Kameron Karp of Marquette Senior High School signed a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday to attend and play on several sports teams at Northern Michigan University. Family members at the ceremony held at MSHS include, from left, mother Tammy Karp, Kameron Karp, father Gary Karp and sister Kaycee Karp. (Photo courtesy MSHS athletic director Alex Tiseo)

MARQUETTE — A three-sport standout at Marquette Senior High School won’t have to whittle his athletic choices down to one sport, now that he’s attending Northern Michigan University.

MSHS senior Kameron Karp signed a National Letter of Intent on Wednesday to attend and play on two sports teams at the Marquette institution.

“I always told my parents that I did not plan to go to NMU,” Karp said during the signing, according to a school email. “I always thought I wanted to get out of town after high school.

“After my visit with (Northern head football) Coach (Kyle) Nystrom and his staff, I was duly impressed with what NMU had to offer. The players and coaches and other staff members I met with were incredibly enthusiastic and informative.

“Following my football visit, I got the opportunity to also visit with the basketball staff and was even more excited about my potential at NMU.

“When both coaches explained that they were willing to allow me to play both of the games I love and make it work for me, it became an offer I could not refuse.

“The overwhelming positivity and excitement I experienced in both visits, as well as the top-notch facilities I witnessed, are just a couple of the reasons I felt staying home and continuing my education (and my) football and basketball careers at NMU was the best decision for me.”

In addition to football and basketball, he has been a standout in track and field, though he didn’t get to participate in it last year due to the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. In 2019, he was named All-Upper Peninsula and All-Great Northern Conference in the spring sport.

In football last fall, he caught 28 passes for 625 yards and seven touchdowns for the Redmen, who compiled a 5-1 regular-season record, won the GNC title and were named the U.P. Team of the Year by the U.P. Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association. He also threw one pass, completing it for 57 yards and a TD.

MSHS went on to win two playoff football games for the first time in school history, advancing to the MHSAA Division 3 district finals after beating Muskegon Reeths-Puffer and Mount Pleasant.

His individual accolades included Associated Press All-State Second Team and All-Great Northern Conference, along with a pair of All-U.P. honors — U.P. Offensive Player of the Year and All-U.P. Dream Team.

In boys basketball, Karp averaged 16.6 points while making 47 percent of his 3-point shots, along with 3.8 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game.

The Redmen, who also won the GNC in boys basketball, compiled a 19-3 record and were awaiting their MHSAA Division 1 district championship game when the season and just about all other seasons were halted last March.

Karp was named to the All-U.P. Dream Team in basketball along with a pair of conference honors — GNC Player of the Year and All-GNC.

Karp is also one of three area finalists for the MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award and a member of the National Honor Society.

Information compiled by Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee. His email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.