Hawks Drop Season Opener 4-1

The Hawks opened their season on Saturday night against the reigning Region 21 Champs, Northern Essex. 

On a night that featured nearly 30 shots on goal between the two teams, the Northern Essex Knights came out on top. 

YCCC came out playing a 4-3-3 formation, containing the Knights attack for the first 20 minutes before they pushed across their first goal of the night. NECC followed shortly after with their second goal, giving them a 2-0 lead going into the half. A halftime formation change by second year coach Chris Melino saw an additional player come into the midfield, and the Hawks running a 4-4-2. They enjoyed much more possession in the second half, controlling the midfield and firing several shots on goal.

After a foul in the offensive half, first year player Isaac Rodrigues-Nkanza opened his account for the season, scoring on a free kick in the 60th minute. 

The match featured a lot of end to end action for the remaining half hour, with both keepers making great plays and both teams taking chances at the penalty stripe. After the final whistle, the decision was NECC 4, YCCC 1. 

Coach Melino had this to say about his team: "I was really proud of the way we battled back in that second half. There wasn't an ounce of quit in our game tonight. We played hard, we played tactically, and we created a lot of really good chances. Games like these will serve us well in the long run."

The Hawks are back in action on Wednesday afternoon, where they'll take on another Region 21 opponent in CCRI. Kick is scheduled for 4:00 pm.