When Spencer Aukamp earned the St. Joseph starting quarterback job in August, he spent some time imagining what the season might be like.

Aukamp had his hopes and goals, to be sure. But even the sophomore's wildest dreams couldn't match the thrill of the actual outcome.

"Honestly?" said Aukamp, who earned The Record's Male Athlete of the Week honors after leading the Green Knights over Delbarton in the Non-Public Group 3 championship game.

"I was thinking about trying to do my best. I never thought it would work out this well."

Aukamp grew into the job, and emerged as one of the top signal-callers in North Jersey. He earned consistent praise from teammates and coaches about his maturity and intelligence as he put his stamp on the team.

"In the beginning, I don't think I was a leader," said Aukamp, who lives in North Haledon. "I was still learning everybody's name.

"But as the season went on, I think they began to believe in me. That's a big thing. Once they believed in me, I was able to take control."

Aukamp, who enjoys breaking down film, likes his reputation as a thinking quarterback. He's an honors student who enjoys studying English, so his analytical side gets a good workout on the field.

"I watch a lot of film," Aukamp said. "In the beginning, it was because I was forced to. I wasn't used to it, but now I like and I understand how much it helps."

It's still too soon for Aukamp to start thinking about college, but he's already looking forward to the summer when he can hone his game at football camps. He said he's not going to play baseball this spring, but he will enjoy going to basketball and baseball games and being a fan.

Aukamp said he is still growing as a quarterback and as a person.

"It's not just football," Aukamp said. "I want to keep working hard to see how far I can get. I want to work hard and see what I can accomplish."