McCann Tech boys battle Gateway to a draw in soccer

NORTH ADAMS — Four games into the 2026 boys soccer season, McCann Tech still finds itself undefeated. After Friday's draw with Gateway, not everybody in green and white was happy about that.

"It's very frustrating. All we were doing was playing kickball," McCann coach Steve McAllister said after the 0-0 tie with the Gators, in a Bi-County West game. "That's all I've got to say."

The Hornets had the better of play between the 18s, and got to far more 50-50 balls than the Gators did. However, the number of really good chances the McCann offense put together could be counted on one hand despite sending 19 shots goalward.

"We were rolling, we were firing on all cylinders. We couldn't quite finish," McCann's Ashton Solomon said. "Gateway plays a lot of players in the box. I think they pack the box with 10 players. It makes it that much harder to get a shot on net."

It was, in fact, Sullivan who had the game's best scoring opportunity. It came late in the game.

There was a bit more than two minutes left on the clock when the Hornets offense kept the ball in the Gateway end. Sullivan got the ball and fired toward the lower right corner of the net. But Gators goalkeeper Zach Hess dove to rob Sullivan of what would have been a game-winning goal.

The Hornets took on Gateway Friday afternoon in North Adams.

To view a full gallery or purchase photos, click here.

Prior to Sullivan's shot, a hand ball just outside the box with eight minutes remaining gave McCann Tech a free kick. Another 10 inches and it would have been a penalty kick. Instead, Max Plekhanov took the free kick. The ball got by the Gateway wall, rattled around the goal area but was eventually cleared away.

"I think they got frustrated down the stretch, that's for sure," Gateway coach Andrew McCaul said. "I think we stand pretty strong with the Orange guy [Hess]. We have a lot of confidence in him.

"It wasn't pretty the whole time, but we stand pretty strong up there."

The Gateway senior made nine saves over 80 minutes, but most were not particularly challenging — at least not until the late shot by Solomon.

"I have to tell you, the guy in orange [Hess] and the two guys in front of him that put it on the line, so that was good," McCaul said.

The Gators are now 1-0-3, and all three of their ties were 0-0 scores.

The draw ended a three-game winning streak for the Hornets. And after the players broke from a postgame huddle, one of the Hornets' captains said he remained confident.

"We just need to reign a few things in and I think we'll be a good team," said Solomon.

The Hornets will take that 3-0-1 record to South Berkshire Tuesday for a game against Mount Everett. The Eagles were one of those three scoreless ties with Gateway.