Unanimously approved by the Canton Board of Health in September 2025 and officially enacted this past April, the town’s regulation of the controversial plant and its derivatives left no room for ambiguity — expressly prohibiting the manufacture, distribution and sale of Kratom “in any of its forms.”

Canton’s Annual Health Fair, a popular town tradition, returns on Saturday, October 3. (Above) Young attendees visit the teddy bear clinic at last year’s health fair.

Anyone found to be in violation of the order faces a $300 fine for each offense, and repeat violators are subject to a suspension and potential revocation of all BOH-issued permits.

At the time it was approved, Canton was one of only five municipalities in the state to implement an all-out ban on Kratom, joining Belchertown, Lowell, Chelmsford, and Dracut. Several Massachusetts towns have since followed suit, while a number of others have adopted local restrictions or held hearings on the topic, prompting pushback from affected retailers, advocacy groups that tout its medicinal value, and even some healthcare providers who fear the unintended consequences for those grappling with dependency issues.

For health officials in Canton, however, the decision to be proactive with a Kratom ban boiled down to one simple question: Do the benefits of regulation outweigh the costs of doing nothing?

“We really just follow the science,” noted longtime BOH member and current chairperson Dr. Julie Goodman. “We don’t believe in regulation for regulation’s sake. It should only be there if it’s really going to promote public health.”

Perhaps as a result of this mindset, combined with the under-the-radar nature of their role and a remarkable ability to ignore any outside noise, Canton’s Board of Health has quietly raced to the forefront on a number of key issues in recent years — everything from raising the minimum age to purchase tobacco to banning flavored nicotine products to the permanent elimination of tobacco permits for new sellers.

Beyond these pioneering policy changes, the Canton Health Department, under the leadership of Public Health Director Meg Goldstein, has also established itself as a trailblazer in adult vaccine administration, launching the commonwealth’s first and only no-cost municipal vaccination program for uninsured or underinsured residents of any age.

“Meg is amazing, and so is the whole Health Department,” said Goodman, who is the longest serving Board of Health member with 18 years of service under her belt. “I think having events like the Annual Health Fair and having vaccines accessible to all residents is so important, and all the credit goes to Meg and her team.”

At the same time, Goodman said she’s very proud of the work that the board has done on the regulatory side, although even that, she said, has largely been a team effort, with major contributions from the likes of former health director John Ciccotelli and BOH members both past and present, including current members Dr. Alan Rapoport and Anjali Schutt.

In the case of their landmark tobacco regulations from 2013-14, which made Canton just the fourth town in Massachusetts to raise the tobacco purchase age from 18 to 21 — years before it was federally mandated — Goodman said they were moved to consider such a policy change based on the lobbying efforts of two local pediatricians, Dr. Jonathan Winickoff and Dr. Lester Hartman.

“The town of Needham had raised their purchase age to 21 a few years earlier, and [Winickoff and Hartman] were going from town to town telling local boards of health about this,” recalled Goodman. “The things that stuck with me from their presentation was the effects of nicotine on young people’s brains, which are still developing until they reach their mid-20s, and the reduction in access if people couldn’t buy tobacco products until they were 21 — because if they’re available at 18, then anybody in high school with a friend that age had access.”

Not only did they ultimately go forward with the age increase, but board members took the added step of banning the sale of various other “nonmedical” nicotine products that seemed to target young people, including flavored blunt wraps, snus, and dissolvable tablets.

And while they considered banning the sale of all e-cigarettes and vaping products at that time, they eventually made good on that decision six years later, becoming one of the first municipalities in the country to enact a total ban on the sale of all such products while also doing away with the few remaining flavored products allowable for sale, including menthol and mint. (Massachusetts approved a statewide ban on these flavors several months later.)

As for the more recent Kratom ban, both Goodman and Goldstein said it was Canton’s school nurses who brought the matter to their attention in a letter sent to the board in August 2025. Heeding the nurses’ concerns about the health effects of Kratom, its potential for abuse, and availability over the counter at several local stores, health officials went right to work drafting new regulations, approving an all-out ban on the substance less than six weeks later.

In a public statement issued ahead of the BOH vote, Goldstein noted that Kratom, which is derived from the leaves of a tropical evergreen tree native to Southeast Asia, produces both “stimulant and sedative effects when orally ingested in tablet, capsule, or liquid form,” and while not a traditional opioid, its active ingredients act on the same receptors in the brain and produce “opioid-like” effects.

