LEANDER -- Canton lost one game Thursday by one point, then showed Friday why the Eagles came so close to winning their pool.

Canton started Friday morning with a 21-14 victory against East Texas foe Chapel Hill at the Division II 7-on-7 state tournament at Southwest Williamson County Regional Park.

Canton, which lost 21-20 Thursday to eventual championship bracket semifinalist East Bernard, fell 26-18 to Somerset in Friday's second round. Somerset also reached the championship bracket semifinals.

Canton quarterback Chandler Eiland hit Sam Miller for a three-yard touchdown late in the game for the go-ahead score vs. Chapel Hill. Eiland then found Garrett Denbow for the PAT and seven-point margin.

"We were really made that we didn't go 3-0 (in Thursday pool play). We just fell short against East Bernard," Eiland said. "We came in (against Chapel Hill) knowing we could win. They whooped us up pretty good in that state qualifying tournament in Bullard. We were real mad over that and just ready to go and ready to win."

Chapel Hill QB Andrew Black. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
Chapel Hill QB Andrew Black. (Christopher Vinn, ETSN.fm)
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The teams played to an 8-8 halftime tie. Chapel Hill's Andrew Black threw a 12-yard touchdown pass to Gabriel Robinson before finding Robinson for two points and an 8-0 lead. Canton promptly tied the game  when Eiland went to Ryan Slider for a short touchdown strike. Denbow then caught the game-tying two-point pass.

Eiland's touchdown strike to Logan Nace gave Canton a 14-8 second-half lead, but Black, doubling as a receiver during this weekend's tournament, caught a game-tying touchdown pass, 14-14.

Chapel Hill had a go-ahead touchdown wiped out by offensive pass interference on its next possession.

Chapel Hill, which won its pool with a 3-0 mark Thursday afternoon, finished the tournament 3-1, while Canton went 3-2.

Fall two-a-day practices start Monday, Aug. 5 for both teams.

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