MCC Hosts NJCAA Division III Region XXI Championship

Cougars will attempt to win their third Region XXI title in four years

MANCHESTER, Conn. – Top-seed Manchester Community College will host second-seed Bunker Hill Community College in the 2005 National Junior College Athletic Association Division III Region XXI Men’s Soccer Tournament championship game at 1 p.m. Saturday at the McCormick Athletic Complex.

MCC will attempt to win its third NJCAA Division III Region XXI Men’s Soccer Tournament championship in four years. The Cougars defeated Holyoke Community College 4-1 for the title on Nov. 6, 2004 and reached the NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament quarterfinals. In 2002, Manchester Community College beat Springfield Technical Community College 4-3 in overtime and advanced to the NJCAA Division III semifinals.

The Cougars (9-5-1 overall, 6-0 NJCAA Division III Region XXI), ranked No. 12 in the latest NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Poll, have an 11-game winning streak against Bunker Hill Community College (8-5-1, 4-3-1), dating back to coach Jim Insinga’s first season in 2000. MCC defeated Bunker Hill CC 6-3 on Sept. 10 in Manchester and 4-0 in Boston, Mass., on Oct. 1.

Manchester Community College beat Bunker Hill Community College 3-0 on Nov. 3, 2004 in an NJCAA Division III Region XXI Men’s Soccer Tournament semifinal game.

The 2005 NJCAA Division III Region XXI Men’s Soccer Tournament champion will travel to face the NJCAA Division III Region XV champion in an NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament quarterfinal game on Nov. 8.

Sophomore forward Colin Jackson (HARTFORD) leads MCC in goals (20) and points (50). Freshman midfielder Lamar Chancey (MERIDEN) is first in assists (a school single-season and career record 20) and second in points (40). Freshman forward Andreas Blamo (WEST HARTFORD) has 14 goals and 11 assists for 39 points.

Jackson is tied with Southern Connecticut State University junior forward and 2004 first-team NJCAA Division III All-American Darren Foster for second on the MCC single-season goals list with 20. Foster scored 20 in 2002.

The 5-foot-11 Jackson is also second on the single-season points list with 50, five points from tying single-season points leader Fotis Anastasiou (55), a senior forward at Eastern Connecticut State University and a 2002 NJCAA Division III All-American.

Freshman goalkeeper Jonathan Wyman (MANCHESTER) has allowed 17 goals for a 1.18 goals-against average in 2004. He has recorded five shutouts and a .811 save percentage in 1,300 minutes.

The Cougars are 56-42-5 under Insinga, including 5-2 in the NJCAA Division III Region XXI tournament.