“The possibility for abuse and emerging patterns of non-medical use establish Kratom as a dangerous substance and requires immediate policy intervention to address this emerging threat to Canton residents,” Goldstein noted at the time.

Since Canton approved its Kratom ban, Goldstein said she has heard from health officials in a number of other communities that are interested in pursuing the same course of action. “I provided them with our template and the information that we gave to our retailers,” she said. “I also did a webinar and an in-person panel through the Mass. Environmental Health Association and got a lot of questions about our process, so we were definitely able to provide some guidance to other towns.”

With the subsequent passage of a temporary statewide ban, which classifies all forms of Kratom as a Schedule I drug for a period of one year, Goldstein said health officials are cognizant of the risk of withdrawal symptoms and are offering free resources for anyone who is struggling with physical dependency.

Another top priority of the Health Department is the adult vaccine program, and Goldstein, who was recently recognized by MassDPH for public health innovation, would love to see more Canton residents take advantage of this no-cost option — especially older residents who cannot afford Medicare Part D.

“Here in Massachusetts, the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides free vaccines for all residents up to age 19, but if you’re older than that and do not have health insurance, then the cost of many vaccines can be astronomical,” said Goldstein. “What makes our program unique is that we offer no-cost vaccinations to any adult Canton resident, and to my knowledge, we are the only town in the commonwealth that offers something like this.”

Goldstein said the funding for the program is directly tied to the volume of flu vaccines they administer (via insurance reimbursements and savings on bulk purchases). Therefore, the more people who get their flu shots at a town-sponsored clinic, the more vaccines the Health Department can afford to purchase for those without coverage. Currently, the department offers a number of 19+ vaccines, including RSV, COVID, Tdap, Hepatitus B, Pneumonia, Shingles and Influenza.

After hosting their first flu clinic of the season at the Canton Senior Center earlier this week, the Health Department is now gearing up for a family flu clinic that’s being offered in conjunction with the town’s Annual Health Fair on Saturday, October 3 at Canton High School. Sign-ups and more information can be found on the town’s vaccine page at town.canton.ma.us/859/Vaccine-Information-and-Clinics.

“I honestly can’t say enough about our Health Department and the work that they do,” said Goodman. “They take care of so much and keep everything running smoothly, and we in turn have been able to do some big things with the tobacco and Kratom regulations.”

“I really feel lucky to live in a town like Canton, where it’s clear that citizens really do care about public health.”

Reigning Hock Davenport MVP winner Shannon Lane is off to a blistering start this fall. (Mike Tureski photo)

It’s been smooth sailing so far for the undefeated CHS varsity field hockey team, who ran their streak of shutout wins to three straight with a 9-0 rout of Taunton at home earlier this week.

Combined with another 9-0 victory in the season opener at Stoughton and a 5-0 home win last Thursday versus Oliver Ames, the Bulldogs now have a Hockomock League-leading +23 scoring margin and are one of only three unbeaten teams remaining along with Kelley-Rex Division powers Franklin (3-0) and Attleboro (2-0-1).

While all of this is great news for a Canton squad with sky-high expectations and designs on a state title run, head coach Chrissy O’Connor said the “first big test” will come tomorrow as the Bulldogs head down to Attleboro to face off against the D1 Bombardiers.

“We’ve had a strong start, but I think we need to be tested a little and we should have a much better sense of where we’re at by this time next week,” said O’Connor. “We certainly have the skill level to compete against the top teams; it’s just a question of whether we can put it all together.”

Few other teams, however, have a playmaking and scoring force like Canton’s Shannon Lane, who committed to Providence College early in her junior season and proceeded to run away with the Hockomock Davenport MVP Award while powering the Bulldogs to a second consecutive state Final Four berth.

This year, Lane is back to anchor the midfield as a senior captain and has certainly looked the part of a superstar, tallying multiple goals in each of the team’s three wins. Classmate and fellow co-captain Cassidy Lyons is another key weapon and a perfect complement to Lane, offering an excellent blend of skill, speed and hustle to go along with plenty of big-game experience.

The defense also features several varsity veterans, led by senior captains Grace Martinek and Ava Starr as well as juniors Ellie Young and Tabitha McCready. The added experience should serve the team well in the backfield as the Bulldogs transition to a new starting goalie in Sophia Carlton.

The biggest changes for the starting corps is at forward, which is anchored this year by seniors Riley Blake, Annie Eckler and Lily Quersher. Blake has been especially productive in the early going with back-to-back hat tricks in their two most recent wins, while Eckler paced the team with a trio of goals in the season opener versus Stoughton.

