Canton’s Sam Larson poised for big senior year

Sam Larson continued his ascendancy with a strong junior season for the Bulldogs. (Mike Barucci photo)

Sam Larson is one of those rare athletes who excels in every sport he tries. A rising senior at Canton High School, he has already achieved considerable success as a member of the varsity soccer, basketball, and baseball teams, and most would agree that he’s only scratched the surface of his true potential.

Larson is currently playing a great deal of baseball — his favorite sport — both for the Canton American Legion team and for other travel teams. He is also continuing to train for the upcoming soccer season.

“He’s an amazing athlete that has a bright future,” said CHS head baseball coach JP Scott, who saw Larson’s potential as a pitcher this past spring season.

In only the second game of the season against Attleboro, Larson pitched nine innings, threw 122 pitches, struck out 11 and walked just two batters.

Scott said Larson’s performance drew admiration from umpires and opposing coaches. “The coaches on the other team and the umpires all shook hands with Sam at the end of the game and commented on how well he pitched,” said Scott.

Larson was also recruited to pitch for Nokona Baseball, one of the region’s premier travel programs. “So I know that Sam is starting to get some attention for his pitching abilities,” Scott said. “As a coach, it is one of those situations that you hope for, a kid with talent that is coachable and has a desire to get better.”

Boys’ soccer coach Danny Erickson said Larson really found his game this past fall and was recognized as a Hockomock League all star.

“He emerged as the key to our defense and as a leader,” Erickson said. “Sam’s dominance in the back led me to change the system of play we use, our first change in more than six years, all due to the dominance Sam has as a sweeper. That says a great deal about his importance to our program.”

In basketball, Larson was an All-Hockomock first team selection and emerged as the Bulldogs’ go-to player this season. Head basketball coach Ryan Gordy said he has the potential to dominate on both ends of the court every game. He demonstrated that potential in a few games this past season, and Gordy wants Larson to continue to grow and to be “the man” in every game next season.

Already Larson draws multiple defenders, not only showing a potent three-point shot, but also the ability to drive to the basket. He averaged 17 points per game — good for fourth in the league. He also led the team in steals with 1.5 per game, grabbed five rebounds per game, and shot 71 percent from the free-throw line.

In an interview, Larson said he has enjoyed playing all three sports ever since he was a youth. In soccer, he made the switch to sweeper after many years as a forward and a midfielder.

In basketball, he said it was important for the program to earn its first playoff win in an upset against a very good Abington team. He acknowledged there was pressure on him to follow in the footsteps of graduating all-star scorer Joe McCabe (CHS ’12) and to “step up as a leader and [be] the team’s main scorer.”

“But I like pressure,” said Larson. “I enjoy that atmosphere. I don’t mind it at all.”

Larson said he loves baseball the most out of all three sports and it is likely the sport he will pursue in college. He loves pitching and the ability to control the play from start to finish.

“As a pitcher you are involved in every play,” he said. Already he has a good selection of pitches, including a fastball, curveball, changeup, and slider.

Larson is looking forward to his senior year and improving his performance in all three sports. No doubt he will be one of the captains and a leader in all three sports.

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Posted by Mike Berger on Jul 18 2013. Filed under High School, Sports. Both comments and pings are currently closed.