Eagles Fall In First Three

The Canton Eagles are off to a rough start to the 2009-10 basketball season after opening against the eighth ranked 3A team in the state, Crandall.

The Eagles fell by a 50-34 margin to Crandall, and followed that game with losses to Quinlan Ford and Frankston.

Playing in Crandall, the Eagles were hampered by a second quarter during which the team was 0-8 from the field, and trailed 24-10 at the half. The Eagles played the Pirates to within two points, 26-24, in the second half.

Eric Walters led the scoring with 12 points, scoring seven from the free throw line. Stephen Malouf followed with seven points. Ethan Fields, Seth Carroll Trent Termin and Justin Richard all scored three. Tyler Yarbrough added two.

Hosting Quinlan Ford, the Eagles opened a 14-13 lead in the first quarter, but trailed 23-21 at the half. Canton was still within two in the third, but a 13-9 shortfall in the fourth led to a 49-42 loss.

Malouf led the scoring with 18 points, hitting three 3-pointers, and shooting five-of-six from the line. Walters followed with nine points and Termin added eight. Fields scored three, while Chance Wallace and Yarbrough each had two.

Fields scored 15 against Frankston, but the Eagles fell for the third straight game, 54-36. Walters scored nine and Yarbrough had seven while Malouf and Termin each score two and Denbow added one.

The Eagles hosted Edgewood on Tuesday, and are participating in the Van Tournament this weekend. The Eagles opened play Thursday morning against Liberty Eylau.