Canton faces Burlington for District 6 title in Little League baseball Friday night

CANTON, July 13, 2017 – It’s been nearly 30 years since a Canton Little League team brought home a District 6 championship in baseball.

Canton will have the opportunity to bring home a pennant Friday night when they play Burlington in the D6 Major Division (ages 11-12) championship game at 7 p.m. at the Terryville Little League complex. If Burlington wins Friday, a winner-take-all contest will be held Saturday night at 8 p.m. in Terryville.

Canton (5-1) is undefeated thus far in the double-elimination portion of the District 6 tournament, including a thrilling 11-10 win over Burlington earlier this week when Canton rallied to win in the sixth inning thanks to a home run from Devin Brown that tied the game.

Canton is looking for their first District 6 title since 1988 and the fourth in program history. Canton also won a District 6 title in 1977 and captured a District 2 championship in 1953.

Canton had a pair of shutouts in the round-robin portion of the D6 tournament with a 12-0 win over Harwinton and a 6-0 win over Torrington. Canton beat East Granby, 9-5. The only loss thus far for Canton was a 10-3 loss to Avon.

The most recent Canton team to threaten to win a District 6 title was the 2008 team that lost in the tournament semifinals to eventual champion Burlington.

Burlington (6-1) is no stranger to the District 6 finals. Burlington won D6 titles in 2013, 2008 and 2001. They finished second in 2015, 2014 and 2012. Burlington needs to beat Canton twice to win the D6 title.

Burlington went 4-0 in the round-robin portion of the tournament with a pair of shutouts in wins over Granby, 5-0, and Terryville, 11-0, along with victories over Tri-Town, 11-8 and Simsbury, 10-9.

The District 6 champion will advance to the state tournament and one of four 3-team regional tournaments.

In the Section II tournament, the D6 champion will play the District 5 and District 3 champion with the winner advancing to a four-team, double-elimination state tournament in Guilford. The Section II tournament runs from July 19-22 in Terryville.

2017 District 6 Major Baseball (ages 11-12)
Championship bracket
Sunday, July 9
Game 1: Avon 17, Granby 14
Game 2: Canton 16, Torrington 6
Monday, July 10
Game 3: Burlington 12, Avon 1
Tuesday, July 11
Game 5: Canton 11, Burlington 10
Friday, July 14
Game 8: Final – Canton vs. Burlington at Terryville, 7 p.m.
Friday, July 14
Game 9: Final – Canton vs. Burlington, if necessary at Terryville, 8 p.m.

Consolation bracket
Monday, July 10
Game 4: Granby 8, Torrington 6 (Torrington eliminated)
Tuesday, July 11
Game 6: Avon 9, Granby 7 (Granby eliminated)
Wednesday, July 12
Game 7: Burlington 16, Avon 4 (Avon eliminated)

Round robin play, final standings
Pool A

Pool B

x-advanced to double elimination portion of the tournament

Photos of Avon vs. East Granby earlier in the tournament

Recent District 6 championship games
2016: Avon 12, SImsbury 2
2015: Avon 14, Burlington 2 (4)
2014: Simsbury 10, Burlington 1
2013: Burlington 8, Avon 6
2012: Avon 16, Burlington 2 (4)
2011: Avon 11, Torrington American 7
2010: Simsbury American 9, Avon 7
2009: Avon 12, Simsbury American 2
2008: Burlington 7, Avon 5
2007: Avon 8, Thomaston 0
2006: Simsbury National 4, Avon 3
2005: Avon 15, Simsbury National 5 (4)
2004: Avon 8, Simsbury American 2
2003: Simsbury American 12, Simsbury National 2 (5)
2002: Simsbury American 1, Avon 0
2001: Burlington 8, Torrington National 4
2000: Terryville 6, Torrington National 1
1999: Tri-Town 7, Granby 6
1998: Simsbury National 7, Tri-Town 6
1997: Simsbury American 8, Terryville 3
1996: Torrington American 10, SImsbury National 0