Quersher also got on the scoreboard in that game, as did promising sophomore Kate Giannacopoulos, who scored again on Monday in the Taunton win. Also finding the net in recent wins for the Bulldogs were Lyons, McCready, Katherine Albert and Violet Penders. In addition to tomorrow’s game at Attleboro, the Bulldogs were also due to visit Mansfield earlier this week, with upcoming games next Tuesday at North Attleboro and next Thursday at home versus Franklin.

According to Canton native and Canton Co-operative Bank President & CEO Nick Maffeo, “In 1891, the first president of Canton Co-operative, Ephraim Thorndike, promised that Canton Co-operative would be the ‘easiest and safest place to borrow,’ with the goal of helping local people get ‘homes, happiness and independence.’ Today, we still help local people buy homes, and much more.”

(L-R) Robert Dalo, Nick Maffeo, Debby Kreusch, Laurie O’Leary and Lauren Lyons; (not pictured) April McKee, Jeff Phaneuf and Dan Erickson

“Canton Co-operative Bank is an independent mutual community bank, not a stock bank — and that makes a huge difference,” Maffeo said. “Customers come first with us, not stockholders or Wall Street.”

“Canton Co-operative has also been a place where many local people have started their careers or built a career over decades,” Maffeo added. “Customers really like being able to work with bank employees they can get to know, like and trust. That’s actually how community banking is supposed to be.”

Canton Co-operative employees and directors being recognized in 2026 include:

* Deborah (Debby) Kreusch started at Canton Co-operative in a temporary summer teller position in 1976, and after serving in many operational positions, she was named president of the bank in 1991, a position she held until 2014. Kreusch is currently chair of the bank’s board of directors.

* April McKee joined Canton Co-operative in 1986 as a teller. After holding multiple roles in retail operations, she became branch manager in 2014.

Among the bank’s employees: Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer Laurie O’Leary is celebrating 20 years of service, Loan Officer/Closing Coordinator Robert Dalo has reached 10 years of service; and teller Lauren Lyons has attained five years of service.

On the bank’s board of directors, both Jeffrey Phaneuf and Daniel Erickson have reached 15 years of service.

“Canton Co-operative provides a steadiness local people appreciate very much with a friendliness and dedication to this community that customers tell us they appreciate and value too,” Maffeo said. “People can see that Canton Co-operative is here for them — because we are and we have been for 135 years.”

Located next to the Post Office, Canton Co-operative Bank has been Canton’s hometown bank since 1891. The bank has earned a five-star rating for strength and stability from bank-rating service BauerFinancial, and all deposits are insured by the FDIC and the Depositors Insurance Fund (DIF). Canton Co-operative is an Equal Housing Lender (NMLS #721437). The phone number is 781-828-8811.

Yet while most Cantonites probably are generally aware of the Blue Hills, fewer are likely acquainted with all it has to offer. That’s not too surprising, given that the reservation is quite large and generally undeveloped, consisting of 7,000 mostly hilly acres spread across pieces of six different towns: Dedham, Canton, Milton, Quincy, Braintree and Randolph. Even if people are familiar with some aspects of the reservation, a lot more is hidden in plain sight.

That is why the Coalition for a Better Blue Hills is preparing for its debut event: the BlueHillsFest, to be held on Saturday, September 26. Coalition member organizations want to encourage area residents to discover all that the Blue Hills has to offer.

The area has long been recognized as a valuable resource. It was given formal status in 1893 when the Metropolitan Parks Commission purchased the lands to set aside for public recreation. The Blue Hills Weather Observatory had already been founded in 1885. Since then, a variety of organizations have set up operations to assist the public in accessing the land. Currently, about 12 entities operate in or immediately adjacent to the reservation.

Friends of the Blue Hills, a nonprofit organization, was created in the 1970s to build stewardship of the area through increasing public awareness and participation in its resources. Jen Klein, the current executive director, recognized that while the organizations operating in the area each had their own mission, they shared a common focus on bringing more people to the reservation and on supporting the natural environment — but they weren’t all talking to each other. She started reaching out to them in March 2025 with the goal of creating a group that, at a minimum, would promote communication and perhaps spur collaboration.

The response was enthusiastic — and enlightening. Klein was surprised to learn that this was not a new idea: a group had been formed in 2018 (before she came on board) but was derailed by the pandemic. On being told a new group was forming, organization representatives said that the first group was “wonderful” and expressed gratitude for her effort.

