Granby/Canton hosts Joel Barlow in the quarterfinals of the CIAC Class S football tournament on Tuesday night beginning at 6:30 p.m.
GRANBY, Nov. 28, 2022 – Earlier this season, Granby/Canton football coach Erik Shortell talked about team goals for the Bears. Not only did the Bears want to earn a spot in the CIAC state tournament for the fourth time but they wanted to take the next step – win a state tournament game.
Thanks to five consecutive wins and victories in eight of the nine games of the season, the Bears have secured a spot in the Class SS quarterfinals on Tuesday night when No. 4 Granby/Canton (8-2) hosts No. 5 seed Joel Barlow-Redding (8-2) at 6:30 p.m.
Getting that initial victory will be a challenge.
Granby/Canton faces Joel Barlow, which went 8-2 and finished third in the Southwest Conference, losing to Newtown (9-1, 8-0 SWC), which earned a No. 2 seed in the Class LL tournament and Masuk (7-3, 7-1 SWC), which earned a spot in the Class MM tournament.
Barlow, making their third CIAC tournament appearance, are led by senior running back Danny Shaban, who can do a bit of everything. Shaban, a 6-foot, 195 pound back, was the team’s leading rusher with 1,594 yards and a team-leading 27 touchdowns on 163 carries.
“My offensive line, they don’t get enough credit,” Shaban told GameTimeCT after the Falcons beat Weston, 56-20 last week on Thanksgiving Eve. “They blow the crap out of the defensive line every single time.”
Shaban had a season-high 320 yards and scored five TDs against Weston. “It’s difficult, it’s incredibly difficult,” Weston coach Dan Hassett told GameTimeCT about trying to stop Shaban. “Not only is he physically a great runner and one of the best runners we have in the state, in my opinion, he reads it so well. He rides anything from midline to veer, deep in the hole. He knows what he is doing.”
Shaban also plays quarterback but seldom throws, completing 15-of-34 passes for 452 yards and 9 TDs. When he does throw, he frequently goes to receiver Evan Corazzelli, who had 12 receptions for 389 yards and 7 TDs.
Defensively, he has 58 tackles (fourth on the team) with 16 tackles for a loss (TFLs) and a team-leading eight sacks.
Of course, one player can’t win a game in football. But he can have a huge impact on it.
Granby/Canton (8-2, 7-1 Pequot Uncas) throws the ball more than the Falcons. QB Will Migliaccio has completed 127-of-203 passes for 1,573 yards and 18 touchdowns while throwing five interceptions.
Granby/Canton senior Luke Maher doesn’t have the offensive numbers of Shaban but Maher always seems to be around the ball. Maher is the team’s leading rusher with 645 yards and six TDs on 108 carries and is second on the team in receptions with 29 catches for 323 yards and a touchdown.
Maher leads the team in tackles with 70 and has 11 tackles for a loss. He also holds the state record for most fumble returns for a touchdown in a single season with four this year.
Granby/Canton has forced 33 turnovers this season, recovering 12 fumbles and intercepting 21 passes.
Will Attianese has rushed for 305 yards and eight touchdowns in 61 carries along with pulling in a team-leading 30 receptions for 365 yards and two touchdowns. Connor Richardson, a receiver from Canton High, has a team-leading seven TD receptions and a team-high 455 yards on 25 catches.
Kicker George Horst could be a key. He has converted on 39-of-44 extra points and on four-of-six field goal attempts, including a 39-yard FG.
Class SS quarterfinals
Joel Barlow (8-2) at Granby/Canton (8-2)
Date: Tuesday, Nov. 29, 6:30 p.m.
Series: First meeting
CIAC tournament appearances: Granby/Canton, 4th appearance (0-3); Joel Barlow, 3rd appearance (3-2)
Streaming: Granby YouTube page (live)
Players to watch: Joel Barlow – Danny Shaban (163-1,594, 27 TDs rushing; 15-34-0, 452, 9 TDs passing; 58 tackles, 8 sacks), Dylan Taylor (62-564, 9 TDs, Scott Romano (52-454, 7 TDs), Mason Leavitt (81 tackles, 9 TFLs), Evan Corazzelli (12 receptions, 389 yards, 7 TDs)
Players to watch: Granby/Canton – Will Migliaccio (127-302-5, 1,573 yards, 18 TDs), Luke Maher (108-645 rushing, 6 TDs, 29-283 receiving, 1 TD, 4 fumble recoveries for TDs), Will Attianese (61-305 rushing, 8 TDs; 30 receptions, 365 yards, 2 TD)s, Connor Richardson (25-455 receiving, 7 TDs), Charles Attianese (27-230 receiving, 4 TDs), Tristran Sidrane (57 tackles, 17½ TFLs, 8 sacks), Saladin Atkinson (57 tackles, 15½ TFLs, 3½ sacks)
Outlook: Danny Shaban is obviously the focal point of the Falcon squad, rushing for nearly 1,600 yards and 27 TDs. He had a season-high 320 yards and 5 TDs in the Thanksgiving Eve win over Weston. The Falcons don’t throw often with just 15 completions this season but when they do it is to Evan Corazzelli (12 receptions, 389 yards, 7 TDs). The Bears tend to throw more with QB Will Migliaccio completing 127 passes for 1,573 yards and 18 TDs. Luke Maher is the team’s leading rusher (108-645, 6 TDs), second in receptions (29-323, 1 TD) and the leading tackler (70). The Bears have forced 39 turnovers this season (21 interceptions, 12 fumble recoveries).
