(Photo by Bill Allen/NJ SportAction) CATCHING ON: Recently graduated Princeton Day School football star Andrew Ojeda gathers in a pass last week while practicing for the West squad in preparation for the Sunshine Football Classic on July 2 at The College of New Jersey’s Lions Stadium. Ojeda, who will be trying to walk on to the football team at the College of William and Mary this fall, sees the Sunshine Classic as a chance to showcase the PDS program.

Ojeda Sees Sunshine All-Star Game as Platform to Showcase PDS Football

Justin Jez

With fewer than 400 students in its upper school and no Colonial Valley Conference or Prep A opponents on its schedule, the Princeton Day School football team isn’t a major player in the local high school gridiron scene.

For recently graduated PDS star receiver Andrew Ojeda, the chance to play in the 12th annual Sunshine Football Classic on July 2 at The College of New Jersey’s Lions Stadium is an opportunity to showcase what the Panther program has to offer.

“I’m very proud of myself for being able to make an All-Star game,” said Ojeda. “I love football, I work hard every summer, and I am excited that they selected someone from PDS.”

PDS teammates Mike Shimkin and Clint O’Brien will be joining Ojeda as participants in the Sunshine all-star game, which features recently graduated high school stars from Mercer, Burlington, Hunterdon, and Somerset counties.

“I want to prove to everyone at the game that PDS knows how to play football. I just want to work hard and do my job,” said Ojeda.

“People do not necessarily respect PDS as a football power, but I hope to change that as much as I possibly can.”

A four-year starter at PDS, Ojeda made 22 receptions in his final year, gaining 338 yards and scoring four touchdowns in nine games.

Having a strong work ethic and being open to new challenges has marked Ojeda’s career. As a freshman, he felt the pressure to assume a leadership role.

“Coming into my freshman year the expectations were low,” recalled Ojeda. “The school was coming off a poor season, so my other teammates, Mike [Shimkin] and Clint [O’Brien] had to fill a leadership role early on. We were supposed to be the class to turn the program around. Mike and Clint are some of my best friends. It was difficult coming to a school where I knew no one. But I made friends and developed long-lasting friendships with these guys.”

During Ojeda’s freshman year, PDS greatly improved upon its previous season by finishing at an even 4-4. In the two seasons prior to his arrival, the team earned a combined 3-13 record.

PDS football enjoyed two other winning seasons during Ojeda’s career, going 7-1 in 2005 and then posting a 6-3 record last fall, capped by a 27-8 win in the Crusader Invitational bowl over Elkton Christian Academy in Maryland.

Ojeda was also asked to fill in as a defensive back during his freshman year, a position in which he was unfamiliar.

“I had no idea what I was doing at first,” said Ojeda with a smile. “I can remember a Pop Warner game around that time where the coach pulled me after I let up two touchdowns.”

Undeterred by that experience, Ojeda worked hard to expand his game to play both the offensive and defensive sides of the football. By his senior year, Ojeda earned All-Prep second team honors for defense and offense. He was also awarded all offensive honors during his sophomore and junior seasons.

Ojeda credits assistant football coach and PDS alum Paris McLean for helping him to excel throughout his high school career.

“Paris was my mentor and also like a big brother to me throughout high school,” said Ojeda of McLean, who also serves as the head coach of the PDS boys’ basketball team.

“He really helped me develop this passion for being a wide receiver, since he was a wide receiver in high school and then switched to defensive back in college.”

Looking back on his successful career Ojeda remembers his favorite game and play from his senior year.

“Every year we open against Morrisville in the biggest game of the season,” Ojeda recounted.

“It was a night game, and I love night games. It was either 3d or 4th and 16 and Clint just threw up a bomb to me. I was getting held by the defensive back from Morrisville and somehow made a miraculous catch for a touchdown. That ended up being the winning drive. I got to run through the crowd and everything; that was awesome.”

In the fall, Ojeda hopes to walk on to the football team at the College of William and Mary and pursue a major in political science.

“In middle school I was never really challenged academically,” asserted Ojeda, an active member of his community church who has spent time building homes in New Orleans and also recently received a Hispanic heritage scholarship award at a ceremony at the University of Pennsylvania.

“PDS developed this strong work ethic that has helped me in football and will help me succeed in college. During an AP U.S. Government class I got heavily involved in politics as we closely followed the presidential race. It is definitely something that interests me.”

But first, Ojeda wants to put on an interesting show at the Sunshine Classic.

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