Even after fall ball, Coach Nick Swanson was not sure what to make of his inexperienced Canyon View baseball team.
But he knew Gonzaga-bound senior ace pitcher Landon Hood could lessen the growing pains.
“We lost all of our starters except for Colin Mowrey, our catcher. But it’s been like that for three years in a row, where we’ve completely turned over because we’ve been so senior heavy. And our fall was rough. We were scratching our heads in the dugout with the coaching staff, just trying to figure out what we could do to be competitive,” Swanson said. “We knew going into the season we had Landon Hood. We think he’s the best pitcher in Arizona. Outside of that, we didn’t have a lot of guys with experience.”
During an 18-1 regular season the Jaguars performed better than expected across the board, which includes Hood despite his lofty standards. The pitcher finished with a 6-1 record, 1.21 ERA and 65 strikeouts in 57 2/3 innings as a junior in 2024.
This season Hood is borderline untouchable, sporting a 0.22 ERA, 9-1 record, five complete games and 102 strikeouts in 63 innings
“I’ve got a lot of confidence. I think we’re going to go far. Every single dude is doing their jobs, so we’ll have a good run at it,” Hood said.
Canyon View’s second game of a preseason tournament was a loss, but gave the team and its coaching staff confidence.
“In our first tournament of the year we played Liberty and lost 3-2. We gave up three unearned runs. And we knew that if there were things we could clean up, we would be very dangerous,” Swanson said.
That was Hood’s first start of the season and his only loss, despite not having allowed an earned run.
He extracted a measure of revenge on April 23 at Liberty, tossing a complete game shutout against the Lions. By that point, the Jaguars were the top ranked team in 5A.
“This year the target on our back has been bigger. But I think we’ve handled it good,” Hood said. “We’re very clutch in those situations”
This young school in Waddell essentially started its varsity program after COVID-19 wiped out the 2020 season.
Swanson’s squad reached the 5A quarterfinals in 2021, 2022 and 2023 before a first round loss last year.
But the coach said the program operated with a spotligh well before it emerged as a title favorite.
“We preach every year that we’re Canon View baseball. We always have a target on our backs,” Swanson said. “Canyon View softball, Canyon View basketball, Canyon View wrestling, Canyon View girls track and field ... we’re full of champions. Other teams are trying to bring us down. It’s often times the other team’s World Series when they play us.”
Young stars like sophomore infielder Ricky Yuriar and junior infielder/pitcher Brody Meyer emerged.
Yuriar missed most of his freshman season and leads the Jaguars in average (.512), on base percentage (.571), home runs (three), hits (44), slugging percentage (.826) and RBI (36).
Senior Brock Berlan is the ignition,, leading off and scoring 47 runs.
“He’s the table setter for us. As he goes, we go. He has great leadership qualities and great energy. He gives us a competitive at bat in that first at bat every game,” Swanson said.
These new foundation pieces emerged around the bedrock of Hood and stellar defensive catcher Mowrey.
They’ve worked together all four years, even though only the last two were on varsity.
“We have a good battery. He knows when there’s the smallest thing wrong on every pitch and he knows what to call,” Hood said. “He’s really good behind the plate. I have so much confidence in him and comfort with him."
Meyer is Canyon View’s second most potent hitter and its top reliever, with an 0.70 ERA and two saves in 10 innings.
Junior Cason Hagerman settled into the second starter role, with a 6-1 record and 1.69 ERA.
“I like us in the box. I love us on the mound. If we can play defense, we’re going to win,” Swanson said “We’ve made a lot of errors this year. We kicked the ball around late. The second half of the season, we haven’t done that as much, and that’s why we’ve been on this long winning streak.”
At 26-4, the Jaguars entered today’s playoff opener with Paradise Valley on a 15-game winning streak.
If that roll continues into the double-elimination bracket and Canyon View earns extra days off between games, Swanson has an easy call.
“Just give Landon Hood the baseball and get out of his way,” Swanson said.
Richard Smith
Senior News Editor | Glendale & West Valley Preps
rsmith@iniusa.org
Richard Smith has been with Independent Newsmedia since 2016, and worked at a Sun City-based news outfit covering the Northwest Valley for 22 consecutive years.
An NAU alum and lifelong Arizona resident, Richard began as a copy editor and page designer at Surprise Today and the Daily News-Sun, then rekindled his love of sports writing by taking the reins on West Valley Preps in 2008.
For most of the mid-2010s he was the Surprise editor and West Valley Preps reporter. Now he’s the West Valley Preps Editor and Surprise Associate Editor.
As COVID restrictions slowly lift, Richard is cautiously optimistic he will visit book stores, football fields and gyms again this fall.
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