New Lothrop鈥檚 Orr officially commits to Ferris State after impressive state championship season
NEW LOTHROP, Mich. (BVM) — Cam Orr plays three sports that he absolutely excels at. But football is his true love, and that passion has only grown with what he has been able to accomplish over the last couple months.
Coming into this fall, Orr was named starting quarterback of the New Lothrop High School football team. Although he has played various positions on offense in the past — most typically at wide receiver — some of Orr鈥檚 best moments in the sport have come on the other side of the ball as a linebacker and defensive end.
However, Orr got his first taste of playing quarterback during his sophomore season at the junior varsity level, a year in which he would lead the Hornets to a perfect 9-0 record.
鈥淢y sophomore year I really took off,鈥� Orr said. 鈥淚 got thrown into the role of quarterback before the season started and we had a 9-0 record and beat everyone by a lot so it was a really good year.鈥�
As a junior, Orr moved up to varsity where he played defensive end, wide receiver and tight end. He also became the Hornets鈥� backup quarterback, and would end up making a spot start in the middle of the season. His performance in that game was a historic one, as Orr rushed for an incredible seven touchdowns — a school record and one of the best performances in MHSAA history.
鈥淚 came in as a quarterback for our injured starter and put up seven touchdowns rushing,鈥� Orr said. 鈥淭hat was one of the craziest things, coach put the ball in my hands and I think I did a pretty good job with it. The touchdowns were amazing.鈥�
Now, after showing flashes at the position, Orr had the opportunity to be the full-time starter under center, and he was excited and eager for the chance. Although running with the ball may be his calling card, Orr showed he has a great arm as well, throwing for 1,600 yards and 22 touchdowns to just two interceptions this past fall.
Of course, the quarterback continued to make magic happen with his legs, rushing for an additional 14 scores. But Orr made his impact felt on the other side of the ball as well, being named a Division 7-8 all-state first-team player at defensive end. Perhaps most importantly, the 17-year-old helped lead the Hornets to a 12-0 record, and a state championship victory in January.
鈥淲e came out of the gates this year and put up some big numbers as a team,鈥� Orr explained. 鈥淚 had some great athletes around me. Throughout the year getting to the state title game was our goal. Crazy stuff happened but we persevered through it and had a great game at state. We came out running, put up great numbers and it was difficult for them to come back from that.鈥�
Some of that 鈥渃razy stuff鈥� that Orr and his Hornets teammates had to endure this season was the uncertainty of if and when they would play due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Schedule modifications were made by the MHSAA throughout the season, but none bigger than a multi-week hiatus from mid-November to the beginning of January — right in the heart of the high school football playoffs.
鈥淚 think everything that happened made what we did way more special,鈥� Orr said. 鈥淚t was definitely tough going through a multi-week break and you didn鈥檛 want to push guys too hard because you didn鈥檛 know what was going to happen. But we just put our foot in the ground and when we got back, we just got after it and did a great job.鈥�
Orr concluded his high school football career with a state championship, but it actually wasn鈥檛 the first state title the three-sport athlete has won at the prep level. Orr has also wrestled since he was just 5 years old, and comes from a family with an exceptional history in the sport.
Four of Orr鈥檚 uncles wrestled collegiately at Arizona State, while another competed at Michigan State. He also has numerous cousins that excelled in the sport which motivated him growing up.
鈥淎ll of my uncles were college wrestlers and they all had kids and they were all state finalists and state champions,鈥� Orr said. 鈥淟ooking up to those guys really pushed me to be one of them. I look up to my family all the time because they are great athletes and great people.鈥�
Orr followed in the family footsteps already in eighth grade when he won a youth state championship. He followed it up with an MHSAA state title in his junior year at New Lothrop, a cherished moment for the 17-year-old.
鈥淚 won my state title my junior year and that was obviously the ultimate goal,鈥� Orr noted. 鈥淚 worked hard and all the guys in the room pushing me really helped me out that year. Being on top of the podium at the end of the year is just one of the greatest feelings.鈥�
The three-sport athlete has also had an impressive career on the baseball diamond. Orr has played all over the field as a first baseman, catcher and pitcher. As a freshman at New Lothrop, Orr batted .430 and led his team with 60 hits, leading the Hornets to a regional final. He would help New Lothrop do the same as a sophomore before having his junior season canceled.
When he was growing up, Orr often loved baseball the most and thought that is the sport he would want to play in college. But after his last couple football seasons, he has taken a true passion for the gridiron. Despite having college baseball interest, Orr decided he will play football at the next level.聽
鈥淚 did receive two Division III offers and one NAIA offer for baseball,鈥� Orr mentioned. 鈥淏ut I also got some offers for football and felt I had a better chance to succeed in football. I think it was a good decision.鈥�
Orr will go on to play at Ferris State University, whose football team has become one of the top DII programs in the nation in recent years.聽
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— Cam Orr (@cam_orr11)
鈥淔erris was the first school to offer me,鈥� Orr said. 鈥淲hen I went on to campus and talked to the coaching staff, it felt like home. The culture that they鈥檝e built there is just unprecedented. They鈥檙e one of the winningest programs in the country right now and are getting better and better every year.鈥�
Despite their recent success, the Bulldogs are still searching for a national championship, and Orr hopes he can help push them to the top of the mountain.
鈥淚鈥檓 super excited to get on campus and get to work for those guys,鈥� Orr said. 鈥淭he biggest goal as a collegiate athlete is to win a national championship. When I get there, we鈥檙e all going to work hard and push towards that national title. I want to be part of a program like that.鈥�
The Bulldogs plan to have the versatile football standout play at linebacker, but they will work with him to see which position he fits at best once he begins his time there.
Ferris State has sent some players to the NFL in recent years, and while Orr is unsure of what his future holds, getting to that level is in the back of his mind. But ultimately, he is focused on the here and now. And as he finishes out his tenure at New Lothrop, he will leave an impressive legacy behind.
鈥淕rowing up in a small town, everyone always plays a few sports,鈥� Orr noted. 鈥淕rowing up with that made me a better all-around athlete to be honest. I really hope I put my imprint in the community as a role model for the young kids coming up, not necessarily just in sports but also being a great person, doing your school work and showing where hard work can get you.鈥�
