Monarchs’ Schmidt chooses Montana St.

By David Dickens
Updated: July 2, 2018

2018 EAST COUNTY PREP FOOTBALL

By Dave Dickens

EastCountySports.com

SPRING VALLEY (07-01-2018) – Senior tight end and defensive end BLAKE SCHMIDT, of Monte Vista High, will be trading in his crimson and gold for the black and gold of Montana State at the end of the 2018 high school football season.

The 6’ 3″, 250-pounder will return to Spring Valley in the fall after a spectacular 2017 for the Monarchs, who finished 8-6 overall, and 3-3 in the Grossmont Valley League, second place behind the Granite Hills Eagles.

Blake played a huge part in the four-game San Diego CIF Division 4 playoffs.

Schmidt in the CIF championship game last December. / photo by Ramon Scott

His 2017 Monarchs had a fantastic run, particularly in the huge victory last season over San Diego High School in the championship game, only to come up one-point shy over Katella High in Anaheim, a game the Monarchs would like to avenge this season.

The 2017 local finale found Schmidt ending up with great receiving technique at the tight end position, including a 22-yard key reception in the CIF championship game.

He made many key tackles during the campaign and also teams with his spectacular sibling on the squad, junior LOGAN SCHMIDT, who will be a key ingredient to head coach RON HAMAMOTO’s formula at the running back and linebacker position.

“Blake will be one of our senior leaders this fall as well as a captain,” Hamamoto said. “We are expecting a lot from this talented young man, and will hardly ever leave the field, sharing time as a tight end and a defensive lineman, including special teams packages.

“I am very happy and proud that Blake has made a commitment.”

At the end of the 2017 season, Blake had nine offers total.

These offers included, Navy, Harvard, Yale, and Princeton to complete the IVY League offers, along with University of South Dakota, Sacramento State, Northern Arizona, University Of San Diego, and last, but obviously not least, Montana State.

According to Blake, he only made one official visit, which was to the campus of Montana State.

“I knew there was no need to visit and tour any further,” Schmidt stated.

The aspiring young Schmidt, who is also very talented in the classroom, had it narrowed down to the Naval Academy and Montana State.

“Just by visiting Montana and the atmosphere I felt out there, I knew it was the correct decision,” said Schmidt.

When questioned about how and why he made the decision to commit to Montana State?

“I wanted to study mechanical engineering in which Montana State has one of the best programs in the nation for engineering,” he said. “But also as enticing was the idea that the college is going to begin construction on brand new football facilities that should be up and running when I report to camp next summer.

“With the atmosphere coach (Jeff) Choate has created, I truly believe that Montana State is the future of the BIG SKY, however, equally as impressive was Coach DeNarius McGhee, who is the running backs coach and conducted the campus tour.”

The official verbal commit was made on June 29.

“I think our Monarch team is really progressing into our full potential,” Schmidt said. “The whole team already has the
championship mindset. We need to be the first team in Monte Vista history to win back-to-back CIF titles. Everyone on our team has that goal.”

Blake will be staying in a dorm the first year with another 2019 Montana State football signee as his roommate.

When asked about his current head coach Ron Hamamoto,” Schmidt said.

“Coach Hamamoto knows what he is doing, and he has been coaching so long, so what he says we all trust, and that makes it easier to win games.”