Of note: Joel Barlow (8-2, 6-2 SWC) finished third in the Southwest Conference behind league champion Newtown (9-1) and Masuk (7-3), who each qualified for the CIAC playoffs. … Joel Barlow has won at least one playoff in each of their previous two appearances in 2013 and 2017. In 2017, the Falcons went 2-1 and went to the Class M finals where they lost to top-seeded Killingly. … Granby/Canton, in the fourth year of their co-op program, are back in the playoffs for the third straight season. The Bears made the playoffs in 2019 and 2021. The 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. … Granby/Canton is hosting a playoff game for the second straight year. … Granby/Canton (8-2, 7-1 Pequot Uncas) finished second in Pequot Uncas behind divisional champion SMSA co-op (10-0, 7-0). … Granby/Canton lost to Torrington in last year’s Class M quarterfinal, 37-29. The Bears dropped a 10-6 decision to Waterford in the 2019 Class M quarterfinals.
CLASS SS
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Nov. 29
No. 1 Cromwell/Portland (9-1) vs. No. 8 Ledyard (8-2) at Pierson Park, 6:30 p.m.
No. 4 Granby/Canton (8-2) vs. No. 5 Joel Barlow (8-2) at Granby, 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Windham (9-1) vs. No. 7 Gilbert/Northwestern/Housatonic at E.O. Smith, 6:30 p.m.
No. 6 Valley Regional/Old Lyme at No. 3 Foran (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Sunday, Dec. 4
At higher seeds, 12:30 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, Dec. 10
Time TBA at Arute Field or Rentschler Field
CLASS LL
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Nov. 29
No. 8 Trumbull (7-3) at No. 1 Southington (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
No. 5 Fairfield Prep (7-3) at No. 4 Staples (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
No. 7 Hamden (8-2) at No. 2 Greenwich (8-2), 6:30 p.m.
No. 6 Glastonbury (8-2) at No. 3 West Haven (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Sunday, Dec. 4
At higher seeds, 12:30 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, Dec. 10
Time TBA at Arute Field or Rentschler Field
CLASS L
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Nov. 29
No. 1 St. Joseph (9-1) vs. No. 8 Cheshire (6-4) at Kennedy Stadium, 6:30 p.m.
No. 5 Naugatuck (8-2) at No. 4 New Canaan (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
No. 7 Shelton (6-4) at No. 2 Newtown (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
No. 3 Maloney (9-1) vs. No. 6 New Milford (7-3) at Falcon Field, 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Sunday, Dec. 4
At higher seeds, 12:30 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, Dec. 10
Time TBA at Arute Field or Rentschler Field
CLASS MM
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Nov. 29
No. 1 SMSA Coop (10-0) vs. No. 8 Wilton (7-3) at Weaver, 11/29, 6:30 p.m.
No. 4 Thames River (10-0) vs. No. 5 North Haven (8-2) at Grasso Tech, 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Northwest United (10-0) vs. No. 7 Masuk (7-3) at Nonnewaug, 6:30 p.m.
No. 6 Wethersfield (8-2) at No. 3 Killingly (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Sunday, Dec. 4
At higher seeds, 12:30 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, Dec. 10
Time TBA at Arute Field or Rentschler Field
CLASS M
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Berlin (10-0) vs. No. 8 Branford (5-5) at Sage Park, 11/29, 6:30 p.m.
No. 5 ATI (8-2) at No. 4 Rockville (8-2), 6:30 p.m.
No. 2 Notre Dame-West Haven (7-3) vs. No. 7 Hartford Public (6-4) at Veterans Field, 6:30 p.m.
No. 6 RHAM (7-3) at No. 3 Jonathan Law (9-1), 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Sunday, Dec. 4
At higher seeds, 12:30 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, Dec. 10
Time TBA at Arute Field or Rentschler Field
CLASS S
Quarterfinals
Tuesday, Nov. 29
No. 1 Ansonia (10-0) vs. No. 8 North Branford (6-4) at Nolan Field, 6:30 p.m.
No. 5 East Catholic (7-3) at No. 4 Woodland (8-2), 6:30 p.m.
No. 7 Seymour (6-4) at No. 2 Bloomfield (8-2), 6:30 p.m.
No. 3 Holy Cross (8-2) vs. No. 6 New Fairfield (7-3) at Municipal Stadium, 6:30 p.m.
Semifinals
Sunday, Dec. 4
At higher seeds, 12:30 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, Dec. 10
Time TBA at Arute Field or Rentschler Field
