Avon, Canton stickers meet in CCC Region B semifinals Wednesday

The Canton High defense gets a big challenge in Wednesday’s CCC Region B semifinal against Avon, who have scored 39 goals in 12 games. From left, Canton’s Jess Osumubn (13), Taylor Richardson (5), Lila Whitney (38), goalie Sadie Barker and Poet Watson (24)

AVON, Nov. 6, 2020 – Avon will meet the Canton High field hockey team in the post-season for the first time since 2007 when the two teams meet on Wednesday in the CCC Region B postseason tournament semifinals.

Avon (11-1) earned the top seed by winning 11 of their 12 games in this pandemic-shortened season. The Falcons finished the season with a two-game sweep of Simsbury last week, beating the Trojans, 2-0 on Wednesday and rolling to a 4-1 decision on Friday.

Kali Fontanella and Olivia Brown had two goals each in the win on Friday in Avon with Meg Gilbey dishing out a pair of assists. Gilbey leads the team in goals (12) and assists (12). Fontantella has scored nine goals this season while Brown has scored six, including three in the last three games.

Canton (6-6) finished the season strong with a pair of shutout victories over Southington, 4-0, and Farmington, 3-0, last week. Against Southington, Gabby Delsanto had two goals while Leightyn Antarsh had a goal and two assists. Callie Riley added her first goal of the season.

Canton’s Leightyn Antarsh, left, has scored two goals with two assists in the last two games for the Warriors.

Against Farmington on Friday, Antarsh, Molly McLellan and Riley each scored for the Warriors. Canton goalie Sadie Barker made four stops to secure her sixth shutout of the season.

The top four teams in CCC Region B made the championship pool. No. 2 Granby (10-2) hosts No. 3 Simsbury (8-4) on Tuesday with No. 4 Canton and Avon squaring off on Wednesday.

Canton and Granby normally play in the NCCC but they four other NCCC teams (Stafford, Somers, E.O. Smith, Suffield) were rolled in CCC regional groups this fall to help establish tighter geographic regions for the teams to reduce the time that teams might have to travel together to games and help minimize the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus.

The two semifinal winners will meet in the championship match on Friday at the higher seed with the two semifinal losing teams meeting in the third place match.

CCC Region B field hockey

Central Connecticut Conference Region B
Championship pool
Semifinals
Tuesday, Nov. 10
Game 2: No. 3 Simsbury at No. 2 Granby, 3:30 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Game 1: No. 4 Canton at No. 1 Avon, 2:45 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 13
Final: Winner game 1 vs. winner game 2 at higher seed
Third place: Loser game 1 vs. loser game 2 at higher seed

Round robin pool
Monday, Nov. 9
No. 6 Lewis Mills at No. 5 Farmington, 4 p.m.
Wednesday, Nov. 11
Farmington at No. 7 Southington, 3:45 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 13
Lewis Mills at Southington