Canton set to challenge Coventry in Class S championship match on Friday night

Canton’s Aubrey Lindquist and Danielle Bae play defense during Tuesday’s semifinal win over Valley Regional.

On paper, there is a definite favorite in Friday’s Class S championship game between top ranked Coventry and No. 10 Canton, making their first-ever appearance in the title game.

Since 2003, Coventry (22-3) has played in 16 Class S championship matches and have won 12. The last appearance for the Patriots was a year ago when they lost to Valley Regional, 3-1. Coventry’s most recent state championship came in 2023.

Canton’s varsity program began in 2012. Their first winning season came in 2016 and their first CIAC tournament wins came just a year ago in 2024.

Championship tradition is in Coventry’s favor. But the Warriors (18-8) have shown a tenacity for survival in their run to the championship game. They outlasted No. 2 Valley Regional in the quarterfinals, 3-2 and outlasted No. 3 Hale-Ray in the semifinals, 3-1 with late rallies to win two games.

So, why not Canton?

Canton and Coventry meet on Friday at 4 p.m. in the Class S final at Sport Medicine Science Academy (SMSA) in Hartford next door to Trinity Health Stadium, home of the four boys soccer and girls soccer championship games on Saturday and Sunday.

Perhaps Huyshope Avenue should be renamed Championship Avenue this weekend with eight soccer title games and two championship volleyball matches being held on Friday at SMSA.

Canton’s leading hitters are seniors Mia Whilby (team-leading 256 kills in regular season) and Emery Howard (137 kills). The offense is run by setter Sophia Mazza (463 assists in regular season).

The key for the Warriors will be their defense and keeping the Patriots from pounding spikes down upon them. Against Hale-Ray and Valley Regional, Canton showed the ability to keep rallies going with their defense until their opponents made their own mistakes – hitting it into the net or having a spike go out of bounds.

Canton was swept twice by Coventry this year, 3-0. In fact, they have never beaten the Patriots at the varsity level.

But Canton never started the season on a nine-match winning streak before or beat Avon and Granby before this season. But they did it this year.

In the semifinals against Hale-Ray (20-4) was two points away from victories in game one and in game four. In both games, Canton rallied to win. In the opening game, Canton had a 5-1 run to close out the game and win 25-23. In game four, the Warriors had a 6-2 run to secure the match with a 25-23 win.

“We rely on a lot of energy to push momentum through the game and that will be disrupted by a team like Coventry, who is very sound,” second-year coach Andrew Barnes said. “It will take a lot of composure and playing together to not let one point dictate the next three.”

In so many words, Coventry will score points and hit spikes to the floor. Don’t let it rattle you.

Coventry is led by Terra Ransford with a team-high 205 kills but there are four players with at least 150 kills on the year. Audry Eakins has 166 kills with Haley Mayo (154) and Tessa Young (152) putting balls down on the floor. The Patriots had a season-high 51 kills in their semifinal win over East Hampton.

Canton beat Hale-Ray, 25-23, 23-25, 25-19 and 25-23 in the semifinals. In the quarterfinal, Canton outlasted Valley Regional, 3-2 (16-25, 25-18, 25-23, 14-25, 15-5). Regional had won 18 matches in a row. Whilby had 13 kills and 16 digs to lead Canton while Howard had 10 kills and a block. Sophia Mazza had 17 digs and 21 assists while liberio Audrey Lindquist had 20 digs.

Class S championship game
Who: No. 1 Coventry (22-3) vs. No. 10 Canton (18-8)
Coaches: Coventry: Ryan Giberson; Canton: Andrew Barnes
When: Friday, Nov. 14, 4 p.m.
Location: SMSA in Hartford
Championship appearances: Coventry: 16 (12-4). Canton: First appearance (0-0)
Of note: Coventry beat Canton twice this season, 3-0, in the regular season and in the semifinals of the NCCC Tournament. … The Patriots have lost just one game in three Class S tournament games this fall, winning nine of 10 games. .. Coventry’s three regular season losses came at the hands of East Lyme, Farmington and Simsbury.