Hall-Southington Leader Named D-III Hockey Coach of the Year

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Exactly one year ago, Hall-Southington finished a subpar ice hockey season with a 5-13-2 record, missing out on qualifying for the CIAC state tournament. About a month after the season ended, head coach Brian Cannon went to a doctor for treatment of pain he'd been experiencing in his right hip for about two years.

Hip replacement surgery was scheduled for July 26, but doctors abandoned the procedure when a tumor was discovered which had not been seen during previous arthroscopes. A biopsy yielded a diagnosis of Synovial Osteochondromatosis, a rare disease which causes calcified cartilage to form in the joints, and Cannon was told his leg would need to be amputated to save his life.

Did losing a leg stop Cannon? Absolutely not. In fact, his Warrior Knights have posted an outstanding season, currently ranked third in Division III with a 13-5 record. The team won its final regular season home game Saturday, a 4-2 decision over Div. II E.O. Smith/Tolland, and plays road games Monday at McMahon/Norwalk and Wednesday against the Barlow co-op before state tournament action commences on March 9.

The complete turnaround, coupled with Cannon's determination to return to the bench despite a life-threatening illness, has resulted in him being named Division III Coach of the Year by CT HS Hockey, a Twitter page operated by several knowledgeable hockey experts in the state.

Longtime area coach Jesse Peters wrote on Twitter, "Congratulations to a great human and well respected Coach. Always enjoyed our chats as coaches and now with @CTHSHOCKEY. Amazing job this year as always. Good luck in the postseason."