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Old Saybrook takes charge in OT to beat Canton and win another Class S title

Canton’s Spemcer Mix, right, drew plenty of attention in Sunday night’s Class S championship at Dillon Stadium. Old Savbrook beat the Warriors, 4-1 in 2 OT. More game photos

HARTFORD, Nov. 21, 2021 – For nearly 100 minutes, the Canton High boys soccer team went toe-to-toe with No. 2 Old Saybrook Sunday night at Dillon Stadium in the Class S championship game.

The two soccer teams were tied 1-1 after 90 minutes, which required a pair of 15-minute overtime sessions. That’s when the Rams went out and grabbed their state championship.

The Rams scored three goals in the final 23 minutes of the game to beat the Warriors, 4-1 and capture their third straight Class S championship before a few thousand fans at the newly-renovated Dillon Stadium.

It was also the tenth state title for Rams coach Steve Waters, who won nine state championships at Farmington High and who has won more high school soccer games than any other coach in state history.

“Everyone thinks when they get this far, they deserve (the title),” Waters said. “But you have to earn it.”

Canton (16-5) was pressing the Rams as regulation ended with several good opportunities, including a shot from leading scorer Spencer Mix with 20 seconds left that deflected off a Rams defender.

Tied at 1-1, the Rams took advantage of a chance to take a 2-1 lead. Old Saybrook had a corner kick which sailed into the penalty box. One Canton defender headed the ball into the area and a second defender kicked the ball out of the penalty box.

Old Saybrook defender Carmen DeAngelo controlled the ball outside the penalty area. He evaded two Canton defenders and tried to get another shot on net but it deflected off a defender and scooted through a crowded crease to a wide-open Bradley Kuhlmann, who popped into the net for a one-goal lead with 8:03 left in the first overtime.

The Rams added two more goals in the second OT, including a goal with 30 seconds remaining that was simply supposed to be a high shot into the air that bounced past Canton goalie Jack Biskupiak.

Old Saybrook (19-0-3) claimed their seventh state championship and their third consecutive title. They won in 2018 and 2019. The 2020 tournament was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Warriors were playing in their first state title game since 2003.

Canton’s London Abbott moves upfield during Sunday night’s Class S championship game at Dillon Stadium. More game photos

“I thought was a great game, one of the best games I have seen in a long time,” Canton coach Bill Phelps said. “Old Saybrook did a a great job. They never stopped. We a great job and we had opportunities. It was just a fantastic game.

“This game could have dropped either way,” Phelps said. “I am proud of what these guys did.”

It was the third consecutive overtime game for the Rams. Old Saybrook beat Valley Regional 4-3 in overtime in the quarterfinals before scoring with two seconds on a penalty kick left in regulation to tie the game with Somers in the semifinal and going on to win in overtime, 3-1.

“It is just what we are used to now,” said Old Saybrook junior Cameron DeAngelo, who was named the tournament’s MVP. “We’ve been here (overtime) before and we can do it. We have a great group of kids. Our whole team is strong from our defense, to our midfield to our strikers. They all really play with heart.”

To win a state championship, you also need some luck and the Warriors had little of it early in the game. With about 15 minutes gone in the game, London Abbott blasted a shot that deflected off top of the crossbar and back out onto the field of play. It went to Thomas Gibbons, whose shot deflected off the post.

What was working was the Canton defense, sparked by Devin Brown, Jerauld Dean, Luke DeRitis and Sammy Lincoln that gave up few shots to Old Saybrook.

Still, it was Old Saybrook that took a 1-0 lead on DeAngelo’s head ball into the net with 12:26 left in the first half. Off a corner kick from Liam Roberts, Biskupiak leaped into the air to punch the ball away from the net but as he did, he collided with an Old Saybrook defender.

It reduced the power that Biskupiak could put on the ball and it sailed right to DeAngelo. “It fell to my head so I said, here it is and headed it right in,” he said.

Canton tied the game at 1-1 with 31:07 left in the second half when Abbott found Mix racing toward the net and the senior forward scored his 30th goal of the season.

Mix was frequently making things happen, trying to work his way around two, three and sometimes even four defenders.

“(Spencer) was a little injured and we have been nursing him the past two weeks,” Phelps said. “He is just about a step off but he is just a fantastic leader out there. He makes things happen no matter what is hurting him.”

Mix had several shots on net in the final 30 minute of regulation, including a shot with 20 seconds remaining that deflected off a Rams defender.

“They were a great team,” DeAngelo said. (Abbott, Mikes Deiulis, Mix) those three were passing around us (like) crazy. Luckily, our defense stepped up. We had a few shaky moments but we stayed strong and we came out with a victory.”

The Warriors were, understandably, crushed afterwards.

“Disappointment is always going to come when you don’t win that last game,” Phelps said. “In this game, you can better than the other team and still lose. So, I know once they get over this, they will be fine and they’ll understand what they accomplished (this season).”

Head coach Bill Phelps addresses his team after the conclusion of Sunday night’s Class S championship game in Hartford. More game photos

It was the seventh appearance in the championship game for the Warriors, who captured their first NCCC championship since 2002 and tied a single season team record with 16 wins, matching the mark set by the 1981 squad.

NOTES: All eight soccer championship games (boys and girls) were played at Dillon Stadium this weekend. The stadium was renovated in 2020 for the Hartford Athletic pro soccer team. … Canton is 4-3 in Class S title games having previously won titles in 1973, 1981, 1994 and 2003. … Waters is believed to be the first high school coach to lead his teams to championships in all four classes (LL, L, M and S). Waters won titles in Class LL, L and M with Farmington, which he coached for 36 years before stepping down after the 2015. campaign.

Old Saybrook 4, Canton 1, 2 OT
At Hartford
Canton (16-5)                        0  1  0  0  — 1
Old Saybrook (19-0-3)         1  0  1  2  — 4
Goals: Cameron DeAngelo (OS); Bradley Kuhlmann (OS) 2, Kevin Decapuia (OS), Spencer Mix (Ca); Assists: London Abbott (Ca), DeAngelo (OS), Ryan Stratton (OS); Saves: Jack Biskupiak (Ca) 9, Ryan Sliz (OS) 9; Shots: Canton, 12-11

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Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.

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