The new group was originally named Blue Hills Partnership Coalition, but it changed this year to Coalition for a Better Blue Hills. Originally, representatives met quarterly, but they decided to meet more often (they currently come together every other month).

Klein cited BlueHillsFest as a “great example of what has come out of the coalition.” Member organizations, which are mostly small budget operations, have cooperated on small projects as well, sharing physical resources such as a paper shredder and AV equipment.

Noting that the coalition’s motto is “Stronger Together,” Klein listed its goals, including keeping each other informed of happenings, mutual promotion of programs and events, and advocacy efforts. Fundraising initiatives are also in the works. Other plans call for creating a coalition charter, with a formal chair and co-chair. (Klein has been acting as an informal chair.) The Fest will likely become an annual event; other events may be added.

The Coalition for a Better Blue Hills includes the following members: AMC Ponkapoag Camp; Blue Hill Observatory; Blue Hills Ski Area; Brookwood Community Farm; Massachusetts Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR); Friends of the Blue Hills; Neponset River Watershed Association; New England Base Camp; Mary May Binney Wakefield Arboretum; and Mass Audubon Trailside Museum. Houghton’s Pond (managed by DCR) and Rise & Thrive Education Inc., a nonprofit that operates the concession stand at the pond, also participate.

Lauren Ober, manager for Ponkapoag Camp, noted that the “hidden gem” offers 20 cabins and three tent sites on the Green Dot trail. “I hope more people come and utilize the space — a lot of people don’t know we exist,” Ober said.

She will be offering coffee and snacks at the lodge from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Dan Byrnes, DCR visitor services supervisor for the Blue Hills Reservation, said, “The State Reservation has been a green oasis for the people of Metro Boston for 131 years, and BlueHillsFest will be a celebration of that oasis and all the people and organizations that have made it what it is today.”

BlueHillsFest events will begin at 9 a.m. and generally run until 4 p.m., although each location will determine its own schedule and activities, which include tours, guided hikes, lawn games, a live animal show and more.

“Passports” are available at all locations and include spaces for host signatures. Collecting at least six signatures entitles a guest to submit a chance for a raffle basket of merchandise and activity passes with a total value over $1,000. While several signatures may be efficiently collected at certain locations, such as Houghton’s Pond, Klein hopes that people will consider starting at a location not already familiar to them to learn more about the area.

In case of rain, the Fest will be held the next day, Sunday, September 27. For more information about BlueHillsFest, go to betterbluehills.org/fest.

Are you interested in promoting a more bike and pedestrian-friendly Canton? If so, we invite you to join Canton’s Walk, Bike & Hike Committee, which is seeking new members as it begins the 2026-27 year. Organized in the fall of 2015, WBH is proud of its many accomplishments, including:

* Providing bike/ped accommodation input to the Route 95/Dedham St. Interchange Project, and oversight to the multi-use path from Copperworks to Canton Junction.

* Working with consultants on the Trails Master Plan and the Open Space & Recreation Plan; working with town’s Engineering Department on the draft Canton trails map; creating a Guide to Canton Trails that is posted on the town website.

* Coordinating with the Revere Heritage Park team to assure appropriate regulations, signage and bike racks; advocating for bike racks throughout Canton.

* Spearheading five town-wide Cleanup Days and six Trail Maintenance Days.

All Canton residents are invited to participate in the upcoming Trail Maintenance Day on Saturday, October 17. Go to the WBH Facebook page for the signup link.

If you are interested in joining the committee, the next meeting will be Thursday, October 15, at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom. The agenda will be posted on the town website the day prior. For an application to join the committee, contact the Select Board office.

CHS student Emma Bouwmeester plays the trumpet as the flag is lowered in front of the fire station. (Jay Turner photo)

The Canton community came together at two town-sponsored events last week to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. On Thursday evening, the Canton Veterans Services Department hosted a remembrance ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park in Canton Corner Cemetery, and on Friday morning, the Canton Fire and Police departments held their annual remembrance ceremony at CFD headquarters on Revere Street.

See this week’s Citizen for more 9/11 remembrance photos. Click here to order your subscription today.

Historical snapshot of Canton Corner Cemetery facing Great Blue Hill. (Image courtesy of Canton Historical Society)

The Canton Community Preservation Committee (CCPC) will host a public presentation of the newly completed Canton Corner Cemetery Preservation Plan on Monday, September 28, at 7 p.m. in the Salah Meeting Room on the second floor of Town Hall.

