Great start to New Year as Canton tops Lewis Mills for 3rd win

Canton’s Rieley Hoffman gets past a Lewis Mills defender.

CANTON – The first home game of the season against Lewis Mills was winding down for the Canton High boys basketball team. Canton had built leads of up to 15 points but the visiting Spartans were trying to make a late run.

Four times in the final 3:50, Mills cut the lead to six points. Canton had a unique lineup on the floor that included two freshmen and a sophomore. Mills could never get any closer and the Warriors went home on New Year’s Eve with a 60-52 victory and their third win in five games.

It’s been a good start for Canton, which won just three games a year ago.

The Warriors dropped a 53-45 overtime decision to Suffield on opening night, beat Somers 64-48 and whipped a weak Portland team, 52-41. Canton struggled against Plainfield, allowing 92 points in a 92-79 defeat – the first time the Warriors have allowed over 90 points this century. The last time was in 1999 when they gave up 92 points to Avon.

But one day after the loss to Plainfield, Canton (3-2, 1-1 NCCC) was aggressive and all over the court in the win over Lewis Mills in a 3 p.m. matinee on New Year’s Eve.

“It’s a learning process and we have a lot of young guys,” Canton’s first-year coach Craig Archambault said. “Right now, it is about our tougheness. We have guys buying into the culture change of working hard, playing smart and playing together. Our guys are starting to understand their roles. We’re a deep team. We play 10 guys and everyone is chipping in in their own way.”

Archambault wants to play tight man-to-man defense. He wants to pressure the opposition and make life difficult. “We’re still learning,” he said. “We want to press and get up and down the floor. We have a lot of athletes.”

On this afternoon, point guard Rieley Hoffman and forward Cameron Lange were on the floor with sophomore Cam Daley. It was the first time these three closed out a game. Archambault goes with the hot hand.

“You never know with us,” Archambault said. “We have someone who can pop up every night.”

Against Mills, Daley had a team-high 14 points and 12 rebounds. Senior Jake Wood added 14 points and a pair of three-point shots.

Against Plainfield, it was senior Patrick Sullivan leading the way with 27 points and seven 3-point goals. Daley chipped in with 16 points. Sullivan scored 12 points against Portland while Wood and Daley had 18 points each against Somers. Wood scored 17 in the loss to Suffield.

“These boys are special,” Archambault said. “They’ll run through a wall for you. It’s been a team effort. Everyone is playing a role in getting us some wins.”

Against Mills, Cameron Lange had eight points while Tyler Lange added six. Sullivan had seven and Alex Daley chipped in with six.

“He has them moving in the right direction,” second-year coach Todd Kostak of Lewis Mills said. “It just shows you what some energy can do for you in high school sports. If you have the energy and momentum, it means a lot.”

It was Canton’s first regular season game against Lewis Mills since 1986 and there was a nice crowd from both towns on New Year’s Eve. The game began at 3 p.m. and was completed by 5 p.m., allowing fans to move onto their New Year’s Eve activities.

Canton 60, Lewis Mills 52
At Canton
Lewis Mills (52) Spencer Maloney 1-1-3, Dan Kryzanski 5-1-14, Travis Martin 2-9-14, Alex Daigle 7-0-14, Cole Ferry 1-5-7, Dan Wilcox 0-0-0, Rob Power 0-0-0, Max Wadington 0-0-0. Totals 16-16-52.
Canton (60) Rieley Hoffman 0-1-1, Alex Daley 3-0-6, Jake Wood 4-2-14, Andrew Zukowski 1-2-4, Blake Barthiewicz 0-0-0, Cam Daley 5-4-14, Cameron Lange 1-5-8, Patrick Sullivan 2-3-7, Shane Tolano 0-0-0, Tyler Lange 2-2-6. Totals 20-13-60.
Lewis Mills (1-2)        14    5  12  21 – 52
Canton (3-2)             17  11  15  17 – 60
Three point goals: Wood (C) 2, C. Lange (C), Kryzanski (LM) 3, Martin (LM) 1

Plainfield 92, Canton 79
At Plainfield
Canton (79): Alex Daley 1-0-2, Cam Daley 7-2-16, Rieley Hoffman 0-0-0, Tyler Lange 1-0-2, Cameron Lange 4-3-13, Patrick Sullivan 8-4-27, Shane Toland 1-0-2, Jake Wood 4-1-9, Andrew Zurowski 3-1-7 , Blake Barthiewiecz 0-0-0, TOTALS 29-12-79
Plainfield (92): John John Esparrago 8-4-22, Josh Millette 1-4-6, Steve Jankowski 0-4-4, Teaque Carrigan 4-0-8, Ryan Raymond 0-0-0, Tim Colli 0-0-0, Will Robinson 7-2-16, Josh Laprade 3-2-8, Ryan Pambuka 8-6-28, Evan Bergeron 0-0-0 TOTALS 31-22-92
Canton (2-2)          23- 9-21-26   — 79
Plainfield                18-23-26-25  — 92
Three point goals: Sullivan (C) 7, Cameron Lange (C) 2; Pambukla (P) 6, Esparrago (P) 2

Canton 52, Portland 41
At Portland
Canton (52): Alex Daley 0-0-0, Cam Daley 3-2-8, Rieley Hoffman 0-2-2, Tyler Lange 4-2-10, Cameron Lange 1-0-3, Patrick Sullivan 3-4-12, Jake Wood 3-2-9, Andrew Zukowski 3-2-8. Totals 17-14-52
Portland (41): Marconi 3-5-12, Teape 3-2-9, Swain 1-0-2, Ogorzalek 1-2-4, Salvatore 2-0-5, Givens 1-0-2, Stokke 1-2-4, Rivera 1-1-3. Totals 13-12-41
Canton (2-1)     12-6-11-23   52
Portland            11-7-11-12   41
Three-point goals: Cameron Lange (C), Wood (C), Salvatore (P)

Upcoming games
January
4: Bolton, 8: SMSA; 11: at Stafford; 15: Coventry; 18: Somers; 22: at Enfield; 24: Granby; 29: Windsor Locks
February
1: East Windsor; 5: at Coventry; 8: at East Granby; 11: Shepaug; 12: at Windsor Locks; 15: Ellington; 19: at Avon
Games begin at 7 p.m. unless otherwise listed