Hard-hitting Foxboro wins defensive battle over Canton

CANTON Having a lockdown defense is basically a requirement for success in the constantly competitive Hockomock League And Foxboro certainly has that taken care of as its defense went up to another level Friday night to take down Davenport Division rival Canton The Warriors turned in a stingy defensive performance and have now allowed only points over their last four games following a grind-it-out - road win at Memorial Field A lot of the kids on defense played full time last year kind of under the radar Foxboro head coach Jack Martinelli explained I knew we would be pretty good defensively Foxboro - allowed an -yard touchdown pass from JT Norton -for- yards to Jake Marcell on Canton s second offensive play of the challenge but suffocated the Bulldogs attack after that Canton's Dylan Lank right tackles Foxboro's Jack Taft during the first half Foxboro won the defensive battle - CJ Gunther Boston Herald Canton - punted on three straight drives to open the second half before Jackson Bohlen came up with the only turnover of the challenge by intercepting a deep pass from Norton Two plays after the turnover Ryan Foley who spearheaded Foxboro s offense with carries for yards scampered yards for a touchdown with left in the fourth quarter to give the Warriors a little cushion The Bulldogs moved the ball of their final drive including converting a fourth down in Foxboro territory thanks to the Norton-Marcell connection but Foxboro s defense proved to be too resilient Trevor Palmer came up with a massive sack to force a fourth-and- with seconds remaining and after a holding penalty wiped out a first-down pass which would have put Canton deep in Foxboro territory Palmer s fellow defensive end Kawan Dias sacked Norton on the final play of the championship Kawan Dias and Trevor Palmer have been doing it all year for us putting pressure on quarterbacks Martinelli noted They re well-coached by the defensive line coach Wes Burhoe and they got it done tonight Canton s defense matched Foxboro in the first half by coming through with two defensive stands in Bulldogs territory Canton nearly had a third key defensive stop late in the second quarter but Foxboro quarterback Cam DeLeskey delivered specific magic on fourth-and-goal from the -yard line Canton's Jake Marcell runs past the Foxboro bench for a touchdown during the first half CJ Gunther Boston Herald DeLeskey bought extra time with his legs by rolling to his right before lofting his pass into the back of the end zone for Dias who came down with the catch with defenders all around him for the number that Foxboro s defense made sure held up DeLeskey extends plays when they re not there Martinelli declared You can t coach any of that That s instinctive you either have it or you don t And he has it