Canton’s Gianna Valenti gets low to stop a drive in Saturday’s field hockey game with Avon at Nancy Grace Memorial Stadium. The two teams battled to a 0-0 tie in overtime. More game photos
CANTON, Oct. 25, 2026 – Avon High field hockey coach Terri Ziemiecki recalls driving onto the Canton High campus in the 1990s with her team set to face the Warriors. And what did they see?
Welcome to Graceland spray painted on the side of the hill that overlooked the grass field.
That was an era when Canton High field hockey under head coach Nancy Grace was one of the dominant programs in the state, winning eight Class S state championships from 1985 through 1999 and earning the No. 1 ranking in the year-end state coaches poll six times.
That spray paint has long faded away but Grace’s legacy has not.
When athletic teams come to Canton now, they will face the Warriors at Nancy Grace Memorial Stadium.
On Saturday, the artificial turf complex at Canton High was dedicated in her memory before the Warriors faced off against their old rivals from Avon on the turf for the first time in a non-COVID season since 2013.
Grace, a Hall of Fame field hockey coach, was an athletic director, softball coach, golf coach, teacher and friend in Canton. She passed away in 2024 at the age of 65.
Avon and Canton battled to a 0-0 overtime tie Saturday at Nancy Grace Memorial Stadium in Canton. More game photos
At the ceremony, the school dedicated a nearby practice field in honor of Catherine deSimas for her 26 years of service on the Canton Board of Education from 1973-99. A practice field was dedicated in her honor in 1999 but it was torn up to build the turf field and track and field facility in 2013.
The school also announced that the turf field at Nancy Grace Memorial Stadium will be called Legends Field in honor of legendary coaches at Canton High.
Canton and Avon battled to a 0-0 tie in overtime on Saturday, the first tie between the two schools since 2008.
Each team earned a point for the tie, allowing Canton (5-6-3) to qualify for the CIAC Class S tournament. Avon (4-6-3-1) needs to secure one more point in their final two games against Southington on Monday or Enfield on Wednesday to earn a bid to the Class M tournament.
We will have additional photos and video in the coming days from the ceremony.
