Canton withstands initial surge from Suffield to remain undefeated

Canton’s Gabby Rose (32) drives to the basket for two of her 17 points in Friday night’s win over Suffield.

CANTON, Jan. 23 – As the wins pile up, the Canton High girls basketball team is getting more spirited play from the competition. Suffield wasn’t intimated by the undefeated Warriors scoring the first eight points of the game and leading 10-2 at one point in the first quarter. 

But head coach Brian Medieros and the Warriors didn’t panic. They simply put their heads down and got to work. They started rebounding the basketball and making passes. Canton finished the first quarter on a 13-4 surge, capped off by a Maggie Treacy three-point goal to take a lead they would never relinquish as the Warriors beat Suffield, 56-51. 

Treacy’s three-pointer with three seconds left in the first period gave Canton a 15-14 lead after one quarter. The Warriors extended it to eight points, 26-18, late in the second quarter but Suffield closed out the second quarter with consecutive baskets to cut the Canton lead to four, 26-22. 

With good rebounding and sharing of the ball, Canton never gave up the lead. Treacy led all scorers with 21 points and six rebounds. Emily Briggs had a team-high 14 rebounds, six assists and 10 points. Gabby Rose scored 17 points, pulled down five rebounds and had five assists. 

Meredith Ouellette, who scored six points in the first quarter, finished with 13 for Suffield (7-5, 7-4 NCCC). Teammate Katie Roy led the Wildcats with 15 points. 

Canton (13-0, 11-0 NCCC) is one of four teams left in the state that are undefeated. Farmington, South Windsor and Morgan are the other teams that have yet to lose this winter. It’s the second time in school history that Canton has won its first 13 games. The Warriors won their first 22 games in 1998-99. 

Canton has just one game next week. They travel to Ellington on Tuesday night for a 7 p.m. start.

VIDEO Highlights from WFSB-3

Canton 56, Suffield 51
At Canton
Suffield (51): Katelyn Corr 2 0-1 4, Meredith Ouellette 5 2-2 13, Katarina Rizzuto 1-0-2, McKenzie Rasczyk 4-0-10, Katie Roy 7-1-15, Arianna Flagg 2 3-7 7. Totals 21 6-11 51
Canton (56): Katie Walker 1 1-2 3, Emily Briggs 4 2-4 10, Jacquie Grabowski 0 2-4 2, Maggie Treacy 7 6-8 21, Gabby Rose 8 1-2 17, Emma Charron 1-0-3, Leah Eschembrenner 0-0-0, Belle Magna 0-0-0. Totals 21 12-21 56
Suffield (7-5)      14    8    9  20  – 51
Canton (13-0)    15  11  12  18  — 56
Three-point goals: Ouellette (S), Rasczyk (S) 2; Treacy (C), Charron (C) 

Remaining regular season schedule
FEBRUARY
2: STAFFORD, 7 p.m.; 4: at East Granby, 7 p.m.; 6: ENFIELD, 7 p.m.; 10: At SMSA-Hartford, 7 p.m.; 13: AVON, 7 p.m.; 17: at Windsor Locks, 7 p.m.