CHS football clinches share of Davenport Division

Update: In one of the most meaningful Canton home football games in recent memory, the Bulldogs gave the North Attleboro Red Rocketeers all they could handle in an eventual 14-10 defeat in front of a raucous crowd at Memorial Field Friday night. The two teams finish the regular season with identical division records and a share of the Davenport title. Canton will now await its seeding as it looks forward to the MIAA Division 5 playoffs.

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With a blowout win over Sharon at Memorial Field on Friday night, the unbeaten CHS varsity football team improved to 6-0 on the season while locking up at least a share of the Davenport Division crown for the first time since 1990.

But to make it all their own, the Bulldogs will first have to accomplish something they have not done in nearly as long: defeat North Attleboro, who come to town tomorrow evening for what promises to be an epic clash between the division’s two best teams.

The Rocketeers (4-2), who have owned the Davenport since joining the division, are coming off a 21-10 defeat to Stoughton, a team Canton beat 14-7 two weeks ago. Head coach Dave Bohane and his assistants vow a steady diet of filmwork and tape watching this week, and Bohane remains confident that his team will be ready to face the Rocketeers on Canton’s home field.

Meanwhile, with an undefeated record, three nonleague and three league victories, Canton remains a solid candidate for the Division 5 playoffs, regardless of the outcome versus North Attleboro.

As for last week’s 39-0 win over the Eagles, CHS combined a precision offense with a dominant defense to open a big lead at the half. By midway through the third quarter, Bohane decided to rest his starters and play the reserves for the balance of the game. The closest Sharon came to scoring was in the third quarter when the Eagles reached the Bulldog 36-yard line.

Scoring three touchdowns, including an electrifying 64-yard punt return, was junior halfback Kyle Fitzgerald, who dominated play with 89 rushing yards and several long returns. Junior Gersom Rivera added a pair of scores, including one on a 10-yard run and another on a 27-yard pass from junior quarterback Johnny Hagan. Sophomore Cam Sanchez also scored his first points of the year with a 20-yard touchdown run.

In all, the Canton offense gained 223 yards on the ground and 54 yards through the air as Hagan completed two of three passes for 27 yards each, including the touchdown to Rivera and a lunging grab by junior Jace Emma.

The surging offensive line got a boost with the return of junior tackle Jack Connolly from a preseason arm injury. The entire line played well, opening big holes for Fitzgerald and Rivera, the Bulldog’s main rushers. Delivering key blocks, in addition to Connolly, were linemen Derrell Brown, Matt Connolly and Brian Campagna, along with Brendan Albert.

Defensively, senior captain Ben Seaman excelled at linebacker, recording three tackles, forcing a sack, and recovering a fumble. Speaking after the game, Seaman said the hard work in the offseason has been paying off as the team continues to play “tough, hard football.”

“Next game is a big game and important for us,” he said. “It’s for [sole possession of] the Davenport championship. We will leave it all on the field.”

Several reserve players also made the most of their playing time against the Eagles, including sophomore Jack Albert, who recorded three tackles, quarterback Robert Botelho, and runners Andrew Butler and Jonathan Cherry.

The Bulldogs also honored the senior cheerleaders and senior football players as part of a pre-game ceremony on the field. Recognized were cheerleaders Casey and Ryan Gustafson, Fiona Gilmore, Caitlin Downing, Kaitlyn Hampe and Olivia Whalen, and football players Brendan Albert, James Murphy, Ben Seaman, Brian Campagna, Ryan Lentol, Ryan Colby, George Kent, John Matanes, and Justin Rodriquez.

CHS physical education teacher Kate Coleman, who is a cancer survivor, served as honorary captain for the game and some of the players wore elements of pink to show support for “Coleman Strong” and breast cancer awareness. The game drew a large crowd with another impressive turnout in the CHS student section.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Oct 20 2018. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.