McCann Tech Starts Strong, Shuts Out Drury
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The McCann Tech boys soccer team Wednesday used a strong start to their game to continue a strong start to their season.
The Hornets scored their second goal of the game on their fourth corner kick of the afternoon before six minutes elapsed in an eventual 5-0 win over Drury.
Jake Touponce scored a pair of goals and Ivan Liang and Zack Gelinas each had a goal and an assist as McCann Tech improved to 3-0 and posted its second straight shutout win.
“After our Hoosac game, we really started just picking up the momentum,” Touponce said, referring to a 3-2 win over the Hurricanes in the season opener. “In the Hoosac game, we kind of started off slow.
“Now, as a team, we’re kind of putting the puzzle pieces together in the first few minutes and getting the ball moving.”
Jack Cooper gave the Hornets all the offense they needed when he scored out of a crowd inside the 6-yard box with just 1 minute, 25 seconds expired.
Four minutes later, Liang set up Gelinas for a goal on McCann Tech’s fourth corner kick opportunity to make it 2-0.
“From the very start of the season, we’ve been working on nothing but straight intensity,” McCann Tech coach Stephen McAllister said. “I’ve been working these guys – the front line, the forwards, the centers. We did not do that last year, and this team has such a different dynamic than what I had last year. They’re actually working like a well-oiled machine.
“It only being the third game into the season, I’m really excited.”
Touponce scored his first goal of the game midway through the first half when he put back the rebound of a Gelinas shot to make it 3-0.
With less than two minutes to go before half-time, Touponce knocked home a shot from 40 yards out to send the Hornets into the break with a four-goal lead.
Liang scored his third goal of the season and picked up his team-leading eighth point midway through the second half with a tough-angle shot from deep on the right wing.
“I’ve got my senior Ivan Liang, who is unbelievable as my [center attacking mid],” McAllister said. “He distributes the ball where it needs to be.
“I’ve got my solid, solid defense with Max Morin in the back and Mikey Barnes, who is only a sophomore. I feel like we’re really strong.
“My big thing is intensity. I love to see intensity. That’s what these guys are doing, something we lacked a little bit last year.
Drury’s best scoring opportunity came in the 70th minute when Steven Cornell made a run down the right wing deep into the attacking third.
But McCann Tech keeper Cole Maxwell came well off his line to make a sliding stop and erase the scoring chance.
Maxwell stopped two shots in the second half. Jesse Brazee had two saves in the first for the Hornets.
Drury used three different keepers. Parker Rivard stopped seven shots. Dom Duteau and Colin Daly combined for six saves.
Blue Devils coach John Jacobbe said Wednesday’s slow start is a pattern that his young team cannot afford to repeat.
“We’ve played three games, and two of them we’ve given up goals early,” Jacobbe said. “That’s hard to do when you’re younger and you’re trying to find your identity.
“We knew McCann coming in was a very good team. We wanted to keep it 0-0 as long as we could and hope to get a counter goal. I thought we had four or five counter opportunities, but they’re strong on the defensive line. They have good goalies. They’re a good team.”
Drury (0-3) hosts Gateway on Friday.
McCann Tech hosts Westfield Tech on Friday.
Video: McCann Tech’s Jake Touponce scores from distance in Wednesday’s win over Drury.
Video: Zack Gelinas scores off an Ivan Liang corner kick for McCann Tech in Wednesday’s win over Drury.
Video: Jake Touponce puts back a rebound for McCann Tech in Wednesday’s win over Drury.