St. Mary’s wins boys consolation over Tech 2-1; Spartan coach Jackson notches 200th career win

LYNN – With two very young but very good keepers, the Spartans faced off against the Tigers in the consolation game of the Lynn City Soccer Tournament on Saturday. St. Mary’s won, 2-1, and coach Al Jackson recorded his 200th career win.Tech coach Fred Gallo had much praise for his team, especially the freshmen, who received a baptism of fire. He said, “St Mary’s played a great game and I would like to congratulate Al Jackson on his great achievement. This tourney gets us ready for our league schedule.”Jackson – who has announced that he will retire following this season – thanked everyone who came. He picked Ralph Bertrand as the St Mary’s MVP. Gallo selected Kevin DeLeon as the Tech MVP.DeLeon is the freshman keeper for Tech and sophomore Nico DiSalvo minds the nets for St. Mary’s. In front of these two keepers, both teams have very talented scorers and defenders.Tech opened the scoring at the 19-minute mark when Elmer Vicente took a shot off the right wing that the keeper saved but could not hold on to, and the rebound went about 6 yards from the keeper to the feet of Richard Jones-Alas, who drilled it into the back of the net, making the score Tech 1, Spartans 0.The action for the remaining twenty-one minutes of the half was non-stop. The passing was crisp and the shots were well-taken. However, both keepers were up to the task. The only thing that stopped them was the referee’s whistle signaling halftime.The second half started the same way as the first ended. In the 62nd minute, the Spartans evened the score.Eric Donaghy, senior Spartan striker, took the ball just before it went over the end line and crossed it in front of the net, where freshman Ralph Bertrand headed it over the keeper to tie the score at 1-1.Nine minutes later, in the 71st minute, the same two Spartans teamed up for the game-winner. In a scramble in front of the Tech goal, Eric Donaghy’s shot hit a defender and bounced to Ralph Bertrand, who found nothing but net with his second goal of the game to make the score Spartans 2, Tigers 1. St Mary’s then played with 11 defenders and ran out the clock for the victory.