Canton senior John Graziano (20) added another two post-season goals in Canton’s 4-2 win over Griswold Thursday in the Class S second round. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)
CANTON, Nov. 12 – The Canton High boys soccer team has enjoyed playing their opening two games of the Class S tournament on their home field.
In two games, the Warriors have scored nine goals. They dominated No. 27 Holy Cross on Tuesday with a 5-1 decision with five players scoring goals. On Thursday, the Warriors earned just their second invitation to the Class S quarterfinals since 2004 with a 4-2 win over No. 11 Griswold (10-6-3).
John Graziano scored two goals on headers while Rieley Hoffman buried his ninth goal of the year and second of the post-season from 20 yards away. Santiago Noriega, who scored just one goal in the regular season, had his second goal of the post-season in the final minute of the contest.
No. 6 Canton (13-4-1) advances to Saturday’s quarterfinals where the Warriors will challenge No. 3 Old Lyme on the road at 2 p.m. It is the Warriors’ first quarterfinal berth since dropping a 3-2 decision to Somers in 2012.
Graziano’s first header gave the Warriors a 1-0 lead but Griswold’s Devin Mitchell scored to tie the game at halftime. Graziano gave Canton a 2-1 lead, scoring on a second header off the foot of John Comerford. It was Graziano’s 11th goal of the season. Hoffman’s goal gave the Warriors a 3-1 edge.
Griswold’s Mason Rubino cut the Canton lead to one on his goal but the Warriors iced the game on Noriega’s goal in the final 30 seconds of the contest.
Canton goalie Josh Frigo had a strong game to earn the victory. The Wolverines outshot Canton by a 19-12 margin.
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