Huntley grad can't wait to catch on at ISU

The start of fall football camp at Illinois State this week brought excitement for Jordan Neukirch.

After spending last season as a redshirt, the Huntley graduate knows exactly where he wants to be on Saturdays this fall.

"I definitely want to try and get some playing time," said Neukirch, who was switched to tight end last season and earned ISU's Scout Team Player of the Year honor. 

A running back/linebacker in high school, Neukirch made a quick transition to his new position.

"The coaches were impressed with what I could do with the ball in my hands," Neukirch said. 

As one of the team's top three tight ends, Neukirch likely will see the field along with current starter Casey Cline, a junior who caught 16 passes last season, and senior Brandon Venson, who spent half of last season at wide receiver.

In ISU's offense, Neukirch said the tight end's duties include "a little bit of everything."

"Sometimes, I'm lined up as a fullback," he said. "Sometimes I'm on the line blocking defensive ends. And sometimes, they'll split me out (as a wide receiver). It's all about trying to find mismatches against either bigger, slower linebackers or smaller defensive backs."

Neukirch said his learning curve at tight end was aided by Cline and Venson. 

"They're the leaders of our position group, and they're great guys to learn from," he said. 

He also benefitted during his redshirt year from being on the scout team.

"That was definitely a good learning experience," he said. "I got to practice against the No. 1 and No. 2 defensive ends every day."

Along with catching a few passes this fall for ISU, which went 6-5 last season under first-year coach Brock Spack, Neukirch hopes to work on the punt coverage team.

"When they recruited me, they knew I could tackle people," he said. 

Martini shines in Cape: Prairie Ridge grad Nick Martini, who will be a junior at Kansas State this fall, posted his best week of the summer last week for the Falmouth (Mass.) Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League.

Martini, an outfielder for the Commodores, batted .375 last week with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs.

While leading the team in runs scored (20), stolen bases (10) and walks (24) for the season, Martini is hitting .257 with six doubles and 21 RBIs, which ranks second for the Commodores.

Court helps Cats: Dundee-Crown grad Ryan Court has been one of the top offensive players this summer for the Thunder Bay (Ontario) Border Cats of the Northwoods League, a summer baseball league for top college players.

Court ranks second on the team with a .280 batting average and is the Cats' leaders in runs scored (31) and walks (35). Over the last four games, Court is batting .385 with nine runs scored.

court, who will be a senior at Illinois State this fall, was awarded ISU's Fairchild Endowed Scholarship on July 22. Court has received the scholarship for two years in a row.

Barry Bottino writes a weekly column and a blog about local college athletes for the Northwest Herald. Write to him at BarryOnCampus@hotmail.com and check out his On Campus column every Saturday in the Northwest Herald sports section.