Bulldogs make huge statement with win at North Attleboro

The Bulldogs rode the arm of junior quarterback JT Norton to a huge win last week. (Mike Tureski photo)

With a solid, two-way winning effort against previously undefeated North Attleboro last Thursday, the CHS football team let it be known that they will be fighting for the Davenport Division title for the rest of the year.

Canton, now 4-1 overall and 1-0 in the league, improved its rating to No. 6 in Division 4 and as of Monday had an excellent chance of making the state playoffs. However, the road ahead is not an easy one, with remaining league games against Foxboro, Oliver Ames, Mansfield, and Stoughton.

Head coach Anthony Fallon said the win proved to the Bulldogs, especially the younger players, that with hard work and good preparation, Canton can compete with the top teams in the league.

The Rocketeers had gone into the game with a perfect 4-0 record, having scored 140 points while limiting its opponents to just 40 points.

Fallon said the Bulldogs matched their strength and proved to be a quicker team with an excellent passing performance behind quarterback JT Norton and receivers Jaylen Thompson, Tyler Kelly and Jake Marcell.

Norton completed 18 of 32 passes for 260 yards and a touchdown. The team’s leading receiver was Thompson with six catches for 120 yards, including a touchdown catch. On defense, the leading tackler was Marcell with 12, including four for a loss along with one sack. Dan Albert and Kareem Chaplin each had an interception for the Bulldogs.

Fallon praised the work of the defensive line, which included Effrem Gnepo, Luke Laguerre, Rhancy Jean Baptiste, Seamus Brown and Correns Alix.

He also credited his coaches, including defensive leader Jeff Eckler and John O’Brien. “The coaching staff, Coach Eckler’s been doing this a long time, Coach O’Brien, they put together a great defensive game plan,” said Fallon. “We knew we could play with them if we were physical enough, and I think we were tonight. I thought we had a speed advantage over them and JT Norton can really throw the ball.”

Canton came out strong on its first possession and attacked the Rocketeers, marching 74 yards on nine plays to grab the early lead. Norton hit Thompson for 39 yards on the first play from scrimmage, and at the North 16-yard line, he found Kelly, who appeared to dive into the end zone but was marked down at the one. Three plays later, Norton scored with a one-yard sneak.

The Rocketeers responded right away with a scoring drive and led at the end of the first quarter 7-6, Canton almost scored again as Norton scrambled for 10 yards for a key first down and then connected with Kelly on a 35-yard pass play followed by a five-yard pass to Marcell, setting up the Canton offense at the North three-yard line. Canton lined up for a field goal but again the snap wasn’t handled cleanly and the Rocketeers stuffed the attempt to end the possession.

With a slim 7-6 halftime lead, North got the ball to start the second half and extended its lead. Marcell came up with one of several big plays, sacking the quarterback and forcing the Rocketeers to settle for a 34-yard field goal.

But Canton answered right back on its first drive of the second half. With some help from a few NA penalties, Norton found Marcell for 18-yard reception, and on third and 10 he swung a pass out to Chaplin for 13 more to the North 11. Two plays later, he fired a pass to Chaplin for a touchdown and Canton took the lead with 3:24 left in the third.

Excellent defensive work by Marcell, Jean-Baptiste, Nick Crowe and Seamus Brown as well as Thompson, Albert and Chaplin snuffed out several Foxboro drives in the third and fourth quarters.

Crowe, with 53 yards rushing on the day, along with the Canton offensive line, were able to control the play in the final minutes of the game.

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