Scholz Scores Three as 'Canes Roll Past St. Mary's
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – David Scholz registered a hat trick Wednesday to lead the Hoosac Valley boys soccer team to a 6-0 win over St. Mary’s at MCLA’s Zavattaro Athletics Complex in the quarter-finals of the Western Massachusett Class D tournament.
The top-seeded Hurricanes advance to host Saturday morning’s regional semi-final against No. 4 Monson, which beat Duggan Academy, 12-0, on Wednesday.
The Hurricanes wasted no time getting on the board.
Just six minutes in, Ian Godfrey fired a shot that went off the keeper’s fingertips and into the back of the net.
Eight minutes later, Godfrey stole the ball high on the left wing, dribbled along the edge of the 18 and centered the ball to Drew Norcross, whose one-timer made it 2-0.
And that is where it stayed for the next 26 minutes, 33 seconds. Despite strong pressure from the Hurricanes, the Saints’ keeper did his best to keep his team in it, making eight of his 13 saves before the break to keep it a two-goal margin.
“I respect [St. Mary’s] kids big time,” Hoosac Valley coach Patrick Mahoney said. “It’s a long bus ride, and they knew what they were up against [as an eight seed]. And they made it an event worth participating in and did a really great job.”
In addition to their 10 shots on frame in the first 40 minutes, Hoosac Valley also had a number of shots go just wide or come off the crossbar.
At the other end, the Saints managed just a few seconds of possession time on the other side of the midfield stripe – one of those trips ended in a shot from well outside that bounced into the waiting arms of Hoosac Valley keeper Wesley Emerson (one save).
The Hurricanes were more on target in the second half.
Once again, they scored early, this time when Scholz converted from 20 yards out to make it 3-0.
Five minutes later, Godfrey scored his second goal of the game.
Scholz then scored two more – all before 15 minutes expired in the half – to put the contest out of reach.
Mahoney said the game, despite the lopsided score, was a chance for the Hurricanes to develop skills that they will need as they move forward in the regional tournament and next week’s state tourney.
“It was a good opportunity to work on some things and kind of tune up some things,” he said. “The goal really is to get better at those things so that they’re a little easier when you’re under pressure. It is really good for that – kind of test out some concepts, improve communication and things like that.
“And it is still a Western Mass game. Now, we’re in it, you know what I mean. Post-season isn’t something approaching to get nervous about because you’re already in the middle of it. So it was really great for that.”
Hoosac Valley (12-3-2) is 6-1-1 in its last eight games going into the regional semis.