PORTSMOUTH — A huge boom of thunder and bright lightning forced the Rhode Island Division II boys’ lacrosse championship game to be stopped with still a little over a minute left in regulation.

No matter — the Portsmouth Patriots were ahead of top-seeded East Greenwich by such a large margin their championship win was never in doubt.

After squeaking by No. 2-seeded Middletown in overtime for a 10-9 semifinal win, No. 4-seeded Portsmouth had to go up against the Avengers, who had overpowered Prout in the other semifinal contest, 17-3.

If the Patriots were nervous, they sure didn’t show it when they took to Stevenson-Pincince Field at Brown University.

They scored an increasing number of goals in every quarter — two in the first, three in the second, and four in the third before exploding for six in the fourth — while holding the Avengers scoreless in two of those periods.

Sophomore Chase Pascoe led the offense, with five goals, while fellow classmate Teddy Gersen added four more, plus an assist.

Robert Mairs (four assists) and Oliver Melanson (one assist) had two goals apiece. Shane Temple (four assists) and Rafferty Dionne (three assists) each contributed a goal.

Goalkeeper Jack Colna, a junior, was selected as Portsmouth player of the game. He played the full 48 minutes and made 19 saves.

The weather was dramatic, to say the least. All players were sent off the field with 11 minutes left in the final period because of reports of lightning eight miles out. Play was resumed just as a flash flood hit the area, but the game ended early due to the lightning strike.