Darius Walker wins a title with East St. Louis, now he’s headed to Illinois State
Darius Walker had mixed feelings when a family situation resulted in him transferring from Althoff to East St. Louis for the 2019-20 school year.
In hindsight, having helped the Flyers to a 6A state championships, he’d be hard-pressed to believe it was the wrong move.
A standout linebacker and key player at East St. Louis, Walker fulfilled another dream on Wednesday when he signed a national letter of intent to attend and play football at Illinois State University beginning in the 2020 season.
“It was tough for me to leave Althoff and a lot of my friends, but it was because of a family issue and they were all very supportive of me and the decision,’’ Walker said. “It turned out to be good for me. I have never been on a team which had so much success.’’
Walker was one of three members of the Flyers state championship team who signed scholarships Wednesday at a ceremony held in the East St. Louis High School Library. Wednesday was the first day senior high school football players who sign their national letters of intent.
Others from East Side signing on Wednesday were all-state offensive lineman Javontez Spraggins who is headed to the University of Tennessee and all-state safety Antonio Johnson who is headed to Texas A&M. Johnson is graduating from East St. Louis following the fall semester and will enroll at Texas A&M in January.
With their parents, family members, teammates and East St. Louis coaches and administration looking on, the Flyers trio enjoyed a memorably day.
“Commitment. These student-athletes were committed to this school and this football program. They never miss a summer session, a session in the weight room or a practice,’’ East St. Louis coach Darren Sunkett said. “These schools are not only getting quality football players, they are getting quality young people who will be successful in life.’’
A 6-2, 220-pound linebacker, Walker made his 14 games with the Flyers count. He finished the season with 104 solo tackles and was in on 15 more. Walker also had seven quarterback sacks.
Walker will join an ISU program which lost in the NCAA Division I sub-division playoff quarterfinal playoffs to North Dakota State 9-3 last week.
“It’s a great school and the coaches and players made me feel very welcomed,’’ Walker said. “It’s great to get this (signing) over with.. College coaches calling all the time ... it got a little stressful.’’
Other signings
Walker, Spraggins and Johnson were not the only metro-east players signing national letters of intend during the current fall signing period.
Columbia High School senior running back Donavan Bieber will take his skills to the Missouri Valley Conference at Northern Illinois University; Collinsville wide receiver Jake Holten and Edwardsville linebacker Jacob Morrissey have signed with Southeast Missouri State; and Mater Dei lineman Bennet Krebs has signed with the Drake Bulldogs.
