Raiders still roaring on
Mechanicville scoring at double-digit pace over first five games
There are a bunch of Section II football teams wishing they were scoring at the rate the Mechanicville boys’ soccer team presently is, and every varsity football mentor out there wants a defense like the one the Red Raiders are putting on the field.
The Red Raiders took the pitch Wednesday in a game postponed from April 1 because of snow and took 15 minutes before melting away Stillwater’s defense. Mechanicville easily kept possession of the Indian Cup by registering a 12-0 Wasaren League victory over the Warriors on Senior Night.
Wednesday’s decisive win gives Mechanicville (5-0 overall, 5-0 Wasaren League) five victories by double-digit margins. In fact, the Red Raiders have now outscored their opposition 57-0.
“We knew we would go out and win a lot of our games. I don’t think we expected this,” Mechanicville junior striker Andrew Kraszewski said. “A lot of us have been playing together for a long time.”
“We are a good team and we knew we could score,” Mechanicville sophomore striker Colin Mcnutt said.
Competing inside a Fall Season II schedule has not hindered the Red Raiders in the least.
“It is different with all the COVID,” Mechanicville junior standout Wyqie Aquda said. “What we’ve done is surprising. It is just happening.”
“My biggest surprise is how well prepared they were coming into the season,” Mechanicville coach Mike Cuilla said. “The first day, it was 25 degrees. We couldn’t really condition. A lot of the guys were playing basketball. They have played very well.”
Aguda got the scoring going for the Red Raiders when he tallied the first of his two goals with 25:11 left in the first half. Less than two minutes later, Mcnutt scored his 10th goal of the season. The sophomore
scored the second of his three goals of the game and junior defender Tyler Eiseman provided Mechanicville a 4-0 advantage just before intermission.
“Coach does a great job of making sure we spread things out,” Mcnutt said. “Stillwater’s (defensive) formation gave us some trouble early and it took us a while to figure things out.”
Kraszweski, who entered the game having tallied 13 goals and nine assists, did not score in the opening 40 minutes. He needed just 58 seconds in the second half to score the first of his three goals Wednesday to go along with two assists. The junior has scored at least three goals in all five games this season.
“I like assists because I am happy when I set up my teammates to score goals,” Kraszewski said.
“Andrew’s presence out there opens up a lot of space for others. We have a wide array of scorers,” Cuilla said. “These guys know how to shoot and finish.”
Mcnutt completed his hat trick with 37:50 remaining. Mechanicville senior goalie Glenn Praire, who was honored along with Nick Amodeo, TJ Bisaillon, Jordan Nolin, Tyler Tesoriero and William Woods with their parents after the game, kept the shutout intact by denying a blast from Stillwater senior Isaac Cutler.
“To go 400 minutes in soccer and handle the scoring threats says a lot about our defense,” Cuilla said.
Aguda scored his second goal on a breakaway, and then Bisaillon stepped up for the first of his two goals on a corner kick the senior headed in to provide Mechanicville a 9-0 lead.
“I was happy. That was a great run from him,” Aguda said of Bisaillon.
It will be a busy few weeks for the Red Raiders as they still have eight regular-season contests remaining before competing in the eight-team Wasaren League Tournament.
“We are looking forward to the league tournament,” Kraszewski said. “We have to keep things going.”