'He's a dog': Mission Oak's Cameron Azevedo excels on football field
Cameron Azevedo may be listed at 5-foot-7 and 145 pounds, but the Mission Oak High senior plays a lot bigger than his size.
Azevedo is one of the Hawks’ top football players this season and he didn’t even strap on the helmet and pads until his sophomore year.
Despite that late start, Azevedo has bloomed into a standout two-way player at receiver and defensive back.
He is tied with NCAA Division I recruit Kenny Jackson for first on the team with 48 catches. His 705 yards receiving ranks second among Hawks pass catchers and his nine receiving touchdowns is the top mark at Mission Oak.
But what may be more impressive is his ability to also make game-changing plays on defense.
Azevedo has racked up 55 tackles this season and leads the Hawks with six interceptions and 15 pass deflections.
That kind of production has Mission Oak a win away from a 2023 CIF state championship. The Hawks (10-5) will play Palma-Salinas (10-4) on Saturday for the state’s Division 4-A title at Pasadena City College. Kickoff is at 3 p.m. Tickets are available for purchase online at gofan.co. and are $17 for adults and $10 for high school students, seniors (65-plus), and children for each day/venue.
“It’s honestly, like, unreal,” Azevedo said. “Playing with these guys, I mean I played with some of these guys on JV and we’ve only dreamed of coming this far, especially since it’s our senior year. It’s our last year. It’s going to be a big memory.”
With teams shying away from Jackson, Azevedo has been targeted a lot this season on defense at the other opposing cornerback spot.
A ballhawk, that’s a challenge Azevedo has embraced.
In a 39-25 playoff win over Washington Union in November, Azevedo had two interceptions to help the Hawks punch their ticket to the Central Section Division III championship game. He also had a pick against Monache, Roosevelt, Central Valley Christian and Dinuba.
“I like when they test me,” Azevedo said. “They just keep coming to me because of my height. It’s always been the big thing in my life, my height, but I like to prove people wrong.”
That type of attitude has Mission Oak head coach Marty Martin raving about Azevedo.
More: Vote for the Tulare County athlete of the week, Dec. 4-8
More: Tulare County Football: State championship game previews, predictions
“People look at his size and they think, ‘Oh, he’s just a little dude. We can throw the ball on him,’” Martin said. “And then they don’t try to challenge KJ very much so he ends up with a lot of things thrown at him and they don’t realize that he’s just as athletic as KJ. He’s just smaller but he’s got some hops and he can play. He takes that to heart. It’s a super challenge for him.”
With Azevedo patrolling the defense, Mission Oak has allowed just 19.2 points per game during its playoff run of five straight postseason wins. In their past two games, the Hawks have allowed just 14 points in each contest.
“With my guys on defense, I have so much trust in them,” Azevedo said. “Getting turnovers and stuff, it’s really a big momentum changer on defense.”
Azevedo turned in one of the best overall games of his career in the section championship win against Kerman. He hauled in a season-high seven catches for 124 yards and a touchdown. On defense, he had four tackles and five pass breakups.
“He’s a great young man,” Martin said. “He works his butt off and he’s a dog. He gives you everything he’s got and you never have to question his heart or anything like that because he just loves to play.”
That definitely helps senior quarterback Danny Gonzalez.
This season, Gonzalez has thrown for more than 3,000 yards with 38 passing touchdowns.
Azevedo is one of his favorite targets.
Why?
“He’s one of my best friends on and off the field,” Gonzalez said. “We have our disagreements sometimes but we always make up for it. In the game, he’s just amazing. He’s an excellent player. He runs great routes. If I need to go to someone, he’s always there.”
Mission Oak won just one game during the abbreviated COVID-impacted spring season in 2021.
Two-and-a-half years later, the Hawks are on the cusp of possibly becoming just the second team in Tulare County history to win a state football championship.
What makes this team special?
“Honestly, the bonds,” Azevedo said. “Going on trips with them, Hume Lake, Arroyo Grande. Over the years, I’ve created really big bonds with all of them. I’m just excited to go out with all my guys and play in a state championship with them. It’s crazy. I never thought we be here ever.”
Projected starting lineup
Offense
QB: Danny Gonzalez
RB: Kenny Jackson
WR: Jacob Ramirez
WR: Cameron Azevedo
WR: Demetrius Whitfield
WR: Landon Aguirre
LT: Emiliano Reyna
LG: Dominic Marquez
C: Marcus Smith
RG: Alfonso Hernandez
RT: Lazaro Ortiz
Defense
DL: Devin Gomes
DL: Max Costa
DL: Anthony Jackson
DL: Ethan Rodriguez
LB: Isaiah Rivera
LB: Micah Mendez
DB: Kenny Jackson
DB: Cameron Azevedo
DB: Jacob Ramirez
DB: Achilles Sierra
DB: Esias Luna
This article originally appeared on Visalia Times-Delta: 'He's a dog': Mission Oak's Cameron Azevedo excels on football field
