Eight MCC Student-Athletes Named to NJCAA Division III All-Region XXI Men’s Soccer Team

MANCHESTER, Conn. (Nov. 8) – Manchester Community College sophomore forward Andreas Blamo (WEST HARTFORD), sophomore back Andrew Repay (MANCHESTER), sophomore midfielder Jacob Marcus (NORWICH), freshman goalkeeper Artur Czupryna (COVENTRY), freshman midfielder Jemmy Cange (NORWICH) and freshman midfielder Santiago Meira (AVON) have been named to the 2006 National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III All-Region XXI men’s soccer first team and freshman midfielder Paul Meucci (VERNON) and freshman back Curtis Alvord (AVON) second-team selections.

Blamo, the NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Player of the Week for Oct. 1-7, finished his 33-game career as one of the top-three players in MCC men’s soccer history in goals (31), assists (20) and points (82).

The 5-foot-10 Blamo, a 2005 first-team NJCAA Division III All-Region XXI midfielder, had a team-high 17 goals and tied Cange with a team-best 42 points in 2006. Blamo scored two or more goals in five games, including three in Manchester Community College’s 5-0 win over Bunker Hill Community College in the 2006 NJCAA Division III Region XXI Men’s Soccer Tournament championship on Nov. 4.

Repay, a sweeper back, had one goal and two assists. He scored his first – and only – collegiate goal on a penalty kick in MCC’s 3-0 win over Bunker Hill Community College on Oct. 4. Repay anchored a defense which allowed 21 goals (nine against NJCAA Division III teams) in 20 games. The Cougars’ defense went 392 minutes, 41 seconds without allowing a goal over a five-game span from Sept. 27-Oct. 12.

Marcus, a 2005 first-team NJCAA Division III All-Region XXI midfielder, had career highs of eight goals and six assists in 2006. He was named the NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Player of the Week for Sept. 10-16. Marcus recorded the game-winning goal against Massasoit Community College, then ranked No. 10 in the NJCAA Division I poll, on an 18-yard shot to the lower left of the net 2:38 into overtime and tied the game at 1 on a 10-yard shot to the lower left in the second half at 52:00.

Czupryna (14-4-1) appeared in all 20 games with 6.5 shutouts (four solo), a 1.08 goals-against average and 93 saves. He was in net for a total of 1,578 minutes, 8 seconds and allowed 19 goals.

The 6-foot-5 Czupryna was named the NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week for Oct. 1-7. Czupryna had three consecutive solo shutouts over the nomination period. He made 16 saves over the three games, including one on a penalty kick headed toward the upper right corner in the final seconds of the first half against Massasoit Community College on Oct. 7.

Cange led the team in shots (83) and was second in goals (16) and assists (10). He scored two or more goals in three games, including four against Bristol Community College on Sept. 25 and three against MassBay Community College on Sept. 23. Cange had two game-winning goals, the first against MassBay CC on a 25-yard, left-footed shot, and the second against the Naval Academy Preparatory School on a four-yard header (Oct. 16). He had at least one point in each of MCC’s final six games.

Meira had 24 points (fourth on the team), including a team-high 18 assists. He finished second on the all-time single season list behind 2005 NJCAA All-American midfielder Lamar Chancey (21) and is tied for third on the career list with Jersson Diaz and Manny Meleounis. Meira had a season-high four assists in the Cougars’ 12-2 win over MassBay Community College on Sept. 23.

Meucci totaled 10 goals (third) and seven assists for 27 points (third). He had three goals in his collegiate debut, including the game-winner in MCC’s 6-0 win over Holyoke Community College on Sept. 6.

Alvord joined Repay as the only backs to start 18 games. He was part of a backfield which allowed 1.04 goals per game.

The 2006 Cougars (15-4-1 overall, 8-0 Division III Region XXI), ranked No. 5 in the final NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Poll, won their third straight NJCAA Division III Region XXI Men’s Soccer Tournament title. Manchester Community College also reached its third consecutive NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament quarterfinal game, losing to No. 3 Nassau Community College 3-2 at the McCormick Athletic Complex in Manchester on Nov. 7.

MCC is 72-47-6 under seventh-year coach Jim Insinga, including 7-2 in the NJCAA Division III Region XXI (New England) Men’s Soccer Tournament.