After a difficult start to last season, the Canton Academy Panthers will look to build off a strong finish as they prepare for the 2026 season.
The Panthers finished 4-7 in 2025 under first-year head coach Tripp McCarty, but their overall record doesn't tell the entire story. Canton Academy finished second in MAIS Class 2A District 4 with a 2-1 district record and earned a spot in the postseason.
Canton Academy opened the season with a 38-20 win over Indianola Academy before dropping its next five games. The Panthers turned things around late in the year, winning three of their final four regular-season games. That stretch included a 34-22 win over North Delta, a 62-36 victory over Discovery Christian and a dominant 47-0 win over Manchester Academy.
The late-season offensive turnaround was a major positive for the Panthers. Canton Academy scored 143 points across its final three regular-season games, including the 62-point performance against Discovery Christian. The Panthers finished the year with 231 total points while allowing 326.
Canton Academy's season eventually came to an end with a 21-3 loss against North Delta in the opening round of the MAIS Class 2A playoffs. The loss came less than a month after the Panthers had defeated the Green Wave during the regular season.
McCarty returns as the Panthers' head football coach as Canton Academy prepares for another season in MAIS Class 2A District 4. The Panthers will look to carry the momentum they found late last season into 2026 and put themselves back in position for another postseason appearance.
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