Connect with us

Boys Soccer

Canton dominates Windsor Locks in season opening win, 7-1

Canton’s Spencer Mix (9) had a hat trick in Saturday’s season-opening win over Windsor Locks.

CANTON, Oct. 3, 2020  – Jackson Miner and Spencer Mix had three goals each as the Canton High boys soccer team opened their 2020 campaign with a 7-1 decision over Windsor Locks on Saturday afternoon on the turf field at the high school.

The Warriors went 12-2-2 last fall and were the No. 1 ranked team in the CIAC Class S tournament. Canton was eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual finalist Cromwell but had high hopes for this year’s team to be a contender for the state title. “We have almost everyone back,” long-time head coach Bill Phelps said.

But that was before the contagious COVID-19 coronavirus swept across the planet. The CIAC basketball tournaments were cancelled before they could be completed and the entire spring season was cancelled. School became a virtual event after classes were cancelled in March.

There will be a limited schedule of 12 games for soccer this fall and it will be limited to nearby teams. Canton is playing in the NCCC West group with Granby, Suffield, East Granby, Windsor Locks, SMSA in Hartford and HMTCA in Hartford.

“I’m just so happy for the boys that they have this opportunity,” Phelps said. “I worked all summer with the CIAC and the CT High School Soccer Coaches Association to make sure this happened and I get frightened when I look across the way and there is someone (an adult in the crowd) without a mask on. I don’t want anything to happen to ruin it. I just keep my fingers crossed.

“They are excited to play. It’s an incredible team,” he said. “We will take each game as it goes and get better each game. We’re trying to make sure everything works the way we want to.”

Canton’s T.J. Connolly (5) had a goal and an assist in Canton’s 7-1 win over Windsor Locks on Saturday.

Mix had three goals and an assist while Ty Aleksa had a goal and an assist. London Abbott, Devin Brown and T.J. Connolly also had assists for the Warriors while Nicholas Morabito made six saves to earn the win in net.

Canton returns to action on Tuesday night when they travel to Suffield for a 7 p.m. start against the Wildcats.

Canton 7, Windsor Locks 1
At Canton
Windsor Locks (0-1)        1  0  — 1
Canton (1-0)                      5  2  — 7
Goals: Windsor Locks – Calvin Ampoto (Justin Pequita) 7; Canton – Jackson Miner 35, Spencer Mix (Ty Aleksa) 33, Miner (London Abbott) 28, Mix (Devin Brown) 23; Miner (Mix) 21; Mix 32, Aleksa (T.J. Connolly) 12; Saves: Nicholas Morabito (C) 6, M.J. Perry (WL) 3; Shots: Canton 26-8

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 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.

More in Boys Soccer