Granby/Canton turns tight game into Pequot win and another 4-1 start
Granby/Canton’s Keandre Hunter, left, tries to create some space in Thursday’s Pequot Conference game with Cromwell/Portland.
CROMWELL, Oct. 15, 2026 – The Granby/Canton scored two touchdowns in the final 1:24 of the second quarter and on their first possession of the third quarter to beat Cromwell/Portland, 41-28 in a Pequot Conference contest on Thursday night at Pierson Park.
The host Panthers had a 7-0 lead going into the final two minutes of the second quarter but the visiting Bears scored twice in the final 1:24 of the first half and scored 37 seconds into the third quarter to take a commanding 28-7 lead.
Granby/Canton improved to 4-1 for the sixth time in the seven-year history of the co-op program between the two schools. The only year the Bears weren’t 4-1 after the first five games of the season was in 2025.
Granby/Canton QB Joseph Lewie completed 12-of-20 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. Keandre Hunter ran for a season-high 75 yards and caught a touchdown pass.
The Bears defense had three sacks for losses of 24 yards and allowed the Panthers to run for just 47 yards on the ground.
Cromwell/Portland QB Sam DiMattio completed 19-of-32 passes for 245 yards and two touchdowns. He threw an interception. Receiver Xavier Hodges pulled in a game-high nine passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
At one point in the third quarter, DiMattio completed three consecutive passes of 20, 19 and 16 yards to Hodges that led to a Cromwell/Portland touchdown.
We started off slow. I hate bye weeks because you have 7 to 14 days of without any real contact. So, we started super slow. We didn’t take advantage of the mistakes they made but we were able to sneak out with 14 points in the first half. It was pretty sloppy. I am proud of how we executed,” Granby/Canton coach Erik Shortell. “Cromwell isn’t a 1-4 team. To me, they are a 4-1 team with a tough schedule. They are well coached and play fast football.”
The Panthers (1-4) have lost to Haddam-Killingworth by a point and dropped games to Valley Regional/Old Lyme and Shehan.
Cromwell/Portland scored on their opening drive of the game, marching 73 yards on 11 plays with Jayden Augustin scoring on a one-yard run with 7:59 left in the second quarter. Rocco Nelson kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead.
The scoring drive was added by a 15-yard penalty for roughing the passer on a third down play that kept the Yellowjackets on the field.
Granby/Canton QB Joseph Lewie (10) makes sure that a Cromwell/Portland defender know that the Bears have scored a touchdown in Thursday night’s Pequot Conference contest.
Granby/Canton got moving on their third possession. Three times, they converted on third down to secure a first down and keep the driving going. The fourth time they had a third down situation, Lewie found Elijah Sam down the far sideline for a 39-yard touchdown pass that tied the game at 7-7 with 1:24 left in the half.
Sam intercepted a DiMatteo pass and returned the ball to the Cromwell/Portland 26-yard line. On third down and 10 from the Panther 12-yard line, Lewie got outside to his and scored on a 12-yard run to extend the Bear lead to 14-7 at halftime.
To open the third quarter, Hunter returned the opening kickoff to the 50-yard line and a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct moved the ball to the Panther 35-yard line. Lewie completed a 34-yard pass to Augustt Mayle and on the next play, Lewie scored from the one for a 21-7 lead.
The lead grew when Lewie found Hunter on an 23-yard touchdown reception with 8:05 left in the third quarter, 28-7.
It was the fifth game in the series that Granby/Canton now has a 3-2 advantage.
Granby/Canton 41, Cromwell/Portland 28
At Cromwell
Granby/Canton (4-1) 0 14 14 13 — 41
Cromwell/Portland (1-4) 7 0 7 14 – 28
First quarter
C: Jayden Augustin 1 run (Rocco Nelson kick), 7:59
Second quarter
G: Elijah Sam 39 pass from Joe Lewie (Jacob Kilty kick), 1:24
G: Lewie 12 run (Kilty kick), 39.8
Third quarter
G: Lewie 1 run (kick fails), 11:23
G: Keandre Hunter 23 pass from Lewie (Lewie run), 8:05
C: Mason Stachura 7 run (Nelson kick), 1:48
Fourth quarter
G: Sam 10 run (Kilty kick), 8:17
C: Xavier Hodge 16 pass from Sam DiMattio (Nelson kick), 6:04
G: Lewie 58 run (kick fails), 2:46
C: Hodge 5 pass from DiMattio (Nelson kick), 1:10
Individual leaders
RUSHING: Granby/Canton – Keandre Hunter 13-75, Joseph Lewie 16-103, Michael Lapenta 1-minus 2, Gabe Mensah 3-8; Cromwell/Portland – Sam DiMattio 6-minus 15, Noah Bryant 2-1, Jayden Augustin 13-56, Mason Scachura 1-7
PASSING: Granby/Canton – Joe Lewie12-20-1, 166; Cromwell/Portland – Sam DiMattio 19-32-1, 245
RECEIVING: Granby/Canton – Augusty Mayle 2-40, Michael Lapenta 3-14, Elijah Sam 4-69, Keandre Hunter 1-23, Jacob Kilty 1-7; Cromwell/Portland – Noah Bryant 6-54, Xavier Hodge 9-171, Eldin Cirivoic 1-6, J Augustin 1-8, Mason Stachura 2-5