Canton Corner Cemetery is one of the community’s most significant historic landscapes. With nearly three centuries of continuous use, the cemetery reflects changing traditions of burial, remembrance, craftsmanship, and landscape design. It is located within the Canton Corner National Historic District and includes colonial-era burial grounds, 19th-century churchyard and garden cemetery sections, and the rural cemetery landscape designed by noted landscape architect Henry A. S. Dearborn.

The preservation plan was funded through the Community Preservation Act and supported by a vote at the 2025 Annual Town Meeting for Fiscal Year 2026. Town meeting voters approved $295,000 for the initiative, including $95,000 to prepare the plan and $200,000 for preservation work following completion and approval of the report.

Under the leadership of the Canton Department of Public Works, this is a landmark project. Led by Ray Dunetz Landscape Architecture, Inc., with specialized assessments by Building and Monument Conservation and Arbor LLC, the study included historical research and a comprehensive examination of gravestones, monuments, trees, walls, paths, gates, landscape features, and site infrastructure.

The report found that while most gravestones in the cemetery’s historic sections remain stable, approximately 39 percent require some level of attention. Its recommendations prioritize the repair and resetting of vulnerable gravestones, treatment or removal of hazardous trees, improvements to paths and accessibility, repairs to walls and fencing, landscape restoration, and a long-term maintenance program. The plan also provides cost estimates and a phased framework to guide future preservation, conservation, investment and stewardship.

Some of the preservation work and associated costs identified in the plan are eligible for funding through the Community Preservation Act. The CCPC expects to receive one or two applications related to the cemetery preservation work for the FY28 funding cycle. Any applications will be reviewed through the town’s CPA process and, if recommended for funding, will be presented for consideration and a vote at the Annual Town Meeting in May 2027.

The September 28 presentation will give residents an opportunity to hear directly from the consultants, explore the report’s principal findings and recommendations, understand the costs and justifications of the related CPA funding requests, and learn how the town can protect this irreplaceable historic resource for generations to come.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Massachusetts Book Award winner Cait Levin

Among the winners of the prestigious award this year is Canton resident Cait Levin, who won the prize for middle grade/YA fiction for her novel Imposter, in which a girl must prove herself in her computer science class and in a national robotics competition.

“Imposter explores how we react when our passions and interests are met with skepticism and disregard,” said Levin. “It follows Cam, a high school sophomore, as she confronts the reality many girls and women face in STEM.

“It’s an honor for Cam’s story to win the Massachusetts Book Award. My deepest hope is that the book will find more readers who need to hear it, and that they will be inspired to keep pursuing what lights them up even when — especially when — naysayers try to dim that light.”

The Massachusetts Book Awards Ceremony will be held on October 28 at the Massachusetts State House. This ceremony marks 26 years of the Massachusetts Book Awards.

“This year’s award winners invite us to grapple with the elusiveness of equality, find hope in the enduring bonds of family, confront the realities of a rapidly changing climate, and consider the vastness of the universe and our place in it,” said Courtney Andree, executive director of the Massachusetts Center for the Book. “MCB is thrilled to recognize this amazing group of Massachusetts writers, illustrators, translators, poets, and publishers! We feel fortunate to be a part of such a vibrant and fearless literary community.”

Other 2026 winners include Jill Lepore of Cambridge, who received the prize for nonfiction for her book We the People: A History of the U.S. Constitution; Stuart Nadler of Boston, who won the prize for fiction for his book Rooms for Vanishing; Cameron Awkward-Rich of Greenfield, who secured the prize for poetry for his collection An Optimism; and Astrid Sheckels of Greenfield, who claimed the prize for picture book for Flora and the Jazzers.

The second annual Notable Contribution to Publishing Prize went to Somerville-based Bulgilhan Press for the graphic novel Slices of Life: A Comic Montage, by Qu. Aidan Rooney received the biannual translated literature prize for Cécé, by Emmelie Prophète.

Founded in 2000, MCB is a nonprofit dedicated to inspiring a love of reading, honoring the rich literary culture of the commonwealth, promoting unrestricted access to books and libraries, and fostering literacy and learning. As the designated commonwealth affiliate of the Library of Congress, the center runs youth and family literacy programs like the Reading Challenge and Letters About Literature; represents Massachusetts at the National Book Festival; operates the Massachusetts Book Awards and Mass Kids Lit Fest; and partners with community organizations on literary initiatives and events, big and small, across the state.

