Coon put Hawks in hunt

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, June 6, 2002 | 9:08 a.m.

As a sophomore on Silverado's 2000 state championship baseball squad, Tyler Coon earned a reputation as one of Southern Nevada's top young hitters.

Last season as a junior, he didn't dispel that notion, hitting over .400 for the second straight year.

In his final high school campaign this spring, however, Coon figured out a way to make even more of an impact for his Skyhawk squad: He became its ace pitcher.

Suddenly, one of the area's toughest outs at the plate was also its most consistent winner on the mound. With a dazzling array of four pitches, the 6-foot-3 left-hander compiled an 11-0 record with an ERA of 1.27, accounting for nearly half of Silverado's 25 wins.

At the same time, his hitting exploits remained constant, with Coon batting .438 with team-highs in RBIs (37) and total bases (94).

Most importantly, his individual contributions translated into team success, as the Skyhawks finished first in a tough Southeast Division, captured the Sunrise Region title and played in the 4A State Tournament.

For all that he accomplished during a stellar senior season, Coon has been selected as the Sun's 2002 State Player of the Year.

"He's always been able to swing the bat real well from the left-hand side of the plate, but he saw that the team needed him to step up and take on more of a pitching mentality," Silverado coach Brian Whitaker said.

Coon, who began his Silverado career as a designated hitter and ended it as both pitcher and first baseman, said his success on the mound was largely a matter of desire.

"I always knew I could pitch well. I just never did," Coon said. "(Going into) this year I worked on it more, and right away I could tell the difference. All you need is confidence, and from about my second start I had an extremely high confidence level."

Regularly able to locate his fastball, changeup, curve and slider for strikes, Coon fanned 84 batters and walked only 19 in his 66 innings of work. He completed nine of his 10 starts, and allowed only 12 earned runs in 14 appearances.

At season's end, Coon's success at the plate and on the mound earned him the coaches' pick as Southern Nevada's Player of the Year. A BYU and CCSN signee, he was selected by Cincinnati in the 20th round of the Major League Baseball draft on Tuesday

And to think, it all might never have happened, had Coon gotten his wish last season, his first as a Silverado starting pitcher.

"Last year, I tried to quit pitching," he said. "I wasn't into it. But Coach Whitaker convinced me the team needed it."

"I can't say enough about the leadership he's shown," Whitaker said. "He's a Silverado baseball believer, and from a coaching standpoint you can't ask for any more than to have your big horse buy into your program."