Cannon Davis, Amarillo High baseball, Sr.
On the diamond: The Sandies have been rolling most of the season atop District 3-5A, clinching the district crown in the final week of the regular season last week, and Davis has been a big reason why. Amarillo High swept second place Plainview to clinch the outright title, and in a 10-4 win on Tuesday, Davis got the Sandies on the board with a first inning sacrifice fly. Davis closed out the regular season in a big way Friday at Plainview, carrying the Sandies offensively in a 5-4 victory. He went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and scored two runs. That typified a season where Davis has emerged as Amarillo High’s No. 3 hitter and offensive leader. He leads the Sandies, hitting .456 with three homers and 42 RBIs, and has also shown his speed with 17 stolen bases. Davis and the Sandies will face Abilene High in the bidistrict playoffs starting Friday at Lubbock-Cooper.
Coach Randon Johnson: “He’s a big, strong kid who’s got a great frame on him. He hit in the wintertime in the cages and I kind of saw what he was doing there and kept thinking ‘Man, get him out on the field because good things are going to happen.’ He’s been really, really hot in this last month when we really need him. I think with all of our guys they want to hit the ball really far and the fence is way out there at Amarillo High. Realistically, I tell these guys the more you try to hit it over the fence, the less it happens. (Davis) has gotten a little bit better on timing. He’s waited on pitches to get there instead of trying to go out and get them. What’s happened is the bat barrel is right in the zone when the ball gets there and he creates a lot of energy with his bat speed. If you can work on things to get better, you can improve a little bit, but ultimately, it’s what your frame is, and what your mechanics and your swing is determine your ceiling.”
Davis: “I really amped up my work in the cages in the off time and it’s really paid off. I’ve delivered for the team. I definitely put in a lot more work. It hits really hard when it’s your senior year, but we’re fixing to make a run here and I’m excited. (The second Plainview game) was a good game. They pitched Isaac Garza who’s one of the better pitchers in our district. I just looked fastball early and found my pitch. It was fun. I was just really excited senior year winning district. Last year we didn’t get district and it was a tough year. This year, especially after the (loss to Palo Duro) we stepped up. It’s just battling in two-strike counts, making contact and getting on base has been a real improvement this year. It’s a big weight on our shoulders because the people before us have created such a good culture and legacy. We want to maintain that and maybe try to be better.”
About Davis
Favorite band or musician: Jason Aldean
Favorite social media platform: Instagram
Favorite athlete: Alex Bregman
Bet you didn’t know: He likes to play video games.
Parents: Derek and Lori Davis