Camden became the first Gremlins player to win the award. He is still trying to wrap his head around hearing his name called as the state’s most outstanding player.

“It means everything,” he said. “I knew I had a good year but, and our team had a good year, obviously, so I thought I had a chance at it. Just to win, it means so much. I think it’s cool how much the community has reached out and congratulated me. I’ve gotten lots of texts over the past day.”

To say that Camden, a senior, had a banner season for the Gremlins would be an understatement. He scored 36 goals, second only to linemate Landon Stevens, and he racked up a team-high 42 assists for 78 points. Add to those totals his goal and two assists in the regional tournament, and his goal and assist in the state tournament, and he finished his final season in Orange and Black with 38 goals and 83 points. He also earned a spot on the state Dream Team for his efforts.

It did not come easy, despite the high point totals. He, along with Stevens and Gaborik Carlson, worked hard in the offseason to get in the best shape they could for the start of the 2022-23 season.

Houghton forward Cam Markham is pushed wide by East Grand Rapids netminder Austin Stankowski in the Gremlins’ 2-1 OT loss in the MHSAA Division 3 semifinals Friday, March 10, at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth. (Timothy Arrick/For the Gazette)

“It’s just awesome to think that coaches see that the hard work that I put in,” he said. “(Assistant coach) Micah Stipech, he helped me so much this summer gaining weight and working hard in the weight room. That, I think, has contributed so much to my game this year. For coaches around the state to notice and vote me as the best player in the state, it’s just awesome.”

Camden’s numbers put him third in the state in scoring in all divisions behind New Boston United’s Harry Dembowski and Ann Arbor Fr. Gabriel Richard’s Jack Lapinski.

His offense helped the Gremlins jump out to a 20-0 start to the season, defeating Traverse City Central, Saginaw Heritage, De La Salle, Hartland, Brighton, Brother Rice, University of Detroit-Jesuit, Salem, and Lake Forest Academy along the way. Despite all of the success, however, it was the loss to East Grand Rapids in the Division 3 state semifinals that still sticks with him.

“That was huge, I mean definitely a huge accomplishment,” he said. “But really, it just hurts not being able to bring home the state championship still, even with how good of a season we had. It just still stings that we weren’t able to do it.”

Camden, who has been friends with Carlson from the moment both were born, and has been linemates with Stevens for the last two years of his high school career, said that he could not have ever gotten this far without his two flanks on the ice.

“I definitely wouldn’t have had the season that I had if it wasn’t for those two,” said Camden. “They helped me on the ice so, so much, and make everything easy with how good they are, the two of them. It was just an awesome season to be able to play with both of them.”

Camden’s father served as his head coach throughout his high school career, and Corey could not be more proud of his son for all the hard work he put in.

“I couldn’t be more proud,” Corey said. “It is so seldom that a U.P. kid gets this honor. Dean got it a couple of years ago, but before that, I think it was Bob Range back in the late 90s. So, (I am) just a super, super proud dad, without being the coach. He just progressed and got better every year.”

Corey feels that Camden, who made large strides this season in his leadership and his work ethic, has not peaked as a player.

“I think he’s just chipping the ice off where he can be as a player,” said Corey. “It was so much fun to watch this year. The numbers he put up. I was just, many times, I was in awe just of how strong of a season he had.”

The last time the Gremlins got to the state tournament, Camden was an eighth grader. At that point in his hockey career, he was quite short, and Corey was concerned his son might not be able to handle the physicality of the varsity high school game. Camden said he hit his growth spurt between his eighth and ninth grade years, which helped him begin his development path that led to his senior year.

Of course, he had also heard stories about how his dad was a coach. Fortunately, Camden found out that his dad and his assistants wanted to help build up every player that came through the program.

“Coming in as a freshman, I didn’t know for sure,” Camden said. “I was a little, my eighth grade year. I was really undersized, and I had a growth spurt, perfect timing, right before freshman year. I always heard stories about how hard he was, and crazy, but then, once I made that team, you can just see how much he loves to be there and cares for everybody on his team.

“Every day you come to practice and he wants to make you better, the team better, and you as a person, better. To go out there and play for a coach like that it’s awesome.”

In the process of racking up all the points this season, Camden broke the single season scoring record held by Connor Hannon and the career scoring record held by Raymond Brice. For Camden, to even be mentioned alongside both Hannon and Brice means so much to him.

“It’s awesome even to be in a conversation with two of the best hockey players to come out to Houghton in Ray and Connor,” he said. “I mean, it’s just such an honor and it feels amazing.

“They’ve both reached out and congratulated me.”

Several times throughout the season, when the Gremlins needed a spark, Camden and his linemates found a way to create it through hard work and a smart pass or two. Camden and his linemates relished the opportunity to help lift the rest of the team up.

“It’s awesome knowing that the younger kids, they look up to the captains. They look to me to score those big goals and prove to them that I am doing it for all for them. It felt awesome, especially in those big moments when we needed goals, and we were able to contribute and get one or get two. It just…you don’t get a feeling like it.”

Corey marvels at how much his son has grown in the last four years.

“As a dad, just how can you top what just happened, being Mr Hockey in the state of Michigan?” he said. “It’s just an unbelievable accomplishment. There’s one player that gets this honor each year, and like I said, very few from the U.P. have ever gotten it. So, I’m so, so proud. There is not much more to say, just what an honor.”