Canton breaks through to beat Suffield and win NCCC championship

Amanda Carvahlo (15) and Madi Dufresne (5) celebrate after Dufresne scored with 11:14 remaining to give Canton the lead in Tuesday night’s NCCC field hockey match against Suffield.  More photos

CANTON, Oct. 25, 2022 – A year ago, the Canton High field hockey was thrilled to bring home a share of the North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) championship – even if they had to share it with rival Granby.

This season, the Warriors wanted the pennant all to themselves.

No. 8 Canton scored two fourth quarter goals in the span of a minute to beat Suffield, 2-0, on Tuesday night and claim the NCCC championship. It’s the first outright league title for the Warriors since 2006 and the 16th in the team’s history.

“We’ve been waiting for this one for a while,” Canton senior Molly McLellan said. “It’s great to get it ourselves. It’s so amazing. I am so happy.”

Canton (12-2, 7-1 NCCC), which beat Granby twice this season by scores of 1-0 and 2-0, won for the tenth straight game and pitched their 11^th shutout of the season.

It was a scoreless game going into the fourth quarter despite the fact that Canton was dominating. Nearly the entire second half was played in Suffield’s side of the field. The Warriors had nine of their 12 penalty corners in the second half.

“It took us a while to get us in our groove,” Canton coach Margaret Bristol said. “They just needed a little bit to get their flow on the field going.”

Sophomore Madi Dufresne provided the spark to put the Warriors on top. With a little over 11 minutes left in regulation, she dribbled in about five yards before stopping at the 11-yard line and ripping a shot past Suffield goalie Izzy Sorrow (16 saves) for her sixth goal of the season and the game-winner.

Less than a minute later, it was McLellan in front of the net. She got a shot on Sorrow that bounced off the goalie’s pads and right back to McLellan, who popped it in the net for a 2-0 lead with 10:14 left in the game.

It was also McLellan’s sixth goal of the season.

“We have a really strong team this year,” McLellan said. “It starts with the defense. We transfer well (to both sides of the field). Strong forwards. We’re all working hard together. It’s definitely not just one person. The sport wouldn’t work without the team thing.”

Suffield has won only four games but they made it tough for Canton to score with plenty of defenders protecting the goal.

This is a squad that returned seven starters but they didn’t rest on their laurels.

“They put in a lot of work this summer with conditioning. They were ready to go (this season),” Bristol said. “They step on the field and get it done in every practice and every game.

“They are so successful because it really is a team effort. They work well together,” she said.

The victory gave Canton their 12th win of the season. The last time that Canton won 12 games in the regular season was 2007.

The Warriors have two games left in the regular season with non-league games at Northwestern on Thursday and at Haddam-Killingworth on Friday. The Class S tournament begins a week later on Nov. 7.

Canton also moved up two spots in the state top 10 coaches poll to No. 8 thanks to three victories last week over Northwestern, 2-0, Westbrook/Old Lyme, 2-0, and Farmington, 2-0.

The Warriors rush to celebrate with Molly McLellan (11) after she gave the Warriors a 2-0 lead Tuesday against Suffield. From left, Elle Bahre, Amanda Carvahlo (15) and Mary DeRitis (7). More photos

Canton 2, Suffield 0
At Canton
Suffield (4-9-1)         0  0  0  0  — 0
Canton (12-2)           0  0  0  2  — 2
Goals: Molly McLellan (Ca), Madi Dufresne (Ca); Saves: Lyla O’Connor (Ca) 1, Izzy Sorrows (S) 16; Penalty corners, Canton 12-0