Wednesday, June 14 – Canton 7, Lisbon/Heuvelton 0
The boys in red were back in action for game two of the summer season facing off against a newly combined Lisbon/Heuvelton team. The game kicked off at Canton Central School Wednesday, June 14 as Canton (Seaway Valley Prevention Council, Canton Seacomm, The Stadium Sports Bar) took home a 7-0 victory to start the season 2-0 with no goals allowed.
The game started off a bit stale, with both teams fighting for possession in the middle of the pitch on a wet, rainy night. Eventually Canton would strike first. Ebuka Anonye (1A) was dribbling just outside of the 18-yard box when he slipped a slicing through-ball into the box to Travis Jordan (2G 2A). Jordan took a touch and was brought down in the area by a Lisbon defender, resulting in a penalty kick from the stripe. Jordan would convert for the 1-0 lead.
A few moments later, Peyton Snell (3G) would snag his first goal of the season. Snell would dribble through a few defenders, creating an opening and firing it home for his first goal of the game, off an assist from Nick Martinez (1G 2A) and a 2-0 lead for the boys in red. The game would go into halftime at 2-0, as fill in stud goalkeeper Jackson Gardner (1A) would make 2 miraculous saves to keep Lisbon at bay and off the scoresheet. Eventually Jake Mattice would fill in for Gardner late in the first half in net and preserve the shutout.
In the second half, Canton would prove to be too much for the combined Lisbon/Heuvelton team. Two more goals from Snell, assisted by Anonye, and Jordan would seal the game off. Newcomer Ethan Francey (1G) would also convert for his first men’s league goal of his young career, assisted by Gardner. Martinez catching the goalkeeper off guard, would also score off a quick spot kick from 20 yards out to complete the 7-0 victory. The Canton defense was led by Teagen Jordan, Jacob Oatman, Eric Shinnick (1G), and Griffin Walker, not allowing much offense at all from the opposing team.
After the game, aging veteran Eric Shinnick (1G) who is the oldest and wisest player on the team, had this to say about the game. “We played a well-rounded game tonight. These young guns that we’ve added to the team this summer have really stepped up. As one of the older guys on the team, I just try to share my wisdom with them. It proved to work well tonight.”
The team will be taking a short break for Father’s Day on Sunday and will return to action on Wednesday June 21 to face off against rival Potsdam on the turf at Potsdam State. Happy Father’s Day to all the great dads out there!
League Website: https://www.hometeamsonline.com/teams/Default.asp?u=NCMSSLEAGUE&s=soccer
2023 Sponsors: Seaway Valley Prevention Council, Canton Seacomm, Stadium Sports Bar.
2023 Canton Roster: Travis Jordan, Eric Shinnick, Jacob Oatman, Nate Butler, Lleyton Ladue, Colin Taylor, Kingsley Owusu, Jackson Gardner, Matt Robinson, Teagen Jordan, Peyton Snell, Nick Martinez, Holden Woods, Jake Facey, Nate Aldous, Chase Jacobs, Ty Jacobs, Owen Hall, Ebuka Anonye, Myles Robinson, Griffin Walker, Ethan Francey, Jake Mattice (GK).
