
Granby’s Elijah Sams (6) tied a co-op record with five TDs in a single game in Thursday night’s win over the SMSA co-op in Granby.
GRANBY, Oct. 1, 2026 – Elijah Sams scored five touchdowns on Thursday night to lead the Granby/Canton football team to a 50-22 win over the SMSA co-op in Pequot Conference play.
Sams caught two passes (15, 75 yards) from QB Joe Lewie and scored on TD runs of 11, 16 and 2 yards to tie a co-op record with five touchdowns in a single game. It tied the co-op record set by Will Attianese of five TDs and 30 points set against North Branford in 2023.
The Granby/Canton co-op program dates back seven seasons to 2019.
Sams’ 75-yard touchdown is the second-longest TD pass in co-op history. The record is 76 yards by Vincent Vrabel from Attianese against Ellington in 2023.
Granby/Canton (3-1) took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. Sams had two TDs in the first quarter on a 15-yard pass from Lewie and an 11-yard run. He added his third TD of the day on the 75-yard TD reception.
Sams scored a pair of fourth quarter touchdowns on runs of 16 and two yards.
The 50 points was the most points in a single game since beating the Windsor Locks co-op team 54-0 in 2024.
Granby/Canton 50, SMSA co-op 20
At Granby
SMSA co-op (2-1) 0 14 0 6 — 20
Granby/Canton (3-1) 21 15 14 0 — 50
First quarter
G: Elijan Sams 15 pass from Joe Lewie (Kilty kick)
G: Michael LaPenta 5 run (Kilty kick)
G: Sams 11 run (Kilty kick)
Second quarter
S: Ameer Pitts 2 run (2-point conversion good)
G: Gabriel Mensah 9 run (Kilty kick)
S: Jamiah Shannon 8 pass from Pitts (2 point conversion fails)
G: Sams 75 pass from Lewie (Lewie run)
Third quarter
G: Sams 16 run (Kilty kick)
G: Sams 2 run (Kilty kick)
Fourth quarter
S: No. 14 17 pass from Pitts (Two-point conversion fails)
Of note: Lewie 114 yard rushing, 157 yards passing; Sams 5 TDs (3 rushing, 2 receiving), 121 yards receiving. … SMSA co-op has players from SMSA, Bulkeley, HMTCA and University High. … 75-yards is second longest TD in co-op history (since 2019) and Sams tied the co-op record for most TDs (5) in a single game. The first player to do it was Will Attianese against North Branford in 2023
Gerry deSimas, Jr., is the editor and founder of The Collinsville Press. He is an award-winning writer and has been covering sports in Connecticut and New England for more than 40 years. He was inducted into the Connecticut Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2025 and the New England High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2018.




