Deiulis helps No. 8 Canton advance with a victory over Oxford

Canton’s Ryker Bahre get the ball away from Oxford’s Nicholas Sasso (32) in Thursday’s Class L game in Canton. The Warriors won, 4-1. More game photos

CANTON, Nov. 11, 2021 – It was a frenzied contest on the turf field between No. 9 Oxford and No. 8 Canton in the second round of the Class S tournament on Thursday.

Both teams like to quickly move the ball all around the field, looking for openings to drive and score.

The host Warriors were just a bit quicker in a 4-1 victory over the Wolverines to advance to Saturday’s Class S quarterfinals against Holy Cross at Crosby High in Waterbury.

Junior Miles Deiulis scored twice with Thomas Gibbons and Ryker Bahre each adding scores for the Warriors. Goalie Jack Biskupiak made five saves in net to earn the win.

“Our philosophy is to keep the ball, be decisive and quick with our decisions,” Oxford coach Dan Bautista said. “We knew it would be tough because (Canton) has the same type of playing style. So, it came down to whoever had the ball the most. They had the ball a good amount of time in dangerous areas and they were just better.”

Thomas Gibbons put the Warriors (14-4) on the board in the first five minutes of the game. Deiulis made it 2-0 with 16:21 left in the opening half when he faked out a Wolverine defender to get into open space and fire a shot across the goal mouth and into the net.

“That is a picture-perfect play,” he said. “That is what I dream about doing.”

Oxford’s Zach Guilnerme and Canton’s Miles Dejulis battle for a head ball during Thursday’s Class S tournament in Canton. The Warriors won, 4-1. More game photos

Oxford (10-3-4) cut the lead to one when Mason Pale found some open space and popped a shot into the far corner of the net with eight minutes gone in the second half.

That energized the Warriors, who began to get more pressure on the Wolverines goal. Off a corner kick from Devin Brown, Deiulis headed a ball past Oxford goalie Noah Kondic with 26:40 remaining in the game for a 3-1 lead.

Ryker Bahre scored his first goal of the season with 10:59 remaining to extend the lead to three goals, 4-1.

“They’ve started to play our brand of soccer, moving the ball,” Canton High coach Bill Phelps said. “They’re moving the ball, they’re talking to each other (on the field)  and doing their job really well.”

Deiulis, who had 11 goals in the regular season, had scored just one goal in the last six games before getting two on Thursday.

“It’s incredible with Miles, Spencer (Mix) and London Abbott, they just interchange,” Phelps said. “One minute, it is Miles. The next minute, it is Spencer and the next minute, it is London. They just move (the ball) really, really well.”

Phelps also praised the work that Devin Brown did in the center of the defense to disrupt the Wolverines attack.

NOTES: Canton has outscored their last four opponents, 24-1 with seven goals against Hartford Classical in Tuesday’s first round win and a 10-1 win over East Windsor on November 1.  …The Warriors will be looking for their first quarterfinal victory and berth in the semifinals since 2003. Holy Cross, the 2021 Naugatuck Valley League champion, had to go to overtime to eliminate East Hampton, 3-1. The Crusaders are 18-0-2. Holy Cross battled Oxford to a 0-0 tie on opening day in September.

Canton 4, Oxford 1
At Canton
Oxford (10-3-4)              0  1  — 1
Canton (14-4)                 2  2  — 4
Goals: Thomas Gibbons (Ca), Miles DeJulis (Ca) 2, Ryker Bahe (Ca), Mason Pale (Ox); Assists: Devin Brown (Ca), Ryan Weller (Ca); Saves: Noah Kondic (Ox) 7, Jack Biskupiak (Ca) 5; Shots: Canton, 9-8