Most-valuable-player honors were the furthest thing from Andy Camilo’s mind as the rain began to fall at MCU Park.
The Saleisan catcher and Long Island University commit was instead just soaking up the experience of leading the Catholic-school all-stars to a 7–2 victory over their Public School Athletic League counterparts in the Mayor’s Cup All-Star Game on Feb. 14. When he heard his name called as the game’s most valuable player, it was just an added bonus to a memorable night and season.
“I was surprised,” Camilo said. “I wasn’t even waiting for that. They called me and I’m proud.”
Seven Catholic League pitchers held the public school stars to just one hit, but Camilo came off the bench to be the team’s big bat at the plate. He collected two hits, scored twice, and had the big blow in a six-run sixth inning. He drilled a two-run double to left that put his squad up 7–0.
“When it was my time to go in, I did what I always do,” Camilo said. “I did my job.”
It was certainly a much better ending to his high school career than was scripted days earlier. Salesian was a strike away winning its first Catholic Class AA crown before Monsignor Farrell rallied for a 12-inning win and then beat the Eagles the next day to take home the title.
The tough defeat doesn’t take away from the ascension of the Salesian program that Camilo and his classmates orchestrated. They took the Eagles from a solid Class A club to a being power in the ultra-competitive AA league.
“To take this little school from New Rochelle that nobody knew to the big spot we were at,” Camilo said. “Last year we made it to semis and this year we made it strong.”
He hopes to bring that winning mentality to Long Island University along with Salesian and Mayor’s Cup teammate Luis Arias, also a Blackbird commit. The Brooklyn team is coming off a 16–35 season, but it’s adding a skilled and gritty catcher in Camilo who knows how to win. He is happy to be staying in New York City, and believes he is joining a program that will grow like the one he is leaving.
“They got a good program building up too,” Camilo said. “They are trying to get guys to build up a new program just like Salesian.”
His Catholic league teammates were impressed with Camilo not only during the Mayor’s Cup game, but also throughout his career. He caught five innings as his pitchers dominated the opposing hitters.
“I have a ton of respect for him,” Xaverian hurler John Bini said. “He’s a great hitter. Just being able to throw to him was awesome. Just playing against him we saw how good of a catcher he is.”
