Belvidere North High School celebrates first athletic signing for 2017

By Kathryn Menue

EDITOR

Walking into the Belvidere North High School forum room on Thursday, Feb. 23, people could sense something special was happening from the blue and yellow décor around the room to the cheery faces filling the seats.

This special event was all for one student: Cameron Lundquist.

Lundquist, a senior from Loves Park at Belvidere North High School (BNHS), signed his letter of intent to play the offensive line for the Augustana College Vikings football team.

At 3:15 p.m. in the BNHS forum room, family, friends, faculty, teammates, and classmates all gathered around Lundquist to help commemorate this special moment in his life.

“This is a very exciting day for Cameron as he signs to Augustana College,” BNHS Athletic Director Jody Flynn said.

Lundquist’s “exciting day” came after years of hard work with Boylan Catholic High School and Belvidere North High School.

Lundquist spent his freshman and sophomore year competing in football, basketball, swimming, and track for the Boylan Catholic High School Titans.

When BNHS coaches heard they were getting a “big guy” transferring from Boylan to join the Blue Thunder football team, they were thrilled.

“Boylan’s loss was our gain,” Flynn said.

Lundquist, who is 6’3” and 265 pounds, was a force for North on the football field and the basketball court for his junior and senior year of high school.  Plus, he signed on to be a thrower for the track team.

Lundquist earned 11 varsity letters. Four of those came as a member of Jeff Beck’s football program as a two-way lineman. Lundquist helped Belvidere North to a 23-16 record and had three IHSA Class 6A playoff appearances in four seasons.

In addition to football, Lundquist was a four-year letter winner for Coach Troy Yunk in track and field, earned two letters in Coach David Loner’s Blue Thunder basketball program, and one in Coach Brian McGuire’s swimming program at Boylan.

Not only does Lundquist work hard in the athletic spectrum, but in the classroom as well. Lundquist was an honor roll student both years at North.

“If he were just a straight jock, we would not be here today,” Flynn said.

North only does signings for students who dedicate themselves equally to athletics and academics.

Everyone in the room unanimously agreed that academics and athletics were only a part of Lundquist; he is also a great and confident person.

“What I do know of Cameron is nothing but positives,” Flynn said. “He is someone who will say hi to you. To me, that’s a young gentleman. I would like to commend mom and dad for raising a fine gentleman.”

This politeness and confidence helped Lundquist become a group huddle leader his senior year on the varsity football team, a position which was given to him by his peers.

“We had a lot of fun these last few seasons with our offense line and with Cameron,” BNHS Football Head Coach Jeff Beck said.

BNHS will feel the loss of Lundquist, but the students and faculty know he is moving on to bigger and better things.

“Augustana is going to take what we worked on to the next level,” Lundquist’s junior year coordinating coach said.

The dedication of the Augustana coaching staff helped Lundquist make the commitment to go there.

“Academically wise, they are one of the best in the country,” Lundquist said. “The coaching staff is great and been like family to me.”

Lundquist will be joining a successful football program at Augustana.

The Vikings have earned four NCAA Division III national championships, 21 College and Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin titles, 23 CCIW Players of the Year, and 33 Academic All-American selections.

Lundquist visited the campus his junior year, liked the town, the campus, and the coaching staff.  He feels this will be a great place to pursue his degree in exercise science where he will move on to either become an athletic trainer or a physical therapist.

The Lundquist family was grateful to Belvidere North for helping Lundquist get to this point in his athletic and academic career.

“When we came here, you all welcomed us into your family,” Lundquist’s father, David, said. “Thank you everybody.”

Surrounded by his father, mother, Margaret, and sister, Mary Margaret, Cameron Lundquist happily signed his letter of intent to attend Augustana College and enroll in the fall Viking football program with Head Coach Steve Bell.

“I would just like to say thank you to my coaches, teammates, classmates, and my best friend…for helping make my dream come true playing college football,” Lundquist said.