JUPITER – It has been a senior season to remember for Cristian Orth.
The Jupiter soon-to-be alum and legend has proven to be a natural born leader in a seamless fashion.
Playing multiple positions on the lines this past year for the football team, Orth led the Warriors to a 5-1 final record for their first winning season in many years. The 6-foot-4, 250-pound defensive end is that rare gem one cannot define by statistics due to his innate ability to galvanize and inspire everyone around him.
For that reason alone, Orth has been selected as our Lineman of the Year.
“It feels amazing to be named lineman of the year after such a great season and career at Jupiter,” Orth said. “It makes all the early mornings and late nights and long practices all worth it.”
Orth beat out fellow nominees Ashton Gillotte (Boca Raton defensive end; 2021), Anthony Landes (Atlantic offensive lineman; 2021), and Omarion Royes (Glades Central defensive end; 2021) for the Lineman of the Year honor.
“It was all my hard work over the past four years, all my coaches and teammates who have pushed me to get to the point where I’m at today,” Orth said. “I know there was a guy at Louisville right now (Ashton Gillotte) who was nominated for it as well. It just feels good to be nominated against really good players and to win the award.”
Jupiter defensive line coach Kyle Shortridge could not agree more.
“Orth is a hardworking player that always puts his team first, and many of his teammates looked to him as a leader,” Shortridge said. “I had a great time coaching him. He’s a very respectful and coachable kid.”
For Orth’s three-year high school football career on Jupiter’s varsity team, he tallied 60 tackles, nine tackles for loss, five sacks, and four pass breakups on defense. As for the offensive side of the ball, he posted 41 yards per reception and two-and-a-half pancake blocks per game.
Exactly one day after Orth’s high school football career ended in Jupiter’s electrifying 34-0 season-ending home win over Park Vista to finish at 5-1, he signed his letter of intent with Morehead State on Early National Signing Day. This occurred on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020.
“I decided to choose Morehead State because of the amazing atmosphere and family culture they have,” Orth said. “The coaches over there have believed in me since Day 1, and that’s really all I could ask for.”
Orth had more to say about his college destination.
“Morehead State was the first one to believe in me back in April [2020], when the dead period started,” Orth said. “It’s still a dead period, but they stuck with me throughout the whole process. I know all the guys that have committed to Morehead State. We all talk to each other, and we’re looking forward to get to work in July.”
ORTH IN QUICK TRANSITION MODE
Also on Dec. 16, 2020, Orth made a seamless transition from football to basketball. He spoke on that as well.
“After our last football game against Park Vista (34-0 win on Dec. 15, 2020), we had three straight basketball games that week,” Orth said. “There was no time to practice with the team. But we went on a three-game winning streak. We beat Palm Beach Gardens (57-52 on Dec. 16, 2020), Palm Beach Lakes (51-33 on Dec. 17, 2020) and Park Vista (63-49 on Dec. 18, 2020) for basketball. We went into the winter break hot.”
Jupiter’s boys basketball team had a 3-2 record going into the month of January. But the relatively young team has endured some tough games, as they are now 5-7 at this point of the regular season.
Despite that, the Warriors have found a way to get going, as evidenced by their 56-46 win last night (Jan. 29) over Village Academy on Senior Night.
“There were a lot of ups and downs,” Orth said. “But throughout the game, we stayed as a team. I like to tell my teammates that unity kills adversity. That’s a theme I like to tell them before each game. We were able to stick together. We overcame adversity and came out on top by 10 points.”
Orth scored three points in the first half against Village Academy (4-5).
“Early on, my teammates (Jacob Fischer and Brock McFatter) got me the ball so I could get to the free throw line and get opportunities to score,” Orth said.
Jupiter boys basketball head coach JD DePasquale spoke about Orth’s outsized impact on the court and on everyone around him.
“I can’t say enough about the kid,” DePasquale said. “We talk a lot about building a culture that we can be proud of. There’s probably not a better kid to model that than Cristian Orth. He’s a great leader and a hard, hard worker. He gets in early and leaves late. He’s always the first to have somebody’s back. He’s just a great example for our young kids to emulate.”
NOTE: Jupiter’s final regular season is on Tuesday, Feb. 2 at Palm Beach Gardens. The tip-off is set for 5 p.m.
