Turnovers Cost Hornets at Smith Vocational

NORTHAMPTON, Mass. – The McCann Tech dominated everywhere but on the scoreboard in a 22-6 loss to Smith Vocational.

 

The Hornets got 138 yards rushing from Anthony Trzcinski and 177 yards passing from Landyn Phillips while holding the Vikings to 116 yards of total offense.

 

But four turnovers and some costly penalties stalled McCann Tech’s offense as the Hornets slipped to 3-3 with their second straight loss and one game left in their regular season.

 

McCann Tech’s defense bottled up Smith Voc all night, allowing just two scores to the Vikings’ offense. Unfortunately for the visitors, that only told half the story.

 

“We couldn’t keep [our] defense off the field,” McCann Tech coach Jon Rochelo said. “Offensively … it’s a lack of discipline.

 

“That’s my fault. We were a little relaxed. I gave them a break about the Pathfinder game and homecoming stuff. I was trying to be nice with them this week, and it kind of backfired on me.”

 

The circumstances of the Pathfinder game the week would have tried any team.

 

McCann Tech started its Week 6 odyssey on Friday night in Palmer, when rain and lightning forced the game to be suspended and continued early on Saturday morning – meaning the Hornets had to make their longest road trip of the season twice in about 16 hours.

 

Throw in a short week of practice to get ready for a Thursday night game against the Vikings, and there were reasons why McCann Tech did not look like the team that won three games in a row earlier this season.

 

After a 26-yard pickup by Trzcinski on McCann Tech’s first play from scrimmage, it fumbled the ball on its second play to give the Vikings a first down on the plus-26.

 

Four plays later, the Vikings were in the end zone on a 5-yard run. The two-point conversion put McCann Tech down, 8-0.

 

The Hornets went three-and-out on their next possession but caught a break when Smith Voc muffed the punt at midfield. On first down, though, another McCann Tech fumble, its second of the first quarter, gave the Vikings the ball at the 17 after a long fumble return.

 

Smith Voc got to the 5 before McCann’s defense closed the door, stopping the Vikes at the 3 on fourth-and-goal from the 15 late in the quarter.

 

Trzcinski and the offense then drove 97 yards in a march that consumed 11 minutes, 2 seconds and ended in his 5-yard run to make it 8-6 with 2:48 left in the half.

 

The teams traded possession three times in that final three minutes as they combined to go 5-for-13 through the air and each fumbled the ball away once, leaving it a two-point margin at half-time.

 

McCann Tech’s opening possession of the second half ended in a punt from its 25, and a bad snap led to Smith Vocational taking over at the plus-10.

 

Again, the Hornets’ defense was stout, holding Smith Voc to minus-1 yard in four plays. Kaleb Munson had a key 4-yard tackle for a loss in the sequence.

 

The third quarter ended with Smith Voc still up by two points. But the Vikings opened the fourth by completing a 48-yard drive with their second score of the night to make it a two-score game at 16-6 with 9:37 remaining.

 

McCann Tech’s offense rallied, going from its 35 to the Smith Voc 14 in a drive highlighted by a 53-yard completion from Phillips to Trzcinski. However, that drive ended in a a red zone interception with 6:24 left to play.

 

The Hornets defense held Smith Voc to a three-and-out, and, after a punt, McCann Tech got the ball on its own 43, down by 10, with 4:11 on the clock.

 

Phillips completed two passes for 18 yards, but his fifth attempt of the possession was intercepted and returned 65 yards for the final score of the night with just 2:34 remaining.

 

Rochelo noted that the Hornets were a little banged up, but he also shouldered some of the blame with play calls that were intended to fool the Vikings but ended up backfiring.

 

“It’s preparing them a little bit more for these types of games,” he said of the challenge facing the Hornets. “It’s gonna be a battle. Smith Voc’s always been a good team since I’ve been there. I haven’t beaten them yet.

 

“And we’ve got to learn when we’re not in our back yard. Three and zero at home, but on the road, something happens. … They need to mentally stay in it. Too many mental mistakes, and it just snowballs.”

 

McCann Tech finishes its regular season next Thursday when it travels to Belchertown (6-1), a 34-6 winner over Pathfinder on Thursday night.