Lehigh’s football team has established a pipeline to the La Grange area.
The Mountain Hawks of the Patriot League signed two area players Feb. 3 on the first day of the National Signing Day for football.
Nazareth’s Matt Prendergast sealed the verbal commitment he made to the school before the season. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound Prendergast was a defensive end and a offensive lineman in his senior year and is projected as a defensive lineman at Lehigh.
Lyons senior offensive lineman Taylor Curlin, from Western Springs, pledged to Lehigh Dec. 26, and was the second area player to sign with Lehigh for the Class of 2020. He will join former Lyons defensive lineman Jimmy Mitchell, who will be a senior next season.
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“I talked to (Prendergast) a few times before I chose Lehigh,” said Curlin, who also considered Colgate, Georgetown, Cornell and Columbia. “It came down to it being a great academic option. They are a great football team to play for. It was the best fit for me.”
Mitchell and Prendergast live two houses apart in LaGrange Park. Prendergast made his verbal commitment to Lehigh on Aug. 7 and texted with Curlin as the Lyons lineman drew closer to making his college decision.
“It’s cool having Taylor (at Lehigh),” Prendergast said. .”I think (Curlin and I) are going to be roommates, too, which will be fun. I didn’t know Taylor well, but we’ve gotten to be friends.”
Curlin, 6-4, 275 pounds, will get a look at tackle, according to Lehigh coach Andy Coen. Curlin visited Lehigh for a summer camp and ran into Mitchell. Mitchell also visited with Curlin on his official visit after the season.
“He told me he loves the school,” Curlin said. “It was definitely the right choice for him. Eventually, I made it clear that it was the right choice for me.”
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