Canton rolls into Regional by blanking Cougars, Patriots

BY ED WRIGHT
June 6, 2010, 12:45 p.m.

  Playing in the shadow of Ford Motor Company, Canton's girls soccer team rolled through the Dearborn Edsel Ford District this past week like a fully-loaded F-250 pick-up in a parking lot filled with Pintos.

  The Chiefs captured their second straight District championship Saturday by ousting Garden City, 3-0.

  The 16-1-3 Chiefs will face Ann Arbor Pioneer in Tuesday's opening-round Regional game on the PCEP varsity soccer field. The first kick is set for 5 p.m. The winner will take on the victor of Tuesday's other semifinal between Plymouth and Dearborn (7 p.m.).

  The Regional title game is set for 6 p.m. at the PCEP pitch.

  Canton sophomore Megan Trapp had a hand, er, a foot, in all three Chief goals against the Cougars. She struck first just two minutes in when she settled a Lindsey Winters corner kick, dribbled approximately six yards to the six-yard box, then firmly planted the sphere into the net.

  The Chiefs doubled their lead six minutes later when Trapp ripped a sizzling crossing pass in front to Jessikah McClendon, who finished the dazzling play by one-timing the ball past the Cougars' net-minder.

  Trapp added an insurance marker early in the second half when she left-footed a low burner inside the far post.

  Sam McPartlin and Kayla Bridges shared the shutout in goal for the winners. McPartlin played the first half while Bridges patrol the area between the pipes during the final 40 minutes.

  "First of all, I was impressed with our team's ability to respond to the climate," said Canton coach George Tomasso. "It was a 2 p.m. start on a very hot day on a very hot turf field. Our possession was very good, too."

  The Chiefs have now advanced to four consecutive District finals.

  Canton advanced to Saturday's final by crushing Livonia Franklin, 8-0, earlier in the week. The Chiefs led 5-0 at the half. Details of who scored the goals will be posted on PlymouthCantonSports.com once they become available.

  The winner of this week's Regional tournament will move on to the June 16 semifinal game, which will be hosted by Holt or Jackson.

  The Division 1 finals are scheduled for June 19 at Michigan State University.