Shawn Curry is by no means a one-man show.
It would be hard to dispute this statement, though, after what the 5-foot-11, 150-pound Avon High senior wide receiver accomplished on August 22.
With his club trailing defending Class 5A state champion Decatur Central, 22-7, early in the fourth quarter, Curry still believed they could mount a comeback.
His patience and faith were rewarded as he nearly single-handedly willed the Orioles to a 30-28 overtime win by coming up four receptions for 103 yards with three touchdowns.
After hauling in scoring strikes of 25 yards and 73 yards to help them draw even at the end of regulation, he came up big again in the extra session by snatching a five-yard offering from quarterback Jace Cameron on fourth-down play.
"I told the coaches to get me the ball, and they trusted me and gave me a chance," Curry recalled. "However, it was a total-team effort and I couldn't have done any of this without them."
Some people might have good reason to be skeptical about his confidence, though, if you consider Avon has endured four straight losing campaigns, including a 3-7 finish in 2024.
However, things are looking up for Curry and company now as the Orioles are off to a 2-1 start and ranked No. 11 in Class 6A in the latest Indiana Football Coaches Association poll.
"Things have turned around because of us buying into the program that coaches brought here and us doing the right things," explained the three-year starter Curry, who entered this fall with 51 career receptions for 844 yards with eight touchdowns. "To keep it going, we have to continue to buy-in and keep working hard even when things get hard and tough."
It appears he and his classmates can finally put all of the frustration that they have endured the last three years behind them as they strive for their first winning season since going 9-1 in 2019 and sectional crown since 2018.
"This happened because we just stuck together and we believed in ourselves," Cameron told the Indianapolis Star. "It's a great feeling for the program as a whole, because everybody's been counting us out for a while, but we're here. We're here."
Since he started participating in flag football when he was five years old, Curry has seen his love and passion for the game and gridiron grow considerably.
"Shawn is one of the smartest football IQ players I have been around," said Avon head coach Robert Gibson. "We have a great relationship that extends far beyond football. He has grown a lot in two years and is going to continue to be a great player for our team."
Curry can't take all of the credit for the fire burning brightly inside of him.
"My grandpa Dan was one of my greatest influences growing up, but Coach Gibson and I have a really tight bond as well," explained Curry, who has accumulated 13 receptions for 242 yards with three touchdowns. "We work hard together, but we can also joke around and have fun when the time is right."
Another positive presence has been his throwing buddy Cameron, who has completed 44-of-69 for 490 yards with six touchdowns.
"We have had a tight bond since third grade, and we have been getting closer ever since," said Curry.
With strong aspirations of playing at the next level, Shawn realizes there are some areas he needs to work and improve on.
"Personally, I believe I can continue to improve on being a leader for the team in moments of hardship," explained Curry, who has also seen action in the secondary on defense as well as returning punts and kickoffs. "I also think I need to continue getting bigger and faster in order to produce more for the team."
The third-year Avon boss has seen his talented pass catcher mature both on and off the playing field.
"Shawn has learned a lot from the leaders on our team in how to be a great teammate," explained Gibson. "He encourages other kids at his position and helps coach up younger players. He has taken great strides off the field and will continue to grow in that area."
Outside of football, Curry pretty much leads a simple life.
"I really just like to eat, train, and hang out with my friends," said Curry, who currently has a 3.3 grade-point average. "My plan is to go to college somewhere and play football as much as I can. After that, I plan to get a job (something in sports performance), have a family, and be the most successful I can be."
Before thinking about his future, though, he wants to keep his squad headed in the right direction when Avon welcomes top-ranked and defending Class 6A state champion Brownsburg (3-0) to Oriole Stadium n September 12.
