Granby/Canton running back Luke Maher for a team-high 36 yards and a touchdown in Saturday’s 42-0 win over Windsor Locks co-op squad. More photos from Saturday’s game
WINDSOR LOCKS, Sept. 25, 2021 – It wasn’t hard to see which team was playing in their season opening contest on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon at Windsor Locks High.
The Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby co-op team was scheduled to play Rockville two weeks ago but it was postponed due to COVID issues in Rockville. And the Raiders had a bye last week.
So, it was no surprise that the Granby/Canton co-op program playing with two games under their belts looked crisper and faster. The Bears forced six turnovers and allowed just 50 yards of offense as they rolled to a 42-0 Pequot Conference Uncas Division victory at Pat Scelza Field.
Play across the state was challenging for most teams on opening day because there was no season a year ago due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
A victory over the SMSA co-op on opening day and a 20-19 win over the Stafford co-op last week helped the Bears, who dominated the Raiders.
“We were worried about our offensive line but I think you saw this week that they got the job done up front. We got it all together,” Granby/Canton head coach Erik Shortell said. “It was the experience. We didn’t have the experience (when we began the season).“
Granby/Canton (3-0, 3-0 Pequot Uncas) gave up 12 points in their season-opening win over the SMSA co-op out of Hartford and haven’t given up a defensive point since. Stafford/East Windsor/Somers scored 19 points a week ago on three offensive turnovers.
“Our defensive has been fantastic. They are just flying around,” Shortell said. The Bears also had three sacks in the game. Just one Granby/Canton drive began in Raider territory on Saturday.
The Bears recovered three fumbles, intercepted two passes and blocked a punt, recovering the loose ball in the end zone for a touchdown – a first for the co-op program that is now in its second season.
The Bears celebrate with lineman John Bruhin (77) who recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter of Saturday’s win over Windsor Locks co-op. More photos from Saturday’s game
The Bears forced a fumble on the game’s opening kickoff and Will Attianese came up with it. But Granby/Canton did nothing with it and punted.
The Bears took an early lead when Luke Maher (8 carries, 36 yards) scored on a four-yard run to cap off an 11-play, 53-yard drive. George Horst’s extra point made it 7-0.
On Windsor Locks’ next offensive play, Granby/Canton’s Malique Thompson forced a fumble that was recovered by teammate Hayes Horst on the Raiders’ 24-yard line.
Granby/Canton QB William Migliaccio completed a 19-yard pass to Michael Bronson, who then scored from eight yards out to give the Bears a 14-0 lead.
The Bears made it 21-0 when Attianese blocked a punt by Windsor Locks’ Nate Kraiza and teammate John Bruhin recovered in the end zone for his first touchdown of his varsity career.
“I saw him block it and said there is no way I am not getting there,” he said. “I have to get there as fast I as can.”
Granby/Canton pressure on Kraiza resulted in a punt of just one yard later in the second quarter and the Bears capped off a 15-yard drive with Khalil Thomas scoring from the four-yard line for a 28-0 lead.
Granby/Canton receiver Beach Sessions tries to come up with a pass during Saturday’s Pequot Conference game in Windsor Locks. More photos from Saturday’s game
“We were able to block much better than we did in the last two games and that is everything,” Bruhin said. “Our offensive line pushed, we blocked for our backs and our QB so that is why the score if 42-0. We’ve come (being) from a bunch of JV players maybe 2 or 3 varsity players to a varsity team that is 3-0 now.”
Thomas scored his second touchdown of the day in the third quarter while Attianese scored on a two-yard run in the fourth quarter.
Granby/Canton, which sits in first place in the Uncas Division, has a week off before they face Ellington (2-0) on Friday, Oct. 8, at 6:30 p.m. on the road.
NOTES: The 42-point margin of victory ties a co-op record for largest win. The Bears beat Old Saybrook/Westbrook by 42 points in November 2019. … Kicker George Horst was 6-of-6 in kicking extra points for Granby/Canton. … Saturday’s game was a reminder of a simpler time for high school football, played on a warm Saturday afternoon on natural grass turf. There were no individual yard line markers just lines every five yards. But it was a great day to watch a game and the kids got to play, which is the whole point.
Granby/Canton 42, Windsor Locks co-op 0
At Windsor Locks
Granby/Canton (3-0) 14 14 7 7 — 42
Windsor Locks co-op (0-1) 0 0 0 0 — 0
First quarter
G: Luke Maher 4 run (George Horst kick), 1:42
G: Michael Brosnan 5 run (Horst kick), 0:55
Second quarter
G: John Bruhin recovers blocked punt in end zone (Horst kick), 9:45
G: Khalil Thomas 4 run (Horst kick), 5:50
Third quarter
G: Thomas 11 run (Horst kick), 3:50
Fourth quarter
G: Will Attianese 2 run (Horst kick), 9:01
Individual statistics
RUSHING: Granby/Canton – James Phillips 1-2, Will Attianese 2-9, Michael Brosnan 7-26, Khalil Thomas 5-24, Luke Maher 8-36; WL – Aiden Walker 6-minus 2, Justin Morle 5-9, Troy Artis 9-27
PASSING: Granby/Canton – William Migliaccio 5-14-1, 77; WL – Aiden Walker 2-8-2, 16
RECEIVING: Granby/Canton – Khalil Thomas 2-16, Beach Sessions 2-22, Michael Brosnan 1-19; WL – Justsin Morie 1-1, Kiernan Rudzik 1-15
FUMBLE RECOVERY: Attianese (G), Hayes Horst (G), John Bruhin (G), George Horst (G); INTERCEPTIONS: Beach Sessions (G), Brandon Powell (G)
| Pequot Sassacus Division 2021 | Div. | Overall |
| Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton | 3-0 | 3-0 |
| Morgan | 2-1 | 2-1 |
| Cromwell/Portland | 1-0 | 1-0 |
| Haddam-Killingworth | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| Valley Regional/Old Lyme | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| North Branford | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Old Saybrook/Westbrook | 0-2 | 0-2 |
| CREC co-op | 0-2 | 0-3 |
| Pequot Uncas Division 2021 | Div. | Overall |
| Granby/Canton | 3-0 | 3-0 |
| Ellington | 2-0 | 3-0 |
| Stafford/E. Windsor/Somers | 2-1 | 2-1 |
| Rockville | 1-1 | 1-1 |
| SMSA co-op | 1-2 | 1-2 |
| Windsor Locks/Suffield/E. Granby | 0-1 | 0-1 |
| Coventry/Bolton/Windham Tch/Lyman | 0-2 | 0-2 |
| Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic | 0-2 | 0-2 |
Friday’s results
Stafford/East Windsor/Somers 38, Coventry/Windham Tech/Bolton/Lyman Memorial 8
Rockville 42, Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic 12
Coginchaug/Hale-Ray/East Hampton 40, Old Saybrook/Westbrook 0
Morgan 54, CREC 6
Saturday’s results
Granby/Canton 42, Windsor Locks/Suffield/East Granby 0
Ellington 9, SMSA co-op 6
Friday, Oct. 1
Haddam-Killingworth at Cromwell/Portland, 6 p.m.
Valley Regional/Old Lyme at Morgan, 6:30 p.m.
W.Locks/Suff./E.Gran at Ellington, 6:30 p.m.
Coginchaug/H.Ray/E.Hamp at Stafford/East Windor/Somers, 6:30 p.m.
Gilbert/NWR/Housatonic at N.Branford, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 2
Old Saybrook/Westbrook at CREC, 11 a.m.
Coventry/WT/Bolt/Lym at SMSA, noon
