Porto becomes fifth St. Edward football signee
By Erik Jacobsen ejacobsen@stmedianetwork.com June 27, 2011 7:40PM
Derek Porto
Updated: September 29, 2011 12:56AM
All five St. Edward senior football players who expressed interest in playing at the college level have found a home for next season.
Derek Porto became the fifth former Green Wave player to make a college commitment when he signed with Case Western Reserve in Cleveland during the spring.
Porto spent the past two seasons playing on both offense and defense for the Green Wave. The 5-foot-8, 205-pounder was an offensive lineman, defensive tackle and linebacker.
“Derek is a hard-working, great kid,” St. Edward coach Mike Rolando said. “He’s not the biggest kid, but he’s super smart and his heart and desire really help him play bigger than his actual size.”
Porto joins four other recent St. Edward graduates who will be playing football next fall. Sam Pozezinski is bound for Truman State, Ben Lehman will play quarterback at Valparaiso, Zach Trisilla will suit up for Aurora University and Mark Olenek is committed to St. Joseph’s College of Indiana.
At Case Western, Porto will be one of 29 incoming freshmen recruited by eighth-year coach Greg Debeljak. The Spartans finished 8-2 in 2010 and have reached the NCAA Division III playoffs and won the University Athletic Association title in three of the past four years.
Pair of Maroons make college commitments
Elgin High graduates D.J. Riggio and Will Wood recently committed to continue their football careers at the college level.
Riggio, who was the starting center last year for Elgin and also played linebacker, will suit up for North Central College in Naperville.
Wood is bound for Concordia University in River Forest. The All-Upstate Eight Conference River Division honorable mention selection was a two-way starter at defensive back and wide receiver for the Maroons.
Both North Central and Concordia compete at the NCAA Division III level.
Riggio will join a Cardinals team that is ranked 17th in the Sporting News’ Top 25 after finishing 12-1 in 2010 and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Division III playoffs.
Riggio will have a familiar face at North Central as former Maroons standout Jordan Dean already committed to play for 10th-year Cardinals coach John Thorne last winter.
Meanwhile, Wood will suit up for a Cougars squad that is led by sixth-year coach Lonnie Pries. Concordia finished 8-2 in 2010.
