Four touchdowns in the Section III title game sold Dick MacPherson!  Scott Schwedes’ 1981 Dome performance led Jamesville-DeWitt over Holland-Patent.  Coach Mac hoped Schwedes — a junior recruited by Penn St., W. Virginia, BC, Maryland, Michigan — would commit early.

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While football was in Scott’s blood, he also wanted to play college lacrosse.  Mac agreed to that.  A two-time 1st team all-County in lacrosse, he was a two-way all-County, all-CNY and all-State selection as a halfback/defensive back his junior year, but a knee injury sustained while kicking field goals with soccer players caused him to miss his senior season.

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Scott, who grew up a Syracuse fan, weighed a mere 147 pounds as an incoming freshman, having endured a severe case of bronchitis.  He would gain weight over time.  And he wound up setting almost every SU freshman receiving record.  At Scott’s frosh exit interview, Mac said he had pro potential and competition from incoming Canadian Tommy Kane, so Schwedes ended his lacrosse career.  Among Scott’s many SU football highlights were:

    1984 — While a Todd Norley-to-Mike Siano TD pass was THE play in SU’s 17-9 stunning Dome upset of No. 1 Nebraska, Schwedes’ 21-yard grab on 3rd down allowed SU to run out the clock.

    1985 — In a 41-21 win over BC, Don McPherson played pitch ‘n catch with Scott, whose eight receptions covered a record 249 yards, a mark that stood for 31 years; that’s 11,271 days.

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Career-wise, speedy Scott Schwedes caught 139 passes for 2,111 yards and 16 TDs.  He ranks No. 1 in consecutive games with at least one reception (40).  A 1986 Sporting News All-American, he is the only SU receiver to catch, run and pass for a TD in the same game and lone Orangeman invited to three All-Star games (Senior Bowl, East-West Shrine and Blue-Gray).  

At a Senior Bowl practice prior to the 1987 NFL Draft, Miami’s Don Shula observed Scott doing a shuttle drill.  Shula needed a punt returner.  Schwedes also returned an All-Star game kickoff 91 yards for a score.  The Dolphins traded up to get Scott in the 2nd round (56th overall).

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In four NFL seasons with Miami and the San Diego Chargers, he played in 46 games (41 for Miami, one start in 1988), gaining over 1,400 all-purpose yards.  He caught 19 passes for 370 yards (19.5 yards-per-catch), two TDs.  His best year as a receiver — he played behind the Marks Brothers, Mark Duper & Clayton — was 1989, his seven catches averaging 24.9 yards, including a 65-yarder.  He also had a 70-yard TD punt return, averaged 9.6 yards-per-return, and 17.8 on kickoffs.  Scott was named a Dolphins’ special teams captain and 1987 consensus NFL All-Rookie punt returner.

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Injuries led to retirement in 1991.  He and J-D/SU teammate Rob Drummond coached area Pop Warner football, Scott also volunteering with Dewitt-area youth lacrosse leagues.  Scott began a career in medical sales.  He and wife Jodi, a J-D grad, have two grown children, Michael and Erica.  

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A member of J-D’s inaugural Hall of Fame class in 2000, Scott Schwedes now becomes a member of the Greater Syracuse Sports Hall of Fame, class of 2022.