Injury Costs McCann Tech in One-Point Loss
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The McCann Tech football team Saturday afternoon withstood an early passing barrage from visiting Pioneer Valley.
But the Hornets could not overcome losing their senior captain and starting quarterback.
For the second year in a row, Michael Ferrara injured his arm against the Panthers. This time, the visitors came away with a 15-14 victory in the Hornets Nest.
A dejected Ferrara left the field in the second quarter with his team down, 8-0, only to return later with his left arm in a sling. McCann Tech (0-2) battled back to take a 14-8 lead at half-time, but the Hornets’ inability to sustain drives behind sophomore signal-caller Travis Dozier was the difference as Pioneer improved to 2-1.
“Travis did a great job,” McCann Tech coach Bob LeClair said. “He stepped in. … We’ve been working him in and he sees things, and he runs a lot of the stuff. But …
“He’s a sophomore who works really, really hard, and he gave it his all today. He really did.”
Early on, the story looked to be the quarterback in the other jersey.
Pioneer junior Scott Perlberg completed five of six passes for 51 yards on his team’s second possession to set up a 2-yard scoring plunge by Wyatt Keith. A busted play on a point-after kick attempt led to a Karl Wheeler two-pointer to give the visitors an 8-0 lead.
McCann Tech managed just one first down on its first possession after Ferrara checked out, but the Hornets’ defense got the ball back when Tanner Davis picked off a pass and returned it 16 yards to the plus-19.
Three plays later, Jason Delisle scored from the 5. He then ran in the conversion to tie the game, 8-8.
On Pioneer’s ensuing possession, the Panthers tried a fake punt from their own 36, but the Hornets made the stop to get the ball on Pioneer’s 38.
From there, Delisle (49 yards) needed one touch to score his second touchdown of the day and give McCann a 14-8; the point-after run was no good, and the Hornets settled for a six-point lead at the break.
On its second possession of the second half, Pioneer went 55 yards in 12 plays, consuming 5 minutes, 35 seconds. Perlberg was 4-for-7 for 41 yards on the drive, which ended in a 2-yard run by Keith to tie the game. Keith then kicked the extra point to provide the final margin.
McCann Tech went three-and-out on four of its five second-half possessions. The fifth ended before it got started with a fumble on the first play from scrimmage.
Pioneer’s Perlberg, meanwhile, threw for 118 yards and picked up a key third-and-4 on the ground in the final minute to allow the Panthers to run out the clock at the McCann 37.
The Hornets will try again for their first win next Saturday when they host Turners Falls.