The comparison was almost too easy for words.
Here was Corey Caddle, a talented, fast two-sport athlete at St. Peter’s Prep. He was clearly a speed demon, a two-way offensive and defensive juggernaut on the gridiron, and a dominating, faster-than-lightning performer in baseball. Immediately the thoughts were drawn to another former Prep two-sport flash named Mike Brown.
The two were eerily similar as players and athletes. Both had incredible speed. Both were a little on the undersize, yet played bigger than their actual height and weight. Both had the ability to change games on both the gridiron and the diamond. It was only natural to draw comparisons to Brown when Caddle arrived.
In fact, right around a year ago, Brown, the 2004-2005 Hudson Reporter Male Athlete of the Year who moved on to play football at the University of Virginia, returned to his alma mater for a fundraising alumni grid contest.
On that day, Caddle was introduced to Brown. Brown was told that Caddle had the chance to be just like him.
Sure enough, Caddle has lived up to that immense billing – and then some.
In the fall, Caddle helped to lead the Marauders to their first NJSIAA Non-Public Group 4 state championship since 2005, even scoring a touchdown in the Marauders’ 34-18 victory over Paramus Catholic. It was the school’s fourth state title since the playoff system was initiated in 1976, giving the Marauders a state title in each decade, the 1980s, the 1990s, the 2000s and now 2014.
The versatile Caddle carried the ball 37 times for nearly 300 yards and scored seven touchdowns on the ground. He also caught 41 passes for nearly 700 yards and another 10 TDs. Caddle also added a kickoff return for a touchdown, giving him an incredible 18 touchdowns for the championship season.
The Marauders completed the season with an 11-1 record and earned the overall No. 1 ranking in the state of New Jersey.
In the spring, Caddle was a sensational outfielder/pitcher for the Marauders, leading the team to a 26-3 record, tying the school record for victories in a season and the school’s second Ed “Faa” Ford Memorial Hudson County Tournament championship in the last three years.
Caddle batted .404 with two homers and 19 RBI, three doubles, three triples, scoring 28 runs with 18 stolen bases. As a pitcher, he was 2-0 with a 2.64 earned run average.
Caddle was named to the Hudson Reporter All-Area team in both sports. Caddle earned All-Area three times for baseball and twice for football.
And for his efforts, Caddle has been selected as The Hudson Reporter Male Athlete of the Year for the calendar year of 2014-2015.
Caddle received his award Tuesday at Fordham University, where he is already enrolled and practicing with the football team. Caddle received a football scholarship to play slot receiver in the Rams’ spread offense.
Caddle became the fourth Marauder to receive the year-end award as Hudson County’s premier male athlete who participated in more than one varsity sport.
Caddle joins Kevin Innis, the standout football player and wrestler, who earned the award five years ago — and the aforementioned Brown, who earned the honor a decade ago.
One in 2005, one in 2010 and one in 2015 — looks like the Marauders are claiming the honor every five years.
Caddle gives a lot of credit of his development to the man who the Hudson County Baseball Tournament was renamed in honor of, namely the legendary baseball guru and local sports columnist Ford.
Ford took a liking to Caddle when he was still an 11-year-old Little Leaguer. Ford, who died four years ago, saw Caddle’s talents at that young age and took the youngster under his wing. In fact, it was Ford who convinced young Caddle that he should try his hand at football, because early on, Caddle was strictly a baseball player.
Caddle spent several summers playing for Ford’s Jersey City Recreation Sharks baseball program.
“He taught me about discipline and taught me to be responsible for myself,” Caddle said. “I think he developed a drive in me that not a lot of other high school kids have. He showed me that I could use baseball and sports as an outlet.”
Caddle said that he never let his size — or lack thereof — serve as a deterrent as he moved up the ranks.
“A lot of people told me that I couldn’t play because I was too small,” said Caddle, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 175 pounds. “I never took it as an insult. It only fueled my drive and determination. I always wanted to prove everyone wrong. I had something to prove every single time I played.”
Caddle grew up in the Greenville section of Jersey City, where he could have easily fallen prey to the streets, like hundreds, perhaps thousands of other potential talents did before him.
