Local athletes put pen to paper
The Bradshaw-Carpenter football relationship has come full circle.
Eleven years ago, Bruce Carpenter played quarterback for Johnsburg football coach Bob Bradshaw and helped the Skyhawks to their first playoff victory in school history.
Now, Carpenter, the co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Winona (Minn.) State, will coach Bradshaw’s grandson. Bryan Bradshaw, a senior quarterback at Prairie Ridge, signed his NCAA letter of intent to the Division II school Wednesday morning.
Bradshaw joined Wolves linebacker Brad Young, who will play at Truman State, a D-II school in Missouri, in signing their letters together Wednesday morning, the NCAA’s signing day for football and men’s and women’s soccer.
Also signing Wednesday were Huntley fullback-linebacker Jordan Neukirch (Illinois State), Marian Central offensive tackle Cody O’Neill (South Dakota) and Crystal Lake South tight end Vince Benedetto (South Dakota State) at D-I or I-AA schools. Crystal Lake Central linebacker J.J. Bobrowicz (Southwest Minnesota State) and Grayslake Central offensive tackle Troy Manley (Augustana, S.D.) signed with D-II schools.
The area’s most highly-recruited player, Marian Central quarterback Jon Budmayr, finished his graduation requirements early and enrolled at Wisconsin last month. Budmayr signed his scholarship papers when he enrolled, so there was no letter of intent to sign. Budmayr, who was among ESPN’s top 150 recruits for the 2009 senior class, was announced as one of the Badgers’ recruits Wednesday.
“Our family has a really good relationship with Bruce,” Bryan Bradshaw said. “There’s a Prairie Ridge link with [kicker-punter] Cullen [Fahey] there too. It was a tough decision, but I prayed a lot and it presented itself as the place I should go.”
Bradshaw looked hard at D-I Drake and D-III Wheaton before deciding on Winona. The Warriors will have a senior quarterback, Greg Preston, next season, after which time Bradshaw (6-foot-2, 170 pounds) will be able to compete for the starting job.
Young narrowed his choices to Truman, D-II Concordia-St. Paul (where former Prairie Ridge running back Sam Campbell plays) and D-III national power Mount Union (Ohio).
“The coaches and the bond with the teammates was better [at Truman] than any other place I visited,” said Young, who is 6-foot-1, 210 pounds. “They had a plan with what they want to do that I really liked.”
Young said coaches told him he might be able to contribute as a freshman if they believe he’s ready.
Neukirch (6-2, 225) played both ways for the Red Raiders, who made the playoffs for the second time in 35 years of football. He rushed for 1,725 yards and 21 touchdowns, both which led the area, and was the Northwest Herald Player of the Year.
Neukirch committed to Illinois State in August when Denver Johnson was the head coach, but Johnson and most of his staff were fired after the season. Neukirch felt better about the switch when former Purdue defensive coordinator Brock Spack was hired to succeed Johnson.
After Neukirch’s sophomore season in football, Raiders assistant basketball coach Tony Jones, who played basketball at Purdue, took Neukirch for a visit to West Lafayette.
“Coach Spack was the first college coach I ever talked to,” Neukirch said. “I still remember sitting in his office, and now he’s going to be coaching me.”
Neukirch still is uncertain which position he will play at ISU. He could be used as an H-back, tight end or linebacker.
Sign here!
A list of local athletes who signed their NCAA letters of intent Wednesday.
Football
Player, High School Pos. College Level
Cody O’Neill, Marian Central OL South Dakota D-I
Vince Benedetto, CL South TE South Dakota St. D-I
Jordan Neukirch, Huntley FB-LB Illinois St. I-AA
Bryan Bradshaw, Prairie Ridge QB Winona (Minn.) St. D-II
Brad Young, Prairie Ridge LB Truman (Mo.) St. D-II
J.J. Bobrowicz, CL Central LB Southwest Minn. St. D-II
Troy Manley, Grayslake Central OL Augustana (S.D.) D-II
Women’s Soccer
Alex Holland, Cary-Grove GK South Carolina D-I
Jessica Taldone, CL South GK Eastern Illinois D-I
Jenny Hyde, CL Central Def.-Mid. Lewis University D-II
