McCann Tech Improves to 2-0 with Home Win

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Hayden Bona scored a pair of goals, and Ben Harris stopped 11 shots Monday to lead the McCann Tech boys soccer team to a 2-1 win over Springfield International Charter in the Hornets’ home opener.

 

Bona broke a 1-1 tie in the 65th minute when he won a ball in traffic in front of the net and slipped a shot past the Bulldogs Xavier Davis (four saves).

 

“I’m very proud of Hayden Bona stepping it up today as our striker,” McCann Tech coach Stephen McAllister said. “He’s very physical, very fast.

 

“We’ve been working with him on his final touch. For a while, he was liking to put a big old foot on it. We had to settle him down and just position the ball where he wants it instead of killing it. And he showed us today that he’s listening, and he’s doing great.”

 

The game’s first goal came on a rare misplay in the back by the SICS keeper, who mishandled a pass back from a defender. Bona jumped on the ball and put it in the net in the 11th minute to give the Hornets a 1-0 lead.

 

Springfield ICS dominated the middle portion of the first half and finally was able to break through with a goal.

 

First, a shot off a penalty kick went just wide of the post and the diving Harris in the 22nd minute. Then, in the 24th minute, Harris came off his line to deny the Bulldogs’ Jacob Baldoo on a run deep on the right wing.

 

But a minute later, Adriel Rivera finished on an assist from David Mejia to send the visitors into half-time tied, 1-1.

 

In the opening minutes of the second half, SICS nearly got a go-ahead goal when Matt Duprat’s try from high on the right side of the 18 went off the crossbar.

 

But McCann started to generate some pressure through the middle stages of the half. And the Hornets finally cashed one in with 15 minutes, 6 seconds to play.

 

Max Plekhanov started the play with an entry from the left wing that Bona was able to win in control surrounded by four defenders. He fired a shot inside the far post from about seven yards out to give McCann tech the lead for good.

 

The Bulldogs did everything they could to erase that margin in the closing minutes.

 

SICS forced Harris to make back-to-back saves with about three minutes left in the game and then, moments later, he had to make a diving save on a corner kick opportunity to keep it a 2-1 contest.

 

“Ben was a game-winner today,” McAllister said. “I mean, he made some phenomenal saves. He’s going to be a key piece to our team this year for sure.

 

“Their keeper, too, was absolutely phenomenal. We had two great keepers today playing against each other. They had some good shots. We settled down finally in the second half and got that second goal.”

 

And the Hornets finished their second game of the fall having allowed just one goal in 160 minutes of play.

 

McAllister credited Tarren Drye and the whole Hornet defense for strong play.

 

“One goal in two games, I’m hoping to keep it that way for the rest of the year,” McAllister said. “We started off really good last year. We only gave up three goals in the first 10 games of the season. I’m hoping to beat that record. So we’ll see what happens.

 

“But, overall, I’m very proud of these boys today. We knew coming here that [the Bulldogs] were a tough, tough team. We scouted them, and coach Chris [Bullett] and I were like, ‘This is going to be a tough one.’ But they showed up and took home the win.”

 

McCann Tech (2-0) is home again on Tuesday against Pioneer Valley Chinese Immersion Charter School.

 

Photos from this game to come.