“I had friends who were good athletes in both sports, but I guess I just wanted it more,” Caddle said. “When you’re a kid, you don’t pay attention to all the other stuff. You just hang out. You don’t know if you’re going to get into trouble. I could have easily gotten into trouble, but I have to give my parents credit. They played such a big role in keeping me safe and focused.”
So Corey Caddle Sr. and wife Patricia made sure that their son used his God-given talents to the fullest.
Caddle said that he looked up to former Lincoln great Ronald Butler, another multi-talented, multi-sport great who ended up playing wide receiver at Utah State and now looks to hook on with an NFL team.
“He was always on the field at Caven Point when we had practice with the Jersey City Rec team,” Caddle said. “I watched him and admired his work ethic. I was a big fan of that.”
Caddle was asked to describe what it was like to be a major part of two championship teams.
“It’s great,” Caddle said. “When I look at the big picture, I have to say, `Wow!’ I was so fortunate to be around such great people and coaches at Prep. Coming to Prep really changed my life. I can’t take all of the credit for it. We had a great senior class who pushed each other. Just being able to be around those guys was tremendous.”
If there was one aspect to Caddle’s game that might have been surprising was his pitching. There’s where the comparison with Brown ends, because Brown was not a pitcher like Caddle.
“Pitching was always something I worked at,” Caddle said. “I think I took that football mentality with me to the mound and that helped. I always liked pitching, because I was in control of the game. Over the last two years, I worked on my mechanics with [pitching coach Dave] Weber [a former professional minor league baseball pitcher]. He helped me with my changeup and that made me a better pitcher.”
The only hindrance to Caddle this season was a sore right shoulder that he developed.
Caddle has not had time to rest on his laurels, as he has already begun classes and football practices at Fordham, where he will major in business management.
In fact, Caddle’s days currently begin at 5 a.m. with weight training and workout sessions, followed by practice and then a full class load at 9 a.m. It’s the price you have to pay to be a Division I scholarship football player.
So Caddle had to receive his award in between breakfast and classes Tuesday morning. Still, it’s an award that Caddle didn’t take lightly.
“It’s a great honor,” Caddle said. “There are a lot of good athletes from all over Hudson County. There are other great athletes from Prep. To be the top athlete from Hudson County and third ever from Prep is really big for me. It means a lot. I definitely didn’t know that I would be playing football in college, but this is my life now and I have to keep working.”
Caddle had to work just like he did to live up to the comparison with another former Prep two-sport athlete. Now, they both have the distinction of being among the 22 young men to earn the honor of being the top male athlete in all of Hudson County.
“It really is pretty remarkable,” Caddle said. “I never thought this was possible.”
Special thanks to retired Weehawken athletic director Rich Terpak, who took the ride to the Bronx and snap the award presentation photo in the early morning hours.
Jim Hague can be reached at OGSMAR@aol.com.
You can also read Jim’s blog at www.jimhaguesports.blogspot.com.
HUDSON REPORTER MALE ATHLETES OF THE YEAR
1991-1992-Jason Casessa, Hoboken
1992-1993-Alex Rodriguez, Secaucus
1993-1994-Eduardo Gomez, Hoboken
1995-1996-Rashard Casey, Hoboken
1996-1997-Czar Wiley, North Bergen
1997-1998-Koz Perez, North Bergen
1998-1999-Mike Forcum, Hoboken
1999-2000-Jonathan Robinson, Memorial
2001-2002-Bryan Durango, Memorial
2002-2003-Jason Blanks, Hoboken
2003-2004-Danny Lopez, Weehawken
2004-2005-Mike Brown, St. Peter’s Prep
2005-2006-Garrett Askew, Hudson Catholic
2006-2007-Evan Rodriguez, North Bergen
2007-2008-Chris Jones, Lincoln
2008-2009-Michael Kuzirian, Memorial
2009-2010-Kevin Innis, St. Peter’s Prep
2010-2011-Jose Veras, Dickinson
2011-2012-Jason Pineda, Weehawken
2012-2013-Damian Corredor, Weehawken
2013-2014-Tyrik Darby, Lincoln
2014-2015-Corey Caddle, St. Peter’s Prep