Harrison Township

L’Anse Creuse boys soccer improving as season continues

By Jon Malavolti
C & G Sports Writer

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ROSEVILLE — Nearing the halfway point of the season, the Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse boys soccer team has begun to turn the corner.

The Lancers struggled at the start of the season, dropping their first four games by a combined score of 15-3. Since then, L’Anse Creuse has picked up its first win of the season, a 4-1 decision over Madison Heights Lamphere, then tied Roseville 0-0 and lost a close one to Warren Mott 2-1, bringing the team’s record to 1-5-1 overall at press time.

“We’ve got a lot of potential,” coach Bill McClellan said before the Roseville game. “We had some bad losses.”

McClellan said the team has improved “100 percent” since Macomb Area Conference Gold Division play kicked off.

“The learning curve is going up,” the coach said. “It’s coming, and I think they finally see it, too. They’re buying into it. We lost two guys that scored about 30 goals and only have five or six guys returning. When you lose that production and you get a lot of new guys, it takes a little bit.”

One of the biggest keys behind the Lancers’ recent and possible future success is their adaptation to the possession-oriented style of play McClellan has installed.

“We know what we want to do; we want to play a possession game,” the coach said. “It took a little bit. They’re working at it. That’s key. That’s going to be the strength.”

Senior attacking midfielder Brad Tunney noted how maintaining possession can benefit the Lancers, who lack elite athletes, but are technically sound.

“We do have a lot of guys with skill that can move the ball around,” Tunney said. “We don’t really have a lot of speed up top that we can force through. So possession plays a big part.”

McClellan highlighted the play of Tunney and his fellow seniors, who he said are all “pulling their weight,” in leading the team.

Catch the Lancers in action next when they host one of the top teams in the county, Fraser High, at 7 p.m. Sept. 21.

You can reach C & G Sports Writer Jon Malavolti at jmalavolti@candgnews.com or at (586)498-1040. Follow Jon on Twitter.