The Canton Modified Football team kept their unbeaten season alive with a gritty home victory over Salmon River.
Canton’s second unit defense opened the game, holding the Shamrock offense in check for the first nine plays. Zayden Martin led the charge with three tackles, while James Brunet, Laden Nolan, and Connor Hicks added stops of their own. On the tenth and final play of the series, the Salmon River quarterback scrambled away from pressure and weaved through defenders for a 50-plus-yard rushing touchdown, giving the Shamrocks an early 6-0 lead.
Canton’s offense responded quickly. Teagan Green broke runs of 16 and 10 yards, Connor Hicks added a 12-yard rush, and quarterback Ryder Peets connected with Hayden Krepel across the middle for a 32-yard touchdown strike. Brendan Todd hauled in a 16-yard pass to push the Bears into Shamrock territory, but Canton couldn’t convert another score before their 10-play series ended.
Landyn Clifford opened the quarter with a tackle for loss, setting the tone for a strong defensive effort from Canton’s first unit. Owen Buffham, Brendan Todd, Avi Jacobs, and Max TeRiele all made key stops, while Jacobs recorded a sack and forced fumble recovered by Troy Zuhlsdorf. Despite the turnover, the Shamrocks continued their drive under the 10-play rule, but the Bears’ defense stayed firm. Krepel broke up a key pass, Clifford added another tackle, and TeRiele notched his second sack to end the series.
On offense, quarterback Mak Brassard connected with Zuhlsdorf for 16 yards to start the drive. TeRiele and Clifford followed with runs of 17 and 16 yards, and Brassard hit Green for a 32-yard deep pass over the middle. Despite several strong plays, multiple penalties stalled the drive, sending the Bears into halftime tied 6-6.
Canton’s defense came out sharp after the break, with Lukas Reynolds, Tannyn Rose, Laden Nolan, and Jonathan Smith all contributing to force an early Salmon River punt. The Bears’ offense showed life as Green powered for 10 yards and Hicks broke loose for 37 more. However, a Shamrock interception halted the momentum.
After a Canton injury, Avi Jacobs stepped up with three crucial tackles and later intercepted a pass up the seam, returning it eight yards. Green opened the next drive with a hard fought nine-yard run, and on the following play, Clifford found the end zone on a 19-yard rush, only to see it called back by penalty as the third quarter expired.
To open the final quarter, Brassard found Zuhlsdorf for a 12-yard gain before another penalty pushed Canton back. Brassard then showed great vision and patience, following outstanding blocks by Jacobs, who made three key hits up the sideline to break Brassard free for a 21-yard touchdown run, giving Canton a 12-6 lead at a pivotal moment in the contest.
Moments later, TeRiele made a huge defensive play, stripping the ball from a Salmon River runner and recovering the fumble himself. On the very next play, Jacobs took a handoff 52 yards to the house, bouncing outside and outrunning the defense for a highlight-reel touchdown. TeRiele added the conversion to extend Canton’s lead to 19-6.
The Shamrocks mounted one final drive as the game wound down, with Krepel, Buffham, TeRiele, Jacobs, Charles Foster, and Clifford all making tackles. After an injury timeout, Salmon River capped the drive with a touchdown pass on the final play of the game, honoring their injured player and bringing the final score to 19-12 in favor of the Bears.
With the win, Canton moves to 6-0 and will wrap up its season under the lights in Potsdam on Tuesday, October 28, at 6 p.m.
Head Coach Justin Brassard credited his players for their teamwork and determination, and expressed appreciation for the strong community support. “Our parents and fans have filled the stands all season,” he said. “It’s really made a difference for our group.”
Players of the Game (Left to Right in Photo):
- Max TeRiele – 3 tackles, 1 sack, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 22 rushing yards
- Owen Buffham – 3 tackles
- Hayden Krepel – 3 tackles, 1 pass breakup, 32-yard receiving TD
- Landyn Clifford – 3 tackles, 1 tackle for loss, 16 rushing yards
- Teagan Green – 1 tackle, 45 rushing yards, 32 receiving yards
Photos courtesy of Jay Berkman and SectionXShots.
