The Granby/Canton co-op football team begins their second season together on Friday night in Granby.
The first year that Granby and Canton joined together in a co-op football program, the Bears finished tied for second place in the Pequot Conference and went to the CIAC Class M playoffs in 2019.
Granby/Canton coach Erik Shortell is excited to see what the program can do this fall – especially after taking a year off in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“We are excited to be back on the field and look to start fresh after not having a season,” Shortell said. “The kids worked hard in the off-season in the weight room. And, we look to have a stingy physical defense with a strong run game on offense balanced with the passing game.”
Will Migliaccio, a 6-foot-5 junior, is set to start at quarterback with senior back Michael Brosnan, junior Luke Maher and sophomore William Attianese in the backfield. Seniors Beach Sessions and James Phillips along with junior George Horst are set to be at receiver.
Defensively, the Bears have two starters returning that played in 2019 – Canton seniors Mahlike Brown-Smith at middle linebacker and Malique Thompson at defensive tackle. Maher, Attianese and Phillips will be at linebacker as well for the Bears.
“Everyone is excited to be back out there,” Shortell said. “We’re looking to take it day by day, and get better each day as a team.”
A year after the Pequot Conference operated as a single division in 2019, the league is split into two divisions again – Uncas and Sassacus. The Bears are back in the Uncas Division. Eight of their 10 games are against other co-op programs beginning with Friday night’s opening day contest against the SMSA co-op program in Granby at 6:30 p.m.
SMSA’s team includes longtime co-op partners University High and Classical Magnet but the Tigerhawks also added players from Bulkeley and HMTCA (Hartford Magnet Trinity College Academy).
One of Granby/Canton’s five home games will be played in Canton. The Bears will host Stafford/East Windsor/Somers on Friday, Sept. 17, at 6:30 p.m. on the turf field.
Shortell said there are about 50 players in the program including about 18 from Canton.
The Bears will also get back to playing on Thanksgiving morning for the first time since 2016. Granby/Canton will be traveling to Winsted and Van Why Field to face the Gilbert/Northwestern co-op program that added Housatonic to their program this fall. The turkey day contest begins at 10 a.m.
Granby/Canton co-op
Head coach: Erik Shortell (6th season, 21-20)
Nickname: Bears
Conference: Pequot Conference Uncas
Last season: 8-3, 8-2 Pequot Conference, tied 2nd place. Lost in Class M quarterfinal to Waterford, 10-6 in 2019
Last winning season 8-3 in 2019
Playoff appearances: 2 (0-2)
Last CIAC playoff appearance: 2019
League championships: 1. Most recent title: 2015 Pequot West
Opening day record: 3-7. Most recent win: 2019, Granby/Canton 27, Stafford/EW/Somers 26, OT
Social media: Twitter — @GMHSFootball860; @CantonWarriors
Team website: none
Of note: This is the second year of the co-op with Canton since the 2020 season was cancelled due to the pandemic. The CIAC approved the co-op on a one-year basis in the spring. … The Bears are a Class M program.
Granby/Canton
Friday, Sept. 10: SMSA co-op, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 17: Stafford/East Windsor/Somers at Canton, 6:30 p.m.
Sat. Sept. 25: @Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby, 1 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 8: @Ellington, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 22: Rockville, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Oct 29: @Cromwell/Portland, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 5: @Valley Regional/Old Lyme, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 12: Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman, 6:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 19: Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton, 6:30 p.m.
Thursday, Nov. 25: @Gilbert/Northwestern, 10 a.m.
Pequot Conference 2021
Uncas Division
Granby/ Canton
Ellington
Rockville
Stafford/East Windsor/Somers
Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic
Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial
Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby
SMSA/University HS/Classical/Bulkeley/HMTCA
Sassacus Division
North Branford
Morgan
Haddam/Killingworth
Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton
Valley Regional/Old Lyme
Cromwell/Portland
CREC co-op
Old Saybrook/Westbrook
