With two of the top three goal scorers from a year ago no longer with the team, Connor Wagner figured to be a main piece of Salisbury's offensive attack going into the season.

And he wasted little time in putting his stamp not only on the Falcons' annual soccer tournament, but on the season as well.

Following a 5-0 victory over East Pennsboro on Friday, the host Falcons used a late second half surge against Pocono Mountain East on Saturday night in the final game of their tournament to secure a 2-1 win and improve to 2-0 on the season.

"Pocono East is a very good team, and we knew that coming in," said head coach Mark Allinson. "They played Northwestern to a 2-2 tie the previous day, so we knew they were similar to them with their physicality and their size. We knew that it was going to be a test.

"I breathed a lot easier going into the season at 2-0, as opposed to 1-1 or 0-2, which we very easily could've been.

Wagner started that surge in the second half, which broke a span of over 60-plus minutes of scoreless action for the Falcons. Roughly midway through the second half against PM East, Wagner got a nice pass from Austin Uhl that left him one on one against the Cardinals' goalkeeper. All Wagner had to do was position his shot.

"I just got it and I took a big touch," said Wagner. "The kid tried to kick it and it went off me. I just kind of toed it at the goalie, and it rolled off him and in."

Not even two minutes after Wagner's goal, the Falcons were on the attack once again. Danny Walters connected on the game-winning goal as a deep shot found its way into the right side of the goal, giving the Falcons a 2-1 lead with 18:05 to play.

"I took the ball down the corner, and I had a defender on me," said Walters. "Honestly, I was looking for a cross, and then I got lucky. It floated over the goalie and the goalie misplayed it."

The junior duo of Wagner and Walters figures to carry a large portion of the offense as the season gets under way. Wagner was the team's fourth-leading goal scorer last season. Walters' playing time increased as last season was dwindling down.

Both seem to be on track in the early going. Wagner scored twice against East Pennsboro and Walters netted one in the win, bringing their totals to three and two each, respectively.

"I think getting some more playing time, I've gotten used to the speed of the game," said Walters. "With all the great players around me, they made me feel a lot more comfortable."

Senior Peter To and junior Levi Renninger also tallied scores against East Pennsboro.

Tuesday night's game against Northern Lehigh got the Colonial League season under way for the Falcons. Results were not available at time of press. The Falcons will face Catasauqua on Thursday. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Catasauqua High School.