Expertise Painting
Morse Moving
HomeTeam Inspection
Top of Blog 1

‘GIANT SLAYERS’: Surging Canton upends Rocks to win District

 ‘GIANT SLAYERS’: Surging Canton upends Rocks to win District

Canton players celebrate their district championship victory over Salem.

After enduring an 0-4-1 start in KLAA action — and a rough 1-4 late-season stretch — Canton’s boys soccer team is peaking at the right time.

During Wednesday’s MHSAA District 11 final, the host Cobras outlasted Salem, 1-0, after 100 minutes of scoreless regulation time and two intense overtimes when they converted four penalty kicks to the Rocks’ one.

You can now throw Canton’s underdog label in the trash bin and replace it with champion.

“Like our coach said before the district, we have to be giant slayers,” shared Bruno Delgado, the Cobra who scored the fourth and clinching PK for the winners. “Ever since we beat Wayne Memorial in our first District game, I had faith in the boys and we knew we could go a long way.”

After Delgado’s match-ending PK, he jogged toward the fence by the P-CEP east turf stadium’s stands and celebrated with teammates and the Cobras’ student section.

‘Best soccer moment of my life’

“That was great,” Delgado said. “Best soccer moment of my life.”

(To check out a video clip of Delgado’s goal and celebration, click here.)

Canton junior Maksim Argot Ulyanova and Salem junior Jack Freeman battle in front of the net
Canton junior Maksim Argot Ulyanova and Salem junior Jack Freeman battle in front of the net

Canton advanced to Tuesday’s 5:30 p.m. regional opener against Monroe at Dearborn Fordson High School.

“We’ve been learning how to win all season; we lost a lot of close games when we were often our own worst enemy,” said first-year Canton head coach Mike Presley. “We talked as a team later in the season and basically said, ‘Hey, if we’re going to win, we have to play as a team and share a common goal.

“I’m very proud of our guys. They work extremely hard. Being a new coach, we’re trying to build a culture of family and to bring Canton soccer back to its winning tradition.”

Redemption for Bruno

Delgado’s heroics helped erase a less-than-memorable penalty-kick experience he suffered as a sophomore.

Salem junior Jacob Rider and Canton junior Kalani Baez-Bonaparte converge on the ball
Salem junior Jacob Rider and Canton junior Kalani Baez Bonaparte converge on the ball

“I missed a PK against Northville two years ago and we lost,” Delgado recounted. “I told my coach and my teammates that if I was ever in that position again, I would not miss.”

He rocketed his shot into the lower-right corner of the net as Salem goal-keeper Peter Demetter guessed wrong and dove to the left.

“I never look at the goalie before I take PKs,” Delgado said. “I stay pretty consistent with where I want to put the ball.”

The 100 minutes of action that led up to the shootout was packed with well-executed connections that resulted in near-misses.

Full moon, empty nets

Playing under a full harvest moon, both teams’ regulation and overtime goal-keepers — Salem’s Cooper Austin and Canton’s Keegan Creedon — positioned themselves brilliantly all night so that they were never forced to make a spectacular save.

Presley heaped praise on his entire roster, but especially his back-end players.

“Defense never gets enough credit,” he said. “Our guys back there have been stellar — Joey Hayes, Maksim (Argot Ulyanova), and Keegan Creedon really stepped up the past few games after we had some injuries and sickness. I can’t say enough about how our back line played.

“That said, it was truly an all-around effort.”

Ed Wright can be reached at 734-664-4657 or edwright@socialhousenews.com.

Digiqole Ad
Expertise Painting
Mario Services
HomeTeam Inspection
after post 1

Ed Wright

Related post