Pequot Conference realigns for third time in four years

Canton and Granby will renew their rivalry on the gridiron on Thanksgiving morning when they play for the old, red milk jug in Canton.

With the departure of the Hyde co-op football team to the Southern Connecticut Conference and Enfield to the Central Connecticut Conference, the Pequot Football Conference has realigned its divisions for the third time in the last four years.

With 17 teams, the Pequot Conference will have four divisions in 2016. Three of the divisions will have four teams each while one will have five teams. A year ago, the league had three divisions of six teams each with Enfield playing as an independent team within the league.

Canton will be playing in the Pequot Uncas West Division with Lewis Mills, Gilbert/Northwestern and Nonnewaug. A year ago, those four teams were in the Western Division with Granby, who moves to the Pequot Uncas East Division.

The Warriors have a night game scheduled on the turf field on Friday, Oct. 14, against defending Pequot East champion Ellington. Canton will host its traditional Thanksgiving Day game with Granby with the old, red milk jug trophy on the line.

It will pay to get off to a strong start if you want to win a division title in the Pequot Conference.

The Warriors play all three of their West Division contests in the first three weeks of the season. They also play two games against teams from the East (Granby, Ellington), the South (Morgan, Valley Regional/OL) and the North Divisions (North Branford, Cromwell/Portland).

Granby plays all four of their East Division contests in the first four weeks of the year. Lewis Mills plays two of their three Western Division games in the first three weeks. They close the year with Nonnewaug – their traditional Thanksgiving rival.

In 2014, the Pequot Conference had two divisions (Sassacus, Uncas) of 10 teams each. In 2013, the league had 21 teams and three divisions of seven teams each (North, West, South).

2016 Pequot Sassacus
North: North Branford; Cromwell/Portland, Coginchaug; SMSA/University
South: Morgan, Valley Regional/Old Lyme, Haddam-Killingworth; Old Saybrook/Westbrook
2016 Pequot Uncas
West: Canton, Lewis Mills, Gilbert/Northwestern, Nonnewaug
East: Granby, Ellington, Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby; Stafford/East Windsor/Somers; Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton

Canton
Coach: Mike Guy
Saturday, Sept. 10: NONNEWAUG, 1 p.m.*
Saturday, Sept. 17: at Gilbert/Northwestern, 1 p.m.*
Saturday, Sept. 24: at Lewis Mills, 1 p.m.*
Bye week
Friday, Oct. 14: ELLINGTON, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 21: at North Branford, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 29: CROMWELL/PORTLAND, 1 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 4: at Morgan, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12: VALLEY REGIONAL/OLD LYME, 1 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 19: vs. CREC at Public Safety Academy, 11 a.m.
Thursday, Nov. 24: GRANBY, 10 a.m.

Lewis Mills
Coach: Jose Santana
Saturday, Sept. 10: GILBERT/NORTHWESTERN, 1 p.m.*
Friday, Sept. 16: at Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Sept. 24: CANTON, 1 p.m.*
Saturday, Oct. 1: ELLINGTON, 1 p.m.
Bye week
Friday, Oct. 14: at Granby, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 22: CROMWELL/PORTLAND, 1 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 28: at North Branford, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 4: at Valley Regional/Old Lyme, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 12: MORGAN, 1 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 24: at Nonnewaug, 10 a.m.*

Granby
Coach: Erik Shortell
Saturday, Sept. 10: at Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby, 1 p.m.*
Friday, Sept. 16: STAFFORD/EAST WINDSOR/SOMERS, 7 p.m.*
Saturday, Sept. 24: at Ellington, 1 p.m.*
Friday, Sept. 30: COVENTRY/WINDHAM TECH/BOLTON, 7 p.m.*
Bye week
Friday, Oct. 14: LEWIS MILLS, 7 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 22: at Morgan, 1:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 28: VALLEY REGIONAL/OLD LYME, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 4: NORTH BRANFORD, 7 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 11: at Cromwell/Portland, 6 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 24: at Canton, 10 a.m.
*Divisional games