THE VILLAGES – It has been a breakthrough senior season to remember for Ryan Cameron.
As the younger brother of Jupiter Warriors standout alum and former FAU tight end Tyler Cameron, the 6-2, 215-pound tight end/wide receiver knew he had some big shoes to fill. Following a legend’s footsteps is no easy feat, but it turns out that Ryan carved out his own niche in impressive fashion.
Though Ryan doesn’t have any college scholarships offers or interest at this time, it doesn’t take away from the stellar few months he’s had on the gridiron. He finished the season with 550+ receiving yards, which included his 110-yard effort in a regular season game against Forest Hill and a four-catch, 79-yard effort against Seminole Ridge in a season-shaping 34-31 win during Week 10.
Ryan’s senior campaign has resulted in him being one of only two Palm Beach County players selected to play in the 64th Annual FACA North-South All-Star Classic Game. The other area player selected is Wellington senior wide receiver Balitan Celestian.
The only other Palm Beach County representation in this year’s North-South All-Star Game is Wellington head coach Tom Abel, who will be an assistant coach for the South Team.
The FACA All-Star Showcase will be held on Saturday, Dec. 15 at The Villages High School in The Villages. The kickoff is set for 1 p.m.
“It’s a huge honor to rep the 561 in a big game against high level talent,” Ryan said of the all-star showcase. “I’m looking forward to it and showing people what goes down in the Palm Beaches.”
The ongoing support and direction from Tyler has obviously played a role in Ryan earning this honor.
“To follow behind my brother’s footsteps was always a dream of mine since I was his waterboy when I was little,” Ryan said of Tyler. “One quote he told me that’s stuck with me till this day is, ‘I’ve believed in you longer than you’ve believed in yourself.’” Tyler’s has been been one of my biggest appreciations and helps for getting to where I am today. The impact he has had on my life is ginormous, from him waking me up in the mornings to him taking me to go workout with some of the best talent around. He’s always pushed me to my max and to be my greatest. And until this day, he’s helping me reach my maximum potential.”
While Tyler’s level of impact can never be stated enough, Ryan’s teammates and coaches have also been instrumental in him gaining this level of exposure.
Case in point: Even though Ryan caught four passes for 79 yards in the big upset win over Seminole Ridge, there were two players who played even bigger roles in the Week 10 tilt. Ryan spoke of how junior quarterback John Moseley and senior kicker Carson Brooks helped to make it happen.
“Our defense was on fire and shut down everything that Ridge tried throwing at them,” Ryan said. “John was lights out with his throwing, and our offensive line was giving him time to throw. The line also made the blocks to allow us to get it going, and Carson (our kicker) stepped up to the plate and put every field goal attempted through the uprights. But just overall, every person was on fire and doing it for the man next to them that game and it paid off. We took home a district win and stopped their playoff run. It was an amazing night for us.”
Led by first-year head coach Tim Tharp, Jupiter turned out to be a surprise team with a final record of 4-6 (1-3 in District 9-8A play). Many would consider it a successful season for the Warriors, who have previously been viewed as one of the Palm Beach County teams to simply write off.
“I’ll always cherish being able to get wins with my boys and go out there every Friday night and just lay it all out there,” Ryan said. “My favorite moment was coming into seminole ridge and stomping on their senior night and upsetting them.”
Moving forward, Ryan wants to be thought of as a cornerstone for Jupiter’s future rise to relevance in Palm Beach County and beyond.
“Not a lot of people know of Jupiter High School or bother to look there when you have Dwyer and Palm Beach Gardens right down the street (on Military Trail),” Ryan said. “I think it’s wrong because we have some guys who are on the same talent level as their guys. And on recruiting, I just want a shot and be able to prove my worth. I’ve grown up being the underdog and long shot. I want to be remembered at Jupiter High by teachers and staff as a great student and a better athlete. I want my story and talent to remain and be told through the younger classes.”
