McCann Tech Shows Growth in Loss to Hoosac Valley
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – The McCann Tech boys lacrosse team Thursday was not turning cartwheels after falling to 0-6 on the season.
But a young Hornet squad showed signs of improvement in an 11-4 loss to Hoosac Valley.
“Hoosac beat Monson, 12-4, and Monson killed us (12-1), and that was only last week,” McCann Tech coach Marshall Maxwell noted.
“This is a big rivalry game for us. Last year, these two games we played against Hoosac were separated by two goals and one overtime game. So for our kids to come out here … and compete for four quarters, it was good to watch – for both teams. Both teams put a lot of pride into this rivalry, and it was great to see both teams compete and get a good feel for a Berkshire County rivalry.”
Owen Taylor and Wesley Emerson scored four goals apiece to lead the Hurricanes, who won their fifth straight to improve to 5-1 this spring.
Kadan Tatro helped spark the Hurricanes’ offense early, scoring the first goal of the game midway through the first quarter and assisting on Emerson’s goal to give the visitors a 2-0 lead after one.
Once again, Hoosac Valley coach Jacob Anderson-Hall saw his team get off to a slow start, but he has learned to expect the squad to find ways to heat up.
“I like how they handle adversity,” he said. “When they’re not playing their best, they stick together, and they figure it out. It’s always a fourth quarter game with them. The first two quarters, they don’t really show up, but by the fourth quarter, they look like a really good lacrosse team, and they know how to finish these games.”
The Hornets took advantage of an actual slow start by Hoosac Valley to start the second half.
The Hurricanes were late coming out of their huddle and setting up for the faceoff, and McCann Tech was awarded possession without a draw. Just 1 minute, 2 seconds into the quarter, Parker Hart scored for the Hornets to cut the deficit in half at 2-1.
It stayed that way until the eighth minute of the quarter. That is when Taylor scored the first of two goals in 28 seconds to push the Hurricanes’ advantage to 4-1.
With 2:15 left until half-time, Taylor set up Adan Wicks for a goal to give Hoosac Valley a four-goal cushion going into intermission.
Emerson scored a goal early in the third and slipped another past McCann Tech keeper Brody Rhinemiller (eight saves) to give Hoosac Valley a little more breathing room at 7-1 midway through the third.
With about four minutes left in the quarter, McCann Tech’s Dallas Ritcher took a long pass from Musa Thompson (two goals, one assist) in transition and scored to get the margin back to five goals.
But Emerson and Taylor each scored to end the third with Hoosac Valley’s biggest lead, 9-2, and the teams traded goals in the fourth quarter to preserve that seven-goal spread.
Hoosac Valley has another Berkshire County rivalry on tap on Tuesday when it goes to Berkshire Community College to face Lenox.
McCann Tech Tuesday is home to face St. Mary’s of Westfield in the back end of a girls-boys double-header.
With a squad that graduated 10 seniors and dresses nine ninth-graders among its 18 players, Maxwell knows that there will be some growing pains this spring.
But he also has seen growth.
“I have a great group of kids,” Maxwell said. “They play for each other. They’re a pleasure to coach. I’m really enjoying coaching this team. It’s just not showing up in the ‘wins’ column, yet. But I just told them: The future is very bright for this team. It’s a rebuilding year. But I like the kids, and they have the right attitude.”