Connect with us

Canton

For the second straight year, Canton to be awarded Michaels Achievement Cup

Canton's Abbe Skinner holds the state championship high after the Warriors won their first state title beating Thomaston Saturday morning at the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Canton’s Abbe Skinner holds the state championship trophy high after the Warriors won their first state title in girls basketball beating Thomaston in March 2016 for the Class S championship.

CANTON — Canton High is one of 15 schools to be selected as a winner of the CIAC’s Michaels Achievement Cup for the 2015-16 season.

It’s the second consecutive season that Canton has been recognized with a Michaels Achievement Cup. They were recognized for their efforts during the 2014-15 campaign.

The award is presented to recognize outstanding achievement as an overall athletic program. The Michaels Cup is based on seven distinct areas which are sportsmanship, participation, athletic scholarship, athletic personnel, equity, chemical free initiatives and athletic achievement.

It was a successful season on the field for the Warriors in 2015-16. Some of the highlights were: 

  • Boys soccer: The Warriors (13-5-1) earned a 10th straight Class S tournament berth and advanced to the Class S quarterfinals.
  • Boys cross country: Canton (9-3) was fourth in the NCCC and second in Class SS for the second straight year.
  • Girls cross country: The Warriors went 11-1, took second in the NCCC and finished third in Class SS.
  • Girls volleyball: The Warriors (8-12) earned their first-ever state tournament berth.
  • Field hockey: The Warriors (10-6-2) were eliminated in the Class S semifinals, dropping a 3-2 decision to eventual state champion Thomaston.
  • Boys basketball: The Warriors (17-8) lost on a long bank shot at the end of regulation in the NCCC Tournament championship game and were eliminated in the second round of the Class S tournament to Westbrook.
  • Girls basketball: Canton (22-6) won their first-ever state title in girls basketball with a 64-51 win over Thomaston in the championship game.
  • Baseball: The Warriors (12-10) put together the first winning season since 2010 and qualified for the Class S state tournament. They were eliminated in the second round.
  • Girls tennis: Canton (14-7) had their first winning campaign since 2008 and advanced to the second round of the Class S tournament.
  • Boys track: Canton (14-0) went undefeated for the sixth straight season and captured their fifth NCCC championship in six years.
  • Girls track: The Warriors (11-3) finished third in the NCCC – their best-ever finish in the league.
  • Girls lacrosse: Canton (18-3) won their first-ever state championship in girls lacrosse with a 15-3 rout of Somers in the Class S final. The Warriors also won their first NCCC title and first NCCC Tournament championship.
  • Boys lacrosse: The Warriors (8-9) had the most wins in team history and qualified for the Class S state tournament for the first time.
Canton's Emma Charron (23) and Devon Daubert (22) celebrate after a second half goal in Canton's 15-11 semifinal win over No. 1 Old Lyme Tuesday.

Canton’s Emma Charron (23) and Devon Daubert (22) celebrate after a second half goal in Canton’s 15-11 Class S semifinal win over No. 1 Old Lyme.

Canton senior Cameron Lange, shown last week against East Windsor, became the fifth boy to score more than 1,000 points at Canton.

Canton senior Cameron Lange and the Warriors played in the final of the NCCC Tournament.

The 15 schools will be honored at the CIAC Sportsmanship Conference at the AquaTurf in Southington on November 17. Lewis Mills was also honored with a Michaels Cup award along with Amity, Brookfield, Cheshire, East Catholic, East Lyme, Haddam-Killingworth, Immaculate, Joel Barlow, Lauralton Hall, Ledyard, Lyman Memorial, Staples, and Valley Regional.

Canton's Grace Giancola scored her team-leading 16th goal of the season. She had four goals in three tournament games this fall.

Canton’s Grace Giancola had four goals in three tournament games for the Warriors in November 2015.

The criteria used by the CIAC committee to make the award includes sportsmanship (30 percent), participation (20 percent), athletic scholarship (20 percent), athletic personnel including training for coaches and a trainer (10 percent), equitable financial resources and equipment (10 percent), chemical-free initiatives (5 percent), athletic achievement (5 percent).

The Canton High boys cross county beat Coginchaug by three points to finish second at Saturday's Class SS championship meet at Wickham Park in Manchester.

The Canton High boys cross county finished second at the Class SS championship meet in October 2015 at Wickham Park in Manchester.

The Michaels Achievement Cup began in the early 1980s by Roy Michaels, owner of Michaels Jewelry in an effort to recognize outstanding athletic programs. In 2008, the CIAC took over administration of the program.

Canton previous won a Michaels Achievement Cup in 1994 and 2008 for being the top team in Class S. The Warriors were second in Class S in 1995 and 1998. Since the CIAC took over administration in 2008, two to four teams a year in each class (LL, L, MM, M, SS and S) are recognized.

Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 30 years.

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

More in Canton