'Dogs nip Canton in entertaining KLAA Association title game, 4-3

  Armed with a brick-wall defense and potent possession skills, Canton was on the brink of following Daniel Ovesea's rainbow-header goal to a KLAA Association championship Wednesday night.

  However, visiting Brighton proved to be too dangerous, tallying two goals in the game's final 10:42 to claim a 4-3 victory to win its first KLAA title.

  Ovesea headed in a looping shot from eight yards out with 11:56 to play, giving the Chiefs the kind of late-in-the-game lead they have rarely lost this season.

  But Brighton's Jordan Messick tallied the equalizer 1:14 later on a sharply-struck header in front and Will Clark headed in the game-winner with just 1:38 on the clock.

  Canton finished its regular season 15-3-2 with a South Division crown and KLAA Kensington Conference title.

  The Chiefs will tangle with Plymouth Monday at 7 p.m. in the first round of the Division 1 District tournament.

  Canton coach George Tomasso delivered nothing but praise to his high-achieving team in the post-game huddle.

  "My message was to stay positive; we still have a future here," said Tomasso. "We've had an outstanding season and the playoffs start Monday. Right now, we need to focus on this team's accomplishments, not just one game tonight.

  "We've had a 15-win season, we won the division and the conference. Only two teams got this far tonight and we're one of them. I am very proud of these guys."

  After playing Brighton in a pre-season scrimmage in Saline in August, Tomasso knew Wednesday's contest wasn't going to be easy.

  "They're very, very good -- a high-level team" he said. "We knew it was going to be a test. We have a couple things we have to work on before Monday's playoff game, but we have a few days to straighten them out."

  Canton jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the game's 12th minute when leading scorer Bobby Budlong drove a shot off the left post and into the net. Scott Piwowar picked up the assist after beating a defender to the end line and sending the ball back to the middle where Budlong was waiting.

  The Bulldogs bit back with 19:28 left in the half when Nick Schroeder ripped home a rising laser off an assist from Taylor Mazurek.

  Brighton took advantage of a poor clear by Canton six minutes later when Grant Chong hammered home a goal that was set up by Kyle Einhauser to make it 2-1.

  The wild first half's scoring was capped in the 36th minute Canton senior Sean Balnaves drilled home a penalty kick after the Bulldogs were whistled for a hand ball in the box.

  Budlong came just a few feet from giving the Chiefs the lead nine minutes into the second half when he teed the ball up near the 18-yard line and whistled a shot that sailed high.

  Brighton came within inches of taking the lead at the 26:44 mark. Following a mad scramble in front, a Bulldog forward nudge the ball toward the goal line, but Canton senior net-minder Brandon Laabs pounced on sphere as the shadow of the ball crossed the goal line.

  Brighton lost Schroeder for 10 minutes due to a yellow car with 23:20 left, but the Bulldogs kept the heat on.

  Nice clears by Neil Zech and Mitch Posuniak 10 seconds apart in the half's 25th minute kept the game tied.

  Then with 11:56 to go, Ovesea headed in a high, looping shot that arched over Brighton keeper Collin O'Neill's outstretched arms.

  But Brighton countered with a pair of late goals to seize the title.

  Canton played the final minutes without standout defender Connor Shennan, who was yellow-carded with 9:39 left.

  "It definitely hurt us losing Shennan," Tomasso said. "We're just going to have to do a better job of keeping our poise going forward."

  Ed Wright can be reached at (734) 453-1980 or info@plymouthcantonsports.com.


Canton's Sean Balnaves make a good play on the ball late in the first half. (Ed Wright photo)

Canton's Kyle Krause thwarts a Brighton scoring chance. (Ed Wright photo)

Canton's Phil Baciak (7) and Brighton's Nicholas Schroeder focus on the ball. (Ed Wright photo)