Portland’s Vincent Pasquali looks to the referee after making the first touchdown of the evening as teammate Benjamin Stasium comes in to congratulate him during Friday night’s Class A North semi final on Garcelon Field at Bates College. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

LEWISTON — In the first half, nothing happened.

In the second half, Terion Moss happened. And kept happening.

Moss ran for 176 yards and three touchdowns to lead Portland to a 27-13 win over Lewiston in the Class A North regional semifinal at Garcelon Field on Friday.

“He’s unbelievable,” Lewiston coach Bruce Nicholas said. “We know he’s going to get the ball, you know you’ve got to wrap him up, you know you got to break down, but still, he finds a way. Little crease, little seam, you think, you have him, and you don’t.”

The Bulldogs will next face Windham in the regional final for the third consecutive year.

Neither team produced much offensively in the first half. Lewiston didn’t pick up its first first down until 56 seconds into the second quarter. Portland first moved the chains about four minutes later.

The Bulldogs broke the stalemate after Vincent Pasquali intercepted Tanner Cortes and returned it to the Lewiston 41-yard line.

That led to a 7-yard touchdown pass by Moss to Pasquali, giving Portland a 7-0 lead with 33 seconds left in the half.

Moss and Pasquali also connected for a 15-yard pass on that drive, and Zachary Elowitch caught a 12-yard pass as the Bulldogs struggled to run the ball in the first two quarters, only gaining 34 to go along with 34 passing yards.

The Blue Devils fared better, yards-wise, with 71 rushing and 46 passing, but were unable to put together any threatening drives.

“Both teams sort of, in the first half, offensively couldn’t get anything going,” Nicholas said. “Even Moss couldn’t.”

Nicholas added, “I just think all those penalties and things in the first half, no one could get in a rhythm.”

After losing top receiver Jason Willis to injury in the first half, Lewiston lost Cortes to a thumb injury on its first offensive play of the second half (he was still able to play defense), and he was replaced at quarterback by Brock Belanger.

After Ben Stasium’s leaping, one-handed interception for Portland at the Lewiston 8, Moss scored his first touchdown on a 1-yard run to make it 13-0.

Lewiston responded with a 15-play, 69-yard drive that featured gritty running by Belanger and Garrett Poussard. Both players carried piles of defenders throughout the drive as they fought for extra yardage.

Poussard finished the drive with a 9-yard run to get the Blue Devils within a score, 13-7.

“We were doing pretty much the same things,” Nicholas said. “I think our running backs ran a little harder. We told them to run the hole; we were trying to break everything to the outside, and the holes inside were open.”

But again, Moss took over. And he wouldn’t be stopped, except by the teammate that tripped him up on what looked to be a sure touchdown run, and he had to settle for a 26-yard gain. No matter: on the next play, Moss went the final 24 yards for a touchdown that made the lead 20-6.

“Our line was really good,” Moss said. “In the first half, it wasn’t really getting our blocks, but in the second half we started getting a lot of blocks and holes started opening up.”

Belanger and Poussard, both seniors, again carried Lewiston back into contention, this time with a 14-play, 55-yard drive that ended with a 5-yard run by Poussard with 3:30 left in the game.

Poussard finished with 61 yards on 19 carries.

“He’s the real deal,” Portland coach Jim Hartman said. “He killed us.”

Five plays later, Moss ran in from 50 yards to seal the victory.

Hartman said the Bulldogs’ blockers were less intimidated by Lewiston’s blitz in the second half.

“Settled them down at halftime, and we went through the blitz pickup,” he said. “And, as you saw, it was off to the races. If you’re going to blitz that heavy, you’re going to pay a price.”

Moss has been key to Portland’s turnaround after a 0-5 start to the season. Hartman said that the senior has really only played quarterback for four games, and doesn’t have a whole lot of football experience beyond that.

“He didn’t play much, period last year. So, you’re really talking fourth game being a football player,” Hartman said. “He’s coming. He’s a tremendous athlete, and tough, he’s a tough, tough kid. It’s only going to get better for him.”

Also helping the Bulldogs continue the program’s tradition of postseason success has been the growth of several other players who have received their first significant varsity experience this season.

“We’re just getting better and better and better,” Hartman said.

The Blue Devils, meanwhile, took a step forward this season, earning the second seed in A North.

“I told the guys, we’ve learned how to lose, we’re pretty much learning how to win,” Nicholas said. “We’ve gotten better, our program’s gotten better.

“I think our program’s on the uphill. I wish we would have won tonight, but I think, overall, the season was pretty successful.”

And, while the Bulldogs and Eagles will again meet in the A North final, Nicholas said the Twin Cities teams are making up ground.”

“Portland and Windham won tonight, but I think Lewiston and Edward Little are growing,” Nicholas said. “But we’re still learning how to win big games. Portland’s been there.”

Portland’s Terion Moss breaks away from the pack during Friday night’s Class A North semi final on Garcelon Field at Bates College. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

Lewiston’s Brock Belanger jukes with the ball as he faces Portland’s Vincent Pasquali during Friday night’s Class A North semi final on Garcelon Field at Bates College. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

Portland’s Terion Moss runs past Lewiston’s Jeremy Madore grasp during Friday night’s Class A North semi final on Garcelon Field at Bates College. Lewiston’s Dominick Colon comes in from the left to attempt a tackle. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

Lewiston’s Garrett Poussard sprints with the balll wsith Portland’s Lewis Gaddas and Zachary Elowitch on his heels during Friday night’s Class A North semi final on Garcelon Field at Bates College. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

Lewiston’s Garrett Poussard runs in for a touchdown during Friday night’s Class A North semi final on Garcelon Field at Bates College. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)

Lewiston’s Garrett Poussard tosses the ball to the referee after making a touchdown during Friday night’s Class A North semi final on Garcelon Field at Bates College as his teammates celebrate behind him. (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)