowing their background and watching them find refuge in each other and the team only makes the outcome of the story that much more glorious.

The film also shines a bright light on Lewiston. The city has had its struggles with the growth of the immigrant population, but nothing displays how far the community has rallied together than seeing the combination of cultures on the soccer team and in the high school. The soccer team, like Lewiston itself, has changed dramatically over the past decade, but it has been an amazing progression.

Clough wasn’t intending to have a political agenda in the film. The team itself wasn’t looking to be the poster example of immigrants in the United States. That all came with the territory and the times. Clough wanted to make a soccer film. The players wanted to be kids and play soccer. 

The core of the film and the team is the soccer they played. The Blue Devils were one of the most dominant teams Maine has ever seen. Its championship became a communal celebration of a proud soccer heritage. Clough takes you into the huddles and shows you the great highlights of their playoff run. If you were there, you relive it all over again. McGraw said he was more nervous watching the state game in the film than he was when he was coaching it. If you didn’t see those games, Clough puts you there with an all-access pass.

“One Team” is a fun and exciting sports story. It is also a serious and inspiring tale of what teamwork and understanding can create. In a world where fear of differences incites divisiveness, “One Team” shows the power of common bonds and the positive results of unity for the common good.

kmills@sunjournal.com