Twice the Woodstock Academy football team was within the 5-yard line of the Canton Warriors Oct. 26.
Twice it was denied.
“We were able to move the ball up-and-down the field, but our execution in the red zone hurt us,” said Centaurs coach Sean Saucier.
The first of those possessions ended in a fumble, the second with a penalty that resulted in a missed field goal and the Centaurs lost to Canton, 18-16.
The weather played a role in the game.
A major rain and wind event was accurately predicted for Oct. 27 which was when the game was originally scheduled for at the Bentley Athletic Complex in Woodstock.
Neither team want to play in the foul conditions that had been predicted, but Canton said it was unwilling to make a trip to Woodstock for a Sunday game.
Since Canton has a lighted field, it offered to host Oct. 26.
“We were 90 percent prepped, maybe not 100, but it really wasn’t that drastic a move. It was a beautiful playing surface, the conditions were great. It was just a long bus ride after a school day,” Saucier said.
Still, the Centaurs (1-6) got on the board on the sixth play of the game.
Junior Ian Welz intercepted a Dugan Lloyd pass on the Canton 32-yard line and had no one between him and the Canton end zone. The pick-6 became eight points when Nick Bedard took the snap on a fake extra-point kick and passed to Travis White for the 8-0 lead.
Woodstock Academy had chances to make it a two-touchdown lead on its first two offensive possessions.
It took over on the Canton 28-yard line after the Warriors failed to move the ball, but a holding call quickly moved the Centaurs back and they turned the ball over on downs at the Canton 36.
The Warriors (1-6) gave the ball back, on downs, when their drive stalled at the Woodstock Academy 46.
The Centaurs got inside the red zone on a 13-yard Derek Thompson (6-for-9, 132 yards) to Luis Miranda pass, a Gavin Savoie (9 carries, 58 yards) 11-yard run and a Jaden Dennett 8-yard carry to the Canton 2-yard line. A fumble, recovered by Canton, ended the threat.
The Warriors put together another 15-play drive, but remained eight points behind when they turned the ball over on downs at the Centaurs 14.
Savoie had two straight carries that gave Woodstock Academy a little breathing room at its own 33. That allowed Thompson to drop back and throw and he found White on a short 5-yard completion that was turned into a 68-yard touchdown by White who broke a tackle and outran Canton’s Max Klinkert to the end zone for a 16-0 lead.
The Warriors took a little momentum back when Lloyd (15 carries, 111 yards) dropped back to pass but saw a lane to the left. He ran instead and no one touched him before he reached the end zone to cut Woodstock Academy’s lead to 10, 16-6, at the half.
The Centaurs may have had the lead, but they were also hurting.
Defensive end and offensive tackle Nate Price was lost in the first half to a sprained ankle. Savoie carried twice early in the second half, but had to leave the game when he aggravated a shin injury and Welz was also banged up and limited.
That left the task of running the football to quarterback Nick Bedard.
Bedard took over for Thompson and on the first play from scrimmage, tucked and ran for 44 yards to the Canton 35-yard line.
Six plays later, Bedard looked like he had punched it in from eight yards out, but a holding penalty backed the Centaurs up and Damian Bonneau-Nichols later missed wide left on a 29-yard field goal attempt.
Canton quickly moved the ball down the field, getting to the 39-yard line on a 24-yard rush by Nate Biega (10 carries, 85 yards). Two plays later, Biega busted one for a 33-yard score to reduce the Centaurs’ lead to four.
Canton got the game winner early in the fourth quarter when Lloyd (9-for-24, 169 yards) found Colin Mackin open on a crossing route, the Centaur defender fell and Mackin went 69 yards for the score.
It doesn’t get any easier for the Centaurs at 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2.
They travel to Willimantic to play their only Eastern Connecticut Conference opponent this season, Windham.
“It’s a difficult task,” Saucier agreed. “It’s a short week. We’re going to do our best to prep and get as healthy as possible.”
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy

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