Cam-araderie: Blewitt selected to NH Shrine Team

Rosters for the upcoming 59^th Annual Shrine Maple Sugar Bowl were released today and Cam Blewitt was chosen to represent Stevens High School at this year’s installment being played at Dartmouth College on August 4. Blewitt, a three-time 1^st Team All-State Football Player and starter since his freshman year, is ecstatic about being selected to the New Hampshire team.  “To be selected is a huge honor. It’s something I’ve dreamed about for years,” Cam said via email. “To think that the coaches think I am good enough to compete with the best players in the state is crazy!”

Blewitt finished his high school career with 2,560 yards rushing on 424 carries and 29 rushing touchdowns (40 overall), but he is slated to play cornerback for Head Coach Mike Beliveau’s defensive unit. “I don’t have a ton of experience at corner, but I have played there some in my 4 years at Stevens, reflected Blewitt. “I think I am quick enough to stay with most of the receivers that will line up against me, and if not, I hopefully will be big enough to jam them and not let them get to full speed by the time the QB has to throw the ball.”  Blewitt finished his four years with 217 tackles and 8 interceptions.

Stevens Head Coach Paul Silva couldn’t be happier for his student-athlete. “Cam is an outstanding young man and one of the best football players that I have had the pleasure of coaching. He is just so deserving of this honor with all that he accomplished this season,” Silva said via email.

One of the main points to Cam’s selection besides his play on the field was his leadership and competitive abilities. Blewitt has been a captain since his sophomore year and led by example. “Despite opponents game planning to stop him, every game (2011), he was still able to rush for 1,155 yards on 184 carries and scored 15 touchdowns, while averaging 6.3 yards per carry,” said Silva. “Those are truly amazing numbers, particularly in the division we play in. He leads by example with a tireless work ethic and a drive to do whatever it takes to succeed in each game.”

Blewitt is going into camp with every intention of leaving an impression. “I just hope I can do whatever I can to help our team be successful. Whether it's playing every down at corner, returning kicks, which I would really enjoy doing, or just getting in for 10 plays the whole game, I just want to make a positive impact on the game for New Hampshire,” said Blewitt.

Coach Silva has no worries about Cam’s abilities to slide over from safety to the corner position. “Cam is one of the most intelligent players we have ever put on the field. He studies film before every game and has a unique ability to recognize tendencies and formations during the game to put us in a better position to make plays. His versatility is unmatched by any in the division. He can play virtually any position, on either side of the ball, and play it well,” Silva said.

While being selected to the Shrine Game is a prestigious honor, the chances of being selected are difficult. Blewitt made sure that he was noticed in the Division V circles as several coaches pegged Cam is the division’s best player:

"...we were all asked to rank our divisions players You should know that picking #1 was easy, it was Blewitt. He did it all for Stevens and was the one everyone had to game plan around."

 "...let him know how highly regarded he is among the coaches for his ability, relentless play and work-ethic. I think we all wish we had a player like him."

"I felt hands down that Cam was the class of the Division."

"The thing I love about Cam the most is that he is even better in person than he is on the field. I look forward to watching him play at Dartmouth in August."

His head coach feels the same way. “I think that sums up just how much respect he earned throughout the Division. I know he has mine and I am just thrilled for him to get this opportunity to represent Stevens High School and the Claremont community in such a prestigious event,” said Silva.

While Cam plans to play collegiate baseball at either Franklin Pierce or Southern New Hampshire University next year, he is looking forward to that one final game on the gridiron and the experience of participating in the activities. “Having one last chance to put on the pads and playing a game of football representing the state of New Hampshire and Stevens High School will be an awesome feeling,” said Blewitt.

Congratulations, Cam!

Eight is enough-for now

The 2012 NHIAA Division V Football schedule has been released and with Fall Mountain's recent announcement dropping varsity football, each team will play eight league games with a bye week in the nine week schedule. Stevens host four contests with Sanborn and Bow making return trips to Barnes Park early and Epping-Newmarket and Kearsarge visiting in the final three weeks of the season. The Cardinals open the campaign with a trip to North Swanzey to take on the Monadnock Huskies in Week 1, then travel in three of the final five games by visiting Interlakes, Somersworth, and Pelham. Here is the breakdown with days of play:

8/31:Week 1-@ Monadnock Regional (Friday)
9/7: Week 2- Sanborn
9/14: Week 3- Bye week
9/21: Week 4- Bow
9/29: Week 5- @ Interlakes/Moultonborough (Saturday)
10/5: Week 6- @ Somersworth (Friday)
10/12: Week 7- Epping/Newmarket
10/19: Week 8- @ Pelham (Friday)
10/26: Week 9- Kearsarge

 200 days until the first game!

2012 Schedule in the Works

With the recent announcement that Fall Mountain was dropping its Varsity Football Program for the next schedule cycle, Stevens and its opponents now are dealing with an open week in their schedules. The Wildcats were faced with a numbers problem, a issue the Cardinals are very familiar with. Faced with dwindling participants and a loss of competitive balance, then Stevens Athletic Director Matt Laramie made the unpopular decision of suspending varsity football beginning in the 2002 fall season. The Cardinals were relegated to independent and junior varsity schedules before returning to varsity action in 2004.

While there was a draft schedule in place prior to Fall Mountain's announcement, it now will be reviewed and possibly modified at an upcoming Division V Football meeting at the beginning of February. Games scheduled with Fall Mountain will most likely create a bye week in the nine week schedule with only eight games being played. There will be discussion at that meeting on adding a ninth game to the campaign.

Once the schedule is officially released in mid-February, we will post it here.

Yes, there are liability and logistic issues with both which make something like this extremely difficult to pull off, but either event would give the area fans a bit of nostalgia, serve as a profitable fundraiser, and allow one venue for the valley's student-athletes to showcase their talents to the population.  

And Trump will not destroy this event.

3. Driven- Cam loves the competition. With this season's offense morphing to a heavy dose of the run, Blewitt shouldered the load. Teams knew exactly what they would be seeing and were unable to stop him. He recorded five games with at least 100 yards rushing, two of which were for over 200. Cam also was selected as the team's MVP for two seasons as well.

Stevens has been represented in 28 of the 58 games played to support the Shriner's Hospitals. The honor of playing in this game speaks for itself so hopefully in 2012, we will all be sitting in the bleachers at Memorial Field, wearing our Blewitt 42 t-shirts, enjoying the atmosphere, and celebrating Cam's accomplishments and selection. He is deserving.

The West Team is coached by Milford's Keith Jones and only selected Parker Hansen (Kearsarge) as the lone required representative from Division V. Other Division V programs able to send players were Fall Mountain, Bow, and Bishop Brady as well as Stevens and Kearsarge.

There still is another opportunity for the Cardinals to send a player to one more high school football game as rosters for the Maple Sugar Shrine Bowl will be announced next month. Stevens has the possibility of being represented by Cam Blewitt as he finished his high school experience with 2,560 yards rushing on 424 carries with 29 touchdowns and scored 40 touchdowns total in his four years. New Hampshire's squad is coached by Souhegan's Mike Beliveau and Division V needs four representatives to participate.

2012 NH East-West All-Star High School Football Game Rosters