Canton redeems early-season
loss with 3-1 victory over 'Cats

  Canton's soccer team did more than turn the tables against Plymouth Thursday night.

  The Chiefs remodeled the entire kitchen.

  Sparked by two first-half goals nine minutes apart, the Chiefs redeemed an early-season 3-0 setback to the Wildcats by earning a 3-1 triumph.

  Canton improved to 9-2-2 overall and moved into a tie for first place in the KLAA South Division with Livonia Churchill by upping its mark to 4-1-1. The Wildcats slipped to 4-2 in the South.

  (To view video highlights of tonight's game, click on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PD1TevrYNig)

  "This was a huge win for us," said Canton junior Tyler Winningham, who assisted on both of the Chiefs' first-half goals. "George (Tomasso) talked to us a lot about how important this game was -- not only to our season but personally because we see them in class every day.

  "The first time we played them, we kept kicking it forward every single time. Tonight, we played to keep possession. We didn't play kick ball like the first game."

  The Chiefs were bolstered by strong play from their pair of defenders named Connor: Shennan and Furgason, both of whom had a foot in extinguishing several Plymouth attacks.

  Furgason put the Chiefs on the board first when he converted a Winningham corner kick into a goal in the game's eighth minute.

  Just over nine minutes later, Canton added an all-important second goal when Winningham sent a perfect pass off a set piece toward the box and Shean Krolicki one-timed the ball past Plymouth goalie Kyle Brindza.

  "Tyler is a natural left-footed player, so to have that angle going into set pieces is dangerous because he can send the ball toward the middle of the goal versus playing a flat ball across the goal," said Tomasso, when asked about Winningham's free-kick success. "Tyler played very well defensively, too, tonight."

  Tomasso also raved about the all-around stellar play of Shennan and Furgason.

  "They're both so solid on the offensive and defensive end," he said. "They're great in defensive situations and they've both scored important goals on the attack. I can't tell you how fortunate I am to have two players like that in our program."

  Senior Brandon Laabs earned the victory in goal for the Chiefs, yielding only a Connor Downey net-finder with 6:12 left in the contest. Andrew Yoder assisted on the goal.

  The Chiefs upped their lead to 3-0 with 20:35 to play when freshman Griffin Parks pushed the ball up the right sideline off a counter and threaded a perfect cross in the direction of Bobby Budlong, who headed in a one-timer past Rene Mejia.

  Shennan put the ball in the net with 2:30 left, but the goal was disallowed because of an offsides call.

  Mejia made an impressive save on a Budlong laser with 25 ticks left.

  "Any rivalry win is a big win," said Tomasso. "The guys came out with a lot of intensity tonight and worked hard throughout the entire game.

  "We had one miscommunication in the box in the second half and Plymouth took advantage of it. That's what's great about this rivalry: Nobody ever quits. Everybody is always playing for the next goal, the next play. My hat is off to Jeff (Neschich) and the Plymouth team for playing as hard as they did until the last minute."

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


Plymouth's Andrew Yoder and Canton's Garrett Derian-Toth battle for a loose ball. (Ed Hengesh photo)

Canton's Shean Krolicki and Plymouth's Doug Deykes pursue the ball. (Ed Hengesh photo)

Canton's Daniel Ovesea settles the ball while being defended by Plymouth's Brent Zuzo. (Ed Hengesh photo)

The Chiefs celebrate Bobby Budlong's second-half goal. (Ed Wright photo)