So as Gabe Romig of Midd-West lined up for his penalty kick, Lewisburg keeper Gabe Pawling simply remained calm between the posts.

The senior keeper waited, read Romig’s body language and dove to his right. It was the right call and Pawling came up with one of the biggest stops of his career, preventing a Midd-West goal.

Two minutes later, the Gren Dragons sent in a dagger.

Lewisburg scored with less than four minutes to play and the Green Dragons beat rival Midd-West in an exciting District 4 Class AA championship game, 2-0, at Milton’s Alumni Stadium to win its sixth District 4 Class AA championship in the last seven years.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Logan Kitchens (14) kisses his championship medal at the end of the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match against Midd-West at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

“It’s always a goal, it’s always a standard that’s been set years before us,” Lewisburg’s Viktor Permyashkin said. “Just to keep that standard, it’s always a good rivalry night against Midd-West. To beat them is also an amazing feeling.”

For the 13th time since 2010, Lewisburg is once again the top boys soccer team in the district. The Green Dragons have long established themselves as one of the area’s most perennially great programs, and Saturday was the latest chapter in a long history for Lewisburg.

“It’s a culture. There are three managers on our team right now that are living and breathing this. And our junior high team, Viktor, he goes down and leads all the young guys and all the young guy’s kind of believe in what we’re doing,” Lewisburg coach Ben Kettlewell said.  I would say it makes my job easier when the upper classmen are helping me do everything. I’m pleased. Success builds success.”

That it does, and that success has resulted in another trophy for the Lewisburg trophy case at the school.

The Green Dragons and Mustangs went into the half tied at zero despite Lewisburg holding a 5-1 edge in shots on goal.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Viktor Permyashkin (20) moves the ball past Midd-West's Connor Stolzfus (3) during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

Both teams battled early in the second half as Lewisburg kept applying pressure. The Green Dragons appeared to have scored a goal with 29:52 to play when Isaac Ayres send a ball in from just outside of the 6-yard box, but he was called offsides and the goal was waved off. But, four minutes later, Lewisburg struck,

Keegan Crosby fed a ball to Permyashkin, who put in the goal and gave the Green Dragons a lead.

“Our midfield has been really clicking these last couple games. I saw Key dribbling the ball, everyone was staring at him, so I ran across the back line,” Permyashkin said. “He sent me through, I faced up and passed it to the corner. Ran to the corner and celebrated.”

Midd-West’s penalty kick opportunity was a huge moment in the game. Rather than tying the game and shifting momentum, Pawling perfectly blocked it by diving and helped deflate Midd-West’s sails as time was ticking down.

“It was huge. I’m not sure it was a penalty, but it was called so Gabe stepped up. He’s confident in those things. We’re confident to put him back there,” Kettlewell said. “He’s made those in practice and stuff like that. He’s only allowed four goals all year, and two on PKs, so I wasn’t surprised by him making that save either.”

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg keeper Gabe Pawling (1) brings the ball back into play during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday.

“He’s, in my opinion, the best keeper in the state. You don’t give up four goals (all year) by chance. The saying defense wins championships, it doesn’t describe this team better,” Permyashkin said of Pawling and the back line. “It all starts in the back and as we work it up, it makes us look good because we score, but we win games because we don’t give up any goals.”

Two minutes after Pawling’s clutch penalty kick save, Crosby scored off an assist by Lincoln Ayres with 3:26 remaining, putting in a huge second goal that sealed the game and prevented any Mustang rally attempt from happening.

Midd-West and Lewisburg had a double-overtime scoreless draw earlier in the regular season and Kettlewell knew what to expect from the Mustangs entering Saturday’s district final, the tenth district final meeting between the two schools since 2013.

“They were man-marking Viktor the whole time, put one of their better players on him. We knew that coming in vs. being surprised because they’ve never done that in the past on any of my other players. It allowed us to have a little more of a game plan kind of coming in and understanding what they were trying to do,” Kettlewell said. “The regular season a lot of times is just to kind of learn about our team and other teams, especially in our district. I felt like majority of the game we were on front foot and had territory, but we needed to just kind of finish one and Vik was able to do that, and that’s what he does.”

Lewisburg ended the game with a 12-5 shots on goal advantage and possessed well throughout most of the game. The Green Dragons rifled seven shots on goal in the second half, majority of which came from inside the 18.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Roan Beachy (8) moves the ball past Midd-West's Abram Sellers (2) during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

Lewisburg had a quick flurry of chances with 9:55 until halftime. Permyashkin took a shot from 10 yards out but it went right to Midd-West keeper Derek Wert who blocked it. The ball stayed in play and wasn’t able to get cleared out and Lewisburg rifled off back-to-back quick shots, only to see Wert and the Midd-West back line prevent a goal from slipping by.

Lewisburg 2, Midd-West 0

(DISTRICT 4 CLASS AA CHAMPIONSHIP)

L–VIktor Perymashkin (Keegan Crosby), 25:32. L–Crosby (Lincoln Ayres), 3:26.

Shots: MW 5, L 12. Corners: MW 0, L 3. Saves: MW 10 (Derek Wert), L 5 (Gabe Pawling).

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Roan Beachy (8) moves the ball past Midd-West's Layden Swinehart (13) during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

Records: Midd-West (17-3-1), Lewisburg (20-0-1).

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Isaac Ayres (9) moves the ball past Midd-West's Gabriel Romig (23) during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Viktor Permyashkin (20) and Midd-West's Jacob Sellers (22) react after Permyashkin scored during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Viktor Permyashkin meets his teammates on the sidelines after scoring during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Keegan Crosby (6) battles for control of the ball during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Keegan Crosby (6) moves the ball towards the net during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Midd-West goalie Derek Wert (00) colides with Lewisburg's Isaac Ayers (9) during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Everett Good (33) tries to control the ball during the District 4 Class AA boys championship soccer match against Midd-West at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Jack Kohl (7) battles for control of the ball around a Midd-West player during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Lewisburg's Keegan Crosby (6) celebrates after scoring during the District 4 Class AA boys soccer championship match against Midd-West at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.

RALPH WILSON/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Midd-West players react after dropping the District 4 Class AA boys championship soccer match to Lewisburg at Milton on Saturday. Lewisburg won 2-1.