Weary of knocking on the door of a state championship, Cameron Tidd might now be ready to kick it down.
In football, the Center Grove junior has participated in three semistate losses, including a heartbreaking 49-45 defeat in November at Class 6A Ben Davis.
In track, he placed sixth in the discus at last year’s IHSAA Boys State Track and Field Finals.
Once again a state track finalist, Tidd is bidding for a championship this time.
On the strength of a personal-best toss of 183 feet, 3 inches at last week’s Connersville Regional, he is seeded second in the discus for Friday’s finals in Bloomington.
At 6-foot-4, 265 pounds, Tidd is bigger and stronger than a year ago, when his top distance of 160 feet, 10 inches, was good enough for a spot on the awards podium as a sophomore.
Trojans coach Eric Moore also notices something else.
“I really think Cameron’s improved his savvy in big meet competition,” Moore said. “He gets up for them, and that’s confidence. He believes in himself and knows he belongs.
“He sees the blood in the water right now.”
Avon High School senior David Schall placed third at the state finals a year ago with a best of 185-2 and is seeded No. 1 after winning the discus at the Lafayette Jeff Regional with a best of 195 feet.
Others expected to be in contention are Nicholas Ray (Hobart), Grant Harris (Southern Wells), Marcus Downs (Park Tudor) and Rhett Myers (Columbus East).
An NCAA Division I football prospect as a defensive tackle, Tidd’s 49.5 tackles were fourth-best on the team last season. He’s so far received seven scholarship offers, including from Vanderbilt and Ball State.
For the moment, Tidd’s focus is on winning a state title in the discus. Should he break the school discus record of 185-3 in the process, so much the better.
“Last year it was kind of surprising seeing that at the beginning of the season I wasn’t doing much,” Tidd said. “But I kept getting better as the season went on. This season it’s just being more consistent with my throws.
“I want to finish in the top three at state, but I just need to go down there and do my thing and not worry about what everyone else is doing.”
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THE TIDD FILE
Name: Cameron Tidd
Age: 17
Born: Indianapolis
Family: Parents, Brock and Carla; brothers, Bryce, 15, and Caleb, 13
Favorite food: Breakfast
Favorite movie: “Fast and Furious”
Favorite athlete: Calvin Johnson
Favorite team: New York Yankees
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