Willeford, Moore expecting big things

Editor’s Note: The following story appeared in the annual Van Zandt County Football/Volleyball Preview section included in the Aug. 21 edition of the Van Zandt News.

No football team in Van Zandt County finished as strongly as the Canton Eagles in 2015. After an 0-3 start marked by near misses and almosts, the Eagles found another gear, riding a wave of momentum to a 6-6 finish and a berth in the Area round of the playoffs.

Canton will look to ride that momentum as far or even farther in 2016, relying on the return of several key pieces on both the offensive and defensive sides of the football.

Since taking over the position full-time, Hunter Moore has proven himself to be one of the top dual threat quarterbacks in the area. In 2015 alone, Moore carved up opposing defenses for 2,112 yards through the air and another 812 yards on the ground while contributing to 33 Eagle touchdowns.

Asked what helped spark the Canton turnaround, Moore was quick to give credit to the team’s senior leadership and coaching staff. “We had some great senior leadership and that helped us a lot. They really stepped up when we needed them to. We also got some new coaches that knew what they were doing and just put it all together.”

Logan Willeford, a defensive lineman that played a key role in last season’s turnaround, agreed with Moore’s sentiment, adding that summer workouts should go a long way towards a better start.

In 2014, the Canton defense surrendered 341 points over the course of 10 games. Head coach Robert Ivey noted last offseason that the Eagle defense would take a back to the basics approach. Those words proved prophetic, with Willeford and the rest of the Eagle defense getting stronger en route to allowing just 315 points in 12 games.

To read the full article, subscribe to the Canton Herald or pick up a copy from one of our vendors.