After memorable run, Archambault leaves Canton to coach at Farmington

Canton High coach Craig Archambault and his Warriors qualified for the CIAC state tournament in ten consecutive season (2013-23), a program record for consecutive post-season berths.

Craig Archambault, who led the Canton High boys basketball team to three North Central Connecticut Conference (NCCC) championships and 10 CIAC tournament berths in 12 seasons, resigned as head coach in May to pursue another coaching opportunity.

Within a few weeks, he was named as the new varsity basketball coach at Farmington.

Archambault informed his players and administrators in Canton before he was hired in Farmington. It was not an easy decision, he said.

“Twelve years ago, I was afforded the incredible opportunity to be your basketball coach,” he wrote in a note to his players. “I have not for one single day taken that opportunity for granted and this decision has been an extremely difficult one for family and I to make.”

Archambault helped the Warriors win three NCCC championships in 2017, 2018 (shared with SMSA) and 2023 (shared with Windsor Locks). In 2020, Canton won their first-ever conference tournament with a victory in the NCCC tournament final.

His teams qualified for the CIAC tournament 10 times, including earning the No. 1 seed in the CIAC Division 4 tournament in 2020 with an 18-2 record. It was the first time in team history that the Warriors had earned the top seed in a CIAC tournament. But that tournament was cancelled to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

There was no CIAC tournament in 2021 due to COVID and his Warriors missed out on the tournament this season with a 5-15 record.

Archambault leaves with a career record of 172-97, one win shy of the school record for career wins. The late Bill Mudano went 173-155 over 14 seasons from 1974-88. Archambault does have the best winning percentage (.639) of any of the 17 coaches to lead the boys basketball program dating back to 1920.

“To my players, thank you for giving me memories and relationships to last a lifetime. You are the ones that made me love my time at Canton,” he said in his message to his players. “The wins, the losses, the bus rides, the practices, the time spent in the team room, thank you for giving me all of the laughs, tears and amazing memories. I loved coaching you guys on and off the court. Thank you for taking me on an incredible ride.”

Only Mudano coached more seasons at Canton than Archambault.

“I would like to think that as coach of the Canton boys basketball program for the past 12 seasons that I leave the program in a better place than when I started,” he said.

Canton coach Craig Archambault and the Warriors celebrate after winning the NCCC Tournament title by beating Granby in 2020 just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

There were plenty of memorable games but he chose four when asked about some of his best memories of games leading the Warriors.

“Tough question,” he said. “It’s hard to answer.”

The first memorable game that comes to mind was Canton’s 56-49 win over Granby in February 2020 to win the NCCC Tournament championship before a packed house in Canton only days before the COVID-19 pandemic would cancel the remainder of the season.

“Winning the school’s first NCCC tournament championship on our home floor and capping off a 21-2 season was an incredible memory,” he said. “It was truly a special team with special players and coaches and will forever be a great memory for me.  It was a special way to end a tough season for those kids as COVID soon followed and cancelled the state tournaments and following season’s tournaments.”

Memorable game No. 2 was Canton’s triple overtime win over Hartford Classical in the NCCC Tournament semifinals in 2016 in Hartford.

“We played Classical Magnet on the road in the NCCC Tournament semifinals in 2016.  It was an incredible triple-overtime win and was one of, if not, the most incredible basketball game I was a part of as a player or coach,” he said. “Cameron Lange hit game tying free throw’s and buzzer beaters at the end of regulation and in both overtimes to keep us alive and we pulled out the victory.  It was the year we lost to East Windsor in the NCCC Tournament championship on the infamous Marcus Goss buzzer beater. What a shot he hit!”

Memorable game No. 3 came in 2017 in East Granby as Canton clinched their first league championship in 35 years with a victory. “Senior captain Ethan Burke led us to our first NCCC regular season championship in 35 years, a very special memory and moment,” Archambault said.

Canton coach Craig Archambault urges on Grant Lange (30) in a win over East Granby to win a share of the NCCC championship in 2018.

Memorable game No. 4 came in 2018 at Maloney High in Meriden where Canton lost to Cromwell in the CIAC Division V semifinals, 65-44. “2018 was the first year the CIAC went to the five division format,” Archambault said. “Our team went 20-5 on the season, won an NCCC regular season Title, and made a great tournament run to the semifinals.  While we lost to eventual champion, Cromwell, I was very proud of that group.  They were an amazing, selfless, special team!”

Archambault and his wife, Erica, live in Burlington and are both educators. Archambault is a health and physical education teacher at Hall in West Hartford while Erica is a science teacher at Bristol Central. They have two young boys.

Archambault graduated from Conard where he played basketball and attended Drew University, where he was a four-year player and senior captain. He spent three years working as an equities trader in New York City before leaving to become a teacher and coach.

Archambault will replace Duane Witter, who retired earlier this spring after 25 years on the River Hawks’ bench. He will be the 11th head coach for the River Hawks since 1949 or 75 seasons.

“Why Farmington? Many have asked me this question during this process,” he said in a letter to the River Hawks players. “The obvious answer is that it is an amazing school community with a history-rich basketball program that competes in the best league in the state. The new facility is incredible and the coaches and student-athletes are extremely fortunate to have the upcoming facilities and resources.

“The real answer comes down to a personal connection,” Archambault said. “Growing up in West Hartford, I was very close with the Phelan family. Long time Farmington Athletics Director Jack Phelan was a hero to me and I grew up with his three boys – Ken, Jack Jr. and Patrick. I want to honor Mr. Phelan’s legacy in Farmington and coach tirelessly in his honor for years to come.”

Phelan, who died in 2020, was the athletic director at Farmington for 17 years. He also coached the men’s basketball team at the University of Hartford during their transition from NCAA Division II to the Division I level in the mid-1980s.

Head coach Craig Archambault makes a point during a game last season in 2018. Archambault is the third coach in Canton boys basketball history to win 100 games.