Hobart coach Keith Luttell is anticipating a big season from senior Cameron Guess.
The Brickies’ second-leading scorer behind then-senior Gabriel Rodriguez last year, Guess finished with 10 goals and five assists.
“He has elite talent and technical ability,” Luttell said. “I’m looking for him to improve his goal-scoring numbers this year with the departure of our leading scorer. I expect him to be one of the top players in the area this season.”
There’s also a literal component to the word “big” when it comes to Guess, a 5-foot-7, 125-pound forward/midfielder entering his third season as a starter for the Brickies (9-8-2). He’s 4 inches taller and 25 pounds heavier than he was a year ago.
“Physically, I’ve grown, and mentally, I feel like I’ve become smarter in the game, especially with the competition we play and sectionals,” he said. “I realize the competition that we go through, and I feel like that could really help me this season.
“I feel like it’s a pretty big difference for me physically, being able to hold onto the ball a lot longer. I’m not just getting pushed off the ball easily.”
When Guess is on the ball, he makes things happen.
“Cameron is definitely one of the most talented players I’ve played with,” Hobart senior midfielder Giovanni Alvarado said. “His positioning and technical ability is truly out of this world.
“Cameron these past seasons for Hobart has created countless amounts of opportunities and is a very passionate player. There’s few players that I know that are able to do what he does on the field. The kid’s a magician.”
Luttell used similar terms to describe Guess.
“He’s a magician with the ball on his foot with great vision to find his teammates,” Luttell said.
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Guess and his teammates envision putting together a memorable season. The Brickies have 14 seniors and could potentially field a starting lineup consisting exclusively of players from that class.
“We have really good chemistry,” Guess said. “We’ve all played with each other for the past three years, so we all have an understanding of how we play, and that will really help us this season.”
The Brickies reached a Class 3A sectional championship game last season, Luttell’s first as the coach, and lost to Crown Point. They upset Valparaiso in the sectional semifinals, and their regular season included a victory against Chesterton, another traditional power.
Hobart, which aims to build off of that run, won its only sectional title in 2023 when Guess’ older brother Gavin, a standout player, was a junior. But Guess is optimistic the team can add to its history, with the Northwest Crossroads Conference serving as challenging preparation.
“I think we could accomplish great things this season,” he said. “I feel like we could go very far this season, winning sectionals. Last year, we came so close, and I feel like this year we can really get it.
“Last year really showed us we can be competitive, and going to the final, it showed us we have the ability to make it there. This year, I feel like we can do the same thing again.”
Guess has aspirations to play soccer in college. He recognizes individual and collective success could enhance those prospects, and he wants to take advantage of his opportunity with this group.
“I really just want to win with this team and go far with this team,” Guess said. “I’m also looking for my future, looking to attract colleges, but I’m really about this team right now.”