SACRAMENTO, CA (MPG) - For his play during the week of Feb.10-16, sophomore catcher of the Cosumnes River College Hawks and Elk Grove High School alumnus, Noah Canter, was named NorCal Player of the Week award by the California Community College Baseball Coaches Association. 

Canter went 7-11 over that span which was good for a .636 batting average with four home runs, three doubles, seven RBIs, two walks and a hit by a pitch for a .714 on-base percentage. 

“I think the biggest thing was just simplifying everything,” Canter said. “I was really focusing on just seeing the baseball and keeping my still and not trying to do too much. I was trying to hit line drives in the gaps and the home runs just happened.”

The General, as Canter’s being called on the Hawks social media accounts and by coaches, has been a leader for this team, assistant coach Scott Haynes said. 

“To me, (he’s) the best catcher in NorCal,” Haynes said. “He leads, he does everything, never complains, he’s the first guy here, the last guy to leave. He’s everything you want in a catcher.” 

It has not been an easy road for Canter, as he tore his Achilles tendon his senior year of high school while also sustaining knee injuries around the same time which included tearing his posterior cruciate ligament which put him out of action for two years. 

“It’s not an easy process at all with the rehab and everything so I’m grateful for the man upstairs,” Canter said. “It’s a blessing so I’ve really leaned on my faith.”

Haynes said that this level of play is due to Canter being able to be on the field again, as now he’s putting on display what kind of player he can be when he’s fully healthy. 

Last season, Canter’s freshman season saw him play 40 games for a .271 batting average with four home runs and 38 RBIs while this season, he’s already surpassed his home run total from last season with six and is more than halfway to his RBI total with 21. 

“Last year I was just trying to do too much at the plate,” Canter said. 

“I was trying to be Superman and not Noah Canter. Ultimately, we’ve made some good adjustments and we’re going to continue to do so as the season goes on.” 

Canter and the Hawks at the time of publication hold an 11-3 overall record and he said that he and the team will take things day by day while trying to reach the peak of the mountain at the end of the season.