Highlights from the September 17 edition include:

* Spotlight on Canton’s Health Dept. & Board of Health (click here for preview)

* Canton remembers 25th anniversary of 9/11 attacks

* Select Board backs Housing Trust & more highlights from their 9/15 meeting

* Resident shares memories of living in Nazi-occupied Hungary

* Revere Heritage Site Evolution Pt. 7 by Rich Trotto

* Bank of Canton donates $100K to Canton library renovations

* Canton Garden Club announces 2026-27 schedule of events

* September update from Canton’s Brookwood Community Farm

* NCHS seeks forever homes for several cats and dogs

* CHS Athlete of the Week and more fall sports coverage

Also, don’t forget to check out our many weekly features, including:

* Police & Fire News Notes

* Senior Corner and letters to the editor

* Cable Guide, Citizen Around Town, and much more

* House of the Week and more local real estate resources

Not a subscriber? Click here to order your subscription today, or check out our digital edition, the e-Citizen. Special fall promo for new subscribers: $30 for 1 year/$55 for 2 years.

The Bulldogs hoist the trophy after winning last year’s rivalry game. (Mike Tureski photo)

The rivalry may have been going on for 100 years, but this year, when the Canton High School Bulldog football team takes on the Stoughton Black Knights, the field itself will be quite different.

Instead of taking place on Thanksgiving Day at one of the neighboring schools’ home fields, this year’s historic 100th anniversary game will be held at an equally historic site — Boston’s Fenway Park, home of the Red Sox since 1912 — on Tuesday evening, November 24, beginning at 8 p.m.

“What better venue would there be for the 100th Canton-Stoughton Thanksgiving game than Fenway Park?” said CHS Athletic Director Daniel Erickson. “It’s a classic venue for a classic tradition.”

Erickson said a number of people put in a great deal of work behind the scenes to make this event possible. “But in the end, the 100-year anniversary game between two rivals with such storied tradition sold itself,” he said.

Jeff Eckler, who was named the Bulldogs’ head coach this past offseason after a stint as interim head coach as well as several seasons as a varsity assistant, said it is an honor to play this year’s rivalry game at a venue as storied as Fenway Park.

“This is a great rivalry between two great towns,” said noted Eckler, a former Bulldog football captain and member of the CHS Class of 1991. “I can think of nothing better than playing against each other in one of the greatest stadiums in the world. The kids are ecstatic. It’s a great thing to be part of it.”

“We are thrilled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Canton/Stoughton Thanksgiving Day game at such a historic venue,” said CHS Principal Jeffrey Sperling. “I want to thank the Fenway Group and all those involved in providing this opportunity. We are looking forward to what will surely be an amazing event for the student-athletes, coaches, and the entire Canton and Stoughton communities.”

“We hope to see many students, residents and staff at the game,” added Canton Superintendent of Schools Derek Folan. “This is a memory that our team and school community will remember for years to come. Let’s pack the stands.”

The Canton-Stoughton rivalry dates back to 1926, when over 2,000 spectators gathered to watch the Bulldogs and Black Knights begin what would become annual holiday tradition in the two towns.

Stoughton currently owns a 49-46-4 lead in the all-time series, but Canton has closed the gap with four straight wins entering the milestone matchup. This season, Stoughton has moved to the Hockomock League’s Kelley-Rex Division, swapping places with King Philip Regional due to recent enrollment increases, while the Bulldogs will continue to compete in the Hockomock Davenport Division.

The announcement about the 100th anniversary game being held at Fenway came one week before the Bulldogs’ season-opening contest at nonleague Holliston, which kicks off tonight, September 10, at 6 p.m. at Holliston High School. Canton’s home opener is scheduled for next Friday, September 18, at 6 p.m. against Norwood High School.

Fenway Park’s 2026 High School Football series is presented by Cross Insurance and also features matchups between Cambridge Rindge & Latin and Somerville High School (Nov. 24 at 5 p.m.), Durfee High School and New Bedford High School (Nov. 25 at 4 p.m.), and Xaverian Brothers and St. John’s Prep (Nov. 25 at 7 p.m.). Note: Start times for both the Canton/Stoughton and Xaverian/St. John’s games are approximate, as they are scheduled to begin 40 minutes after the conclusion of the previous contest.

General admission tickets are available for purchase at redsox.com/highschoolfootball starting at $20 per ticket for each day, providing access to both games. Twenty percent of every ticket sold will be given back to the school being supported. Dell Technologies Level Suites will be available for all matchups starting at $50 per ticket and can be purchased by contacting Michael Gavagan at mgavagan@redsox.com.