Two goals in two minutes lifts Canton past Southington

Canton’s Mary DeRitis, left, scored her first career goal Wednesday to help the Warriors beat  Southington. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

SOUTHINGTON, Oct. 14 – A pair of sophomores scored their first varsity goals in the span of two minutes to help the Canton field hockey team earn a 2-0 win over Southington in CCC Region B action on Wednesday afternoon.

It was a scoreless game with Mary DeRitis scored off an assist from Ellie Bahre with 2:40 left in the third quarter for a 1-0 lead. Two minutes later, it was Molly McLellan with her first varsity goal. She scored off an assist from Poet Watson with 39.7 seconds left in the quarter to give the Warriors a 2-0 lead.

Canton goalie Sadie Barker made six saves in net to earn her third shutout of the season. The Warriors improve to 3-2 on the season while Southington slips to 0-2-2.

It was just the third meeting ever between the two schools in field hockey and the first since a two-game series in 2016. Canton leads the series, 3-0.

For the seccond time in three games, Canton’s Elle Bahre, left, has had an assist in a Canton victory. (Photo courtesy Bill Brewster)

The Warriors return to action on Thursday when they face an old rival for the first time since 2013. Canton will host undefeated Avon (4-0) at 6:30 p.m. on the turf field at the high school.

The two long-time rivals haven’t played since Avon left the North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) for the Central Connecticut Conference in 2013. Avon has won ten of the last 12 games between the two programs, going 10-1-1 in that span.

Avon was supposed to face Simsbury in a battle for first place in CCC Region B but the game was cancelled until Nov. 6 thanks to rain on Tuesday afternoon.

Canton 2, Southington 0
At Southington
Canton (3-2)                            0  0  2  0 – 2
Southington (0-2-2)               0  0  0  0 — 0
Goals: Mary DeRitis (Ca), Molly McLellan (Ca); Assists: Ellie Bahre (Ca), Poet Watson (Ca); Saves: Sadie Barker (Ca) 6, Abby Delgado (So) 6; Penalty corners: 4-1, Southington; Shots: 8-6, Canton

CCC Region B