Litchfield wins finale with Canton; Another win for Lewis Mills

Canton’s Ryan Cuniowski (3) had a team-high 17 points in Thursday night’s loss to Litchfield.

CANTON, Jan. 18, 2024 — Nearly 100 years ago, this series between the Canton and Litchfield High boys basketball programs began with a win by Litchfield High. The series ended on Thursday night with another win by the Cowboys.

Jack Gollow had a game-high 27 points and Travis Lipinsky added 10 points as Litchfield beat Canton, 62-59, in the final game between the two programs. Litchfield High is closing at the end of the year and their students will attend a new regional high school called Lakeview High beginning in September.

Canton led by a point with less than a minute remaining but two steals by Lipinsky helped the Cowboys grab the victory. The first steal led to a Litchfield basket and put the Cowboys ahead 60-59. Lipinsky made two free throws to boost the Litchfield lead to three points, 62-59. A second steal by Lipinsky with six seconds left gave the Cowboys possession of  the ball and they ran out the clock.

Ryan Cuniowski had 17 points for the Warriors (2-7) while Tate Bemis added 12.

The first game between the two schools was in February 1925 when Litchfield beat Collinsville High in the Class C semifinals. Canton didn’t begin using the Canton High name until 1934.

Canton, which has dropped three games in a row, returns to action on Saturday when they host Windsor Locks at 1 p.m.

Litchfield 62, Canton 59
At Canton
Litchfield (62) Al Quesnel 1-0-2, Jon Hotchkiss 2-0-4, Ulisses Do Carmo 1-0-2, Cole Karpicki 3-0-9, Travis Lipinsky 4-2-10, Jack Gollow 9-8-27, Max Guma 2-0-6, Gage Rohrer 1-0-2. Totals 23-10
Canton (59) Tate Bemis 4-1-12, Ryan Cuniowski 5-7-17, Brayden Keefe 3-3-10, Jayden Young 4-0-8, David Grabowski 2-2-6, Mike Valenti 3-0-6, Wyatt Bernabucci 0-0-0. Totals 21-13
Litchfield (5-4)           14  21  12  15  — 62
Canton (2-7)              16  18    8  17  — 59
Three-point goals: Guma (L) 2, Gollow (L), Karpicki (L) 3, Bemis (C) 3, Keefe (C)

Lewis Mills 80, Vinal Tech 28
MIDDLETOWN, Jan. 18, 2024 – Connor Evans had 21 points and Eli Pelletier added 12 as the Lewis Mills boys basketball team scored a season-high 80 points in a 80-28 non-league victory Thursday night over Vinal Tech in Middletown.

Tom Dinunzio and Max Dinunzio each had 11 points for Mills, who have won seven of their last eight games. Lewis Mills returns to action on Monday night when they visit Simsbury for a 6:45 p.m. tip.

Lewis Mills 80, Vinal Tech 28
At Middletown
Lewis Mills (80) Gavin Daly 2-0-6, Tristan Mooney 2-0-4, Eli Pelletier 6-0-12, Brett Harding 1-0-3, Logan Carrano 0-0-0, Anthony Diorio 0-0-0, Tommy Dinunzio 5-1-11, Chad Edmond 2-0-6, Jack Nestor 1-0-2, Gage Kosak 0-0-0, Connor Evans 8-5-21, Max Dinunzio 4-0-11, Ethan Braddock 2-0-4, Gavin Grustus 0-0-0, Totals 33-6-80
Vinal Tech (0-9) M. Quintyn 5-0-12, K. Williams 0-0-0, C. Allen 1-0-2, S. Pedreza 3-0-6, D. Zalewski 0-0-0, J. Grahan 1-0-2, B. Pryor 0-0-0, D. Jackson 2-0-5, BJ Beaudren 0-1-1, Totals 10-1-28
Lewis Mills (7-3)             25  27  18  10 – 80
Vinal Tech (0-9)                 6    8     6    8 – 28
Three-point goals: Quintyn (V) 2, Jackson (V), Daly (LM) 2, Harding (LM), Edmond (LM) 2, Dinunzio LM) 3