Sports

The Canton track and field program was able to enjoy the comforts of home last week, welcoming county foes Edgewood and Van as well as Caddo Mills, Mabank, Mineola and Sunnyvale for the annual Eagle Relays at Norris Birdwell Stadium March 30.

The Canton Eagles hot stretch would fail to falter this past week, as they took contests against Grand Saline and Mabank to improve their season record to 17-1. Entering the week on a seven- game winning streak, in which the Eagles were outscoring opponents 69-17, Canton would welcome Grand Saline on Tuesday, March 28 for a tune-up contest before the bulk of the district slate.

The past week proved to be more of the same for the Canton Eagles baseball program, as they easily handled both scheduled contests to improve their season mark to 15-1. Canton would kick off the week with home field advantage, hosting Kaufman for a Tuesday afternoon bout.

The Canton Eaglettes continued to have their way with opponents offensively, as matchups against Kaufman and Quinlan Ford this past week offered little resistance on Canton’s path to two blowout victories.

DAVID KAPITAN sports@vanzandtnews.com The fifth annual Hoops for Autism All-Star Games will carry a distinct Van Zandt County flair in 2023 with multiple local athletes set to hit the court April 8 at E.B. Carrington Gymnasium in White Oak for this year’s festivities.

The University Interscholastic League’s Lone Star Cup is awarded annually to six high schools, one in each of the six UIL classifications (1 A, 2A, 3 A, 4A, 5A and 6A). The award honors the best overall athletic and academic programs in Texas based on their team performance in district and state championships. Using activities and events that primarily took place during the fall semester of the 2022-’23 school year, including team tennis, cross country, marching band, military marching band, volleyball, robotics BEST, football, congress, spirit, swimming and diving, wrestling, mariachi, film and basketball, both Canton and Martins Mill ranked in the top-25 of their respective classifications.

The Canton Eaglettes improved upon their already stellar 15-4 record this week, winning both scheduled contests to improve to 17-4. Canton would open the week with a Wednesday matinee on the road against Henderson.

The Canton Eagles added two more impressive victories to their name this past week, besting Mabank and Wills Point on their way to a 13-1 season record. Canton entered the week on a three-game winning streak, hosting familiar foe Mabank for an afternoon bout on Tuesday, March 14.

With the 2022-’23 season now in the rearview for District 16-4A teams, coaches released their list of Superlative and All-District honorees. Van, which would win this year’s district title by outlasting a slate that included defending Class 4A State Champions Brownsboro and perennial playoff contenders Canton, would earn two Superlative recognitions while Brownsboro earned three and Canton one.

Lifters representing Van Zandt County’s three largest school districts, Canton, Van and Wills Point, made their way to Arp March 10 to compete for a chance to advance to the Class 4A State Powerlifting Meet.