The Canton Men’s League Summer Soccer Team, Sponsored by Locke Design and Build, Canton Sergi’s, Josies Pizzeria, Stadium Sports Bar, K&S Cropping, and Potsdam Little Italy, has been on a roll lately. Coming off impressive back-to-back wins to start the summer season, the boys in red kept the undefeated record alive with a 1-1 tie against Salmon River (CKON) on Sunday, June 12. CKON is debated as one of the top teams in the league this year and put up a good fight against the 2019 Cup Champs in Canton.
CKON came out strong and built a 1-0 early lead on a goal from Kade Cook, and would come out of the first half with the lead. But Canton fought back early and tied the game with a beautiful chip assist from Nate Butler. Butler chipped the ball over top of the defense to Peyton Snell, who would then slot it in the corner for the tidy finish and the 1-1 tie.
Both teams competed hard and provided plenty of dangerous scoring chances at both ends, but neither team could find the finishing touch to separate themselves. Canton keeper Jake Mattice had a huge game, finishing with nine saves, several which were headed for the corners of the mesh. Canton defense lead by Teagen Jordan and Jacob Oatman provided a solid foundation for Canton at the back.
Canton finished the game with eight shots on CKON’s goal. This game will prove to be a tone-setter for future matchups throughout the summer. Two of top teams in the league played a tight game, with a future fixture to come, which will surely have playoff implications all over it.
In game two of the week, the Canton Men’s League Summer Soccer Team faced off against Lisbon. The Lisbon team came out strong scoring first, about 10 minutes into the game to take a 1-0 surprise lead. But the boys in red battled back to tie the game up a few moments later on a goal from Peyton Snell (2g 1a), assisted by Travis Jordan (1g 2a).
Snell was delivered the ball on the sideline by Jordan, beat his defender, and cut inside to sneak a shot inside the near post on the keeper. Shortly after that, Snell would score again on a volleyed cross fed by Jordan on the far post, to give the boys the lead 2-1. Lisbon would go on to score later in the half, to tie the game up on a nice half-volley from inside the box. The teams battled back and forth with Canton maintaining most of the pressure, which would eventually result in a penalty awarded to Canton. Late in the first half Jordan would convert the penalty and give the lead back to Canton and take it into the halftime break.
The boys came out strong in the second frame, dominating much of the game and sealing off the win on a rebound goal from Stuart Ayers (1g), assisted by Snell midway through the second half. Canton would go on to win without their starting keeper Mattice in net, as he was out because of a terrible hangnail. 6 ft. 4 in. monster Jackson Gardner would fill in admirably, making five saves and getting his first complete win of his career. The boys in red will rested up last Sunday with a bye, but were back in action on Wednesday, June 22 against the defending champions Madrid at Madrid-Waddington Highschool at 6:30 p.m. Will they remain undefeated? Full report available next week!
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