Westlake basketball player Blake Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Faces off the field gives a deep look into the thoughts and lives of high school athletes in the Austin area. Today we feature Westlake senior guard Blake Cannatti, whose twin brother Joel is on the team.
Among Blake Cannatti’s favorite things: basketball, pet dog Piper
Crockett basketball players Lauren and Aliyah Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Hendrickson basketball player Trinity Jackson-Wilkins in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
McCallum football player Nash Wegner in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Manor New Tech football player Josiah Freeman in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Lake Travis basketball player Presley Zager in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball player Tamia King in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball players Joel and Blake Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Anderson volleyball player Elaine Harrison in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball player Lauren Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball players Lauren and Aliyah Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball player Aliyah Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Georgetown basketball player Taylor Prater in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse football player Daniel Rybarski in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse volleyball player Addison Lundquist in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Leander football player Chase Milne in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse football player Daniel Rybarski in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball player Lauren Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball players Joel and Blake Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball player Aliyah Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Georgetown basketball player Taylor Prater in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball player Joel Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse volleyball player Addison Lundquist in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball player Tamia King in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
McCallum football player Nash Wegner in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Thorndale football player Isaac Biar in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Leander football player Chase Milne in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Lake Travis basketball player Presley Zager in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse football player Daniel Rybarski in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse volleyball player Addison Lundquist in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
McCallum football player Nash Wegner in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Georgetown basketball player Taylor Prater in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Manor New Tech football player Josiah Freeman in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Anderson volleyball player Elaine Harrison in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball player Tamia King in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball players Blake and Joel Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball player Tamia King in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball player Joel Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Leander football player Chase Milne in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Lake Travis basketball player Presley Zager in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball player Lauren Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Hendrickson basketball player Trinity Jackson-Wilkins in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball player Lauren Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Manor New Tech football player Josiah Freeman in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Georgetown basketball player Taylor Prater in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Manor New Tech football player Josiah Freeman in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
McCallum football player Nash Wegner in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse volleyball player Addison Lundquist in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Westlake basketball players Joel and Blake Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Anderson volleyball player Elaine Harrison in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Rouse football player Daniel Rybarski in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
McCallum football player Nash Wegner in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Hendrickson basketball player Trinity Jackson-Wilkins in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Crockett basketball player Aliyah Smith in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Leander football player Chase Milne in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Thorndale football player Isaac Biar in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Anderson volleyball player Elaine Harrison in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Hendrickson basketball player Trinity Jackson-Wilkins in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Tell something about you that most people don’t know.
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I was born in a hospital in Alexandria, Virginia, but my parents brought a bag of soil from Austin and put it under the mattress so that I can say I was born on Texas soil.
If you could visit any state in the country, where would you go?
Massachusetts. I’d like to visit Cape Cod because all of the photos look really peaceful and pretty, and I would really like to try an authentic lobster roll.
What’s something you are really good at that doesn’t include sports?
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I’m really good at the card game Nertz. I play it with my extended family whenever we get together, and I’d like to say I’m the best, but I have some siblings, relatives, and grandparents that would take issue with that claim.
RELATED: How did their answers differ? Our interview with Westlake’s Joel Cannatti
What is your most prized possession?
My dog Piper. She is always happy to see me and is always up to play regardless of how my day was or or what I have been going through.
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Westlake basketball player Blake Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Pressure to win is a constant with Westlake basketball
What is your favorite memory of Westlake basketball?
It’s when we went to the Cy-Fair tournament in Houston last year. It is always fun to travel as a team and bond over team dinners and off the court activities. My most memorable moment from that trip was how we fought each and every game and continued to get better as the tournament went on.
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Is there more pressure to win at Westlake because so many teams have had success?
I would not only agree that there is pressure to win at Westlake, but an expectation and standard to uphold. Each and every year we are contenders to make a deep run in the playoffs, and I certainly feel that our games are circled and highlighted on others’ calendars as the team to beat.
Outside of sports, what do you enjoy most about your school?
I enjoy the cooking class I am taking this year. It’s one of my favorites because of the many recipes we get to make each week. Also, it is a good life skills class for me to practice my cooking before I head off to college.
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Westlake basketball players Joel and Blake Cannatti in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman
Your brother Joel is also on the team. What’s it like to have him as a teammate?
I think it’s a really cool experience to have my twin brother as a teammate. Each and every day, whether it is practice or just everyday life, we push each other to be better, and try to uphold that standard as best we can.
Dream dinner: Bruschetta, filet mignon on the menu.
If you could have dinner with any four people in the history of the world, who would they be?
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I’d choose Jesus, (country singer) Hudson Westbrook, Pete Maravich and Jameis Winston.
I picked him because of his funny and eccentric personality. He would make me laugh throughout the whole dinner, and he just seems like a fun guy to be around.
You’re in charge of the menu. What are you serving?
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We are having bruschetta for appetizers, filet mignon and chicken Alfredo for the entrees, and then I’ll top it off with tiramisu for dessert.
Thorndale football player Isaac Biar in Austin, Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025.
Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman