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46 | July 20, 2017 | The Mokena Messenger sports mokenamessenger.com On the lookout for a guy who’s hard to miss Former East offensive lineman named to watch list Jon DePaolis Freelance Reporter In the early 2010s, fans of the Lincoln-Way East football team could hardly miss Nick Allegretti on the field. The standout offensive lineman was a key player on some offensive juggernauts. But now, the nation may be catching up to what those around the Lincoln-Way East football squad already knew. Allegretti, a 2014 graduate of Lincoln-Way East and current offensive lineman on the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign football team, has been named to the Rimington Trophy watch list. The award recognizes the nation’s top center. “I don’t even have a lot of words for it,” Allegretti said of being named to the watch list. “It’s an awesome honor to even be on that list.” Though it is an award he’s kept track of since he was a teenager, Allegretti was unaware he was on the watch list until a former teammate reached out to him. “I don’t really have social media, so I didn’t even know about it,” Allegretti said. “I actually got a text from Joe Spencer, our old center, congratulating me. I had no clue what he was talking about.” From experience to leadership Allegretti is no stranger to success. He played a crucial role on the 2012 East football team that got to the Class 7A state title game. In 2013, he was selected for the U.S. Army All-American Bowl after a season in which he had 56 pancake blocks in 2013. After being redshirted his freshman year, he played in 11 games in 2015. He mostly played at center and guard, but also on special teams. But Allegretti also showed his willingness to do whatever the team needed when an injury led to him playing defensive tackle. “I had not played defense since eighth grade,” Allegretti said. “It was a Tuesday or Wednesday of the week [leading up to the] Western Illinois game. One of my teammates went down, and we looked at our D-line, and we didn’t have many people left. We had no depth. Coach came up to me after practice and said, ‘What do you think about playing D-line?’ I said, ‘All right, let’s go!’” Allegretti moved to the other side of the ball, and, on just two days of practice, he played as a rotational guy on the defensive line in the second half of the season. The following week, against North Carolina, he got thrown in on the defensive line during the first quarter. “It was a quick turnaround,” he said, laughing. “I hadn’t played it in about six years, and never really at a competitive level. But it was fun, and I got to experience something new.” For Allegretti, the willingness to switch sides of the ball was innate. “It’s just the way I was raised,” he said. “My mom and pops taught me to do whatever I could do to get onto the field and do whatever I could for the team.” Last year, however, Allegretti was able to get back to what he does best — protecting the quarterback. In 2016, his sophomore season, Nick Allegretti, a redshirt junior at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, started all 12 games last season for the Illini. His success led to him being included on the watch list for the Rimington Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top collegiate center. University of Illinois Athletics Allegretti started in all 12 games — mostly at strong side guard. “Last year taught me that the more I know about the offense, the better I’d be,” Allegretti said. “I felt like last year was a huge opportunity for me. It was a blast.” He also got a taste of playing center again, starting at the spot in a game against Murray State when starter Joe Spencer was out with an injury. Allegretti credits Spencer and others for learning not only the physical aspects of college football but also the mental, more leadership-involved traits. “The first three years, I got to play under guys like Mike Heitz and Alex Hill, and Teddy Karras for two years and Joe Spencer,” he said. “I got to learn from all of those dudes. I think I’ve learned a lot about leadership from them.” And those leadership lessons were invaluable, especially considering the turnover the Illini have had on the coaching staff during Allegretti’s time at the school. “I got here, and the first three years we had three [different] head coaches,” he said. “It was tough, and not what I expected obviously. But after the last coaching change and Coach [Lovie] Smith came in, I feel like the whole team [thought] the athletic department found us a coach we can win with.” Allegretti said the biggest difference since Smith took over the program is the way the program is run. “It’s run like an NFL program,” he said. “We come in, go to film, get treatment and go to practice. It’s a very efficient program, and we don’t waste any time. If we are at the stadium, we are doing something productive.” Going into this season, Allegretti is slated for a bigger role on the offensive line — something he’s ready for. “The Big Ten is a tough conference, a physical conference,” he said. “No matter what team you are or where your program is at, if you want to win a single game in the Big Ten, it is going to be hard. “But I think we have the ability to go out there and win a lot of games this year. We have a lot of young kids, and a lot of kids who are stepping up.” He pointed to running back Kendrick Foster and quarterback Chayce Crouch, who he said has stepped up to be a leader on the team. “He’s a playmaker,” Allegretti said of the young quarterback. He said he also realizes with his age and experience, he needs to be a good example for his younger teammates. But he also has high expectations for the year. “The No. 1 most important thing we have to do is play hard and physical, no matter what,” he said. “If you go out there and have a brain freeze, come off the ball and still play hard. When we go back and watch film on Sunday, you can’t say, ‘I took that play off.’ We have the players we need and we have the talent. But if we take plays off, we’re not going to win the games we need to. We need every single player, 11 at a time, and everyone on the sidelines to be engaged and give 100 percent effort.” A bright future Allegretti recognizes his playing career at Illinois is winding down, but his goal still remains to play the game as long as he possibly can. “Whether it is another two, five or 10 years … whatever it is, I want to play as long as I can,” Allegretti said. “I absolutely love the sport. There’s nothing like competing at this level.” But that doesn’t mean it is his only option. He said he will graduate in December with an accounting degree, and he has his sights set on perhaps pursuing a master’s degree. “Whenever football ends, I’m really excited to get into the business world,” he said.
mokenamessenger.com sports the Mokena Messenger | July 20, 2017 | 47 fastbreak Baseball Celtics lose late lead in quarterfinal thriller 22nd Century Media File Photo 1st-and-3 Players stepping up for Lincoln-Way East 1. Julian Everett (Above) The senior smacked a two-run home run during the semifinal match of the Lockport Summer League Regional against Plainfield Central July 11, breaking a 5-5 tie. He also doubled in the game 2. Jake Tencza The senior — who is also training for the football season — went 2-for-3 in the championship game against Lockport July 12, in addition to adding 3 RBI. 3. Cole Kirschsieper Kirschsieper’s pitching kept the defending IHSBCA state champion, Plainfield South, off balance. He struck out 11 batters and allowed just two hits during the June 11 game. Provi registers 17 hits in game that combined for 27 runs RANDY WHALEN Freelance Reporter Mokena native Jack Flynders laces a hit during summer league play for Providence Catholic baseball. 22nd Century Media File Photo Providence baseball coach Mark Smith doesn’t always put a lot of stock into his teams summer baseball season. But with so many returners expected back from last season’s squad, which was the first season in four years the Celtics didn’t win the Class 4A state championship, Smith admitted that he was looking forward to seeing what the guys could do this summer. “I honestly thought we could make a run,” Smith said of the Illinois High School Baseball Coaches Association Baseball Tournament. Instead the Celtics saw their summer season end abruptly in a 14-13 loss to Minooka on July 11 in a quarterfinal game of the Lockport Township Regional. Providence (7-8) blew a 10-2 lead in the loss, which ended in such a weird way that no one immediately caught the fact that the winning run scored was a runner that was forced out on the play. But Smith refused to blame that and instead focused on his teams inability to hold the lead. “It’s disappointing,” he said. “We just can’t let that happen.” Still what happened in the bottom of the seventh was, well strange. After a leadoff out, the Indians loaded the bases on a pair of walks sandwiched around a single. Cherokee Lebeau then hit a sharp ground ball to senior third baseman Dylan Gorski. He tagged third for a force out, but trying to complete a game-ending double play, his throw to first sailed down the right-field line. Jack Stoner, who was on third, scored the tying run. But Hayden Laczynski (3- for-4, 2 RBI), who had been forced out, instinctively kept running and crossed the plate with what the umpires called the winning run. It happened so fast that neither Smith or Minooka coach Jeff Petrovic caught it. When informed of it afterward the coaches agreed that Luke Faifer (HR, sac fly, 4 RBI), who was on first, probably would have scored anyway. Gorski (3-for-4, double, RBI) had n RBI ground out in the top of the seventh to give the Celtics a 13-12 lead. Providence seniors Logan Anderson (4-for 5, 3-run homer, double, 5 RBI) and Nick Murphy (3-for-4, double, 3 RBI), along with junior Josh Mrozek (2-for-4) highlighted the Celtics’ 17- hit attack. Providence pitching, however, gave up nine walks. “We’ve got a lot of guys coming back and no matter how well we swing the bats, we can’t play defense or pitch the way we played [against Minooka],” Smith said. “This was a nightmare game. Our success in the past is because we pitched loose in games like this where there was pressure.” Anderson’s 3-run home run highlighted a 7-run third inning and made the score 10-2. Minooka closed within 10-6, but the Celtics scored a pair of runs in the sixth to go up by six. The Indians then tied it by scoring six runs in the bottom of the sixth. “The last time I was this disappointed in the result of a summer league game was in 2013,” Smith said. “We led Sandburg [1-0], and there were two-outs and none on for them in the top of the seventh. Then they just kept scratching out hits and ended up winning [4-1]. But look what happened after that, so hopefully we’ll be alright.” The Celtics won the first of their three straight state championships the following spring. The day before, July 10, Providence traveled to Tinley Park and defeated Andrew 5-1. It was the only first round Lockport regional game played that day. The other three were rained out and made up the next day. Ben Vitas was the key to the victory for the Celtics with a complete-game pitching performance. Andrew (6-10) was also eliminated by the Celtics in the regional title game this spring and in the opening round of the summer regional last year. “Ben is going to be a sophomore and had a great outing against Andrew,” Smith said. “He’s a righty and made just 83 pitches. I expect him to be in the rotation next spring.” Minooka (12-4) blew its own big lead on July 12 in the semifinals. The Indians led 7-0 after one inning and were still on top 9-7 with two out in the top of the seventh. But Lincoln-Way East scored three runs to go ahead 10-7 and then held on for the victory by that score. Listen Up “We bought into the championship culture that coach [Brauer] brought. We’re just getting started, and it feels great.” Jake Tencza — Lincoln-Way East senior baseball player on summer league success TUNE IN Girls volleyballl 5:30 p.m. July 20 • Two Lincoln-Way East teams compete in summer league volleyball against Stagg, Rich Central, Chicago Christian and TF South. Index 42 – Youth volleyball 42 – Athlete of the Week FASTBREAK is compiled by Editor Tim Carroll, tim@mokenamessenger.com
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