MCC Wins Its Third Straight NJCAA Division III Region XXI Championship

MANCHESTER, Conn. (Nov. 4) – Sophomore forward Andreas Blamo (WEST HARTFORD) had three goals as No. 11 nationally-ranked Manchester Community College won its third straight National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division III Region XXI (New England) Men’s Soccer Tournament championship by defeating Bunker Hill Community College 5-0 Saturday afternoon at the McCormick Athletic Complex.

The Cougars (15-3-1 overall) host No. 4 nationally-ranked Nassau Community College (17-1-1), a 1-0 winner over No. 2 Suffolk County Community College-Selden in the NJCAA Division III Region XV final, in the NJCAA Division III District III (Northeast) men’s soccer championship at 1 p.m. Tuesday at on-campus McCormick Athletic Complex.

It is MCC’s fourth NJCAA Division III Region XXI Men’s Soccer Tournament title in five years and fifth overall. Manchester Community College previously won in 1994 (5-0 versus Holyoke Community College), 2002 (4-3 versus Springfield Technical Community College in overtime), 2004 (4-1 versus Holyoke CC) and 2005 (3-0 versus Bunker Hill CC).

The 2006 MCC men’s soccer team has won the second most games in a single season (15) in program history. The 2002 team reached the NJCAA Division III semifinals and finished with a school record for victories (16-6).

The Cougars, ranked No. 11 in the latest NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Poll, have won 18 straight NJCAA Division III Region XXI games, dating back to the 2004 season. This 18-game streak includes four victories in the NJCAA Division III Region XXI (New England) Men’s Soccer Tournament.

Manchester Community College freshman midfielders Santiago Meira (AVON) and Jemmy Cange (NORWICH) each recorded two assists. Meira has a team-high 17 assists, fourth on the career list, one behind Jersson Diaz and Manny Meleounis (18).

Blamo, the school’s career points leader, scored on a low, three-yard shot to the middle-right part of the net (29:57), on a low, three-yard shot to the left (56:07) and on a low, five-yard shot to the right (76:50). He has 30 goals and 20 assists for 80 points in 34 career games.

The 5-foot-10 Blamo moved past 2005 first-team NJCAA Division III All-American and Southern Connecticut State University junior forward Colin Jackson (27) for sole possession of second on the career goals list. He is one goal away from tying 2002 first-team NJCAA Division III All-American Fotis Anastasiou and 2004 first-team NJCAA Division III All-American Darren Foster (31) for first. Blamo is also one assist away from tying 2005 first-team NJCAA Division III All-American Lamar Chancey (21) for first on the career assists list.

Blamo (16 goals, 8 assists), the NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Player of the Week for Oct. 1-7, and Cange (15 goals, 10 assists) are tied for the team lead with 40 points each.

MCC led 1-0 on freshman back Jonathan Moyano’s (MERIDEN) sixth goal of the season. Moyano made a left-footed, 22-yard free kick which hit the crossbar just to the right of the upper left corner and bounced straight down into the net.

Meira assisted on Blamo’s first two goals and Cange on Blamo’s last goal and freshman forward Kirk DaCosta Jr.’s (EAST HARTFORD) fifth goal of the season. DaCosta Jr. made an eight-yard header to the right side (79:14).

The Cougars outshot the Bulldogs (7-12), 23-11. Manchester Community College freshman goalkeepers Artur Czupryna (COVENTRY) and Roger Brown-Mason (LEBANON) recorded a combined shutout. Czupryna, the NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Goalkeeper of the Week for Oct. 1-7, made four saves, including a reaction kick save on a five-yard shot from Bunker Hill CC sophomore forward Elton Polena with six minutes left in the first half. He has 6.5 shutouts on the season, including four solo. Kevin Firmino totaled 12 saves for the Bulldogs.

MCC has a 15-game winning streak against Bunker Hill Community College, dating back to coach Jim Insinga’s first season in 2000. Manchester Community College defeated Bunker Hill CC 5-1 on Sept. 9 in Boston, Mass., and 3-0 in Manchester on Oct. 4.

Manchester Community College is 1-2 in its last three NJCAA Division III Men’s Soccer Tournament quarterfinal/District III championship appearances. MCC defeated then-No. 1 Ulster County Community College 1-0 in 2002 and lost to Suffolk County CC-Selden 1-0 in 2004 and Borough of Manhattan Community College 5-1 in 2005.

The Cougars are 72-46-5 under Insinga, including 7-2 in the NJCAA Division III Region XXI (New England) Men’s Soccer Tournament.