It isn’t hard for Kenzie Cantu to find inspiration.
All she has to do is look in the stands.
The person she is searching for is not present, though, but that helps her stay composed, focused and detail-oriented.
Why?
Her mother, Mattie, died when Cantu was just 9 years old, but the impact she left on her is everlasting.
Mom’s life lessons have shaped Cantu, and that’s a big reason why the Redwood High School senior is one of Tulare County’s top softball players.
“She encouraged me to keep going, to pursue her legacy and play softball basically,” Cantu said. “She came to all my games. It made me closer to her.”
Before every at-bat, Cantu dedicates a prayer for mom: “Thank you, God, for putting me here today. I just want to let you know that no matter what happens today, no matter where I go, what happens, whatever play it is, a diving play or a hit, I just want to let you know that I still have my fear in you because you put your faith in me.”
That’s something she got from her mother.
“She’s the reason I play today,” Cantu said. “She’s the reason I’m still doing this sport.”
Behind Cantu’s leadership, power and team-first mentality, Redwood (21-7, 9-1) won its fourth straight East Yosemite League championship this year.
Cantu culminated the regular season, leading the Rangers with a .482 batting average and 41 hits. She was also among team leaders in runs (24), RBIs (29), doubles (seven), triples (two) and home runs (two).
That offensive prowess helped carry a Redwood team that hit a collective .358 while averaging nearly eight runs per game.
“Kenzie has been a great player for us, a great asset to the team,” said fifth-year Redwood head coach Stevi Johnson, who has directed the Rangers to a remarkable 37-3 EYL record since 2023. “She truly is one of the most energetic players that I’ve ever been around. If you’re ever at a game, you can hear Kenzie. She’s a part of the game. She’s always talking, always backing up whoever is on defense. Always one to lead, you know, the cheers and the talking. She brings energy to the team, and honestly, the team really follows and feeds off of her. She’s been extremely hardworking, starting for us these past four years. Watching her grow has been really special.”
Cantu has been an inspiration for the Rangers, too.
“You would never know with how outgoing she is, how loud in the best way possible, how energetic she is, that she lost her mom,” Johnson said. “She probably uses that to drive her as a motivating factor to honor her mom. I think that just shows a lot of strength and courage for her, because as a person, I can’t imagine going through a loss like that at such a young age. But to see how she’s succeeded in life is something that is truly an inspiring story.”
It’s been a memorable spring for Cantu.
In an 11-1 win over Golden West on April 14, Cantu registered the 100th hit of her career on a home run as the Rangers won via mercy rule in five innings. In that game, she finished 3-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs.
As Cantu sprinted to home plate, she knew immediately that mom had something to do with her round-tripper.
“It feels special,” Cantu said. “I feel like she’s the one who is carrying the ball over the fence.”
Softball is a family affair.
Her dad, Israel, is the announcer at Redwood home softball games.
“It’s kind of stressful knowing that he is paying attention 100% of the time, but it’s pretty cool,” Cantu said. “He’s been doing it since I was a freshman. He started doing it as a way to pay attention and feel closer to the team and girls. It’s special.”
In four varsity seasons, as of May 13, Cantu has helped the Rangers win more than 70 games and has made 110 appearances while batting a career .375 with 116 hits, 71 RBIs, 19 doubles, three triples and six home runs.
With that kind of impact, Redwood surpassed 20 wins for the first time in eight seasons this year.
The last time the Rangers accomplished that feat, they went on to win the 2018 Central Section Division II championship.
In her latest outing, a 23-0 rout of Mt. Whitney on May 12, Cantu went 4-for-5, including a triple, with five RBIs and two runs.
“It’s good to have her as a competitive teammate,” Redwood third baseman Jaden Lopez said. “We’re two peas in a pod. We love to compete, obviously, in teammate competitions. We love to compete against each other. Iron sharpens iron. I love having her out here, so we can push each other.”
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: Redwood’s Kenzie Cantu finds inspiration from her late mother
Reporting by Vongni Yang, Visalia Times-Delta / Visalia Times-Delta
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
