Hornets Come Back to Reach State Voc Final
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Zach Howland scored a pair of goals, and Ashton Solomon scored the game-winner midway through the second half to lead the McCann Tech boys soccer team to a 3-1 win over Smith Vocational in the finals of the State Vocational Tournament on Tuesday afternoon.
Kolton Buck set up Solomon for a goal in the 66th minute to break a 1-1 tie that stood for nearly 53 minutes after the Hornets and Vikings traded goals in a one-minute span midway through the first half.
The visitors struck first in that opening half when Joel Charbonneau converted on a breakaway up the middle to give the Vikings a 1-0 lead with 27 minutes, 27 seconds on the clock.
Thirty-one seconds later, Howland ran down a ball on the right side of the 18 and fired a tough-angle shot past the Smith Voc keeper. Solomon came running in behind the keeper and made a touch on the ball just as crossed the goal line to make sure of the equalizer.
Despite that lift, it was a lackluster half for the Hornets, who were outshot by a margin of 3-1 – three days after dropping a 3-1 decision to these same Vikings in the semi-finals of the Western Massachusetts Class C Tournament.
“To be honest with you, I felt we came out and started playing kind of the way we did on Saturday at the very beginning,” McCann Tech coach Stephen McAllister said. “I was getting a little nervous.
“We’ve just got to have that determination, drive and heart and pressure, and you guys can do amazing things.”
The Hornets earned an early chance to take the lead just four minutes in, but Howland’s shot from just inside the 18 on the right wing sailed inches over the crossbar.
It was not until 22 minutes later, when Solomon converted, that McCann Tech’s offense really took over.
For about a six-minute stretch, the Hornets kept Smith Voc pinned in its defensive third and had some of their best opportunities of the afternoon on keeper Tanner Levin (two saves).
The Vikings were able to get some momentum going in the final stages of the half, but McCann Tech keeper Ben Harris (seven saves) and his defense held the fort until their offense got the insurance goal.
Howland did the honors, getting behind Levin on a run up the middle and converting into an empty net with under two minutes to play.
Now, McCann Tech awaits the winner of Wednesday’s semi-final between Cape Cod and Minuteman Regional to decide the state title.
“This is huge,” McAllister said. “This is huge for McCann Tech right now. It’s the first time I’ve made State Vocs since I’ve been here for soccer.
“It used to be a different ranking system on how they got in. I think it’s great now that they’re using the MIAA system. Some good teams like ourselves and Smith Voc are now getting in. And we get east versus west for the state championship. I think that’s great. And these guys – I know they’re going to the game with all cylinders firing.”
Photos from this game here.