Avon, Granby play with NCCC field hockey title on the line

Avon’s Kelly Blessing (24) and Granby’s Krista Iwanicki (12) battle for the ball earlier this season in Avon.

Granby and Avon have played plenty of big field hockey games over the years. They play their final game as NCCC rivals on Thursday night and it could decide the league championship.

No. 9 Granby (11-1, 10-0 NCCC) hosts No. 6 Avon (10-1-1, 9-1 NCCC) at 5:30 p.m. on the Bears’ turf field. With a win, Granby would win the league championship. Avon can win a piece of the championship by beating the Bears and Somers next Tuesday.

Avon has won the last three NCCC championships and the two teams have combined to capture 10 of the last 11 NCCC pennants. 

Granby scored two goals in the final 12 minutes in September to hand Avon a 2-1 defeat. The Bears have won three straight since losing its only game of the season on Oct. 9 to No 4 Hand, 6-1. Avon is 7-0-1 in its last eight games with a 1-0 win over Stonington last Saturday and an impressive 0-0 tie with No. 3 Glastonbury as the Falcon defense stood tall. 

In the last 11 years, Granby owns an 11-10-1 edge over the Falcons. Four games have gone into overtime. “It’s been a great rivalry,” Granby coach Sandy Wickman Mason said. “We always know we’ll have a good hockey game with them.”