What’s it gonna be?
It’s too soon to tell, but Burlington Central junior Parker Auxier has a big decision to make about his future looming on the horizon.
The speedy 5-foot-10, 160-pound Auxier is a standout in both lacrosse and football. When it comes to college, he will likely have options to play either sport.
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Fortunately, time is on his side.
“I’d say I’m both,” Auxier said. “It just depends on the season. During the fall, I like football more. Then, during lacrosse season, I like it more.”
He’s played both since grade school but has probably received more recruiting attention for lacrosse. Until this fall, that is.
“Parker is really turning into a special player for us,” Burlington Central football coach Brian Iossi said of his safety/running back. “He’s a game changer.”
That was evident in the second week of this season.
In a 10-7 win over perennial Fox Valley Conference powerhouse Cary-Grove, Auxier scored the Rockets’ lone touchdown on a 5-yard run.
In the final 30 seconds, he broke up a pass on fourth down from Burlington Central’s 21-yard line to preserve the win.
Last week, the Rockets (6-1) beat Huntley 20-7 as Auxier came up with two interceptions to thwart drives. He also returned a punt 50 yards to set up a TD. He averages 8.4 yards a carry and has 30 tackles.
Senior lineman Aidan Nuno, a football teammate who’s also his neighbor, actually introduced Auxier to lacrosse.
“We’d shoot together in his backyard,” Auxier said of Nuno. “Finally, my dad got me a stick and I started to play.”
It began with Yeti, one of six clubs in the Chicago area that feeds into the Team Illinois program. For the past three years, Auxier has played under the Team Illinois banner.
“I wanted to play at a higher level,” said Auxier, noting that last spring up to 30 college coaches might be at his team’s games.
He has no firm offers but three Division I programs have been in touch.
“My parents and I were thinking it would be lacrosse because I haven’t had a lot of football looks so far,” Auxier said. “But if I do get some, I’ll have to see.”
Last fall, Auxier started his sophomore season at cornerback on the junior varsity but impressed the coaching staff and soon was moved up to the varsity.
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“He was dominating JV games and we knew when we played teams like Geneva we were going to be in more of a nickel package,” Iossi said. “We started rotating him in on varsity.”
By Week 7, Auxier was starting. For a second-round playoff game with Geneva, Auxier drew the toughest assignment in receiver Talyn Taylor.
“We told him, ‘Yeah, you’re gonna play the kid who’s going to Georgia,’” Iossi said. “Parker’s a great athlete and he had popped off the film for us.”
Taylor ended up catching six passes for 128 yards and one TD.
“I learned a lot from that game, especially as a sophomore,” Auxier said. “It made me put my nose down in the offseason and really work hard to get bigger.
“I’ve seen (Taylor) on TV with Georgia. It’s kinda crazy to think I lined up against him.”
This fall, Auxier was switched to safety by defensive coordinator Nick Scoliere, a Marmion alum.
“At this level, you can impact a game from both sides and we do a good job of rotating him,” Scoliere said. “He allows us to be very aggressive up front on defense because you know he’s roaming around back there, ready to go track and tackle whoever they send.
“He flies around. He’s quick. He helps us a lot.”
Auxier also likes being on offense.
“I like running the ball,” he said. “We’re setting the standard of making the playoffs. Hopefully, we get two home playoff games this year. I do think we can go farther this year.”