Defending champion Canton tops Notre Dame-Fairfield for 12th straight victory

Canton’s All-State forward Emily Briggs. shown in Friday’s win over Windsor Locks, had a game-high 22 points in Saturday’s victory over Notre Dame-Fairfield. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

FAIRFIELD, Feb. 4 – The Canton High girls basketball team outscored No. 13 Notre Dame-Fairfield by a margin of 14 points in the second and third quarter to earn a 52-37 non-league victory Saturday afternoon and win their 12th straight game.

The Warriors (14-2) trailed by five points after one quarter but outscored Notre Dame 24-10 in the second and third quarters to seize control of the game. Emily Briggs led all scorers with 22 points, including 12 from the foul line. Belle Magna added 11 for the Warrriors, who are ranked No. 19 in the latest state coaches poll.

Briggs had 10 rebounds and 10 steals for Canton while Abbe Skinner also pulled down 10 rebounds and had seven points. This was a good test for Canton, whose only losses of the season have come to Suffield in on a one week stretch in December. Notre Dame beat Bridgeport’s Kolbe Cathedral by four points on Thursday night.

The victory gives Canton a sweep of their four non-conference games this year against Avon, Tolland, Kolbe Cathedral and Notre Dame. It’s the longest winning streak since the Warriors started off the 2015 campaign with 15 straight wins. The team record is 22 in a row in 1998.

Leah Eschenbrenner brings the ball upcourt in Friday night’s win over Windsor Locks. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

On Friday night, Canton (14-2, 10-2 NCCC) had a 15-0 run in the second quarter to pull away from Windsor Locks in a 49-23 North Central Connecticut Conference victory. Briggs had eight points in that surge. She finished with a game-high 14 points and 11 rebounds for the defending Class S champions.

Skinner had 12 points for Canton while Sarah Bowman added 10, including six in the third quarter. Bowman scored three straight baskets for Canton in the quarter. Teammate Abby Charron scored nine points for the Warriors.

Next week will be a busy week for the Warriors. Canton hosts Stafford at 7 p.m. on Monday night; travels to Hartford to face Classical Magnet on Wednesday night and ends the week by hosting East Windsor at 7 p.m. at the high school.

Bill Brewster contributed to this report.

Morgan Walzak and the Warriors have won 12 consecutive games. Canton beat Windsor Locks on Friday night. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

Canton 52, Notre Dame-Fairfield 37
At Fairfield
Canton (52) Abbe Skinner 2-2-7, Belle Magna 3-5-11, Emily Briggs 5-12-22, Leah Eschenbrenner 0-0-0, Sarah Bowman 3-0-6, Abby Charron 3-0-6. Totals 13-19-52
Notre Dame-Fairfield (37) Whitney Fulton 1 0 2, Precious Montgomery 4 3 12, Dayniera Artis 0 3 3, Gabrielle Joseph 0 0 0, Zuquila Mbachiantim 2 0 4, Erin Harris 2 0 5, Samantha LaValle 3 1 7, Abigail Anka 1 0 2, Devyn Markland 0 2 2. Totals 13 9 37
Canton (14-2)                10  16  8  18  — 52
Notre Dame (13-3)        15    6  4  12 – 37
Three-point goals: Skinner (C); Montgomery (ND), Harris (ND)

Canton 49, Windsor Locks 23
At Windsor Locks
Canton (49) Abbe Skinner 5-0-12, Belle Magna 2-0-4, Emily Briggs 7-0-14, Sarah Bowman 5-0-10, Abby Charron 3-2-9, Grace Treacy 0-0-0, Morgan Walczak 0-0-0, Leah Eschenbrenner 0-0-0, Lauren Eschenbrenner 0-0-0. Totals 22-2-49
Windsor Locks (23) Raelynn Voislow 3 0 8, Mercedes Davis 1 0 2, Ashley Papapietro 2 0 4, Addy Pelletier 2 0 5, Megan Quinn 1 0 3, Sofie Oliviera 0 1 1. Totals 9 1 23
Canton (13-2)                 11  11  17  10 – 49
Windsor Locks (9-8)         8   5    5    5 — 23
Three-point goals: Skinner (C) 2, Charron (C); Voislow (W) 2, Pelletier (W), Quinn (W)