Camden Boggess Signs With Titans (05/11/19)
(Photo by Clancy Porciello)
Seated L-R Dr. Randy Boggess (Father), Camden Boggess. Back L-R Bobcat Head Coach Larry Wiser, Clarion Area Principal John Kimmell.
Camden Boggess, a 6’-0” 205 pound running back and linebacker for the Clarion Area Bobcat Football Team has signed a Letter of Intent to continue his football and academic career Westminster, in New Wilmington.
He earned Honorable Mention on the Tri-County Sunday/Courier Express All-Stars and was a member of the Pennsylvania Football News and Western PA Football.net All-Academic Teams. He had 87 tackles (63 solo), 9 tackles for loss (including 3 sacks), during his senior campaign.
Camden will join a friend on the Titans roster, defensive end Dana Logue who played football for Union/A-C Valley, who will be a junior this fall.
Camden had this to say about his choosing Westminster, “I’ve heard good things about them. They are a pretty prestigious school and they have good academics, which will be the most important for my future.
“They have pretty good athletics. There were other schools I talked with that offered me, but Westminster competes and goes to bowl games. They take it pretty seriously. I want to go to college and get a good education and compete at a high level; Westminster will be the place to do so.”
Westminster was 7-4 overall, last season and 7-2 in the Presidents Athletic Conference. They played in the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) Clayton Chapman Bowl dropping a close 42-34 decision to Wesley.
Camden mentioned some of the things that impressed him about the Titans’ coaching staff, “(Assistant) coach Mike Miller recruited me and talks to me like I’m one of the players and treats me well. He talks to me about everything and keeps me updated.
“Coach (Scott) Benzel (Titans’ head coach) seems like a real serious coach, like he’s been through the ropes and everything. (He talks) about his earlier life experiences and how he overcame them, and now, how he loves coaching. That’s what you need in a coach.”
As for his planned area and study and his future aspirations, Camden said, “I’m planning on majoring in biology and possibly switching to something else in science. I’d really like to take a science based major and get accepted in to dental school, to become an orthodontist. But if that doesn’t work out, I’d like to become a chemical engineer.”
Camden transferred to Clarion Area his junior year. Prior to that he played at Keystone for coach Dan Reed. He said coach Reed, “…was a good coach. He always pushed me in the games and practices. He would never give up on me. He would always push me.” Camden credits Reed for helping him to play better.
His father, Dr. Randy Boggess was very instrumental in helping Camden strive to succeed. “I would like to thank my dad for always pushing to do my best, when I was younger; not to settle for mediocrity. And always go above what everybody else expects you to do.”
He credits Clarion Area coach Larry Wiser for preparing him on the gridiron, “I would like to thank Coach Wiser, because he always knew how to get me in the right mindset in practice, get me ready for the games.”
Camden also mentioned his chemistry teacher, Miss Stormer who would push and encourage him to be his very best.
As for where he thinks he’ll play for the Titans, Camden said, “They haven’t told me what position I’ll play. But I’d really like to play defense. Offense isn’t my cup of tea. I’d rather just hit people.”
Having wrestled for the Bobcats, Camden expressed hopes that maybe he could get with others who were interested and get a club program going. “because wrestling is fun to do and for the mental toughness” it provides.
Camden is the son of Dr. Randy and Marci Boggess.
Dr. Boggess mentioned a major hurdle that Camden had to overcome, “We’ve been proud of Camden for, ever since he was a baby. He’s special to my wife and me because he actually had leukemia and overcame that at a very young age. We’ve just felt blessed every day we’ve had him.
“We have watched him overcome much with his childhood leukemia and grow into a fine young man who we are both very proud of.”
In addition to the Pennsylvania Football News and Western PA Football.net All-Academic Teams, Camden has been on the honor roll for every semester in high school and made the principal’s list many times.
His father said, “He has achieved a great deal academically as well as through his athletic endeavors and we are happy he has the opportunity to further his development of both at Westminster. He has taught us as much as we’ve taught him and we look forward to his continued growth and development into manhood.
“Through his early education, he has always been active in sports and has always been interested in academics as well. He’s chosen what to excel in and we’ve supported him in his decisions, so far as to what to go in to.”
Camden has also been active in helping others. Some of his volunteer activities include Clarion County Sportsmen for Youth events, Camo Cares events, youth football camps and the Clarion County Woodcarving Event. And for one organization that I am sure holds a special place in his life, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society events.
Camden began excelling in and getting his passion for football, as a member of the Union Youth Football Program in Rimersburg, which his father says, “…all led to bigger roles and understanding. (That) impacted his life as a whole, to understand that whatever you want, you can have as long as you are willing to work hard enough to get it.”
Dr. Boggess mentioned that Butch Guntrum and Dana Logue were “probably the most impactful of all the Union coaches, although there were a number of them. We’ve all become close friends over the years and they’ve always kind of instilled that same desire and need or want to excel and get better.”
And about coach Guntrum, “Butch is a good guy. He’s one of those truly rare people who… elevates all the kids, regardless of upbringing or abilities as well as, kind of elevate the (ones with less natural ability) and promote improvement in all those people who already have the natural talent.
“He’s an A-Plus guy.”
And of the Clarion coaching staff, “Everybody has to understand, it’s not just Camden; all the players owe a lot of their abilities to the coaching staff. Where would the kids be without the coaches. That goes all the way from youth, all the way through Camden’s Keystone years; we don’t want to ignore that and then up through the Clarion years, with Coach Larry in particular.”
“Really, it takes a village to raise a kid. We have four children. And a lot of times, different kids vied for our attention, to take them to different events or whatever. So there have been multiple friends and family members that have helped, Ralph Montana being one of them, who have helped us out, has helped Camden out along the way as well. Again, without a lot of different people’s involvement, he wouldn’t be the young man that he is today.”
The Boggess’s are very impressed with Westminster which, “…has an excellent academic record. We went to visit the early part of last fall. I got to meet a number of coaches. It seems like they are a very driven program that is really behind the guys. Much to my understanding and desires, academics never takes a second place to sports. The players are driven to be quite the young men coming up. So it really seems like a quality institution.”
Coach Wiser said, “Camden was a TEAM player. His senior year we needed him to play fullback, guard, linebacker and nose guard. He never complained and went about being very good no matter where he played.
“Every high school coach needs a Camden Boggass”.
Principal John Kimmell mentioned, “Academically, Cam is one of our top students, a very bright young man. He takes some of our hardest courses, within the school and performs very well.
“He’s definitely a very bright and respectful person. He’s active within all student groups and he is a leader within his senior class. A positive young man.”
Westminster coach Benzel is impressed with Camden. “He’s a kid we liked because (he’s a) physical player on defense. Played linebacker and even puts his hand in the dirt at times.
“(He’s) relentless to the ball and plays with great passion, a leader on their team where the other players seemed to react to his level of intensity. Those are the kind of players we look for here at Westminster.
He played some fullback with …athleticism to carry the ball and ran down on kickoffs too!”
Coach Benzel continued, “He’s a solid student who works very hard in the weight room too. He deadlifted over 500 pounds in a recent lifting competition.
His work ethic starts at home as his family live on their family farm. They raise cows and goats. He’s up at the crack of dawn working the farm before school and when he gets home. That along with his classes and commitment to football and lifting make Camden someone we are very excited to welcome to Westminster College!”
(CONGRATULATIONS, AND ALL THE BEST AS YOU MOVE ON TO THIS NEXT CHAPTER IN YOUR LIFE!!!!)