Few state semifinals were as highly anticipated as the Div. 2 tilt between top-seeded Norwood and underdog Canton – two potent lineups featuring Norwood’s all-time leading scorer, Shea Larkee (150 points), and a pair of young Bulldogs star scorers.
Shannon Lane, who eclipsed 100 career points as a sophomore last year, roofed a highlight-reel reverse chip to the top shelf in the first quarter for a 1-0 lead. Carolyn Schiavo – the junior half of Canton’s ultra-talented scoring tandem – then buried a corner midway through the third.
Along with goalie Shealyn Murphy’s shutout through the first 38 minutes, those underdogs proved their status. If not for a historic comeback that saw Larkee score twice and Norwood tally the game-winner in the final eight seconds, they very well could have gone the distance for their first state championship since 2006.
What Canton did accomplish, though, was to give the program all the confidence in what that group could achieve. And with Schiavo (senior) and Lane (junior) leading a deep lineup of returning key players, the unbeaten Bulldogs (7-0) have their sights on an even better ending than the eventual runner-up Mustangs got.
“We knew we had this special group coming back,” said Canton head coach Chrissy O’Connor. “They see how close they were. … While (Schiavo and Lane) are (unassuming) about it, they are fired up enough to go as far as they can take this.”
Schiavo, a Bucknell commit who’s played with Lane since the two were in elementary school, sees that daily and has a great dynamic with her.
“I always know where she’s going to be,” Schiavo said. “I take it down the end line, she’s always at stroke to be there to score – and she’s very good at scoring. It’s easy to work with her … It’s a good connection.”
Through Canton’s unbeaten start, in which it’s outscored opponents 50-4 in seven games, Lane has 18 goals and 11 assists. She has the skill and athleticism to create her own shot, has great awareness in the circle, can fill any role on the field, and is crafty with her actions. The junior’s 131 career points have come against many strong opponents along with the weaker ones, and she’s already eight goals away from 100 on her career.
“It’s really good (playing with her),” Lane said. “I just know if I hit it up the field, she’s always going to be there. Sometimes I don’t even need to look, I just pass it up the field and she always does something – scores or has an assist. Every time she gets the ball, she does something.”
Upon first mention of what goals the two felt for the team this year, Schiavo’s initial response was to continue to strengthen how the whole lineup works together. Lane followed by mentioning how they were essentially eight seconds away from advancing last year, before cutting herself off to gather how she wanted to say the motivation the Bulldogs have for a deep run after last year’s exit.
For Schiavo, part of it is accomplishing what the program can in her final season with Lane.
“It’s our last year playing together, me and (Lane),” she said. “I think we have the potential to go really far. Last year was really disappointing, obviously, and we know what we’re capable of. That’s what motivates us mainly, and knowing that we won’t be on the same team again. We want to make the best of our last year.”
It was this point last year that, in a check-in with O’Connor, the coach said the scoring level Schiavo and Lane bring Canton to was the last piece it needed to contend. Defense and midfield play have always been strong. The Bulldogs just needed more scoring.
“There’s no secret to their success, they just work hard,” O’Connor said. “They do all the little things. They do all the extra. They’re the first ones here, they’re the last to leave. If they don’t get it right, they don’t want to leave until they get it right. It’s very simple. I’m sure there’s some natural ability in there, but they work at it every single day. And they love it.”
The tougher part of the Canton’s regular season schedule is coming up in the second half of the year, which will really put the strength of the group to the test as it prepares for a deep run. Unbeaten Franklin, new Div. 2 threat King Philip, Div. 1 powerhouse Walpole, Norwood and Dover-Sherborn will all be signature challenges.
If the last year is any indication, Canton is ready for it.
