Thanksgiving Final: Stoughton 27, Canton 7

Stoughton junior Aaron Mack had four touchdowns and the Black Knight defense turned in one of its best efforts of the season as the .

The win marked Stoughton’s seventh straight victory over Canton and the 15th in the last 17 years. During this current , which dates back to 2005, Stoughton has outscored Canton 229-35.

Unfortunately for Stoughton, Sharon fell to Oliver Ames 34-8 in Sharon. Stoughton needed a Sharon victory and a win over Canton to clinch the Davenport Division and earn a . Instead, OA is the Davenport champ and advances to play Pembroke in the Division 3 playoffs.

Still, the Black Knights finish the season 6-5 and 3-1 in the Davenport Division, turning in their first winning season since 2006.

Stoughton scored the first 21 points of the game en route to the victory.

Mack scored on four short runs—the longest was his final one, a six-yard carry with 4:59 left in the game, to account for the final score.

“Seniors win football games,” Stoughton coach Greg Burke said after the win.

And while Mack, a junior, provided the scoring, seniors, did in fact, turn in a number of key plays.

Brandon Alves had three sacks and numerous tackles behind the line of scrimmage; Asad Elmi blocked a punt deep in Canton territory midway through the third quarter, setting up Mack’s third score; and Alex Kimball sacked Canton quarterback Anthony Bires on 4th and 16 for a 10-yard loss, giving the Black Knights the ball at the Canton six, setting up Mack’s final score.

Bires found Elias Camacho for a 22-yard touchdown pass at the end of the third quarter on a 4th and 7 play for Canton’s lone score of the game. Camacho’s touchdown made it 21-7, but that was as close as Canton would get.

“We just really never got a rhythm going on offense. Give Stoughton credit they are very physical up front. We couldn't get a first down and move the ball. Right now they were better than we were,” Canton coach Dave Bohane said.

SCORING

1st Quarter

• Scoreless

2nd Quarter

• Stoughton—6:24—Mack 1-yard TD run; Fernandes extra point (7-0 Stoughton)

3rd quarter

• Stoughton—7:57—Mack 4-yard TD run; Fernandes extra point (14-0 Stoughton)

• Stoughton—4:01—Mack 3-yard TD run; Fernandes extra point (21-0 Stoughton)

• Canton—0:00—Bires 22-yard pass to Camacho; Monagle extra point (21-7 Stoughton)

4th quarter

• Stoughton—4:59—Mack 6-yard TD run; extra point blocked (27-7 Stoughton)

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Check back later for a full recap, pictures and player interviews.