Turnout is up in Canton with nearly 40 players out for the squad

Canton junior QB Alex Higley hands the ball off to Eddie Melton during preseason workouts at Canton High.

CANTON, Aug. 20 – There was a lot of interest surrounding the Canton High football team after one of the greatest seasons ever. Playing with just 27 players on its roster, the Warriors (10-2) won their first league championship since 1958 and qualified for the CIAC playoffs for the first time.

Yet in December, the future was uncertain. Head coach Paul Philippon resigned after three successful years. With the graduation of eight seniors, only 18 underclassmen were left on the roster. Could Canton even field a team in the fall?

Yes.

The Warriors have 39 players out for first-year coach Chris Currier and he hopes to grab a few more when school begins. For the first time since 2012, the Warriors will play junior varsity games when Philippon had 37 players in his first year as head coach. Currier won’t predict wins and losses but he is confident that Canton will be competitive in the Pequot Conference’s Western Division.

“Realistically, we’ll be competitive. I’m not saying we’re going to win 10 games and I’m not saying we’re going to lose seven games. It will be somewhere in the middle,” Currier said.

Canton’s first-year head coach Chris Currier goes over plays with the Warriors during preseason workouts.

It will be a challenge. Defending league champions get good schedules. Six of Canton’s final seven games will be against teams that won at least seven games a year ago, including Class S Large Division champion Valley Regional/Old Lyme.

Currier, the 12th head coach in school history, does have some solid players to build around. Junior quarterback Alex Higley returns along with All-Pequot kicker Eddie Melton, who will be playing at running back and safety. Several veterans that contributed to Canton’s championship season will play including Matt Bangs, Will Carlson and Don Zeffiro. This will be their year to make a contribution.

The Warriors open the regular season by hosting SMSA/University on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 1 p.m. at the high school.

Canton will be scrimmaging on Wednesday, Aug. 26, at Stafford for a 5 p.m. on contest and travel to Coventry to face the Patriots on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 11 a.m. The Warriors will host a joint practice with Wolcott Tech on Monday, August 31 in Canton.

We’ll have a more complete preview of the team closer to opening day.

2015 schedule

Sat. Sept 12:  SMSA/UNIVERSITY, 1 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 19: CREC co-op, 1 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 26: at Nonnewaug, noon
Fri. Oct. 2:     GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN, 6:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 10:  at Morgan, 1:30 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 24:  COGINCHAUG, 1 p.m.
Sat. Oct. 31:  at Ellington, 1 p.m.
Sat. Nov. 7:   LEWIS MILLS, 2 p.m.
Fri. Nov. 13:   at Valley Regional/Old Lyme, 6:30 p.m.
Wed. Nov. 25: at Granby, 6:30 p.m.